Womens wrestling news

A year ago, Vogt coached Sam Houston's girls to their first-ever district title and led the boys back to respectability.

Things haven't gone so smoothly in his second season with the Tigers. Sam Houston has been beset by grade problems, a direct result of the school's increased academic standards.

“You can't argue with the results. In barely a year, Sam Houston has jumped two spots from ‘Unacceptable' to ‘Recognized' in the TEA (Texas Education Association) ratings,” Vogt said. “True, it's made it more difficult for our sports teams, but you have to look at the big picture. We're trying to prepare our students for college and life after high school.”

With a number of athletes academically ineligible at the moment, it's left Vogt with a watered-down squad. In fact, Sam Houston has joined forces with Lamar, which also has depth problems, for several tournaments.

At best, Vogt should have his full squad intact a few days before the District 23 Championships on Feb. 6 at Delmar Sports Complex.

“Our kids can practice, but most of them can't wrestle in tournaments,” Vogt said.

With limited numbers, Vogt said it's inconceivable that Sam Houston's boys can challenge Westside for the league crown.

“Westside has one of its strongest teams ever. From 103 to 180 pounds, they're really solid,” Vogt said. “Westside is out in front, with Lamar probably in second. I expect us to challenge Bellaire for third place, but they're much-improved. We have our work cut out for us.”

The Tigers, though, have a handful of wrestlers who could push Westside's very best and possibly even advance to state.

Senior George Rodriguez is the best of the bunch, although he is dropping down to the 215-pound class after competing as a heavyweight all season. Rodriguez's 21-3 record makes him a threat.

“George is doing his own version of ‘Vision Quest,'” said Vogt, alluding to the 1980s wrestling film. “He started the year at 287 pounds and he's already down to 230. It's taken him all season to drop weight. He's lost a few pounds a week, but he's getting closer to making 215.”

Rodriguez has notable credentials. A second-year wrestler, he was a heavyweight on Team Texas, earning a state Greco-Roman title. But Vogt felt Rodriguez could be a force at 215, with the Tigers star aiming for The Woodlands' highly touted Cody Davis.

Sam Houston also has a pair of potential regional and state qualifiers in seniors Joel Gonzalez and Giovanni Valdez at 180 and 189 pounds, respectively. They have similar records, with Gonzalez at 17-3 and Valdez at 17-5.

“Joel and Giovanni have been going back and forth in their weight classes, but we think we have them where they need to be,” Vogt said.

Gonzalez won the Sam Houston Invitational and fared well at the Cy Ridge Invitational and Klein Oak's Gator Roll. Valdez also was a winner in the Tigers' own tourney and has been a consistent performer all season.

“Joel has been very good for us all year. He's placed in just about every tournament,” Vogt said. “Giovanni is a four-year wrestler and a two-time regional qualifier. He's determined to get to state.”

Other wrestlers to watch include senior Jorge Troncoso (10-6), who will wrestle at either 125 or 130 pounds, and junior Jacob Villarreal (4-0), who advanced to regionals a year ago at 140.

“If everyone had made their grades, we'd have guys in 14 weight classes,” Vogt said. “We have our fingers crossed that most of them will be back for district.”

Sam Houston's girls are favored to repeat as district champions, provided that the top wrestlers make the cut during the next grading period.

“We broke Lee's eight-year district winning streak last year,” Vogt said. “I was a part of six of them, but it doesn't matter. We don't plan on giving Lee their title back.”

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Women’s wrestling gains popularity in conservative southern Iraq

In Iraq’s conservative and religious south, women are modest, tribal elders are respected and Friday means the mosque. That was until Hamid al-Hamdani came to town.

A former wrestling champion and five-times national wrestling coach of the year, Mr al-Hamdani decided a year ago to challenge the orthodoxy.

Inspired by the female fighters he had seen at international tournaments, he helped to set up Iraq’s first women’s freestyle wrestling club in the city of Diwaniyah. “I wanted it to be another of my achievements,” Mr al-Hamdani said of his group.

Up to 20 teenagers and students now meet on Fridays and Saturdays and shed their abayas — which cover the whole body — to practise holds, throws and grapples. Authorities were initially shocked and confused, but now the group has inspired copycat clubs across the country.

“[Women’s wrestling] brand new,” said club member Masar Hachi, 21. “It’s never been anywhere in Iraq before.” A third-year student in a sports college, she said that her academic curriculum was too theoretical, and that women’s lives were too restricted.

Newal al-Hasnawi, whose three daughters are all keen wrestlers, said: “The women get a chance to prove themselves in sports here.” A retired headteacher, she managed the club after it was launched at Mr alHamdani’s suggestion. As word spread, more young women joined — but news of the club reached community leaders, who were ruffled. “I faced difficulties with my teacher at college,” Ms Hachi said. “His objection was, ‘you are girls, how can you go to a thing like wrestling?’ ”

Faha al-Naileh, 18, another enthusiast, said suggestions that female wrestling was anti-Islamic were “stupid” but widespread. “Lots of people objected to this, but we resisted.”

Mrs al-Hasnawi said that she and her daughters “were getting comments in the street, even in university — they thought it was strange for our society”. Even Iraq’s Wrestling Union labelled the club haram — forbidden.

Mr al-Hamdani said that he and his wrestlers were good Muslims, and wrestled either in hijabs or clothing that covered most of their bodies. Gradually, helped by widespread media coverage bringing acclaim to the team, the community had become more accepting, said the women.

