News Page
Alaskan Girl: Wrestling State Champion
February 6, 2006
This very cool story came across my desktop this afternoon. In Alaska, a sophomore girl became the first female high school state champion in US history. This is amazing. And how appropriate for this to happen shortly after the death of two civil rights pioneers: Coretta Scott King and Betty Friedan. It is truly amazing how this world has changed for the better as a result of the sacrifices and dedication of these marvelous women. This story made me think back on my own love of wrestling and my state championship in 1993. It was an amazing time in my life full of dedication, sacrifice and hard work. In many ways my time in wrestling has given me lifelong strength to endure through life’s challenges as a son, father, husband, partner, and mentor. I am grateful to these women (I couldn’t have attended the school I did without their work), my team, my coach and the sport for the lessons I’ve learned. Congratulations Michaela.
---------------------------------------------------------
Red Raiders return to top of state
By Nick Abramo 3/5/06
nabramo@starbulletin.com
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kahuku's girls celebrated their state wrestling championship last night at the Blaisdell Arena. Kahuku finished with 143 points.
Kahuku is back on top of the Hawaii girls wrestling world.
The Red Raiders won the Chevron/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships last night at the Blaisdell Arena, their first title since capturing it back to back in 2002 and 2003.
Forty-nine squads competed last night, but it eventually boiled down to three teams. Kahuku scored 143 points for the victory, with second place Farrington close behind at 134.5 points. Third place Moanalua finished with 129.
The outcome could have gone any way among the three schools, according to Kahuku coach Reggie Torres, who also guided the Red Raiders to their two previous state titles.
"All three teams were neck and neck," Torres said. "And whoever was going to win, we all would be happy for them."
The Red Raiders got four girls into last night's finals and only one girl won. But the way the three other girls lost extremely close matches in the final was a good representation of how the team never gives up.
There was a twist on the team-first aspect last night, however.
"We always do everything as a team," said Kahuku senior captain Mysia Kamakaala, who earned her first state title in the 130-pound division and had never qualified for states before because of injuries. "But Coach told me, don't worry about the team. This one's for you. That really pumped me up."
Kamakaala's shoulder popped out in the semifinals and finals last night, but she and the coaches were able to pop it back in during both victories.
"We have great coaches," Kamakaala said. "They're the reason for the way we look and for what we do on the mat."
Two of the Red Raiders' three losers in the finals -- Danica Auna (108 pounds) and Amanda Soliai (155) -- lost by one point. The other, Marlene Suckel (175), lost by two in overtime.
"They battled," Torres said. "All of our girls wrestled above and beyond their capabilities."
Torres also mentioned Erin Ah Sue, who placed fifth at 140 pounds.
"She beat girls from Farrington and Moanalua who she didn't beat during the regular season. You turn those victories around and we don't win."
Tani Ader was a big part of Farrington's second-place finish. She pinned Maui's Jasmine Dollopac for the 114-pound title. The Governors also got third-place finishes from Jane Matto (175 pounds) and Ashley Lilo (220) to keep them above Moanalua.
Alicia Fu led the Menehunes' drive to second place, winning the 155-pound class by holding off Kahuku's unseeded Soliai.
Two juniors -- Iolani's Carla Watase and Kamehameha's Randolyn Nohara -- won their third straight state championships last night and have a chance to match Caylene Valdez's mark of four straight for Moanalua.
"This was the toughest year. I just couldn't let her beat me," said Nohara, who scrapped for an 11-8 win in the 220-pound final over Iolani's Olivia Fatongia. "I always go for first and I never want anyone to take it away. I wrestled really hard all the way."
Watase felt the pressure of everyone in the state trying to dethrone her, including Mililani's Brandie Dela Rama in the 103-pound class last night.
"I was really nervous," Watase said. "I'm really happy. The pressure, I had to deal with that. I look up to Caylene, and it's a big deal to me to win four. She used to beat me up at clinics when I was in eighth grade."
