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J.P. HOORNSTRA/Times-Herald sports writer
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Eventually, Lauren Knight got into shape.
That's all she wanted to do as a sophomore when she signed up for Mike Minahen's P.E. wrestling class. She didn't want to join the school team - oh my, no.
"I didn't even know girls could wrestle," she said. "I went into there blind."
Now, as she prepares to leave for college, Knight is Vallejo High's third three-team All-American female wrestler.
Her senior season was the most dominant of the three, as Knight won the unofficial state title at 138 pounds in February, took fifth at nationals on April 1, and finished with a stellar 28-4 record.
And for the first time ever, she is a nominee for the Times-Herald's female Athlete of the Year award.
Along the way, the soft-spoken Knight needed a few jump-starts to fuel her fire. The first came during her freshman year, when Minahen, then her P.E. Fitness teacher, found out that Knight could wrestle.
"One day while we were wrestling on the blacktop after doing some fitness work, she knocked me to the ground," Minahen recalled. "She apologized to me about 20 times, but I said, 'no, I liked it.' "
The coach insisted that Knight wrestle competitively the next year. She and wrestling proved to be a match made in heaven.
"I tried volleyball once in middle school," Knight said. "It never really stuck with me. I felt I was too physical when I played."
By the time Knight was a junior, she was considered a contender for a state title and possibly more, entering the year ranked No. 3 in the nation at 140 pounds.
The state title proved out of reach, however. In her own words, Knight simply lost focus, winding up fifth at the state meet, and leaving the mat in tears.
"It was something I had looked forward to and didn't accomplish it," she said. "When I did accomplish it this year, it was extra special."
If placing fifth at state lit a fire under Knight, the season-ending injury to Maria Angara, probably her best friend on the team, started an inferno.
A senior like Knight, Angara was eyeing a state title at 103 pounds this year.
"When she wound up getting hurt (at a mid-season tournament), I was scared. I would lean on her a lot," Knight said. "She was my inspiration, sort of. I used her to be strong and be focused."
It showed at the state meet. Knight made the title look easy, winning all five of her matches by pin to earn Times-Herald Athlete of the Week honors.
She knew the United States Girls Wrestling Association tournament in Lake Orion, Mich. wasn't going to be as easy. Especially after sustaining a high ankle sprain at the USGWA Northern California tournament on March 5.
"I think it made her stronger mentally," Minahen said of the injury, "because it put a big road block in front of her that she did have to overcome."
Knight wound up taking fifth at nationals, matching her finish from the previous year. How far she could have gone without the injury is anyone's guess.
But Knight isn't done wrestling. Next year, she plans to attend Cumberland (Ky.) University, one of the few NAIA schools to offer the sport to women.
Her legacy at Vallejo is sealed.
"Lauren's probably right there with both Shiela (Lerit) and Lenci (Landaker), probably tied for second, with Michelle (Domagas) being the best," Minahen said when asked to rank his best female wrestlers of all time.
Not bad for someone who, as little as four years ago, didn't know girls could wrestle.
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Kentridge grad overcomes family tragedy
By Anne Radford
For the Journal 6/18/06
Here are the other south King County students nominated in the Most Inspiring category with comments from their nominators:
Ashley Schalow, Highline High School, "had the patience and courage to become a member of the boys wrestling team," becoming in the process "a role model for girl wrestlers."
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Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
06/18/2006
All three U.S. women wrestlers were defeated and eliminated from medal contention at the World University Championships in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, Sunday, June 18.
Placing fifth at 67 kg/147.7 lbs. was Randi Miller (Arlington, Texas/USOEC). Placing seventh at 59 kg/130 lbs. was Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC). Placing eighth at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. was Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College).
The U.S. lost all four matches they they contested on Sunday. After Lucas and Fulp-Allen were beaten in their first match, their opponents lost in the semifinals, and the U.S. athletes were not eligible for the wrestlebacks. Miller’s first opponent qualified for the finals, which allowed her to be drawn into the wrestleback rounds.
