By Gary
Abbott
USA Wrestling
Jackie Cataline (Corona, Calif./Cataline’s
Wildcats), the champion at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., was named Outstanding Wrestler
at the Body Bar Women’s FILA Junior Nationals in El Cajon, Calif., April
10.
This competition serves as a World Team
Trials at the FILA Junior level. The winners will compete at the Junior World
Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania this summer.
An upset occurred when Cataline defeated
2004 U.S. Nationals champion Na’Tasha Umemoto (Portland, Ore./USA Cobra),
3-1, 2-0. It was the second gold medal of the weekend for Cataline, as she
was also a champion at the Body Bar FILA Cadet Nationals on Saturday.
Four returning FILA Junior champions were
able to defend their titles this year.
Sara Fulp-Allen (El Granada, Calif./Menlo
College) won for the second straight year at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. She defeated
Joey Miller (Woodward, Okla./Oklahoma Bad Girls) in a finals match that went
the full three periods. Miller won the first period, 4-4, but Fulp-Allen
came beck with 7-0 and 4-0 period victories to take the match.
Dany Hedin (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) captured
her second straight title at 55 kg/121 lbs., when she pinned Chelynne Pringle
(Hugo, Minn./Minn. Storm), in 2:36.
In a battle of returning champions Heather
Martin (Wellington, Ohio/Cumberland College) defeated Stefenie Shaw (Waterford,
Conn./KT Kidz) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., 2-0, 4-0.
Last year, Martin was the champion at this
division, while Shaw was the champion at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Samantha Lang (Tualatin, Ore./Team Oregon)
won for the second year in a row at 79.5 kg/175 lbs. Lang captured a
three-athlete round-robin, winning both bouts by fall.
The 79.5 kg weight division is not contested
in the Junior World Championships, and was added by USA Wrestling. Lang will
not be competing on the World Team.
2003 Junior World champion Ali Bernard will
get the opportunity to go for a second career Junior World medal, after winning
the 72 kg/158.5 lbs. division. She pinned Tabetha Golt (Williamsburg,
Ky./Cumberland College) in 1:30. Bernard won her Junior World title at 67
kg/147.5 lbs. two years ago.
Other individual champions were Melissa
Gerard (Williamsburg, Ky./Cumberland College at 44 kg/88 lbs., Kapua Torres
(Forest Grove, Ore./Pacific Univ.) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., and Suekoilya Shelly
(Bedford, Texas/Cumberland College) at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Gerard won a three-athlete round-robin,
including a 4-4, 1-6, 3-2 win over runner-up Nicole Woody (Odenton, Md./M
Tairy Maniacs).
Torres pinned Caitlyn Chase (Hanover Park,
Ill./Gator WC). 0:56 in the finals. Torres had three pins during the
tournament.
Shelly defeated Deanna Rix (South Berwick,
Maine/SMT) in a close finals match, 1-1, 1-0. |
