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Oregon

Wrestlers looking to improve in the new year

By Steve McCasland
Sports editor
Thursday, January 07, 2010

Brenna Sullivan (Pacific), a sophomore, had “an outstanding tournament,” winning a third-place medal at 112 pounds in the all-girls division at North Douglas.

Sullivan lost her first match by pin to Rachel Fine of Oakridge, who topped the girls 112-pound weight class and also placed fifth in the co-ed 119-pound division. Sullivan lost her second match by a 13-8 decision.

Carver said, “I thought Brenna wrestled hard throughout. Her second match was back-and-forth the whole time and she never gave up.”

Carver added, “We’ll have our full team back this week and we’re ready to go,” he said. “All my first-year wrestlers are starting to develop the confidence to win; not just to compete, but to win. And our experienced wrestlers are beginning to believe that they not only can win, but can win against higher-level, more experienced wrestlers.”
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Washington

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' WRESTLING: Mount Baker edges Tigers by pins

Sports Desk - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD 1/6/10

The Mount Baker girls' wrestling team battled Burlington-Edison to a draw on Wednesday, Jan. 6, but finished with more pins than the Tigers to win 37-36 based on tiebreaker criteria. It was the second time this season the Mountaineers (2-1) have edged B-E based on criteria points.

Mount Baker picked up pins from Dani Mata (112), Shanli Dillard (135), Raney Lepper (140), Katie Weide (152), and Chloe Grafwallner (285) to take the win.

The Mountaineers needed a pin from Grafwallner in the final match of the dual to force things to be decided by pins and she didn't disappoint. The state runner-up took 1 minute, 24 seconds to put her opponent's shoulders on the mat and lock up the win for Mount Baker. 

Mata and Weide also had impressive wins, picking up pins late in their matches by outlasting their opponents. Lepper needed just 55 seconds to win her match, while Dillard won in 2:21. Mata's match was particularly satisfying because she lost to the same opponent earlier in the season.

Mount Baker finished with five pins to the Tigers' two. Burlington-Edison also benefitted from four forfeits.

"We just wore them down," Mount Baker assistant coach Clyde Blockley said in a phone interview. "We were better conditioned I think."

Mount Baker wrestles next at the Kelso Invite on Saturday, Jan. 9.

MOUNT BAKER 37, BURLINGTON-EDISON 36 (MB by criteria)

103: Taylor Graham (B-E) p. Brittannie Meza 1:14. 112: Dani Mata (MB) p. Solano 5:34. 119: Torres (B-E) p. Ella Salkeld :50. 125: B-E by forfiet. 130: B-E by forfeit. 135: Shanli Dillard (MB) p. Annesel 2:21. 140: Raney Lepper (MB) p. Pell :55. 145: B-E by forfeit 152: Katie Weide (MB) p. Emma Foss 5:23 160: B-E by forfeit. 171: Jessica Taranenko (MB) forfeit. 285: Chloe Grafwallner (MB) p. Holboy 1:24.

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Alaska

OCU, Hutchison go for duals title (Wrestling)

Michaela Hutchison

1/6/10

The last time Oklahoma City University star Michaela Hutchison of Soldotna competed at the NWCA National Duals, she was named the most outstanding wrestler.

As a freshman.

It’s a hard act to follow, but the Alaskan will give it a shot this weekend when the OCU Stars look to win their third consecutive title at the national team tournament in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Hutchison, of Skyview High fame, has compiled a nearly unbeatable record this year, losing only once in some 30 matches entering the national competition.

Last week, she finished second in the 55-kilogram weight class at the Menlo Lady Oaks Open Tournament. Her lone loss came at the hands of Miranda Dick, a Canadian gold medalist at the 2009 World University Wrestling Championships.

Hutchison is a reigning All-American who won a national championship last season. Last week’s loss was only her fourth in more than 70 college matches.


