womens wrestling news

A year or so ago, a prominent high school wrestling coach in the region pulled me aside at a tournament, to let me in on a little secret.

Remember all that talk that girls, that female athletes, were going to kill wrestling? Wrong, wrong, wrong, the coach said.

The notion that female athletes were detrimental to the sport came when many colleges were cutting wrestling to get in line with Title IX requirements. Public learning institutions needed a balance between women's and men's sports. And because no one was about to cut football, other male-only sports were placed on the chopping block. That was the theory anyway.

But now that women's wrestling has become an Olympic sport, and now that some colleges are offering women's wrestling, there are more and more opportunities in the sport.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association sanctioned a girls state tournament for the first time last year, after a few years of holding an invitational exhibition. Washington is one of a handful of states to sanction a girls state tourney.

So, yes, as fans, we are witnessing the birth of a high school sport. The athletes are the pioneers.

There aren't as many girls wrestling in Southwest Washington as some other parts of the state, but Clark County does have some of the best. Washougal has its own team. The Panthers have 13 female wrestlers, making Washougal's the largest team in Southwest Washington and the sixth largest statewide at any school classification. Chelssea Eakins is the Panthers' top-ranked wrestler.

Camas has Melissa Watkins, who finished second - against the boys - at the Clark County Invitational earlier this month. Sarah Rowen of Columbia River won a state championship last year, one of nine individual titles earned in the Tacoma Dome in 2007. Another title went to La Center's Chris Cox.

"I'm very proud of it," Cox said. "It's neat to know I was a part of the first state wrestling tournament. It was my dream."

La Center is a prime example of the sport's growth. Because it is such a new sport, girls wrestling is not divided into classifications. Every female wrestler in Washington competes together, no matter the school size. La Center, a Class 1A school, goes up against 4A schools.

"We have five girls on the team," La Center coach Karl Johnson said. "If I had four more, we're winning the state title. We're right there."

Johnson has coached boys for more than 25 years. The first girls tournament he attended had more than 150 wrestlers. He was hooked.

"It's the real deal," he said. "I have five hard-working girls. I mean that from a coach that knows. They have picked up the sport, and their intensity level is off the charts. It rivals, and sometimes surpasses, the guys'."

Cox, the defending state champion at 130 pounds, is the team's leader, but four others also are working on their skills: Lucy Kulla is ranked in the top five in the state at 112 pounds; Naomi Johnson is in the top 10 at 135 pounds; and sisters Jessica and Rebecca Sokolowski round out the squad.

The athletes do wrestle against boys often - there just aren't enough girls wrestling teams yet - but La Center also has competed at a number of girls wrestling tournaments throughout the state. So many, in fact, that three Wildcats maxed out on the number of matches they could compete in during the regular season before the postseason begins.

Cox, whose first name is Christina but goes by Chris because it is easier to yell out from the stands, said girls are just as competitive as the guys.

"It's a completely different environment," Cox said. "The girls are so social. Afterward they'll be friends. It's no big deal. Guys don't talk to each other."

Paul Valencia covers high school sports for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4557 or e-mail at paul.valencia@columbian.com.

Terry Mosher: Doing It the Yeik Way

The multi-part question lay around in the recesses of my mind and it never seemed to get answered. What is it, it asks, that makes me think Brent Yeik is different than the average bear, and is that difference the reason his three children appear more worldly, more poised and win more than most on wrestling mats from here to there?

I still don't know if I've got the answer after talking to him. I do know he can be brutally honest at times — he told me once that little dogs like the one Mary and I have are solid revenue streams for his veterinary business (he's right) — and maybe his upbringing on a small ranch in Wyoming made him that way and made him what he is today, whatever that is.

Yeik and wife Patty are the fortunate parents of Cami, Branden and Cody, talented year-around wrestlers who consistently win far more than they lose. Not that losing — paraphrasing a Jerry Seinfeld skit – is bad. Yeik thinks it's good once in a while that one of his kids get beat (he said it more elegantly, like a Wyoming cowboy with cow pies on his boots would).

His kids have been raised knowing the rod won't be spared. They know their roles in the family, and that family comes first. They live together, work together, and have like-minded goals, or targets as Yeik says.

"Respect of authority is understood early," he says. "They all know how far they can go and what they can't do."

