News Page
Should girls be allowed to wrestle with boys?
10:27 PM PDT on Friday, May 20, 2005
By MIMI JUNG / KING 5 News
SEATTLE – Public schools offer co-ed sports and have no problem pitting
girls against boys, but two local Christian schools don't allow it for
religious reasons.
Now the parent of one female wrestler and a wrestling coach are going
to the mat to fight for the rights of girls.
Seventh grader Meaghan Connors is one of the toughest wrestlers at
McMurray Middle School. But she'll never hit the mat with boys at two private
Christian schools. They're forced to forfeit the match with Meaghan
just because she's a girl.
"I feel it's unfair especially if it's someone I know I can beat," she
said.
Both Cascade Christian and Tacoma Baptist have policies that don't
allow boys to wrestle girls.
The superintendent of Cascade Christian told the Seattle Times the
school "does not want to put our young men in a situation where they would be
inappropriately touching a young lady."
Meaghan's wrestling coach, Doug Mish, sees it as a clear case of sex
discrimination.
"We respect that. That's ok. But when you're in our arena with our
publicly funded schools and open programs, you need to adhere to our rules," he
said.
Friday, Mish filed a discrimination complaint with the Department of
Education charging the Rainier Valley League is violating Title 9 - the
federal law that bans discrimination against girls or women in schools.
"If you're healthy and you're academically fit to walk onto that mat,
that other person deserves a match," he said.
Connors believes if boys at the private schools were allowed to wrestle
girls, they would.
Meaghan is one of two girls on McMurray Middle School's wrestling team.
Her other teammate is also part of the complaint against the league.
The results of this complaint will be watched closely across the state
because there are about 100 girls who wrestle statewide and that number
is growing.
------------------------------------------
U.S. places fifth at Women’s World Cup; two-time World Champion Marano goes 3-0
5/21/2005
John Fuller/USA Wrestling
Clermont-Ferrand, France - The U.S. squad placed fifth at the 2005 Women’s World Cup in France on Saturday afternoon, defeating Venezuela 19-7 in the fifth-place dual meet.
Japan captured its second consecutive title, defeating the United States team, the 2003 World Cup champions, 24-4, and a tough Russian squad, 23-2, in pool competition before dominating Ukraine in the finals, 22-4.
Uncharacteristic of past World Cup events, the six teams were divided into two pools. The U.S. team was placed in a pool with Russia and Japan, while host France faced off with Ukraine and Venezuela in its pool.
The U.S. team lost both of the dual meets in its pool. In the first round, Japan defeated the U.S. team 24-4. Two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) defeated Eri Sakamoto at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. for the only U.S. victory.
2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) also scored a team point in a close bout with 2004 World University champion Ayako Shoda at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Japan’s lineup included Olympic gold medalists Saori Yoshida at 55 kg/121 lbs., who defeated Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), and Kaori Icho at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., who defeated Kaci Lyle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids).
In the second round, Russia defeated the U.S. squad 16-11, sending the U.S. team into the fifth-place bout.
The U.S. team lost the first three matches of the dual meet, before Roberts registered a win over Viktoria Zagaynova at 59 kg. Zagaynova placed fifth in the 2005 European Championships.
Russia clinched the dual with a win at 63 kg by 2004 World Cup bronze medalist Anna Polovneva over Lyle.
Marano then defeated 2004 World Cup champion and 2005 European Championships silver medalist Elena Perepelkina at 67 kg.
Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) ended the dual on a high note for the U.S., downing 2004 European Junior champion Julia Bartnouskaia at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
“The first two duals were rough for us. We went against two of the top teams in the world in our pool,” U.S. coach Tom Tomeo stated. “We bounced back well against Venezuela, though.”
In the other pool, Venezuela and Ukraine tied at 15-15, Ukraine defeated France 16-13 and France downed Venezuela 22-10.
Russia defeated France 21-9 in the third-place dual.
Complete match scores are not yet available.
