She hit a five-point move in the first 30 seconds of her freestyle title matchup against Cumberlands' Lisa Martinez in the recent Women's College Wrestling Association Championships.

Waters, who wrestled on the Joliet Township boys team while in high school, went on to a two-period sweep in the 44-kilo bout (5-0, 5-2). The Oklahoma City University junior also helped the Stars repeat as national champions in competition at the Burns Athletic Center in Marshall, Mo.

Now, she is throwing her voice around the OCU training room. She has taken a liking to being called "national champ" -- grown fond of the ring behind that special tone.

"The people I brag most to are the guys on our guys wrestling team," Waters said. "It's like, 'We're the guys. We're good.' I say, 'I know. But I'm a national champ now. What do you say to that?' Usually, they shut right up."

Waters, who weighs about 97 pounds, was one of four individual champs for OCU at the national tournament. The Stars scored 124 points to easily outdistance Cumberlands (Ky.) 76 and Simon Fraser (British Columbia) 70.

Waters' win came in uncharacteristic fashion. Not only did she avenge an earlier loss to Martinez, she hit an astonishing moved called a "suflex throw."

After a brief stare down in the center circle, Waters wrapped her arms around Martinez and tossed her to the mat much the delight of her coach, Archie Randall, and her teammates.

"She hit a five-point move to end the first period," Randall said. "It was exceptional."

"My coach was like, 'Where did that come from?' " she said. "I was like, 'I don't know.' She let me get behind her. I had all that adrenalin going. And I threw her. It was like, 'Oh, my God. I didn't know I could throw anybody.' My coach didn't know either. He was so impressed. And to do it against the girl from Cumberlands, well, our team went crazy loud."

Waters was a part-time wrestling starter and standout track sprinter during her heyday at JT West. She graduated in May of 2007. She went on to hold the distinction of becoming OCU's first All-America wrestler during her freshman season with the Stars. She was also part of OCU's first women's wrestling team.

For Waters, there was a brief adjustment period that involved learning some new moves as the made the transition from wrestling boys in high school to facing women in college.

"Guys can't do splits on the mat," she said. "Girls are so much more flexible. It's weird what some girls can do. So, some of the moves I learned to use against guys didn't work on the girls. I had to tweak those moves a little."

Waters has that kind of mind. She is studying computer science and pictures herself working someday as a video-game programer or software programer. She plans to pursue her Master's degree after graduating from OCU in 2011. And she still dreams of perhaps wrestling in the Olympics.

"I always thought that would be cool," she said. "But after I first got her and started wrestling, it was like, 'I don't know if my body can take it.' I wasn't used to working year-round. They expect so much more out of you in college than in high school. The practices are way harder. I've adjusted to it now. I'm still going strong. It's 2010. I feel like I'm on my way to 2012."

Waters placed third in the women's nationals as both a freshman and a sophomore. She is now a three-time All-American.

While at JT, she maintained a winning record despite giving away as much 5-10 pounds to the boys she faced in the 103-pound class. Back then, Waters weighed about 89 pounds.

She lost her spot in the starting lineup when a youngster by the name of A.J. Juarez showed up on the scene. He went on to place fourth in the Class AA state tournament as a freshman. Juarez, now a senior, was ranked No. 2 at 112 by The Illinois Best Weekly heading into regional competition.

"He used to kick my butt," Waters said. "I haven't wrestled him since high school. I think I could come a little closer now. He's bigger than me. But I'd like to get a shot just to see how much I've improved."

The irony is her shot at taking the women's national title almost was nixed by some fickle weather in Oklahoma City. "We had a snow storm a couple days before the tournament," Waters said. "I was working out in the gym. My phone rang. It was my coach. He said, 'Get ready, we're leaving in half an hour.' I had to rush around. It was crazy. Our coach didn't want us to get stranded on campus. They shut everything down in Oklahoma City when it snows.

"They don't have salt, snow trucks. Nothing. They're not used to winter weather like we are. You should have seen the ice. It was everywhere."

The wind that blew behind Waters' championship throw brought on a more powerful storm.

12-year-old female wrestler raising eyebrows, pinning opponents

IRMO, SC (WIS) - Her name means 'beginning,' and she's beginning to take the world of middle school wrestling by storm.

A 12-year-old wrestling sensation from Irmo Middle School is pinning the notion that only guys can wrestle.

In the beginning, only guys were allowed on the wrestling mats. But on Saturday, 12-year-old Genesis Patterson took her place among the organized chaos, and her mother was pleased.