He expects his kids to be positive contributors to society — wrestling is just a means to an end, a free college education, another Yeik target – and is not afraid to ask of them or others what have you done today to help society? And, he says, if you aren't a positive contributor, it's not up to the rest of us to make sure you survive in it.

"If an individual is not getting anything out of the class, why are you in class?" he asks. "It's up to you. We are only as strong as our weakest link."

So it is around the Yeik homestead. Everybody contributes to the home, rules are made not to be broken, and the penalties are spelled out if they are. He tells his kids if they are around kids who are using drugs and alcohol, then they need to walk away, break the cord between them.

"I drink alcohol. I'm not saying I'm a perfect person, I don't want to put myself out there that I walk in the right," Yeik says. "But if my kids have friends who are drinking or doing drugs, then don't call them friends anymore."

He says he's extremely proud of Cami, who has endured being a state-caliber wrestler in what essentially has been for a long time a male sport. It hasn't been easy because of things said and done to her. But she has persisted because she is a Yeik and toughness and focus on the target is what they are about.

"It's one of the biggest mistakes society has made," he said, knowing there is nothing he can do about it. He dislikes that people can use slang names to say things on the Internet that they are afraid to say face-to-face.

"If you don't have the self-confidence to put your name behind what you say, then shut the hell up," Yeik said. "(A lot of) people live in front of a little monitor. They are not even living life. We have all this beauty God has provided and they don't even get out to enjoy it."

The Yeiks take in the beauty. They go together to state and national wrestling tournaments, and soak everything in. They ski and scuba dive, and they don't take anything for granted. The young Yeiks compete hard and often on the wrestling mats and if they get beat, which is seldom, they shake their opponent's hand with grace and move on to the next target, the next day.

At one tournament Cody easily manhandled an outclassed opponent and when he came off the mat expressed to his dad that he felt bad for his fallen foe. "Good," Brent Yeik told his son. "That's what I want to hear. I want you to have that kind of heart."

Yeik says his spiritual side speaks to him, pushes him to be better today than yesterday.

"Getting up in the morning, that is my first target," Yeik said. "Then I ask myself what I can do better? When I get to work, can I do it better? When I get home, can I do it better?"

Because of the way they are being raised, the wrestling Yeiks know someday they will get an education and be asked to do the right things and to make sure they are not only contributing positively to society but reveling in the beauty of it all.

Do what is in your heart, your soul, work hard, get better each day, soak in the beauty of everything, make eye contact with everybody, respect authority, but take a firm stand when you feel you are right no matter what the costs, no matter how many stand against you.

Freelance writer Terry Mosher is a former sports writer for The Sun and editor of the monthly Sports Paper. You can reach him at bigmsoher@msnbc.com.

Gold is the goal

Gina Carpenter won a gold medal at the Western Canada Games last summer, and is expected to win another at the SlamFest tournament at Guildford Park high school next week.

EVAN SEAL / THE LEADER

On the surface, Gina Carpenter is a typical Grade 11 student – soft-spoken, dedicated to academics, and a participant in many community sports.

But the easy-going personality gives way to determination and aggression when she is in the gym or on a wrestling mat at Guildford Park Secondary School.

“A lot of people who don’t know me don’t see me as a wrestler,” admits Carpenter, a Western Canada Games gold medalist and a contender for a high school provincial championship in the 57 kg. class.

“But I’ve always been a tomboy.”

She participates in several sports, including soccer, volleyball, cross country and track and field. But it’s wrestling that’s her passion, one which takes up most of her time away from the classroom.

“I like the practices, because they’re pretty hard,” said Carpenter, who also trains with the Simon Fraser University (SFU) women’s team. “I like sweating. It’s one-on-one, you can go as hard as you want to. And if you win, that’s pretty cool.”

Carpenter placed second in the 54 kg. class at last year’s provincial championships at the Guildford Recreation Centre, the first-ever medal won by a female wrestler at Guildford Park.

She went on to win a qualifying meet, and attended the Western Canada Games in Strathcona, Alberta as a member of Team B.C. Carpenter won gold in her individual event, and also was awarded a silver medal in team competition.

She started this season off with a silver medal at the War on the Floor meet at SFU in December, following up that performance with a bronze medal at the Western Canada Age Class meet in Kamloops earlier this month.

The next major meet is the all-Surrey SlamFest meet Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Guildford Park Secondary School, an annual event sponsored by the Surrey Firefighters Association.

