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All in the family
Local Roundup: Ripon female wrestler keeps tradition alive

By Rick Brewer
Record Staff Writer
Published Sunday, February 1, 2004

Wrestling is all in the Bertran/White family of Ripon. Three brothers went to the red-and-black mats, two older sisters married wrestlers and then there's the youngest, Karen.

The 14-year-old Ripon High freshmen is the first female in the family to put the techniques learned through roughhousing with her older brothers to good use by competing.

White dominated her competition in the 120-pound weight class Saturday, during the Region 2 girls championships at Edison High's Grant Taggart Gymnasium. In earning the gold medal with three consecutive wins, White pinned two opponents at the 1 minute, 22 second-mark and another in the first round.

The championship victory over Jaime Sage of Vallejo included a head-and-arm reversal that simply overwhelmed her opponent.

"When it's there I'll take it," said White, who also runs track and cross country for the Indians.

Like many of the 90 wrestlers representing 34 schools, White trains with the boys team and competes against her male counterparts throughout the high school season. That certainly paid off in developing the strength and technique needed to best her female challengers.

"Most girls in her weight class look a lot bigger than Karen because she's almost all muscle," Ripon coach Glen White, no relation, said. "She's very strong for a girl her size."

White was one of two winners from San Joaquin county schools. Julie Costa of Sierra claimed the 103-pound title by sticking Elizabeth Ann Libranda of Hogan of Vallejo, the eventual team champion, in 1:14. Aurda Castillo of Stagg, who lost to tournament co-outstanding wrestler Piper O'Hara of Marysville in the 144-pound final, was the only other county wrestler to qualify for the finals.

v"Pretty good considering this is my first year," Castillo said. "I thought I was stronger than (O'Hara), but she had better technique. And this sport is all about technique."

Right now, girls wrestling is all about respect. It seems to be gaining some, if the growing number of wrestlers and the proficiency with which many of these athletes perform are indications. It is not yet an officially sanctioned sport of the California Interscholastic Federation, but pressure is being applied.

It may not resemble the headlock White put on Sage, but it may have the same result.

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Women take team silver, Men take bronze at Ontario Open Junior Wrestling Championships

Milton, Ontario, Canada, February 1, 2004

Two mustang women took gold at the Ontario Junior Wrestling Championships for a 2nd place overall team placing. First year Western students, Laura Skopelianos (48 kg) and Shannon Smart (59 kg) battled hard in the final to win gold in the under 20 year-old Ontario championships.

Skopelianos needed double overtime to upset Stephanie Szmiett, of Brock 5-3, who beat Skopelianos two weeks earlier. "Laura did an outstanding job to stay tough and not to panic especially when Szmiett was pressing hard in overtime.," said Coach, Ray Takahashi. "Laura finally caught Szmiett with her head low in a deep half-nelson when she was trying to push Laura out-of-bounds. "

Brock won the team gold with Guelph placing third. Teammate, Shannon Smart scored with less than ten seconds remaining to take a 9-7 lead over London-Western club teammate, Lesley McCallum who placed 2nd at 59 kg. "There was a stoppage in the match with 27 seconds left in the match," Takahashi recalls. "Shannon was down by a point and we agreed that she needed to hit either and "inside trip" or use her "head and arm" throw. She caught Lesley nice with the inside-trip near the edge of the mat." But, in another match, it was a heart-breaker for Jill McCallum (no relation to Lesley) who lost a controversial 6-5 decision to eventual winner, Katrina Piatowanakwat (Guelph). "There was a flurry of action when Jill countered a leg attack and received no points," said coach, Josip Mrkoci. "It was a great match which could have easily been scored the other way." Jess Fitzgerald rounded the fourth medal by the mustang women winning bronze in the 72 kg weight class.

In the men’s division, Ian Patton’s gold in the heavyweight division (120 kg) led to a 3rd place team finish for London-Western. Northwestern Ontario and Hamilton wrestling club tied for first, while Matmen Wrestling Club out of Brampton placed 2nd in team standings. Patton, dominated his four opponents winning by pin or technical superiority. "It was nice seeing Ian perform so well," commented Takahashi. "He competed with confidence and this should give him momentum for the Junior Nationals (mid-March in Calgary)." Teammate, Adam Shields placed 5th at 55 kg.

Matt Steel (50kg) of Saunders Secondary School , wrestling for London-Western Wrestling Club won a silver medal. Chris Capangyarihan - age group coach for London-Western Wrestling Club and Assistant with the Mustangs was very pleased with Matt’s performance for winning a silver medal since he is still 2nd year Juvenile age wrestler. Overall the Coaching staff were pleased with the Junior athletes performance and are looking forward to the Junior Nationals in Calgary, March 18-21, 2004.

Local Results

Junior Women

Laura Skopelianos (48 kg) 1st – Western

Shannon Smart (59 kg) 1st – Western

Lesley McCallum (59 kg) 2nd – Woodstock Huron Park grad

Jill McCallum (67 kg) 2nd – London Saunders grad

Jess Fitzgerald (72 kg) 3rd – Western