Team standings
1. Kahuku, 143; 2. Farrington 134.5; 3. Moanalua, 129; 4. Iolani, 105; 5. Lahainluna, 71; 6. Kapolei, 68; 7. Baldwin, 66; 8. Kamehameha, 61; 9. Mililani, 56; 10. Kaiser 47; 11. Kealakehe 45.5; 12. Punahou, 42; 13. University, 38; 14. Waianae, 36.5; 15. Castle, 32; 16. Molokai, 30; 17. St. Anthony, 27; t18. Kamehameha-Maui, Maui, 26; 20. Pearl City, 25; 21. Kalaheo, 19; 22. Roosevelt, 17; t23. Aiea, Kailua, Lanai, 14; t26. Campbell, Hawaii Baptist, 11; t28. McKinley, Waipahu, 10; 30. Waialua, 9; 31. Hilo, 8; t32. Konawaena, Leilehua, 6; t34. Maryknoll, Waiakea, Honokaa,4; t37. Hana, Kaimuki, Kamehameha-Hawaii, Keaau, Mid-Pacific, Word of Life, 3; 43. King Kekaulike, 2.
State Champions
98 pounds
Candace Sakamoto
Castle
Championship match
Candace Sakamoto (Castle) def. Keiko Akamine (Iolani), pin
Sakamoto took a 2-0 lead with a takedown at 1:10 of the first period and was the aggressor the whole way. Akamine tried everything to turn the tide, but couldn't.
Sakamoto ended it with a pin with 1:38 left in the second period.
Third-place match
Joyce Transfiguracion (Kealakehe) def. Kelcie Suda (St. Anthony's)
Fifth-place match
Taylor Ieera (Farington) def. Pauline Wu (McKinley)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
103 pounds
Carla Watase
Iolani
Championship match
Carla Watase (Iolani) def. Brandie Dela Rama (Mililani) 11-5
Watase, a junior, took her third straight state title. She led just 2-0 after the first period, and afterward said the early points were easy because Dela Rama fell.
Watase gained confidence, but led just 4-2 when Dela Rama scored a takedown with 1:36 left in the second. But Watase pulled away.
Third-place match
Rayna Hirata, Kaiser def. Kalae Johnson, Kahuku
Fifth-place match
Ashley Hayase, Lahainaluna def. Renee Mitchell, Kealakehe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
108 pounds
Megan Morisada
Iolani
Championship match
Megan Morisada (Iolani) def. Danica Auna (Kahuku) 4-3
In one of the most drama-filled matches of the night, Morisada prevailed, but barely.
After a scoreless first period, Morisada took a 3-1 lead, but Auna took over the momentum and fought relentlessly for the tying takedown. With 35 seconds to go in the second, Morisada went up 4-1 with what turned out to be a winning escape.
Third-place match
Lisa Katsura, (Moanalua) def. Vicki Milanil (Lahainaluna)
Fifth-place match
Paige Inouye (Pearl City) def. Kailin Curran (Campbell)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
114 pounds
Tani Ader
Farrington
Championship match
Tani Ader (Farrington) def. Jasmine Dollopac (Maui), pin
Ader came in as the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion and No. 1 seed. She showed why by pinning Dollopac with 1:37 left in the first period.
Third-place match
Clarissa Reidy (Kapolei) def. Shina Tohara (Kealakehe)
Fifth-place match
Marlene Shimamura (Roosevelt) def. Chelsey Eugenio (Kahuku)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
120 pounds
Cherae Pascua
Mililani
Championship match
Cherae Pascua (Mililani) def. Sheryl Manglaylay (Lahainaluna) 6-5
Pascua had a commanding 4-1 lead with a minute left in the first period, but had to fight off Manglaylay.
With 25 seconds to go in the match, Pascua's takedown and Manglaylay's escape gave Pascua a 6-3 edge. Then, with 5 seconds left, Manglaylay came close to pinning Pascua, but didn't hold her long enough.
Third-place match
Chaelyn Tan (Kapolei) def. Kuulei Nitta (Moanalua)
Fifth-place match
Risha Nishima (Hawaii Baptist) def. Raena Campos (Kamehameha)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
125 pounds
Ashely Poling
Kaiser
Championship match
Ashley Poling (Kaiser) def. Kuuipo Badayos (Waianae) 10-0
The match was never in doubt from start to finish, although the top-seeded Poling led just 2-0 after one period. A near pin of the unseeded Badayos made it 5-0 near the end of the second period. Poling also had a reversal and another near pin in the third to finish it off.
Third-place match
Kylah Saballa-Olaes (Kapolei) def. Danica Kamakana (Moanalua)
Fifth-place match
Natasha Chang (Baldwin) def. Kaleiolani Souza (Aiea)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
130 pounds
Mysia Kamakaala
Kahuku
Championship match
Mysia Kamakaala (Kahuku) def. Piikea Kalalau (Baldwin) 6-3
A senior, Kamakaala won her first state crown in her first appearance at the year-ending tournament.