Carpenter – a math enthusiast – has committed to attend SFU in the fall of 2009, where she will pursue a goal of becoming either a math teacher or an electrical engineer, as well as continue wrestling.

But before that, she hopes to win a provincial championship at the high school level, a goal Guildford Park wrestling coach Mark McRae says is well within reach.

“She’s real aggressive, and that’s to her advantage,” he said. “She likes to attack the legs, and she leads with her head, which is very disruptive to her competitors. They don’t like that.”

n The fifth SlamFest event is expected to be the biggest, said McRae.

“Last year we had 80 wrestlers, this year we could have more than 100,” he said. “ The programs at Kwantlen Park and Queen Elizabeth have been getting bigger, and Enver Creek is looking pretty good. There will be more of a dogfight for second place.”

The host Sabres, expected to win a fifth straight team title, will have several younger wrestlers contending for a medal.

“Isaac Bernard (48 kg.) is starting to serve notice, he’s a medal contender at provincials,” said McRae. “And Octavio Villena (also 48 kg.), a Grade 9, placed at the Age Class tournament and qualified for nationals. He’s tough as nails. He and Isaac have battled all year, and have raised each other’s game.”

Guildford Park also has a pair of veterans expected to dominate. O.C. Safar in the 50 kg. weight class and Yakdahn Al-Rekabi in the 100 kg. group have perfect records in tournament competition, each wining gold at both the War of the Floor meet just prior to Christmas, and the Western Canada Age Class competition 11 days ago in Kamloops.

Manjot Sandhu of Lord Tweedsmuir, who McRae said might be “the best pound-for-pound wrestler” in B.C. should dominate the 90 kg. class. Sandhu also won the War on the Floor and Age Class meets, and “is a real force this year.”

Other wrestlers to watch for include Kukhan Chahal of Queen Elizabeth, winner in the 41 kg. class at the War on the Floor, and Jag Basra of Enver Creek, one of the top wrestlers in B.C. in the 66 kg. class.

sports@surreyleader.com

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Arizona State University wrestling team (8-3, 2-3 Pac-10) will look to rebound from a trio of road losses its last time out as it plays host to both Oregon State and Oregon this weekend. The Sun Devils open the weekend with a 7 p.m. contest Friday night at Mesa High School against the defending Pac-10 champion Beavers (6-5, 3-2 Pac-10) before closing out the weekend in a 2 p.m. dual on Sunday back inside Wells Fargo Arena when the Ducks (9-7, 0-4 Pac-10) visit the Valley.

SWEEP FOR CAMPBELL
Kelsey Campbell was invited to compete in the West-Midwest Duals at Menlo College on December 2 and walked away with a clean sweep, winning all four of her bouts. Campbell opened the day with a pin of Tina Linhasmout (West Valley CC) in 51 seconds before defeating Raissa Dickinson (Simon Frasier), 3-0, 2-1. Campbell then blanked Marina Piccolotti (Oklahoma City Univ.), the No. 2-ranked women at 63kg, in a 3-0, 5-0 decision. Campbell's final bout of the day saw her defeat Deni Torgeson (Simon Frasier), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0.

CAMPBELL TAKE FOURTH
On January 20, Kelsey Campbell competed in the Guelph Open in Canada and wrestled in six bouts, posting a 4-2 record and finishing fourth in the international event. With the women, she improved to 12-5 on the year with her final win giving her 20 career victories.

Winning the Division II state title in 2006, the Goffstown wrestling team was rewarded with a promotion to D-I.

Though the Grizzlies have earned some success, they haven’t been able to maintain the dominance they exhibited at the D-II level.

Next year, with attendance at the high school down a bit, GHS returns to Division II.

In fact, the Grizzlies, he said, are in prime position to claw the competition come the Division I meet Feb. 15 and 16.

“We had high expectations at the beginning of the year, just like we always do, and we had to revamp those expectations a little bit,” said Lavallee. “But we’ve been developing and getting a lot better since then, and we’re unbelievably healthy at this time of year, more so than ever.”

A top-four finish is not only realistic, said Lavallee, but expected. Top three is the goal.

To get there, however, Goffstown must break the yearly D-I hierarchy of Concord, Timberlane, Salem and Pinkerton – and hold off upstart Merrimack.

“No one really wants to wrestle us, I’ll tell you that right now,” said Lavallee. “They know when they come into Goffstown, it’s a highly competitive, physical environment, and whether you’re up against a freshman, a first-year wrestler or an established senior, you’re going to get our best match.”

