News Page
MHS’ Phillips takes first at girls state invite
Staff reports of thexManteca (Calif.) Bulletin 1/30/07
HANFORD—She called it a “blessing in disguise.”
Manteca High senior referred to her first and only loss of the girls wrestling season, which only sparked the flame within heading into Friday’s California Girls Invitational Tournament at Hanford West High.
On Jan. 20, Phillips’ undefeated record and title defense of her 2006 California Interscholastic Federation Northern California Regional Championships went down the drain after an upset loss to Alexandra Sanchez of Santa Teresa.
On Saturday, Phillips found some level of redemption by winning the state invitational handily at the 132-pound division.
Sanchez, meanwhile, finished third.
Phillips (18-1) entered the tournament ranked fourth in the state.
Tournament favorite Tatiana Padilla, who defeated Phillips in the championship round last year, opted to concentrate on helping Northview High’s boys team.
Phillips didn’t get a chance to have a rematch with Sanchez.
“The fact that I won it is good enough,” Phillips said. “Everybody knows that I just had a bad weekend at regionals, but there’s a part of me that wants to redeem myself.
“Yeah she’s a good wrestler, but I don’t think she’s better than me.”
On Friday and Saturday, Phillips proved to be far better than the rest of the field.
Phillips collected consecutive first-round pins over Emily Kalka (Watsonville), Karen Maciel (Pacifica) and Marcella Games (Hogan).
Phillips continued her dominance in the second day, when she met up with fifth-ranked freshman Lauren Thompson of San Diego’s Torrey Pines.
The match was stopped short in the second round.
With a firm grip in place along with an 11-2 lead, Phillips came close to scoring a fourth straight pin until Thompson passed out.
Phillips ended up winning by injury default.
“It was pretty scary,” Phillips said. “She was out for five minutes. I had six hours between the semifinals and the finals to just calm down. By that time, she was able to walk around, I had a chance to talk to her.
“After that, I felt a lot better.”
Then it was back to business.
In the finals, Phillips met No. 7 Omega Walters of West Covina.
Phillips earned a quick two points with a takedown and finally got the pin with seven seconds to go in the first period.
Phillips will next compete in the Valley Oak League Championships Feb. 10 in Sonora.
She also plans on competing in girls-only freestyle tournaments in the coming months.
“The girls season isn’t going to end for me until March or April,” Phillips said. “I’d ultimately like to qualify for the freestyle nationals.”
--------------------------------------------------------------
Part - time team: State-ment Made
Sac High's girls wrestling team places fifth in the state
By John Parker - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C6
|
|
Small room, big ambition.
Inside Sacramento High School's Dave Hotell Memorial Pavilion is a room, its door marked "Dragons Wrestling." The room is not big enough for a standard wrestling mat, but eight girls and a coach spill through the door.
Sac High's girls wrestlers finished fifth in the State Championships Saturday in Hanford behind strong efforts from senior Matril Ford, who placed fifth at 189 pounds, and sophomore Sherrale Rhines, who was fifth at 165. Ebony Berry also was fifth, at 235 pounds, and Amy Redhorse was seventh at 114.
At the Dragons' final practice before heading to Hanford, Ford reflected between drills and technique training on what her four years in the program had meant to her.
"I wanted to prove people wrong," she said. "To show that girls can play any sport boys can."
Ford has made her four years with the Dragons a practice of changing perceptions. After joining the newly formed program as a freshman -- at the urging of friend and team captain Erika Sedivy -- Ford hasn't looked back. She rose to a No. 1 state ranking by the California Women's Wrestling Association entering the State Championships after an offseason of freestyle wrestling tournaments, all against boys.
She was the only girl to compete in the Reno Worlds and Nationals in Las Vegas last year.
"I held my own," Ford said. "I lasted longer than a lot of other guys, and I got a lot of the guys I wrestled to change their minds (about girl wrestlers)."
That fight and desire have been a pleasant surprise for first-year coach and former wrestler Tony Samaniego. He said he has enjoyed the challenge of coaching the sport he excelled in at Manteca High.
Samaniego said he focuses more on technique when coaching girls, rather than power and brute strength.
"The girls work a lot harder than the guys in some cases," Samaniego said. "And we push them just as hard, despite definite differences in style."
Regardless of those differences, said Sedivy, the experience has been a worthwhile one in many respects.
"It's helped me a lot with discipline," said Sedivy, who was eighth in Hanford. "It's also nice to know I'm doing something that not many women do."