The outcome for Kamakaala was in jeopardy when Kalalau scored a takedown with 1:05 left in the second to get within one, but Kamakaala shook off a shoulder injury for the clinching takedown.
Third-place match
Punahele Luafalemana (Molokai) def. Ariella Ing (Moanalua)
Fifth-place match
Kiana Parilla (Kamehameha) def. Chantee Perez (Waipahu)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
140 pounds
Kara Takasaki
Punahou
Championship match
Kara Takasaki (Punahou) def. Kadian Shaw (Lahainaluna) pin
Takasaki cruised to her second straight state championship for the Buffanblu.
She led by a hefty 12-2 margin before pinning Shaw with 28 seconds left in the match.
Third-place match
BN Alfanso (Farrington) def. Stephanie Geltmacher (Kalaheo)
Fifth-place match
Erin Ah Sue (Kahuku) def. Ashley Juhn (Moanalua)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
155 pounds
Alicia Fu
Moanalua
Championship match
Alicia Fu (Moanalua) def. Amanda Soliai (Kahuku) 2-1
In one of the most grueling, defensive matches of the night, Fu got the points she needed with a takedown with 25 seconds to go in the first period. The gritty Soliai scored with an escape late in the second period, but neither wrestler could dominate or score the rest of the way.
Third-place match
Kulia McGurn (Kamehameha-Maui) def. Janna Amby (Lanai)
Fifth-place match
Monique Dilliner (Kailua) def. Crystal Kalakau (Farrington)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
175 pounds
Desiree Memea
Pac-Five
Championship match
Desiree Memea (University) def. Marlene Suckel (Kahuku) 7-5, OT
In a close match throughout, Memea pulled through in overtime. She scored a takedown by charging Suckel with 34 seconds left in the extra period. Suckel went out of the circle, but officials ruled she went down before going out.
Memea is the older sister of Little League World Series champion catcher Michael Memea.
Third-place match
Jane Matto (Farrington) def. Kailee Andrade (Baldwin)
Fifth-place match
Justina Luafalemana (Molokai) def. Ashley Kanai (Konawaena)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
220 pounds
Randolyn Nohara
Kamehameha
Championship match
Randolyn Nohara (Kamehameha) def. Olivia Fatongia (Iolani) 11-8
Nohara had to work for this one, her third straight state championship. Fatongia's escape with 1 minute to go in the second period made it 7-7. After Nohara's takedown late in the match, Fatongia once again scored with an escape to make it 9-8, setting up a possible upset. But Nohara got one more takedown in the final few seconds to clinch it.
Third-place match
Ashley Lilo (Farrington) def. Andrea Reyes (Moanalua)
Fifth-place match
Maiki Mafi (University) def. Pamela Higa (Pearl City)
--------------------------------------------------
McNutt's career capped by gold
Sun, March 5, 2006
By SPECIAL TO THE FREE PRESS
Terri McNutt - UWO (purple) vs Sara White -SFU (blue) at 51kg Finals-2006 Canadian University Championships at- Brock University, March 4th.
Terri McNutt countered a throw attempt by Sarah White of Simon Fraser and followed with a pinning hold to win the 51 kilogram gold at the CIS wrestling championship yesterday at Brock University.
McNutt, a native of Joyceville, Ontario, capped a stellar university career with three CIS medals and individual gold medals at the last four OUA championships. The fifth-year nursing student also has CIS bronze and silver medals.
"Terri worked hard for this and it's so nice to see her end her five years at Western with the CIS gold," said Western coach Ray Takahashi.
The Mustangs also nabbed two fourth-place finishes with Jill McCallum falling to Lakehead's Tasha Eady while Keenan Miller lost to Alberta's Jarret Wall at 72 kg, both losing by point decision.
The Mustang women placed fifth overall behind defending champion Simon Fraser, followed by Calgary, Brock and Saskatchewan.
The men's team failed to crack the top 10, with Brock defending its title over second place Concordia.
Fifth-place finishers for Western were Jeff Werden (54 kg), Vi Nguyen-Huu (82 kg), Jennifer Nguyen (55 kg) and Lauren MacDonald (82 kg).