The 2007-’08 Grizzlies feature a strong group of experienced grapplers to go along with several up-and-comers.

Those who hold established mat resumes include 285-pound heavyweight Tom Foote, a two-time all-stater, and 171-pound captain Chris Ives, who last year was also named all-state.

The other captain, Casey Cottle, wrestles in the 152-pound weight class, and the Grizzlies welcomed 135-pound junior transfer Nick Wheelock, who was 29-6 last year grappling at prep school.

Rounding out Goffstown’s leadership are 215-pounder Richard Chavez, 160-pounder Carlos Gallego and 145-pounder Tyler Clites, a major contributor on the 2006 state-title unit. Clites currently has the top grade-point average in his class.

“It’s nice to have that academic successes also on the team,” said Lavallee, who added last year’s squad featured seven National Honors Society members. “It really gives a lot of validity to the program and who we are.”

Taylor Thorne-Strickler provides a big boost in the 103-pound weight class, said her coach.

“She’s a very, very aggressive young lady,” he said. “For a female wrestler she is tough, and that’s inspiring for the team to watch.”

Senior 125-pounder Nick Campasano, last year’s JV state champion, has carried his success to the varsity mat, as has 130-pounder Travis Rand.

Senior 112-pounder David Dubiel, who wrestled JV his first three years, broke the varsity lineup this season. Lavallee said Dubiel is a fine example of hard work and dedication paying dividends.

Youngsters making an immediate impact include 189-pound sophomore Nick Francoeur, as well as freshmen Devon Gilbert, a 119-pounder, and 140-pounder Ryan Moran.

At the Capital City Classic wrestling tournament on Saturday, Jan. 26, the Grizzlies placed fourth among 16 teams, losing to Cumberland, R.I., host Concord and Mount Anthony Union of Vermont, three of the top teams in New England.

With 144.5 points, Goffstown finished 6.5 ahead of Pinkerton Academy, which handled the Grizzlies earlier in the season.

Clites placed second in the 145-pound weight class, losing to MAU’s Zach Randall in the final.

Wheelock turned in a similar effort in taking runner-up in the 135-pound bracket.

Ives, Foote and Chavez each placed third, and Cottle came in fourth against fellow 142-pounders.

By handling Manchester Memorial, 55-16, on Jan. 23, Goffstown improved its season record to 5-5 in dual meets.

Winning by pin, Clites, Cottle, Gallego, Chavez, and Campasano each picked up six team points. Ives took a 13-1 major decision, earning four points, and Foote, Thorne-Strickler, and junior Kirby Holmes each contributed six via forfeit.

Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestling
01/30/2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2008 Dave Schultz Memorial International will celebrate its 10th year of competition, featuring some of the best wrestlers in the world.

This year features top international athletes from as many as 30 countries, as well as an expanded three day competition schedule.

The event will take place at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Spring on Feb. 8-10. The event was created in February 1999. USA Wrestling, working with Nancy Schultz and the Dave Schultz Wrestling Foundation, created an international wrestling tournament in honor of the late Olympic and World Champion Dave Schultz.

The field includes an abundance of wrestlers with sparkling credentials and features some of the top wrestling nations and athletes in the world. The strength of programs such as Russia, Bulgaria, China, Cuba, Georgia, and Kazakhstan guarantees that winning a medal at this tournament in any of the three styles will be a great achievement.

The following World or Olympic champions from other nations expected to compete include:

Alexander Kostadinov of Bulgaria (Greco-Roman 55 kg/121 lbs.)
Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria (Greco-Roman 60 kg/132 lbs.)
Nikolay Gergov of Bulgaria (Greco-Roman 66 kg/145.5 lbs.)
Yavor Yankiev of Bulgaria (Greco-Roman 74 kg/163 lbs)
Mijain Lopez Nunez of Cuba (Greco-Roman 120 kg/264.5 lbs)
Radoslav Velikov of Bulgaria (freestyle, 55 kg/121 lbs.)
Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria (women 72 kg/158.5 lbs.)
Nikola Hartmann-Duenser of Austria (women 63 kg/138.75 lbs.)
Gudrun Hoeie of Norway (women 55 kg/121 lbs.)