However, the ones who aren't pleased are the guys she beats on a routine basis.

Genesis was dragged into the sport after her siblings began lessons. But her trainer discovered she was the one with the talent. She even has a signature move.

Irmo wrestling coach Kyle Kimrey was a little surprised when he saw the 92-pound Genesis show up to practice, but quickly realized the little athlete could be the start of something big time.

For the time being she's sticking with wrestling, but Genesis hopes that the strength built by wrestling will lead to a beginning in another sport.

If that happens, all of her wrestling opponents will be pleased.

Lady Longhorns grab seventh consecutive crown

Caprock claims championship

By Terrence Hunley
terrence.hunley@amarillo.com

Michael Norris/Amarillo Globe-News

Caprock's Nichole Almanza, left, gets the advantage on Tascosa's Emma Lopez by grabbing her leg in the 119-pound championship match Saturday.

New coach, but no problem Under first-year head coach Anthony Hoppe, the Caprock Lady Longhorns stayed true to tradition by winning their seventh straight district title. Caprock topped Tascosa 119-111.5 in the District 6 Wrestling Tournament on Saturday in the Amarillo High Activity Center. Hereford (100), Amarillo High (61) and Palo Duro (46) rounded out the top five.

"Honestly, it was a surprise," Hoppe said. "I told the girls to go out there and wrestle well, worry about one match at a time. They took care of business and we had girls that stepped up."

Tascosa held a 83.5-73 lead over six-time defending state champ Caprock heading into the finals, with Caprock having eight wrestlers in either the championship or consolation finals. The top two wrestlers advance to the Region I Tournament in El Paso.

The Lady Longhorns won seven of the eight matches to close the gap and eventually take a lead over Tascosa. Caprock had five champions and two third-place finishers.

Two-time defending state champion Hilary Cordero said the win proves Caprock isn't going away.

"I believe that we are going to win state this year," Cordero said. "It shows that the Caprock girls have the biggest heart. It's not just about who's coaching, it's about who has the most talent, the most heart. I don't won't to be the class that loses state."

In the only match that pitted Caprock against Tascosa, the Lady Longhorns' Nichole Almanza defeated the Lady Rebels' Emma Lopez, 9-6, in a back-and-forth battle for the 119-pound championship.

In the final 40 seconds, Almanza and Lopez reversed each other three times. Almanza had Lopez in a pinning maneuver before Lopez reversed into one of her own. After some jostling, Almanza ended up on top as the buzzer rang to earn the victory.

"It was sketchy," Almanza said. "I was scared. She was strong and was was able to roll and counter stuff. I thought I had her but then anything can happen in a match."

Caprock prevailed in the tough 102-pound weight class, with two-time defending state champion Hilary Cordero defeating Palo Duro's Kelsey Baker, 6-0, in the championship match. Tascosa's Alexis Morgan finished third and despite a 28-5 record, will not advance.

Cordero hit a doubl-leg takedown 30 seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead but was never able to turn Baker for backpoints.

Cordero got a reversal in each of the next two periods to extend the lead.

"I went out there telling myself I had to get a good shot," Cordero said.

"I got in one and got her down and I told myself I wasn't going to let her up. I tried to pin her but she fought and wouldn't let me.

"I didn't want to make a stupid mistake and let her beat me."

Caprock's Mitzi Rodriguez (95), Britnee Barbosa (185) and Malexis McAdoo (215) also won championships.

Girls

Team Totals: 1. Caprock, 119; 2. Tascosa, 111; 3. Hereford, 100; 4. Amarillo High, 61; 5. Palo Duro 46.

95: Championship: Mitzi Rodriguez, Caprock, pinned Justine Martinez, Hereford, 3:53.

102: Championship: Hilary Cordero, Caprock, dec. Kelsey Baker, 6-0; Consolation: Alexis Morgan, Tascosa, pinned Blair Varela, Amarillo High, 2:04.

110: Championship: Michelle Lomas, Tascosa, pinned Maddi Nabors, Amarillo High, 3:21; Consolation: Tonya Garcia, Caprock, dec. Gabby Vallejo, Hereford, 6-1. Wrestleback: Nabors, AHS, pinned Garcia, Caprock.

119: Championship: Nichole Almanza, Caprock, dec. Emma Lopez, Tascosa 9-6. Consolation: Monalisa Rodriguez, Hereford, dec. Nastayzia Kelsay, Amarillo High, 6-4. Wrestleback: Lopez, Tascosa, def. Rodriguez, Hereford.