Canadian Interuniversity Sports
Wrestling Championships
held at - Brock University , St. Catherines, Ontario
March 3-4, 2006
Women's Wrestling Results
1. SFU (64)
2. Calgary (50)
3. Brock (40)
4. Saskatchewan (30)
5. Western (27)
6. Lakehead (24)
7. Regina (20)
8. Guelph (16)
9. McMaster (13)
10. Memorial (6)
48kg
1. Alana King, Brock
2. Miranda Dick, Simon Fraser
3. Hajar Ashtiani, Regina
4. Brandy Ens, Calgary
5. Michelle Gorrie, Lakehead
6. Renilda DeDios, Guelph
51kg
1. Terri McNutt, Western
2. Sarah White, Simon Fraser
3. Pam Ewanishin, Saskatchewan
4. Erin Yamashita, Calgary
5. Liz Martindale, Brock
6. Catherine Biggs, McGill
7. Steph Fisher, Guelph
55kg
1. Brittanee Laverdure, Calgary
2. Jessica Bondy, Brock
3. Jessica Petersen, Simon Fraser
4. Jillian Gallays, Saskatchewan
5. Jennifer Nguyen, Western
6. Shannon Mullins, Queens
59kg
1. Emily Richarson, Simon Fraser
2. Michelle Fazzari, Brock
3. Katie Patroch, Lakehead
4. Ellen Macro, McMaster
5. Jazzie Barker, Calgary
6. Amy Dyck, Saskatchewan
7. Allison Rockwood, Memorial
63kg
1. Justine Bouchard, Calgary
2. Stacie Anaka, Simon Fraser
3. Tasha Eady, Lakehead
4. Gillian McCallum, Western
5. Meghan King, Regina
6. Lindsay MacDonald, Brock
7. Kellee Melendy, Memorial
67kg
1. Megan Buydens, Saskatchewan
2. Stephanie Howorun, McMaster
3. Ashlea McManus, Simon Fraser
4. Leah Callahan, Calgary
5. Jessica Fitzgerald, Western
6. Leah Daugherty, Lakehead
7. Kerri-Ann Evely, Memorial
72kg
1. Ali Bernard, Regina
2. Hayley McLeary, Simon Fraser
3. Meaghan Wilton, Guelph
4. Emily McCague, Lakehead
5. Jocelyn Dresser, Brock
6. Kelsey Andries, Calgary
82kg
1. Shayla Turcotte, Simon Fraser
2. Megan Goldsmith, Calgary
3. Beth Thompson, Saskatchewan
4. Megan Seiling, Guelph
5. Lauren MacDonald, Western
6. Jen Hanson, Brock
---------------------------------------------------
'The Beast'
Belleview's Southworth wins girls state title
PATTI MCDONALD 3/7/06
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BANNER
Enlarge | Purchase |
BELLEVIEW - Belleview's Renee Southworth was able to live up to her nickname - "The Beast".
Southworth won first place in the 138-pound weight class of the girls state wrestling tournament a few weekends ago at Lemon Bay High School in Englewood.
Southworth, a junior in her third year of high school wrestling, finished fourth in the girls state tournament two years ago.
Last year, she suffered an elbow injury while wrestling in a boys tournament and missed the rest of the season.
After her win this year, where she pinned her Lemon Bay opponent - Maricarmen Hernandez - in the 138-pound final to capture the title, she truly earned her given nickname.
"In her first-year of wrestling, she weighed 112 pounds and she did so well, they nicknamed her "The Beast" and it just kind of stuck," said Nancy Southworth, Renee's mother.
Nancy said her daughter like's the nickname.
"When you go to certain tournament's, you'll buy tournament t-shirts," explained Nancy. "She gets mad when I don't put her nickname, "The Beast" on there."
Even after her injury while wrestling with boys, she still enjoys wrestling against them during the varsity season.
"I liked it," said Southworth. "It was fun and I gained experience while doing it. I get a lot of exercise."
Her coach, Clint Sawyer, knew that Southworth was good, and Southworth knew she was good too.
"She's been confident all year, she knew how good she was," said Sawyer.
He was very impressed with Southworth's win, considering she missed last season with her injury.
"She did great," said Sawyer. "She has come a long way."
Southworth's two brothers - Austin and Matt - also wrestled and that piqued her interest in the sport.
Now she wants to wrestle as long as she can. Southworth said she wants to continue wrestling in the future, but she will be taking her talents up north next year.
"My parents are making me move to New York this year and I plan on going to college up there. I am planning on majoring in the medical field."