Nine of this year’s foreign competitors have previously won at the Dave Schultz Memorial: Lopez, Nazarian, Zlateva, Gergov, Roman Melyoshin of Kazakstan, Nurbakyt Tengisbayev of Kazakstan, Mihail Petrov Ganev of Bulgaria, Anita Schaetzle of Germany, and Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba.

Nazarian is a three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic Champion. He was also a Schultz champion in 1999 in the 63 kg/138.75 weight class.

Velikov turned in an impressive showing in capturing the 2006 World title in freestyle wrestling. He beat past World Champion Sammie Henson of the U.S. in the semifinals before downing top young Russian prospect Besik Kudukhov in the finals.

Zlateva is a decorated international wrestler and won 2006 and 2007 World Championship gold medals the last two years. She was 2006 Dave Schultz women’s freestyle champion at the 72 kg/158.5 lbs weight class.

Nations expected to take part include: Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakstan, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morroco, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Tajikistan, Uganda, Ukraine, the United States, and Venezuela. A few other nations are possible participants.

Adult all-session tickets for the two-day event are $15 apiece. Adult tickets are $10 apiece on Friday and Saturday, or $5 per session. Adult tickets for medals and finals matches only are $8 each. Cost of tickets for high school students (with I.D.) and senior citizens (62 and over) is $5 per day. Youth (5-14 years old) tickets are $4 per day. Coaches are admitted free with five paid wrestlers.

Due to the international wrestling rules, there will be gold-medal finals all three nights of the championships. These are the weight classes that will be contested each day:

Friday, Feb. 8: Greco-Roman (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg)

Saturday, Feb. 9: Freestyle (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg); Greco-Roman (84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg)

Sunday, Feb. 10: Freestyle (74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 73 kg)

In addition to the international competitors, hundreds of top U.S. wrestlers in all three styles are expected to compete. More information on the U.S. entries will be published next week.

DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE

Thursday, Feb. 7
11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Registration (Open to all competitors)
2:30-3 p.m. – Weigh-ins: Greco-Roman (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg)

Friday, Feb. 8
9 a.m-1:30 p.m. – Session I: Greco-Roman (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg)
1-2 p.m. – Registration (Open to all remaining)
2:30-3 p.m. – Weigh-ins: Freestyle (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg); Greco-Roman (84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg)
4 p.m.-conclusion – Session II: Greco-Roman (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg)

Saturday, Feb. 9
9 a.m.-2:15 p.m. – Session I: Freestyle (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg); Greco-Roman (84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg)
1-2 p.m. – Registration (Open to all remaining)
2:30-3 p.m. – Weigh-ins: Freestyle (74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg)
4 p.m.-conclusion – Session II: Freestyle (55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg); Greco-Roman (84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (51 kg, 59 kg, 67 kg)

Sunday, Feb. 10
9 a.m.-2:15 p.m. – Session I: Freestyle (74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 73 kg)
4:00 p.m.-conclusion – Session II: Freestyle (74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg, 120 kg); Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 73 kg)

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
01/30/2008

Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Jan. 22-28.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

Roberts won a gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix on Jan. 25 in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Roberts won her second gold medal in this event after sweeping Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine 1-0, 5-0 in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. Roberts, a two-time World bronze medalist, won the first period from the clinch before dominating the second period. She scored on a front headlock to start the second period before scoring four points on a gut wrench.

Roberts was dominant as all three of her matches lasted only two periods apiece. She downed Olagnadorsh Charagarov of Mongolia 3-0, 7-0 in the quarterfinals before defeating Olga Smirnova of Kazakhstan 6-0, 7-1 in the semifinals.

Roberts won World bronze medals in 2003 and 2005. She placed second at the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials before being sidelined in the 2007 season with an injury.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
01/30/2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO – The dual meet went down to the final bout, as Germany defeated the United States, 15-14, in a World Dual meet in women’s freestyle wrestling, held at Doherty High School on Wednesday night.

The U.S. led the dual meet, 13-12, going into the final bout, as 2006 World bronze medalist Maria Mueller edged Othella Lucas (San Diego, Calif./New York AC), 1-1, 1-0 at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Mueller scored the final takedown of the first period to win the opening period, and had the only takedown of the second period. Lucas, a recent graduate from the Univ. of the Cumberlands, was competing up one weight class from her normal division.

The U.S. opened with a solid victory at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., as Amantha Hordagoda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) defeated Nicol Hofmann, 5-0, 3-0. Hordagoda scored a takedown and exposure points to win the first period, then scored three takedowns in the second period for the win.