128: Championship: Jeneisha Woods, Tascosa dec. Franchesca Varela, Hereford, 7-3; Consolation: Sicily Medina, Caprock, dec. Clairisse Rochardson, Amarillo High, 3-2.

138: Championship: China Saucedo, Hereford, pinned Jessica Brito, Amarillo High, 1:39; Consolation: Ashley Barnes, Tascosa, pinned McKinzie Carley, Caprock, 0:43.

148: Championship: Breena Maul, Tascosa, pinned Elda Mendoza, Hereford, 5:32; Consolation: Amy Moreno, Palo Duro, pinned Kelsie Burr, Amarillo High, 0:25.

165: Championship: Samantha Moya, Hereford, dec. Jamie, Martinez, Tascosa, 7-5; Consolation: Sangie Gonzalez, Amarillo High, dec. Monty Travis, Palo Duro, 4-0.

185: Championship: Britnee Barbosa, Caprock, dec. Dorothy Scott, Palo Duro 3-3 (3OT); Consolation: Roxan Perez, Hereford dec. Kellie Marlow, Amarillo High, 1-0. Wrestleback: Scott, PD, def. Perez, Hereford.

215: Championship: Malexis McAdoo, Caprock, pinned Miriam Moreno, Hereford, 3:06; Consolation: Hsay Mu, Palo Duro, forfeit. Wrestleback: Moreno, Hereford, def. Mu, PD.

Masterful day for Bethel, Hogan girls wrestlers at Section meet

Bethel High's wrestling team edged out some familiar competition and placed first in the Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Masters tournament on Saturday. Hogan was close behind in second place, however, buoyed by Jamilla Woodfork and Chantel White.

"I'm really impressed by these girls," Hogan coach Ric Manibusan said. "The hard work they put in ... they've come so far."

Jaguars Annabelle Molina (98 pounds) and Alice Hoover (114) were top-place finishers. Desiree Espena (103), Alyssa Wong (132), Krajina Bayongan (138), Alyssa Balsina (235) and Frankie Liang all placed

second.

Maggie Contreras (154) placed third for Bethel, followed by fourth-place finisher Camille Bordon (122).

"The girls wrestled well today," said Bethel coach Mike Sariano. "They worked hard to get to this point."

Woodfork outscored Bayongan 8-1 in the final at 138 pounds to earn her first Masters crown. Woodfork lost to Bayongan earlier in the season and described the Bethel wrestler as her "main competition. I was focused on winning against her," said Woodfork, a senior at Hogan who began wrestling just this season.

"I feel really good. We all worked hard for this," said Woodfork. "I'm not surprised at all (about winning). I worked hard for it all season."

White, who dropped down from 165 pounds to 154, won all her matches during the weekend by pinfall.

"I wanted to pin everyone," the Hogan junior said. "Coach Ric Manibusan said he knew I was ready for this all year. That made me want it even more."

Hogan's Ahea Kontatataa (189) claimed second, while teammates Alana Brasher (118) and Kitrina Abueg (165) were both third. Carole Johnson (146) and Kiera Allison (235) took fourth and Amanda Avaelino (165) was fifth

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Wisconsin

Record day by Hartford swimmer

Posted: Feb. 6, 2010

WRESTLING

Midwest Classic: Greendale Martin Luther won just one of its seven finals but scored 196.5 points to win the title.

Chris Doston scored a 2-1 victory over St. John's Northwestern's Greg Bruno to capture the 160-pound weight class for Martin Luther's lone title.

City: Bradley Tech, which finished high at the Highlander Invitational and Deerfield Scramble the past couple of weeks, was strong again, scoring 55½ more points than second-place Riverside.

Custer's Davion Willis won his second straight title, pinning Riverside's Sam Espino in 1:18.

For the second straight year, a girl reached a City final. King's Molly Horwitz pinned Hamilton's Monica Lindstrom in 2:35 in the semifinal before getting pinned by Tech's Ezekiel Torres in 1:30.

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3A-7 wrestling: Chamberlain takes second, sends seven to regionals

Gaither took eighth (71.5) and qualified four for regionals. One of those who picked up an extra week of work was 103-pound freshman Daisy Santos, who posted a 2-2 record with two pins; neither of her wins were forfeits.

"I put my heart into it," said Santos (10-22), whose father Michel is also the coach. "I started doing this to have fun. Now I can prove to people that (even though) I'm a girl I can hang with the boys."