The coverage has also sparked imitators. Two teams started last year in Baghdad, as well as one in Kurdish northern Iraq, and one in the deeply religious Shia city of Karbala. The Diwaniyah club hosted them all for a wrestling tournament in the summer.

“It was a success,” said Mr al-Hamdani. “To begin with, officials from the provincial council boycotted it, but then they came — and the girls were covered. There were men there, media, lots of people.”

His goal now is to take his team to tournaments in Turkey and Syria, where he thinks they would finish “first or second”. The team members are unanimous in their ultimate goal: to win an Olympic medal for Iraq.

The acceptance of the female wrestlers is a rare example of women’s sport being encouraged, said Mohamad al-Said, of the Olympic Committee. He said that sport in the country, especially among women, had dwindled to almost nothing.

After the 2003 invasion and subsequent insurgency subsided, the society that emerged was in many areas more religious and conservative than under Saddam Hussein.

“Because of the security situation, and because of the religious parties, we have girls who are too frightened to go out in the evenings, so we have less participation in sports,” he said.

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The Lady Panthers wrestling team wrestled in two tournaments over the holidays.

They traveled to Pigeon Forge on Dec. 21 and Independence High School in Franklin on Jan. 2.

Girls participating at Pigeon Forge for SMHS include Katie Lyon, Kasie Williams, Ashley Sherrill, Cheyenne Royer, and Madison Finley.

Lyon and Williams wrestled in the same weight class with both girls winning two matches by pin. With both girls also having one loss, there was a three-way tie with another girl.

"Katie won gold for the weight class because her loss was only by one point. Kasie placed second since she beat the other girl head-to-head. Katie really had a good day with two first period pins. She definitely earned the gold,” said Coach Wes McNelly. "Ashley won two matches to earn the silver medal. This was Ashley’s first loss of the season. She keeps getting better as the season progresses but needs to improve her conditioning,” said Coach Brian Parker.

Royer won one match in her round-robin bracket to place third in her weight class.

“Cheyenne has a lot of potential in the sport. She is transferring to CCHS for spring semester. Hopefully she will be able to fulfill that potential in the Jets wrestling program,” said Coach Parker.

"Madison only had one opponent in her class and lost the best of three matches. Madi just needs more mat time and she can go a long way,” said Coach Mac.

Kasie Williams, Ashley Sherrill, and Madison Finley participated in the Independence Invitational on Jan. 2. They placed second, first, and fourth respectively.

“It was a good day for SMHS girls wrestling," said Coach Mac.

Williams won two matches with one pin to win second place.

“Kasie was sick all morning and still managed to perform well. It caught up with her by her third match where she lost due to exhaustion,” he added.

Sherrill won all three of her matches by pin including one in 17 seconds.

“Ashley is very physical with her opponents. With a little more work on her takedowns, she will be ready to defend her state title in February,” he continued.

Finley had a lot of girls in her weight class so she wrestled five matches during the day. She won two matches by pin to place fourth in the tournament. One of her losses was to a defending state champion. In her last match, Madison was winning 10-5 when she was caught in a head toss, thus losing the match in the third period.

“Madi did a fantastic job today," he concluded. "She has shown a lot of improvement in the last few weeks. Her inexperience has gotten her caught in some bad situations but that will improve with time. Madi has great balance and a lot of desire, so I am excited about what she can accomplish with time.”

Stone Memorial returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 7, against McMinn County and McMinn Central at CCHS, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and will compete in the William Blount Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 9.

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Published: January 05, 2010 7:00 PM
Updated: January 05, 2010 8:53 PM

100 Mile Wrestling Club members came back with nine medals from the Jan. 17-18 Western Canada Age Class competition in Kamloops. Bringing home gold were Tianna Dykstra, Marina Dykstra, Kelsey Ervin and Carolyn Cook.

Wrestlers with the 100 Mile Wrestling Club made several trips to the podium at the BC Northern Winter Games in Mackenzie. Landing gold were Marina Dykstra, Jake Laplante and Kelsey Ervin. Silver medals went to George Muleya, and Clarissa Parma. Kailen Scott, Chad Lalonde and Isabel Pavlik each won bronze.

Marina Dykstra, Grade 9, pinned down a silver medal at the BC High School Provincial Wrestling Championships in Burnaby.
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Iowa

Ottumwa struggles against East

1/7/10

DES MOINES — There’s not a whole lot a wrestling coach or a team can do with seven open weight classes.

That was the problem that faced the Ottumwa Bulldog wrestling squad on Monday night at Des Moines East.

The Scarlets won the CIML Metro Conference opener dual meet 57-14.

Weight classes 103, 125, 140, 152, 160, 189, and heavyweight were all forfeited to Des Moines East, who has a very strong wrestling program.

“They have three, maybe four ranked wrestlers this season,” said Ottumwa head coach Kevin Cochran. “Their 112 pounder is a freshman, but he’s really good.”

Enter Ottumwa’s Megan Black.

Black, a freshman, made her high school wrestling debut Monday night, losing to Matt Schimdt by way of pin. Black is the only girl wrestler on the Ottumwa squad.

“She wrestled him twice last season,” said Cochran. “She won one and lost one. Either way, this wasn’t how her debut was supposed to go.”

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WRESTLING

Tigers roaring on the mats

By JEFF JENKINS CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT

Jan. 5, 2010, 1:41PM

Women’s wrestling gains popularity in conservative southern Iraq