The famous professional wrestler and Port Richey resident, Bam Bam Bigelow already has the nickname "The Beast From The East" but he doesn't have a doctorate.
-----------------------------------------------
Mac girls wrestling team place two in the top six
Published: March 7, 2006
PORTLAND — The McMinnville girls wrestling team completed its season at the Oregon State Girls Wrestling Championships held at David Douglas High School on Saturday and had two wrestlers place in the top six.
Jessica Hamilton placed fifth at 135 pounds and Rachel Holbrook placed sixth at 110 pounds in the event, which consisted of nearly 150 wrestlers from Oregon, Washington and California.
Both girls received varsity letters after receiving all-state honors from the United States Girls Wrestling Association.
The two will now switch to Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling and compete for the McMinnville Mat Club under head coach Jeff Payne and assistant coaches Darrin Bonnett and Marshall Roache.
"This season was a great example of what hard work can do," said Roache, who also serves as Mac High's girls wrestling coach. "Neither Jessica nor Rachel had any wrestling experience when they started in November, now they are all-state wrestlers. Both girls are freshmen this year so I can't wait for next season."
------------------------------------------------------
Wrestling with new rules
Team Alaska grapplers adapt well to unfamiliar guidelines
By MATT TUNSETH 3/7/06
For the Peninsula Clarion
|
Team Alaska’s wrestlers managed to pick up wins and knowledge Monday during the opening rounds of Arctic Winter Games wrestling competition.
Alaska’s wrestlers went 2-0 in dual meets during the day, despite only recently becoming familiar with new international freestyle rules not yet used in the state.
“You have to have a lot more in your head,” Michael Dormady, of Kenai, said following his pin of Nunavut’s Corey Panika in the 90-kilogram weight class. “We only officially learned the rules this morning.”
International freestyle rules were changed two years ago and are used in Canada and at the Olympics. Changes made include a rule that awards a point for forcing a wrestler off the mat. The format of the match also is different. Instead of aggregate points, competitors wrestle to become the first to win two out of three rounds.
Alaska coach Steve Wolf said his wrestlers have adapted well to the unfamiliar style mainly because Team Alaska is made up of a group of talented kids.
“They seem to be winning. I told them before that if you just pin the guy you won’t have to worry,” he sad.
Make that guy or girl. The Arctic Winter Games matches include male and female matchups, a concept that’s also a little unfamiliar to Alaska’s female wrestlers — who are used to wrestling mainly male competition at the high school level.
“I’m not really used to wrestling girls,” said Homer’s Katie Connor.
Connor said that she and her teammates believe having wrestled mainly against guys has been an advantage thus far in the Games.
“Sometimes you kind of overdo it against girls,” she said.
Chugiak’s Melissa Apodaca — who has experience wrestling women at the national level — said she is confident her experience will make the somewhat unfamiliar Games rules and format a nonissue.
“I’m really not worried,” she said.
Connor, however, did voice a bit of frustration with the rules, especially the fact that they don’t give wrestlers a chance to mount a comeback in the final period.
“I don’t like it. It makes it like three matches,” Connor said. “I think it should just be one match.”
Despite its early dominance, however, Team Alaska likely will face a big challenge today when it goes up against Alberta, North, which also went 2-0 Monday and looks to present the biggest challenge to Alaska’s gold ulu hopes.
“These guys are representing their whole area,” coach Wolf said. “They’re going to have some very tough wrestlers.”
Today’s duals begin at 9 a.m. at the Kenai Recreation Center, when Team Nunavut takes on Team Yukon. Alaska and Alberta North face off in the second match of the day.
--------------------------------------------------
Albany third in NCSCougars have two individual champions at girls wrestling championship
By Phil JensenSTAFF WRITERGirls roundup 3/3/06
The Albany High School girls wrestling team had two individual champions and finished third at the North Coast Section girls wrestling championships Saturday at Freedom. All three of Albany's wrestlers reached a championship match.
This is the first year that the NCS girls tournament has been held at a different venue than the boys meet. On Saturday, 86 athletes and 39 teams competed in the NCS girls championship tournament at Freedom.
Albany's Alexa Chua won an action-packed 126-pound championship match against College Park's McKenna Thayn. Chua trailed 7-2 in the first period before tying the score at seven. She then fell behind 13-9 in the third quarter but eventually caught back up and the score was tied at 15 after three rounds. Twenty-one seconds into the overtime period, Chua scored a takedown for a 17-15 victory.