Gaither will be led at regionals by Michael Drapeau (119) and Nicholas Praddaxay (125), who both took third. Drapeau went 4-1, including a major decision in the consolation finals, and Praddaxay went 3-1, including a pin in the consolation finals.

ANN BAILEY: Wrestling has long been a family affair in this household

Some families are basketball families. Others are hockey. Still others, baseball. Mine was a wrestling family.

All three of my older brothers wrestled at some point during high school and Rich, the brother closest in age to me, wrestled from seventh grade through his senior year. I spent many winter nights in the gym at Larimore (N.D.) High School attending his matches. Unfortunately, I don’t remember a lot about them. I’m six years younger than Rich so the oldest I was during his high school career was 12. I spent a lot more time running around visiting with my friends during the matches than I did watching Rich.

I do remember, though, the sacrifices he made and his total dedication to the sport. He dieted so he could wrestle in a class that was much lower than his ideal weight and he lived and breathed to wrestle.

Because my older brothers were graduated and in college by the time Rich was in eighth grade, I became his wrestling partner at home, by default. He tried out his new moves on me and I in turn, learned about takedowns, half nelsons and other wrestling moves. Though I didn’t compete in any matches, I was a girl wrestler long before it became acceptable. For a time I also had visions of being a pro lady wrestler. I watched professional wrestling on TV and figured if the Crusher and the Bruiser could make a living at it, I could, too.

After Rich graduated from high school and went to college, I stopped going to wrestling matches. I also quit watching professional wrestling and decided I would pursue a different career. My interest in wrestling faded and I became a basketball and hockey fan.

That is, until last year. Nearly 40 years after I attended my last match, I was again back in the bleachers. My sons, Brendan, then 11, and Thomas, then 9, decided they wanted to wrestle.

New beginning

This time around I was much more attentive at the matches, of course. Though, it was sometimes painful to watch them when a more experienced opponent had them twisted into a pretzel shape, my eyes were always on the mat. At first, I couldn’t remember much about how points were scored or even about the number of periods in a match, but it started to come back to me after the first few tournaments. I guess I did learn something during six years of watching Rich wrestle, even if it didn’t seem like it.

Brendan and Thomas had a pretty successful season last year, considering it was their first formal competition. Of course, like many brothers, they have been wrestling each other at home since Thomas was about a year old. Because their enthusiasm for wrestling grew after their foray into the sport, we bought Brendan a couple of big, thick exercise mats for his birthday. The mats, stuck together side by side, make a good-sized wrestling mat. Many weeks it sits in the middle of our living room floor. Ellen, their younger sister, is learning wrestling moves from her brothers just like I used to learn from Rich.

This year, Brendan, now age 12 and a seventh-grader at Larimore Junior-Senior High School decided to go out for the wrestling team. He’s wrestled on the varsity team for most of the year in the 103-pound weight class. Because he only cracks 90 pounds on a heavy day, he’s been at a definite weight disadvantage and, as a result, hasn’t posted a winning record. However, he has a philosophical attitude and chalks his losses up to experience. He says that every loss is one step closer to a win and that he is learning from each match.

Wrestling with emotions

I am proud of his positive attitude and have to admit that Brendan seems to be weathering the wrestling season better than I am. I have a difficult time watching Brendan get squeezed and tied into a knot by boys who are about 15 pounds heavier than him. I cringe when his face gets ground into the mat or his shoulders are turned one way and his body is twisted another. By the end of the match, my stomach is filled with butterflies and feels like it did when I competed in track meets in high school.

Watching Brendan also is bittersweet for me because I often think about how his Uncle Rich would have enjoyed watching him and helping him and Thomas learn wrestling moves. Rich died at age 40 before Brendan, Thomas and Ellen got to meet him.

Despite my anxieties, I’m glad that Brendan and Thomas are wrestling. I’ve always been a believer in the benefits of sports, which include learning discipline, teamwork and self-sacrifice. Wrestling already has taught Brendan those lessons and they will constantly be reinforced throughout his high school career. Meanwhile, I also believe that Rich is watching him from a great seat and that while he isn’t there in person, he definitely is in spirit.

Millsboro wrestler crosses sports' gender barrier

"What she's done so far takes a lot of courage," 17-year coach Josh Huss said. "I'm sure she gets ridiculed and made fun of, but she's such a hard worker that I don't think she cares."

Chelsea started wrestling when she was 4 years old. She also participated in softball and Pop Warner football but quickly determined that wrestling wasthe sport for her.