"After the first period, I felt the confidence that I could win. I wasn’t afraid to try things. I had to be cautious with the first period. I love dual meets. They are my favorites. You get to cheer for each other. I remember in high school how much fun we had. Wrestling is so individual most of the time. It is so nice to be on a team," said Hordagoda.

Germany rebounded with a win at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., when 2006 World bronze medalist Maria Mueller defeated Tori Adams (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 1-0. In the first period, Adams could not complete a deep leg shot before time ran out. Mueller won the flip, secured the leg in the clinch and scored the takedown for the 1-0 period. In the second period, Mueller scored a spin-behind takedown for the only point. Adams, who is ranked No. 2 in the USA at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. was wrestling up a weight from her normal division.

Chelynne Pringle (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) needed three periods to defeat Natasha Ballas, 1-1, 1-0, 1-0 at 59 kg/130 lbs. Pringle won the second and third periods, forcing Ballas to step out of bounds in both periods.

"I looked for a good setup instead of taking sloppy shots," said Pringle. "I felt like I was wearing her out. It is different competing in a dual meet. I like the this because of the team aspect of it. You are supported by a whole team here."

In a battle of veteran international wrestlers, 2006 European runner-up Alexandra Englehardt of Germany stopped 2006 U.S. Nationals champion Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 5-0. Englehardt dominated the first period, turning Chun twice for exposure. In the second period, Chun jumped to a 4-0 lead, only to see Englehardt score five straight points on a reversal and an exposure to win the period.

The U.S. got a boost at 55 kg/121 lbs. when 2007 Junior World Team member Cherae Pascua (Colorado Springs, Colo.) shut out Jessica Bechtel, 3-0, 1-0. Bechtel was fifth in 2006 World Championships.

"I had good coaching and good teammates out there tonight," said Pascua. "Our program is really good. We have teammates that push us every day, I feel I wrestled very good. This brings me one step closer to where I have to go."

At 55 kg/121 lbs., Katharina Peter of Germany pinned Trinity Plessinger (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the second period, 0-5, 1:08.

The U.S. bounced back to take the lead when Rachel Bernardes (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) shut out Nicole Hofman, 2-0, 1-0. Bernardes scored three takedowns in the victory.

"It is fun having a crowd here. A lot of the girls winning big matches against internationally ranked opponents. This is a good team effort. I haven’t had a dual meet since college. I didn’t wrestle well. I did better in the first period," said Bernardes.

Mueller won her second bout of the evening in the final match against Lucas to seal the German victory.

The USA and Germany each scored four wins during the evening. However, the pin by Peter at 55 kg/121 lbs. gave the visiting German team enough team points for the one-point victory.

The U.S. team featured a number of young talents who are training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The German team is in Colorado Springs training with Team USA in preparation for the Dave Schultz Memorial International on February 8-10.

"We saw some things we need to work on," said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner. "It was good for our team to get out there against a veteran team like Germany. We had some young athletes tonight and the experience was good for them."

The match was held alongside a Metro league dual meet between Doherty High School and Wasson High School.

Germany 15, USA 14
Women’s freestyle wrestling
At Doherty High School, Colorado Springs, Colo., January 30

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Amantha Hordagoda (USA) dec. Nicol Hofmann (Germany), 5-0, 3-0
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Maria Mueller (Germany) dec. Tori Adams (USA), 1-0, 1-0
59 kg/130 lbs. - Chelynne Pringle (USA) dec. Natasha Ballas (Germany), 1-1, 1-0, 1-0
51kg/112.25 lbs. - Alexandra Engelhardt (Germany) dec. Clarissa Chun (USA), 7-0, 5-4
55 kg/121 lbs. - Cherae Pascua (USA) dec. Jessica Bechtel (Germany), 3-0, 1-0
55kg/121 lbs. - Katharina Peter (Germany) pin Trinity Plessinger (USA), 0-5, 1:08
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Rachel Bernardes (USA) dec. Nicole Hofmann (Germany), 2-0, 1-0
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Maria Mueller (Germany) dec. Othella Lucas (USA), 1-1, 1-0

Terry Mosher: Doing It the Yeik Way

Gold is the goal

ASU wrestling plays host to Oregon schools this week

GHS pins down early-season difficulties, spells trouble for foes