Before that match, Chua had three straight pins. She pinned Miramonte's Jackie Nedft at 1:14 in her first match, then she had falls of 1:52 in the quarterfinals against Piner's Courtney Burns and 1:54 in the semifinals against Concord's Rebecca Ribeiro.
Maia Matalon won the 154-pound title for the Cougars with a pin of San Leandro's Rachel Whyte at the 1:50 mark in Matalon's only match of the day.
"I'm really excited. It's a lot of fun," said Matalon about winning a section title. "I wish I could have had a couple more matches, but it's OK."
Teammate Heather Purkey reached the championship match of the 122-pound division, but she lost by a technical fall to Novato's Kristina Koenning. Purkey reached the finals with a 6-3 semifinal win over Arroyo's Sara Zwicker.
--------------------------------------------------
Girl wrestlers aiming for their first State championships
Friday, March 3, 2006
By DARREN COOPER
STAFF WRITER
Betsy Montanez and Kim Salma want to give female wrestlers in New Jersey a shot at what they could only dream about.
With all of the attention focused on the region championships this weekend, Montanez and Salma are training for what they hope are the first New Jersey female State wrestling championships.
"We have made a lot of progress," said Montanez, who wrestled at North Bergen for a year before competing at Montclair State. "I wish I had had a chance to win a State title, but the opportunity wasn't there for me, so I am creating it for other girls."
Montanez, 27, has been coaching boys and girls in the Bergenfield recreation program for the last four years. Salma, a junior at Ramapo College, started working in the Fair Lawn recreation program this year. The two have joined forces at a club in Saddle Brook and hope to start a girls-only youth wrestling league.
"I just think that this is a whole new era," said Salma, 20, who was the first female wrestler to win a match at a region tournament while at Fair Lawn. "This sport is amazing, you wrestle one-on-one, girls finally have a sport where they can compete against one another in this way. This is a great feeling."
For the last two years, New Jersey has held a girls wrestling tournament in Hackettstown, but it was never considered a true State championship because competitors from other states were allowed to compete.
The event, which usually is held around the same time as the male State championships, was originally scheduled in Newton this year, but now will be held in Columbus on March 18.
Montanez feels as if this tournament is a prelude to a State-sponsored, New Jersey-only wrestling championships for girls.
"We have so many young girls that are in middle school right now that I think we are only a couple of years away from having women's teams in the high schools and that would be something the NJSIAA would have to recognize," said Montanez.
NJSIAA assistant director Bob Baly said that for the State to sponsor a state individual championship in girls wrestling, a member school in the NJSIAA would have to propose it.
"We would take a look," said Baly. "I would have to see what the numbers are and if the numbers warrant it. If we have good numbers and it's not just a silly thing, I think we would entertain the notion."
Salma said there are 20 girls wrestling in her club program, and Montanez has worked with Lakeland sophomore Louise Marlow (who is ranked 11th in the country in her weight class by the United States Girls Wrestling Association) and Pope John's Shannon Carter, who wrestle on their boys high school team.
Numbers of female high school wrestlers statewide are hard to determine. Baly said he had no concrete figures, just anecdotal evidence, but he said the state is usually proactive on bringing in new championships.
"We would make the room," said Baly. "If the interest is there, we would make the room. I cite our rationale with golf; we made room for girls golf."
The State sponsors 32 State championships and five years ago began to recognize girls golf, though there are few high school girls golf teams.
Girls wrestling could follow a similar path to NJSIAA recognition. Individuals on predominantly male teams could compete in dual meets with their teams, but not attend Districts and Regions, instead choosing to compete in an all-girls State championship.
"Some parents don't want their girls to wrestle a boy and likewise; it's really difficult to convince parents and coaches that this is OK," said Montanez. "It's also difficult to convince them that this is what our sport needs. With all of the college teams being cut, developing a women's team could save a program. We really do need this, because we have female Olympic wrestlers and we need a pool for them to draw from."
California, Wisconsin and Missouri sponsor girls state wrestling championships, and Montanez envisions a big New Jersey State tournament, the weekend after the boys championship, in Wildwood perhaps, where the State's best female wrestlers compete.
"They are all just scattered, and we are trying to centralize them," Montanez said. "It's a lot of work, but I don't care. I just want to see that happen."
---------------------------------------------------