"She really liked (football) at first, but the older she got, she realized she'd rather do wrestling," said her mother, Carol Timmons. "She would rather do the one-on-one sport with just her so she can depend on herself."

Although Chelsea has suffered a number of broken bones ---- a collar bone, wrist and fingers ---- the eighth grader pushes on, dedicated and motivated to become a better wrestler.

According to her father, Mike Timmons, she has been successful in coed and all-female tournaments.

A few years ago, she competed in an all-girl tournament in New Jersey and took first place in the 76-pound division. Last year, she faced off with a former female national champion in a tournament and defeated her by a technical fall.

Huss said Chelsea often gets a lot of attention at tournaments, and her opponents often don't believe she can win.

"By the end of the first period, whoever is wrestling her is definitely taking her seriously," he said.

Huss said Chelsea's teammates have accepted her as a member of the squad, since many of them have been competing with her since they were members of the local pee-wee wrestling team.

As for the future, she intends to compete for Sussex Central High School's team next winter and, if possible, in college four years down the road.

"Me and her father are behind her 100 percent," Carol Timmons said. "If it works out, wonderful."

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The Vintage Crushers girls wrestling team capped itsbest season in years with a fourth-place finish at the Sac-Joaquin Section Championships at McNair High School in Stockton.

Jesse Bethel-Vallejo won the tournament, while Hogan-Vallejo and Edison-Stockton battled Vintage for runner-up spots.

“What a testament it is to how tough our section is. These same four teams were in the top 15 in the state. It’s why all our teams are this good — we’re used to wrestling the best each week,” said Vintage coach Rob Lanterman.

Taide Guerra-Martinez captured Vintage’s first girls section championship in just the second year of the event. Guerra-Martinez, a senior wrestling at 108 pounds, was 4-0 with two pins.

She won her championship match against a Rodriguez-Fairfield foe, 10-1.

“I’m so proud that I won my weight class, but I’m even more proud of this team. We’ve come so far this year, and I hope that in some way, I’ve helped them become even more competitive next year,” said Guerra-Martinez.

Her coach praised her.

“Taide has worked so hard, and given so much of herself to this team over the last three years that this was truly the perfect culmination of her Vintage career,” Lanterman said. “The people in our section know that about her, and recognized her for it. Anything she does at nationals next month is simply an added bonus.”

Sophomore Jonnarose Palma (114) secured second place with a 3-1 record. Her performance brought Palma’s season record to a team-leading 30-10. Palma secured wins by pin, decision and major decision on the way to securing a spot in the finals match. Palma then faced Alice Hoover of Bethel, who is ranked fourth in the United States.

“Alice is a great person and a great wrestler. I couldn’t believe I was standing across from her in finals,” Palma said.

“Coach told me before my match that I had already achieved a major accomplishment just by getting to the finals, and that anything from there on was icing on the cake. That really relaxed me, and I was able to focus on wrestling.”

Palma, who had been pinned by Hoover in both their previous matches, ended up losing a 6-0 decision.

“I’m proud of this match. Even though I got beat, I didn’t lose it. I made her earn it by working hard for six minutes,” said Palma.

Vintage’s Heather O’Connor finished second at 165. She was 3-0 going into the finals to meet Ripon’s Julianna Triplett against whom she had a 2-1 mark this season. The two had locked up in some of the most physical matches of the season.

“They were just throwing each other around the whole first period, it looked like it was going to be another three-round brawl,” said Lanterman.

Triplett got a couple of quick takedowns, but O’Connor countered with an escape and a reversal that didn’t score as they ended up out of bounds. Triplett held a lead of 4-1 as the second round started, then trouble hit. Both girls attempted to throw the other at the same time. O’Connor twisted her upper body in one direction, while Triplett held her lower body and pulled it hard the other way. O’Connor collapsed in a heap, and Triplett scored the victory. O’Connor was writhing on the mat in pain. O’Connor was taken by ambulance to the hospital for X-rays that turned out negative.

“What a cruddy way to lose,” said O’Connor. “All I can do is treat this like unfinished business for next season.”

Sophomore Mia Folster finished third in the heavyweight division with a 2-1 record. Sophomore Jennelyn Lazo (146) finished fifth going 3-2 with three pins.

Elizabeth Palencia, Raeveen Barrola and Treenamariel San Juan all added wins for the Crushers. Isabel Bito and Nillamarie Mercado also performed well, Lanterman said.

The Vintage girls will now set sites on preparing for the USA Wrestling Championships to be held in March.

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