For Samaniego, it has been a new challenge to not only teach the techniques of wrestling to girls for the first time but also to achieve a greater goal: teaching character.
"I'm trying to build strong character," he said. "That's the kind of thing that can carry you through life."
Sacramento High's Ebony Berry trains with coach Aaron Lemmon while Matril Ford, background, takes a break during preparations for last Saturday's State Championships in Hanford, where the Dragons placed fifth.
Sacramento Bee/José Luis Villegas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three champions emerge for Kodiak
Bears place third and qualify 12 wrestlers for the state tournament Friday and Saturday at Chugiak
Article published on Monday, January 29th, 2007
DAILY MIRROR STAFF
The Kodiak High School wrestlers have coasted through the season, hurdling every obstacle sent their direction.
They cleared their latest obstacle with ease.
Forced to adjust their traveling schedule due to weather, the Bears acclimated and came away with three individual champions and a third-place finish at the Northern Lights Conference regional tournament, Saturday at Skyview High School in Soldotna.
Jimmy Eggemeyer (125), Marlon Branson (145) and Gary Anthony (160) captured conference titles. For all of them it is their first region title.
Colony took team honors with 326.5 points, followed by Wasilla’s 288.5 points and Kodiak’s 237 markers.
“The kids wrestled better then we had all year,” Kodiak coach Pat Costello said. “They wrestled really well. I thought third place would be a dogfight, but when it came down to quality, we were able to jump ahead by 100 points.”
In all, Kodiak qualified 12 wrestlers for the state tournament slated for this Friday and Saturday at Chugiak High School.
Eggemeyer, the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the state at 125-pounds according to akmat.com, faced off against Colony’s Zack Beauchamp, the No. 3-ranked wrestler, in the finals.
Eggemeyer registered a quick takedown in the opening frame, enough for the junior to remain undefeated on the season as he defeated Beauchamp 4-1.
“It was a tough match,” Costello said. “Beauchamp is real tough and you can’t make a mistake with him.”
Branson collected a technical fall and three pins as he grabbed his first tournament title as a Kodiak wrestler. He pinned Wasilla’s Jon Jensen 3 minutes and 32 seconds into the championship match to claim the title.
Anthony pulled the biggest surprise of the weekend.
Going into the tournament as the No. 3 seed, the sophomore came alive.
He registered two pins to reach the semifinal round, where he beat Palmer’s Caleb Reilly 7-5. In the championship bout, Anthony took down Wasilla’s Westley Gagnon 7-2.
“He wasn’t really rated going in to regionals,” Costello said. “He has been up and down this season and hasn’t really put it together, but he did this weekend, proving he can wrestle with the big boys.”
Kodiak had two other wrestlers reach the finals — Lucas Fried (135) and Al Cratty (171) — but both of them lost in the title match.
Fried was pinned by Colony’s Hollan Gravley in the third round. Cratty, who hasn’t wrestled since mid-November, lost to Palmer’s Tremain Benton 6-3.
It was also a historic weekend for Kodiak wrestling. For the first time in the program’s history, a female qualified for the state tournament.
Michelle Canete finished fifth in the 103-pound class after she pinned Wasilla’s Kendra Nelson, 49 seconds into the second round in the fifth-sixth place match.
Team scores
1. Colony, 326.5; 2. Wasilla, 288.5; 3. Kodiak, 237; 4. Palmer, 171; 5. Soldotna, 153; 6. Kenai, 99; 7. Homer, 91.5; 8. Skyview, 89.
Local placers heading to the state tournament (record)
103 — 4. Dylan Anthony (3-2). 5. Michelle Canete (3-2). 112 — 5. Nick VanMatre (3-2). 119 — 5. Colton Cubbedge (3-2); 125 — 1. Jimmy Eggemeyer (3-0); 135 — 2. Lucas Fried (2-1); 145 — 1. Marlon Branson (4-0); 152 — 2. Jeremiah Olsen (3-1); 160 — 1. Gary Anthony (4-0); 4. Jimmy Caswell (3-2); 171 — 2. Al Cratty (3-1); 189 — 3. David Gilbert (4-1).
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Wrestling with success
Local girls thriving on the mat
By DAN NIED, Times-Herald sports writer
Article Launched: 01/30/2007 07:18:26 AM PST
Jennifer Avelino, Jennifer Fernandez, Angie Miller and Mary Jane Fernandez (l-r) led Vallejo High... |
One of them was going to come home with a team state title.
That much was almost certain.
But how many Hogan and Vallejo High girls wrestlers would be able to return to Solano County after the unofficial state tournament last weekend with individual titles?