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USA

TheMat.com U.S. Senior Women's rankings


Date Ranked:01/06/2010
Ranked By TheMat.com
48 kg (105.5 lbs.)
1. Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Sara Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
4. Mary Kelly, Marquette, Mich. (New York AC)
5. Ashley Shannon, Odenton, Md. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
6. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (New York AC)
7. C.C. Weber, Goodrich, Mich. (Sunkist Kids)
8. Caitlyn Chase, Hanover Park, Ill., (Missouri Baptist Univ.)
9. Nicole Woody, Gambrills, Md. (OCU Stars)
10. Stephanie Waters, Joliet, Ill., (OCU Stars)

51 kg (112 lbs.)
1. Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Half Moon Bay, Calif. (New York AC)
4. Na’Tasha Umemoto, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oklahoma City Univ.)
5. Gabrielle Henry, Columbus, Ohio (University of the Cumberlands)
6. Amy Whitbeck, Duanesburg, N.Y. (Missouri Baptist Univ.)
7. Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood Univ.)
8. Emily Harper, DeForest, Wis. (Victory School of Wrestling)
9. Emily Martin, Frisco, Texas (USOEC)
10. Brittany Bertolani, Hampton, N.H., (Missouri Valley College)

55 kg/121 lbs.
1. Tatiana Padilla, La Verne, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
3. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
4. Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (New York AC)
5. Michaela Hutchison, Soldotna, Alaska (OCU Stars)
6. Trinity Plessinger, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
7. Jackie Stiles, Corpus Christi, Texas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
8. Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
9. Tiffany Sluik, Mason City, Iowa (Jamestown College)
10. Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont (Missouri Valley College)

59 kg/130 lbs.
1. Deanna Rix, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Kelsey Campbell, Milwaukie, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Schuyler Brown, Montpelier, Va. (Missouri Baptist Univ.)
4. Shannon Reeves, Cuyuhoga Falls, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
5. Nena Garcia, Clyde, Ohio (University of the Cumberlands)
6. Randi Beltz, St. Clair, Mo., (Missouri Valley College)
7. Ashley Hudson, Wildwood, Mo. (OCU Stars)
8. Audrey Morehouse, Moreno Valley, Calif. (OCU Stars)
9. Tani Ader, Kalihi, Hawaii (Jamestown College)
10. Courtney Mudge, St. Louis, Mo. (Lindenwood Univ.)

63 kg (138.5 lbs.)
1. Elena Pirozkhova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
2. Sara McMann, Gaffney, S.C. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Vanessa Oswalt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
4. Veronica Carlson, Addison, Ill. (New York AC)
5. Sheila McCabe, El Cajon, Calif. (OCU Stars)
6. Tessa Plana, Irving, Texas (OCU Stars)
7. Lauren Louive, Massilon, Ohio (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
8. Laura Ponshock, Tomball, Texas (OCU Stars)
9. Christina Ordonez, Mill Creek, Wash. (Jamestown College)
10. Kayla Garza, Merced, Calif. (Menlo College)

67 kg (147.5 lbs.)
1. Adeline Gray, Denver, Colo. (New York AC)
2. Lauren Knight, Vallejo, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
3. Christen Paysse, Fullerton, Calif. (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
4. Kuuiini Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Team Hawaii)
5. Pi’ikea Kalalau, Wailuku, Hawaii (Team Hawaii)
6. Amber Miracle, Berlin, Wis. (USOEC)
7. Emma Randall, Jamestown, Ohio (Lock Haven)
8. Shanna Young, Rocky Mount, Va. (King College)
9. Monique Cabrera, El Monte, Calif. (Menlo College)
10. Keaton Long, Rifle, Colo. (Menlo College)

72 kg (158.5 lbs.)
1. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
2. Stephany Lee, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
3. Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC)
4. Jenna Pavlik, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
5. Erin Clodgo, Richmond, Vermont (Sunkist Kids)
6. Kendra Lewis, Houston, Texas (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
7. Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. (OCU Stars)
8. Moriah Fernandez, San Martin, Calif. (San Diego Hot Beaches)

Copyright 2010 by USA Wrestling and TheMat.com.

