Gomez repeats as champion at Girls High School Folkstyle Nationals
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by Gary Abbott
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Alex Gomez of California captured a gold medal for the second straight year in the high school division at the USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Championships, held in Freede Center at Oklahoma City University.
This is the second year of this event, which featured high-quality competitors from 31 states.
Gomez pinned Keiko Akamine of Hawaii in 3:10 in the finals. Akamine was third at this event last year, and fourth at the Junior Nationals in freestyle.
Three past USA Wrestling Junior National freestyle champions captured gold medals in folkstyle this year: Randi Beltz of Missouri at 130 pounds, Marina Lambert of Virginia at 165 pounds and Yardinma Nwaiwu of Texas at 185+ pounds.
Beltz, a Junior Nationals champion in 2007, pinned Audrey Morehouse of California in 3:24 in the finals. Lambert and Nwaiwu won their Junior Nationals titles last summer in Fargo. Lambert beat Brittney Roberts of Texas, 5-0 in the finals. Nwaiwa won a best-of-three series over Kerra Scott of Texas, with a pin in 5:08 and a 9-2 decision.
The most competitive finals came at 155 pounds, when Erin English of Ohio scored a last-second reversal to defeat Alexandria Thomas of Ohio, 8-7. English was fifth in the Junior Nationals last summer.
In an all-Texas final at 146 pounds, Karra Stratton defeated Breena Maul, 8-2. Stratton was fifth at the Junior Nationals last year.
In a battle of highly respected competitors at 123 pounds, Brieana Delgado of South Carolina edged Logan Howard of New York, 3-2. Howard placed third and Delgado placed fourth at this event last year. Delgado was also third at last summer's Junior Nationals.
The finals at 185 pounds ended by fall, as Angela Vyborny of California pinned Connie Liu of Texas in 3:33. Vyborny was third at both the Folkstyle Nationals and the Junior Freestyle Nationals last year.
Other individual champions were Emily Webster of Missouri at 95 pounds, Taylor Busboom of Texas at 109 pounds, Shauna Isbell of Arizona at 116 pounds and Jennifer Page of California at 138 pounds.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the Middle School and the Elementary divisions.
USA WRESTLING GIRLS FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 28
High School Results
95 pounds
1st - Emily Webster (Missouri) dec. Hanna Grisewood (New York), 9-2
3rd - Alyssa Moreno (California) dec. Christine Alcantara (California), 1-0
5th - Ofelia Valdez (Texas) dec. Kaci Fullinwider (Texas), 9-3
102 pounds
1st - Alex Gomez (California) pin Keiko Akamine (Hawaii), 3:10
3rd - Kayla Brendlinger (Pennsylvania) dec. Erin Golston (Michigan), 3-2
5th - Sarah Hildebrandt (Indiana) pin Kayleigh Longley (Maine), 3:58
7th - Sherylyn Sabado (California) dec. Nichole Yarrington (Wisconsin), 8-2
109 pounds
1st - Taylor Busboom (Texas) dec. Ashley Munroe (Wisconsin), 8-3
3rd - Jasmine Yanez (California) dec. Ariel Green (California), 7-0
5th - Karissa Greig (Rhode Island) dec. Angie Mayes (Nevada), 5-2
7th - Neda Hassani (Texas) dec. Vanessa Trujillo (California), 3-2
116 pounds
1st - Shauna Isbell (Arizona) dec. Roni Goodale (Iowa), 2-1
3rd - Miranda Bennett (Missouri) dec. Samantha D Ortiz (California), 12-5
5th - Stacy Martin (Texas) dec. Samantha Lopez (California), 6-2
7th - Joy Yamashita (Hawaii) dec. Shelby Morrison (Texas), 9-7
123 pounds
1st - Brieana Delgado (South Carolina) dec. Logan Howard (New York), 3-2
3rd - Hanna Martin (Oklahoma) maj. dec. Amanda Hendey (California), 10-2
5th - Kayla Bartosch (Virginia) inj. dft. over Shana Lee Prifte (New York)