Women's World Cup
5/21/2005
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Entered by John Fuller
Team Scoring
Results By Weight
1ST PLACE:
Japan 22, Ukraine 4
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Makiko Sakamoto (JAP) def. Oleskandra Kohut (UKR)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Chiharu Icho (JAP) def. Olga Levkovska (UKR)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Saori Yoshida (JAP) def. Alena Komarova (UKR)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (JAP) def. Natalia Synyshin (UKR)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaori Icho (JAP) def. Oksana Shalikova (UKR)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katerina Burmistrova (UKR) def. Eri Sakamoto (JAP)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (JAP) def. Svitlana Sayenko (UKR)
3RD PLACE:
Russia 21, France 9
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Liliya Kaskarakova (RUS) def. Anne Catherine Deluntsch (FRA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Natalia Smirnova (RUS) def. Vanessa Boubryemm (FRA)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Natalia Golts (RUS) def. Anna Gomis (FRA)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Audrey Prieto (FRA) def. Viktoria Zagaynova (RUS)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Anna Polovneva (RUS) def. Meryem Selloum (FRA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Lise LeGrand (FRA) def. Elena Perepelkina (RUS)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Julia Bartnouskaia (RUS) def. Fanny Gai (FRA)
5TH PLACE:
United States 19, Venezuela 7
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Mayelis Caripa (VEN) def. Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata (USA) def. Mirna Henriquez (VEN)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George (USA) def. Marcia Andrades (VEN)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts (USA) def. Yoselin Rojas (VEN)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaci Lyle (USA) def. Jaclin Fuentes (VEN)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano (USA) def. Jerasmit Weffer (VEN)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Iris Smith (USA) def. Raine Guerra (VEN)
POOL 1
Japan 24, United States 4
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Makiko Sakamoto (JAP) def. Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Chiharu Icho (JAP) def. Stephanie Murata (USA)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Saori Yoshida (JAP) def. Tina George (USA)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (JAP) def. Sally Roberts (USA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaori Icho (JAP) def. Kaci Lyle (USA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano (USA) def. Eri Sakamoto (JAP)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (JAP) def. Iris Smith (USA)
Russia 16, United States 11
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Liliya Kaskarakova (RUS) def. Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Natalia Smirnova (RUS) def. Stephanie Murata (USA)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Natalia Golts (RUS) def. Tina George (USA)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts (USA) def. Viktoria Zagaynova (RUS)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Anna Polovneva (RUS) def. Kaci Lyle (USA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano (USA) def. Elena Perepelkina (RUS)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Iris Smith (USA) def. Julia Bartnouskaia (RUS)
Japan 23, Russia 2
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Makiko Sakamoto (JAP) def. Liliya Kaskarakova (RUS)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Chiharu Icho (JAP) def. Natalia Smirnova (RUS)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Saori Yoshida (JAP) def. Natalia Golts (RUS)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (JAP) def. Viktoria Zagaynova (RUS)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaori Icho (JAP) def. Anna Polovneva (RUS)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Eri Sakamoto (JAP) def. Anastasia Dezhneva (RUS)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (JAP) def. Elena Perepelkina (RUS)
POOL 2
Venezuela 15, Ukraine 15 (Venezuela wins tiebreaker of most wins)
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Mayelis Caripa (VEN) def. Oleskandra Kohut (UKR)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Mirna Henriquez (VEN) def. Olga Levkovska (UKR)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Marcia Andrade (VEN) def. Alena Komarova (UKR)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Yoselin Rojas (VEN) def. Natalia Synyshin (UKR)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Oksana Shalikova (UKR) def. Jaclin Fuentes (VEN)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Valerya Zlatova (UKR) def. Jerasmit Weffer (VEN)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Svitlana Sayenko (UKR) def. Raine Guerra (VEN)
Ukraine 16, France 13
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Anne Catherine Deluntsch (FRA) def. Oleskandra Kohut (UKR)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Vanessa Boubryemm (FRA) def. Olga Levkovska (UKR)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Anna Gomis (FRA) def. Alena Komarova (UKR)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Natalia Synyshin (UKR) def. Audrey Prieto (FRA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Oksana Shalikova (UKR) def. Meryem Selloum (FRA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katerina Burmistrova (UKR) def. Lise LeGrand (FRA)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Svitlana Sayenko (UKR) def. Fanny Gai (FRA)
France 22, Venezuela 10
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Anne Catherine Deluntsch (FRA) def. Mayelis Caripa (VEN)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Vanessa Boubryemm (FRA) def. Mirna Henriquez (VEN)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Anna Gomis (FRA) def. Marcia Andrades (VEN)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Yoselin Rojas (VEN) def. Sandrine Seve (FRA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Meryem Selloum (FRA) def. Jaclin Fuentes (VEN)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Lise LeGrand (FRA) def. Jerasmit Weffer (VEN)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Raine Guerra (VEN) def. Fanny Gai (FRA)