Media outlets may reproduce these rankings only if they identify them as TheMat.com U.S. Senior Women’s rankings

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USA

The Top 10 wrestling stories of 2009

12/28/2009 5:40:10 PM

Each holiday season is a time to look back, as well as to plan ahead. As has been my tradition when each year comes to a close, I will share my Top 10 wrestling stories for the 2009 calendar year.

As the first year of a new Olympic cycle, the international level had many changes and new faces. The U.S. college and high school community also had its share of drama and intrigue, as the sport continues to evolve and change at all levels.

Narrowing this down to 10 choices is difficult, because there are so many big stories in wrestling each year. Going through the season is always a fun activity, allowing me to relive many of the moments that make wrestling so special. I encourage all of our readers to take a similar journey and come up with their own Top 10.

There are a number of other stories worth mentioning, which fell a little short of the top 10 release. A short summary of these includes

Adeline Gray makes the big step into Senior success – A Junior World champion last year, Colorado native Adeline Gray made the transition into Senior wrestling with tremendous success. After her senior year in high school at the USOTC program at Northern Michigan, Gray won the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials at 67 kg/147. She also qualified for another Junior World Team, but was unable to defend her title, missing the medal rounds. However, at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark, she had a marvelous performance, placing fifth at

Oklahoma City is the new women’s college champions – There is a new leader on the women’s college wrestling scene, as Archie Randall’s Oklahoma City Stars claimed the team title at the 2009 WCWA National Championships in January. Randall’s second year program knocked off perennial powerhouse the Univ. of the Cumberlands, led by three champions: Michaela Hutchison at 55 kg/121 lbs., Tessa Plana at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Stefenie Shaw at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Women’s college wrestling continues to grow with the addition of new teams each year, and this tournament will get better and better over time.

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Hawaii
Hawaiian team returns for Clash wrestling tournament

1/6/2010 9:00:02 AM
Comments (0)

By Ben Pherson
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN 

Please excuse Punahou School wrestling coach Matt Oney for getting choked up when he talks about his team's last trip to Minnesota.

What: The Punahou School of Honolulu, Hawaii, is returning to The Clash National Wrestling Duals. Punahou also participated in The Clash in 2008. The wrestling team's trip to Minnesota comes with a price tag of about $25,000. Three coaches, 19 wrestlers and one trainer are making the trip with the team, and between 10 and 15 parents are paying money out of their own pockets to attend. The team raised all of the money through the trip through fund-raisers and donations over the past nine months.

Opening round: Punahou faces No. 1 seed Simley in its first dual of the tournament.

Famous alumni: President Barack Obama attended Punahou, as did pro golfer Michelle Wie, actress Kelly Preston and AOL founder Steve Case.

Other facts: Girls wrestling is a varsity sport in Hawaii, so Punahou fields both girls and boys wrestling teams. Last time Punahou attended The Clash, in 2008, it finished 29th in the field of 32. Punahou returned to Hawaii and won its state title that year. After winning last year's state title, Punahou now has three straight state championships.

The Clash VIII: The Clash is Friday and Saturday at UCR Regional Sports Center. Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. each day. There will be duals at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the first session each day, and the second session has duals at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 for an all-tournament pass ($25 for students), $12 per session ($10 students). Tickets are available at the door or at www.clashmn.com.
Two years ago, Oney led his team of wrestlers to the "frozen tundra" of Rochester for The Clash National Wrestling Duals. Punahou became the first ever team from Hawaii to participate in the national event.

While the wisdom Punahou gained on the mat at The Clash was invaluable, Oney said the off-the-mat experiences were even more beneficial for his young group.

That's the main reason Oney is pleased as punch Punahou was invited back to The Clash VIII, which is Friday and Saturday at UCR Regional Sports Center.

"The most impactful thing for our kids was how well we were treated there in Minnesota," Oney said. "Several of our kids had never been out of Hawaii before. Some had never been on a plane. Some wondered if they could survive going to college on the mainland. After coming to Rochester and being treated as well as they were, it opened their eyes to new experiences. We were treated well every place we went. I know this year's trip will be the same for the kids. It's the experience of a lifetime."

The Punahou wrestling team spent nine months raising about $25,000 to make the trip possible. Read about it in Wednesday's print edition.

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