7th - Kelsey Carl (Oregon) pin Tayler Frederiksen (Kansas), 0:59
130 pounds
1st - Randi Beltz (Missouri) pin Audrey Morehouse (California), 3:24
3rd - Jenna Burkert (Michigan) pin Kerstin Harmon (Ohio), 4:30
5th - Sarah Alpar (Texas) inj. dft. Stephanie Han (Texas)
7th - Haylee Childs (Florida) pin Iiza Gutierrez (unattached), 3:43
138 pounds
1st - Jennifer Page (California) maj. dec. Demi Strub (Indiana), 13-4
3rd - Krista Revelle (Kansas) maj. dec. Mary Westman (New York), 15-4
5th - Irene Esquibel (California) dec. Ivonne De La Cerda (California), 9-7
7th - Sasha Ortiz (Colorado) pin Victoria Garza (California), 1:07
146 pounds
1st - Karra Stratton (Texas) dec. Breena Maul (Texas), 8-2
3rd - Laura Ponshock (Texas) pin Emilii Russell (Tennessee), 4:00
5th - Brittnay David (California) maj. dec. Holly Thein (California), 12-2
7th - Jacqueline Zosmair (Florida) pin Christina Zamora (California), 1:27
155 pounds
1st - Erin English (Ohio) dec. Alexandria Thomas (Ohio), 8-7
3rd - Alexis Willcher (Washington) dec. Alexandria Flores (California), 14-10
5th - Alex Holt (California) pin Crystalee Shepard (Texas), 1:48
7th - Kaitlyn Spinks (Texas) pin Amanda Osborne (California), 1:25
165 pounds
1st - Marina Lambert (Virginia) dec. Brittney Roberts (Texas), 5-0
3rd - Laura Gourley (Oregon) dec. Brittany Jones (Texas), 6-4
5th - Juliana Triplett (California) pin Brenda Robles (California), 5:42
7th - Ashley Johnson (Kansas)
185 pounds
1st - Angela Vyborny (California) pin Connie Liu (Texas), 3:33
3rd - Erica Rutt (Nebraska) pin Molly Crossfield (California), 2:33
5th - Pamela Abshire (Texas) pin Morgan Touhey (California), 1:14
185+ pounds
1st Place - Yardinma Nwaiwu (Texas)
2nd Place - Kerra Scott (Texas)
Nwaiwu pin Scott, 5:08
Nwaiwu dec. Scott, 9-2
This is the second year of this event, which featured high-quality competitors from 31 states.
Gomez pinned Keiko Akamine of Hawaii in 3:10 in the finals. Akamine was third at this event last year, and fourth at the Junior Nationals in freestyle.
Three past USA Wrestling Junior National freestyle champions captured gold medals in folkstyle this year: Randi Beltz of Missouri at 130 pounds, Marina Lambert of Virginia at 165 pounds and Yardinma Nwaiwu of Texas at 185+ pounds.
Beltz, a Junior Nationals champion in 2007, pinned Audrey Morehouse of California in 3:24 in the finals. Lambert and Nwaiwu won their Junior Nationals titles last summer in Fargo. Lambert beat Brittney Roberts of Texas, 5-0 in the finals. Nwaiwa won a best-of-three series over Kerra Scott of Texas, with a pin in 5:08 and a 9-2 decision.
The most competitive finals came at 155 pounds, when Erin English of Ohio scored a last-second reversal to defeat Alexandria Thomas of Ohio, 8-7. English was fifth in the Junior Nationals last summer.
In an all-Texas final at 146 pounds, Karra Stratton defeated Breena Maul, 8-2. Stratton was fifth at the Junior Nationals last year.
In a battle of highly respected competitors at 123 pounds, Brieana Delgado of South Carolina edged Logan Howard of New York, 3-2. Howard placed third and Delgado placed fourth at this event last year. Delgado was also third at last summer's Junior Nationals.
The finals at 185 pounds ended by fall, as Angela Vyborny of California pinned Connie Liu of Texas in 3:33. Vyborny was third at both the Folkstyle Nationals and the Junior Freestyle Nationals last year.
Other individual champions were Emily Webster of Missouri at 95 pounds, Taylor Busboom of Texas at 109 pounds, Shauna Isbell of Arizona at 116 pounds and Jennifer Page of California at 138 pounds.
The competition concludes on Sunday with the Middle School and the Elementary divisions.