In the country's most populous state, the sport of girls wrestling is gaining acceptance. And nowhere is that more apparent than in Vallejo.
Before this season, Vallejo High had won the last two state championships. This year, though, Hogan went to the tournament in Hanford with the highest expectations, figuring to use 16 wrestlers - the most of any team in the tournament - to knock Vallejo off its perch.
Nope. Not yet.
Hogan finished second. Vallejo, however, showed why you never count out an underdog trying to retain its title. The Apaches won the state title, 160.5 to Hogan's 140.5. Some school finished third, but they might as well have finished last.
On the team side, Vallejo and Hogan ran the meet.
As for individuals, only Vallejo junior Angie Miller at 138 pounds. managed to make good on her title goal. And while Miller's title drove home the fact that Vallejo High is the Mecca of girls wrestling in California, her 4-0 jaunt to the championship may not have even been the most impressive weekend for the Apaches.
Vallejo coach Mike Minahen called 114-pound junior Jennifer Avelino his MVP. Avelino finished third, going 6-1 with six pins. After losing her third match on Friday, she took the long way through the consolation bracket and didn't lose again.
"She was just on fire," Minahen said. "It was great to see her explode."
Avelino's efforts may have clinched the title for the Apaches. Miller was a favorite at 138, as were sisters Mary Jane and Jennifer Fernandez. While the Fernandez sisters battled the flu throughout the tournament - Mary Jane nearly vomited during one match - they managed to score big points for Vallejo. Sophomore Mary Jane was third at 98 pounds, while Jennifer, a junior, took second at 103 pounds.
"I couldn't really think straight on what to do," Mary Jane said. "I couldn't think about how to do the moves."
The flu may have prevented Jennifer from becoming a repeat champion. But the slightly disappointing finishes for the Fernandez sisters leant the role of background hero to Avelino.
As Hogan and Vallejo have established themselves at the top of the pyramid, the Spartans are trying to move their way up to the point. This year, Hogan featured 154-pounder Monica Gonzalez, who won a state title for Vallejo last season. The transfer finished second in Hanford. Vallejo's wrestlers knew that the Spartans were gunning for them, especially after Hogan finished ahead of the Apaches at the CIF Regional meet the week before.
"We didn't want to lose to Hogan," Jennifer Fernandez said. "That was all the motivation we needed."
This championship wasn't so clear cut to most of Vallejo's wrestlers. They were, admittedly, the underdogs going in. But somewhere down the line, everyone started to believe. That began with girls coach Carl Estrella.
"Coach Estrella said all along that he really felt we could do this," Minahen said. "I didn't believe them until late. But the girls have probably exceeded every expectation that we placed in front of them."
Monday afternoon, Minahen was speaking with visitors outside the Vallejo wrestling room. After the visitors said goodbye, Minahen took two steps away, stopped, and swiveled back to yell one more point.
"You know what the best part is?" he asked.
"None of them are seniors."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Wray Morrison Reporting January 30th, 2007
The nominees for the Kinsmen Athlete of the Year have been announced. Andrew Busby is a receiver for the Saskatoon Hilltops who set a CJFL record with 73 catches and 974 yards receiving. Megan Buydens from the U of S Huskies women's wrestling team was named the CIS outstanding female wrestler for 2006. Sarah Crooks from the Huskies women's basketball team was named the most outstanding player in the CIS. Mark Dodds from the U of S men's volleyball team was named the CIS player of the year and a first team all-star.
The nominees for the Bill Hunter team of the year were also announced. The Saskatoon Outlaw baseball team captured the Western Canadian Senior AA Baaseball Championships. The Huskies football team advanced to the Vanier Cup before losing to Laval. The U of S women's basketball team advanced to the CIS championships for the first time since 1982.
The winnes will be announced at the Kinsmen Celebrity Sports Dinner February 2nd at TCU Place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
First-time female's fall leads Line Mountain
By Harold Raker
The Daily Item (Sunbury, Pa.)
MANDATA, Pa. —
MANDATA — A decision by Tim and Kim Martz on Thursday morning ended up being the turning point in Thursday night’s thrilling 35-34 Tri-Valley League title-clinching win by Line Mountain over neighboring Upper Dauphin.
The couple called Tim’s cousin, Eagles coach Mike Martz to tell him it would be OK for their daughter, Lainey, to wrestle against a boy in the crucial meet against the Trojans, and that Lainey wanted to do it.
Lainey not only wrestled, she brought down the packed house when she pinned Upper Dauphin 103-pounder Pat Welker in 47 seconds.