Miller dropped her opening match to Mami Shinkai of Japan, 2-1, who ultimately won the gold-medal in the weight class. In the bronze-medal match, Miller was defeated by 2005 World silver medalist Martine Dugrenier of Canada.
Miller was second at the 2006 U.S. Nationals and was a gold-medalist at the 2006 Body Bar University Nationals. She is a U.S. Olympic Education Center athlete at Northern Michigan Univ.
Lucas lost her first bout to veteran international wrestler Kitty Godo of Hungary, by pin in the first period. When Godo was beaten in the semifinals by Breanne Graham of Canada, Lucas was not eligible for the wrestlebacks.
Lucas won a gold medal at the 2006 Body Bar University Nationals. She is a student at the Univ. of the Cumberlands.
Fulp-Allen was beaten 1-8, 0-2 in the opening bout by Sarah White of Canada. When White was pinned in the semifinals by eventual champion Y. Gandolgor of Mongolia, Fulp-Allen did not qualify for the wrestlebacks.
Fulp-Allen was a 2005 U.S. Nationals champion down at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. She is a student at Menlo College.
"Day Two was a learning experience for our women as we were unable to
capture first round wins which are crucial in the new format,” said U.S. coach Shannyn Gillespie. “We learned that we must come out ready to do our best from the first second the whistle blows or we put our chances of wrestling another round in the hands of our opponents."
The women’s competition ended with the U.S. capturing two bronze medals, which were won on Saturday by Liz Short (Lombard, Ill./USOEC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
The men’s freestyle competition begins on Monday, with four weight classes: 55 kg/121 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs. and 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Click here for men's freestyle pairings
The web page for the World University Championships is:
http://www.mssf.mn/index.aspx
WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 18, 2006
Women’s freestyle medalists
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold – Y. Gandolgor (Mongolia)
Silver – S. Yuna (Japan)
Bronze – Sarah White (Canada)
Bronze – Podedworna (Poland)
5th – K. Anna (Ukraine)
5th – Wang Ying Chi (Taipei)
7th – M. Vilmora (Russia)
8th – Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – K. Shimada (Japan)
Silver – Breanne Graham (Canada)
Bronze – Heryem Selloum (France)
Bronze – E. Novitskaya (Russia)
5th – Su Ying Tju (Taipei)
5th – Kitty Godo (Hungary)
7th – Othella Lucas (USA)
8th – D. Narmandakh (Mongolia)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – G. Naranchimeg (Mongolia)
Silver – Mami Shinkai (Japan)
Bronze – Ya Ting Lin (Taipei)
Bronze – Martine Dugrenier (Canada)
5th – Randi Miller (USA)
5th – N. Lanshkina (Russia)
U.S. performances
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo College), 8th
LOSS Sarah White (Canada), 8-1, 2-0
59 kg/130 lbs. - Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC), 7th
LOSS Kitty Godo (Hungary), pin in 1st period
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Randi Miller (Arlington, Texas/USOEC), 5th
LOSS Mami Shinkai (Japan), 2-1, 1-0
LOSS Martine Dugrenier (Canada), score not available
Final Thoughts
Team USA had a chance at 5 medals and came home with 2 as Liz Short 48kg and Alaina Berube 63kg won bronze medals.
Sharon Jacobson 55kg, Randi Miller 67kg, and Tabetha Golt 72kg were in medal matches and ended up tied for fifth place.
Sara Fulp-Allen 51kg and Othella Lucas 59kg lost hard fought first round matches then their respective wrestlers lost which took Sara and Othella's medal opportunity for away.
This tournament will help Team USA get stronger and was a good test for our women.
Congratulations ladies - I am proud of you!
Below are the team score and medal count:
Team Score
1. MGL 62
2. JPN 53
3. CAN 49
4. USA 41
5. RUS 38
6. POL 34
7. TPE 26
8. UKR 22
9. HUN 15
10. FRA 14
11. VIE 12
12. LAT 16
Medal Count
MGL 6
JPN 5
CAN 5
POL 4
USA 2
RUS 2
UKR 2
FRA 1
TPE 1