USA WRESTLING GIRLS FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS
At Oklahoma City, Okla., March 28
High School Results
95 pounds
1st - Emily Webster (Missouri) dec. Hanna Grisewood (New York), 9-2
3rd - Alyssa Moreno (California) dec. Christine Alcantara (California), 1-0
5th - Ofelia Valdez (Texas) dec. Kaci Fullinwider (Texas), 9-3
102 pounds
1st - Alex Gomez (California) pin Keiko Akamine (Hawaii), 3:10
3rd - Kayla Brendlinger (Pennsylvania) dec. Erin Golston (Michigan), 3-2
5th - Sarah Hildebrandt (Indiana) pin Kayleigh Longley (Maine), 3:58
7th - Sherylyn Sabado (California) dec. Nichole Yarrington (Wisconsin), 8-2
109 pounds
1st - Taylor Busboom (Texas) dec. Ashley Munroe (Wisconsin), 8-3
3rd - Jasmine Yanez (California) dec. Ariel Green (California), 7-0
5th - Karissa Greig (Rhode Island) dec. Angie Mayes (Nevada), 5-2
7th - Neda Hassani (Texas) dec. Vanessa Trujillo (California), 3-2
116 pounds
1st - Shauna Isbell (Arizona) dec. Roni Goodale (Iowa), 2-1
3rd - Miranda Bennett (Missouri) dec. Samantha D Ortiz (California), 12-5
5th - Stacy Martin (Texas) dec. Samantha Lopez (California), 6-2
7th - Joy Yamashita (Hawaii) dec. Shelby Morrison (Texas), 9-7
123 pounds
1st - Brieana Delgado (South Carolina) dec. Logan Howard (New York), 3-2
3rd - Hanna Martin (Oklahoma) maj. dec. Amanda Hendey (California), 10-2
5th - Kayla Bartosch (Virginia) inj. dft. over Shana Lee Prifte (New York)
7th - Kelsey Carl (Oregon) pin Tayler Frederiksen (Kansas), 0:59
130 pounds
1st - Randi Beltz (Missouri) pin Audrey Morehouse (California), 3:24
3rd - Jenna Burkert (Michigan) pin Kerstin Harmon (Ohio), 4:30
5th - Sarah Alpar (Texas) inj. dft. Stephanie Han (Texas)
7th - Haylee Childs (Florida) pin Iiza Gutierrez (unattached), 3:43
138 pounds
1st - Jennifer Page (California) maj. dec. Demi Strub (Indiana), 13-4
3rd - Krista Revelle (Kansas) maj. dec. Mary Westman (New York), 15-4
5th - Irene Esquibel (California) dec. Ivonne De La Cerda (California), 9-7
7th - Sasha Ortiz (Colorado) pin Victoria Garza (California), 1:07
146 pounds
1st - Karra Stratton (Texas) dec. Breena Maul (Texas), 8-2
3rd - Laura Ponshock (Texas) pin Emilii Russell (Tennessee), 4:00
5th - Brittnay David (California) maj. dec. Holly Thein (California), 12-2
7th - Jacqueline Zosmair (Florida) pin Christina Zamora (California), 1:27
155 pounds
1st - Erin English (Ohio) dec. Alexandria Thomas (Ohio), 8-7
3rd - Alexis Willcher (Washington) dec. Alexandria Flores (California), 14-10
5th - Alex Holt (California) pin Crystalee Shepard (Texas), 1:48
7th - Kaitlyn Spinks (Texas) pin Amanda Osborne (California), 1:25
165 pounds
1st - Marina Lambert (Virginia) dec. Brittney Roberts (Texas), 5-0
3rd - Laura Gourley (Oregon) dec. Brittany Jones (Texas), 6-4
5th - Juliana Triplett (California) pin Brenda Robles (California), 5:42
7th - Ashley Johnson (Kansas)
185 pounds
1st - Angela Vyborny (California) pin Connie Liu (Texas), 3:33
3rd - Erica Rutt (Nebraska) pin Molly Crossfield (California), 2:33
5th - Pamela Abshire (Texas) pin Morgan Touhey (California), 1:14
185+ pounds
1st Place - Yardinma Nwaiwu (Texas)
2nd Place - Kerra Scott (Texas)
Nwaiwu pin Scott, 5:08
Nwaiwu dec. Scott, 9-2
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