Martz scored a takedown in the opening seconds, but let Welker up to make it 2-1. Then she took him down again, but this time put him right onto his back for the fall.
“I’m just not good on top. I didn’t think I could hold him down,” the junior explained.
Once she had him on his back, she said she felt confident. “It was exciting. I was never allowed to wrestle boys before.’’
Martz’s pin was just one of the performances that helped pick up a team that was emotionally drained after senior Nick Lansberry injured his knee and had to default in 26 seconds in the opening bout of the night at 152 pounds.
Coach Martz said, “We had a lot of guys step up tonight. We’re a hurting team right now.”
Although Lainey Martz was the most noticeable, there were plenty of heroes for the Eagles (13-6 overall, 6-0 TVL), and some of them didn’t even win.
Injured Eagles Mason Hoover (torn rib cartilage) at 189 and Brandon Harris (shoulder) at 130 turned in gutsy performances in defeat, denying the Trojans the bonus points they would have picked up with forfeits or defaults.
The Fausey brothers, Jon at 160 and Shawn at 171 each got pins on the heels of Lansberry’s default. After decisions by UDA’s Evan Roberts (189) and Cody Snyder (215) tied it at 12-all, the Eagles’ under-sized 285-pounder, Ed Klock, trailing 1-0, landed a single-leg for a takedown, then used an half-nelson and arm bar to deck Josh Kephart in 3:57. That gave the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish.
“The bonus points were exactly that, bonus points,” the Eagles coach said.
Klock said. “I tried to tire him out the best I could and use my conditioning and go for the pin. And we all wanted to do it for Nick.”
Martz’s pin came next. “That pumped everybody up. It was the first time she ever wrestled a match, really, and when she did that our whole team went crazy and everybody in the crowd went crazy,” Klock said.
Upper Dauphin (10-2, 4-1) got a fall from Billy Mione at 112 before the Eagles’ Chad Thorpe manhandled a quality wrestler in Nate Snyder for a 20-5 technical fall.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Mac girls wrestling fares well in tune-up
Published: January 30, 2007
The News-Register staff
The McMinnville girls wrestling team competed in Lebanon over the weekend, the team's last action prior to its home tournament on Saturday.
Competing against boys, McMinnville's Jessica Haig placed fourth at 130 pounds, Lacy Haig placed second in the 115-pound Cadet division, Dionne Staple placed fourth in the 135-pound Schoolboy/Girl division and Bethany Palacious placed fourth in the 115-pound Schoolboy/Girl class.
Malia Unrath went 2-0 in a pair of exhibition matches.
The girls tournament will begin at 10 a.m. in the McMinnville High School gym. Admission will be $2 per spectator. Weigh-ins will take place between 7 and 9 a.m.
The tournament will run with a four-girl bracket, three-round format, collegiate style, with separate divisions for middle school and high school girls. Medals will be awarded for the top three placers in each class.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Castilleja senior sets state record in girls pole vault
By Dennis Knight 1/30/07
Mercury News
Wrestling The Central Coast Section was well-represented Saturday in the California Girls Invitational at Hanford West High School.
Although not sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Federation, the competition is considered an unofficial girls state tournament. More than 300 wrestlers competed, making this the biggest all-girls tournament in California.
Scotts Valley freshman Haylee Childs (122 pounds) and Terra Nova's Marina Piccolotti (142) won their weight classes. Oak Grove junior Michelle Jimenez finished second at 108 pounds, losing 12-5 to West Covina's Samantha Lopez, ranked second nationally.
``It's starting to build a lot -- the stands were packed and it was a great atmosphere,'' said Jimenez, who plans to drop to 103 pounds to compete against the boys as the Eagles prepare for the Blossom Valley Athletic League tournament.
``I like wrestling against the boys more because I want to prove to them that I have good technique and am just as tough as they are,'' she said.
Taking third place were Santa Teresa' Alexsandra Sanchez (132) and Live Oak's Moriah Fernandez (138). Oak Grove's Cindy Pacheco (98) and Milpitas' Carolyn Nguyen (103) each placed fourth.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
01/30/2007
Listen to Press Conference Audio
There is something special about home cooking and the “home field advantage.” Athletes at all levels have found that competing where they grew up offers an exciting opportunity for them.
Such is the situation for Illinois natives Lindsey Durlacher and Mary Kelly, who will represent the United States at the Chicago Cup in Evanston, Ill, Feb. 6.
Durlacher and Kelly, both members of the 2006 U.S. World Team which competed in China, no longer live in Illinois. During a press conference on Tuesday, both talked about how much they are looking forward to competing on their home mats at this international dual meet and the importance of the Chicago Cup to them.
Durlacher grew up in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and was a NCAA runner-up competing for the Univ. of Illinois. Durlacher won a bronze medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the World Championships last year in Greco-Roman. Durlacher will face an opponent from China in the Chicago Cup.
“Obviously, I am real excited,” said Durlacher.“It is a homecoming for me to come and wrestle in front of friends and family. Some of my family and friends have not seen me compete in 10 years, since my college days. So it’s quite exciting for me to make that return home and wrestle at Welsh Ryan Arena, where I have done battle numerous occasions in college wrestling, with the Wildcats and Illini going back and forth. I did not think I was making that return home. I am very excited to wrestle in front of my friends and family.”
Kelly went to Mahomet-Seymour High School in Illinois, and one of the colleges that she attended was McMurray College in the state. Kelly made her first Women’s World Team last year, and she placed ninth in the World Championships. Kelly will battle a Canadian wrestler at the Chicago Cup.
“Making the World Team is my biggest accomplishment thus far,” said Kelly. “This has been a really exciting season for me. I’ve been doing well so far this season also. I just took second at the Guelph Tournament (in Canada), and took second to the same girl I am wrestling at the Chicago Cup (Carol Huyhn). This girl was fifth at the Worlds this year, and I haven’t beaten her yet. I’m a little bit nervous wrestling her in front of the home crowd. My mom, dad and brother will be there. My dad is the coach at McMurray College and he is bringing his team up to the meet also. I don’t get to go home very often, especially to wrestle. I am excited to see some old friends and family and teammates who are coming to watch. It should be fun.”
Both Durlacher and Kelly train fulltime at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both have found this decision has helped them improve and reach high levels of success.
“That was a big determining factor in my recent success,” said Durlacher. “I was the assistant coach at Northwestern and kind of hopping around at different universities, doing the coaching thing. I finally chose to make the move to Colorado Springs to the Olympic Training Center, to become a student of the sport, instead of being a teacher. It was a complete role reversal for me. That is what is paying off. I am in a program with some of the best coaching staff in the world. Some of my coaches are former World and Olympic champions. I am constantly being pushed and developing my skills as a student. My training partners are spectacular. I have some of the best available. The 60 kg guy on our team is the World champion (Joe Warren) so that is my daily partner. When you put together great partners and coaching staff, you will have some success.
“I have been going to college for the past couple of years and wrestling has been a part of that,” said Kelly. “I went to the U.S. Olympic Education Center (at Northern Michigan) where you go to school and wrestle. This past year, I realized we are getting pretty close to the Olympics and I was spreading myself a little thin between school and wrestling and other things in my life. I decided I needed to make the complete commitment to wrestling. I moved to Colorado Springs to the U.S. Olympic Training Center and am not doing anything except wrestling right now. When you do so many things at once, you get a little bit stressed out physically and mentally. That will detract from all areas. You are going to be more successful if you put everything you have into one thing and that is wrestling right now.
Both athletes were asked about their ages. Durlacher, at 32, is a veteran who has many years of experience. Kelly, at 23, is just getting her international career at the Senior level started.
“Wrestling has a lot to do with age and experience,” said Durlacher. “It all averages out. The average Olympic team member is about 28 or 29. Some are older and some are younger. It all depends on the individual and how healthy you stay. I don’t think age is a factor. I will probably retire after the Beijing Olympics. I have yet to accomplish some goals in my career before I can get to that point…. You do have to train a little bit smarter at this age to keep up with some younger guns. My collegiate background helped me the most. I think I am peaking now. I am at the top of my game. I am wrestling the best I ever have. I am looking to accomplish great things in the future.”
“I am a lot younger than some of my competition, but I have been wrestling since third grade. I have been wrestling for a long time,” said Kelly. “I have had a lot of good coaches throughout the years and have great coaches at the Olympic Training Center. All of that, and included with the great workout partners is giving me the experience I need to succeed.
Durlacher talked about his recent success at the international level and why it has happened for him.
“It is a combination of experience, and I have wrestled in numerous international tournaments throughout the year,”:he said. “After awhile, you get into your groove and figure out your opponents. I have became a student of the sport, studying up on my opponents. I have developed a little bit of an attitude as a wrestler, as a total complete committed wrestler. In the past I was not really committed fully to the sport. Now I realize what it takes to be the best in the world. I have started to develop that and make it a fulltime commitment and living out a daily regime of wrestling, weight lifting and video.”
Kelly talked about her journey within wrestling, when she had to wrestle against boys in youth and high school competition in Illinois.
“I grew up with a very supportive family. My parents never put any limitations on me because I was a girl. Growing up, I had a few people who were against it and did their best to prevent me from wrestling. My parents are strong people. I had great teammates and coaches that I grew up with since the beginning. They knew I was serious and had potential. Everybody in my immediate circle really supported me and gave me a lot of encouragement. I really haven’t had too many problems,” said Kelly.
------------------------------------------------------------
Unselfish wrestlers continue stranglehold on BDC
By TOBY BROWN, Times Sports Editor 1/29/07
Carterville sophomore Natalie Hendricks made history at the meet by becoming the first female wrestler to win an individual BDC title. Hendricks went 2-1 at 135 pounds, receiving a forfeit from Johnston City and winning a 7-4 decision over Fairfield's Aaron Donoho before being pinned by Sisco in 1:16. Because Sisco wrestled up a weight class against Johnston City, Hendricks had the top record at 135.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Louive trying to find her spot
By CHRIS EASTERLING
Chris.Easterling@IndeOnline.com 1/30/07
PHOTO BY Kevin Whitlock/THE INDEPENDENT |
Lauren Louive knows she’s in a realm not normally hospitable to girls.
Every time the Massillon junior steps onto the wrestling mat, be it in a varsity or junior varsity event, she knows she becomes an object of attention. She can hear the whispers – “Is that a girl wrestling?” – but it’s not the voices which stand out in her mind.
“I’ll be wrestling my match and I can feel their eyes watching me,” Louive said.
It’s a feeling that has washed over Louive ever since she was in the eighth grade at Longfellow Middle School, when she first decided to take up the sport. What started then as a way to keep herself in shape between cross country and track seasons has since become a way she feels can land her in college – if not beyond.
“My first year I was ever wrestling, when I had no experience, I took third in the state for girls,” said Louive, the daughter of Lawrence and Lyneia Louive of Massillon. “I didn’t know the difference between a single-leg and a high-crotch. I plan on going to college for it, and even the Olympics.”
Before she can get to that level, she has to make it through high school. And that means cutting her teeth against the rugged competition that is the high-school wrestling scene in Stark County.
It also means dealing with the strange looks and doubts from those in the stands – and even those whom she is wrestling.
“I do have to prove it,” Louive said. “You can’t just be a girl wrestler who just goes out there and lose or not hurt the guy. You have to put him in a little bit of pain.”
The first feeling most of Louive’s opponents deal with it shock. After all, it isn’t every day a wrestling finds himself facing a girl in a match.
“I’ve seen guys almost laugh at me when they find out they’re going to wrestle me,” Louive said. “Then it’s almost like a wake-up call when we’re out on the mat. It seems like they want to go easy on you when we first get out there. Then they find out that I’m just not going to mess around.”
Of course, she’s been dealing with those kind of reactions ever since she first started wrestling, even from her own teammates. She knew she had to start by earning the respect of those with whom she practiced every day.
“My teammates were very awkward at first,” Louive said.
“I was the first girl wrestler. They treated me kind of different. Now, they treat me with more respect than most guys get. I know what’s going on now.”
And her teammates have gained a certain comfort level with seeing her in the practice room on a daily basis.
“There is obviously respect, because she’s like the only girl in Stark County doing this,” Tiger sophomore Matt Skelly said. “You have to respect her for that. As for adjusting to her when we were freshmen, we already knew she was coming up.
“In middle school, we were at Lorin Andrews when she was at Longfellow. We knew she was going to wrestle with us when we got to high school.”
Massillon coach Gil Donahue knows what he has in Louive. He also knows that for her to truly make an impact, it must come not just with wins at the varsity level, but also advancing out of the first weekend of the postseason.
“Our goal is to get her to the district tournament,” Donahue said. “I think that’s a reasonable, attainable goal. To be a state champion as a girl in this sport in this state is impossible. But to see a girl at the district tournament is a huge feat. We feel we can get her there.”
After that, it’s anyone’s guess. One thing Louive does know is that her career of wrestling guys will end once she departs high school.
“I don’t like to wrestle girls, I like to wrestle guys,” she said. “When I get to college, I’m not going to be allowed on the guys’ team. I’m going to have to wrestle with the girls. In the Olympics, they have the special thing for the girls now.”
Even one who’s worked hard to just be one of the guys.