U.S. wins nine gold medals in Canada Cup Pre-Junior competition

GUELPH, Canada - The United States had a strong day in both women's and men's freestyle at the Canada Cup Pre-Junior Tournament on Sunday.


Pre-Juniors are athletes who are ages 15-18 years. A large USA team from all over the nation attended the event, as well as a number of regional club teams from New York, Michigan and the New England states.


U.S. women won six of the nine gold medals awarded and came home with a total of 18 individual medals in that division.


A number of members of the 2012 U.S. Cadet World Team competed among the women, as well as some of the nation's most talented age-group competitors.


Winning individual gold medals in the women's division were:

- Amy Hou of Georgia at 43 kg

- Cody Pfau of Colorado at 46 kg

- Cassy Herkelman of Iowa at 52 kg

- Stefanie Hampton of Michigan at 56 kg

- Alyssa LaFrancis of California at 65 kg

- Kaitlyn Hill of Michigan at 80 kg


Hou and LaFrancis are members of the 2012 U.S. FILA Cadet World Team. Pfau, Herkelman and LaFrancis are also First Team member of the ASICS Girls High School All-American Team.


The USA also had a number of entries in the men's division, also coming from a variety of states. Three individual champions came from the USA:

- Anthony Finocchiaro of New York at 63 kg

- Bradley Ojala of California at 76 kg

- Brian Ervin of New York at 130 kg


In the men's event, USA athletes came home with seven medals.

CANADA CUP PRE-JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

At Guelph, Canada, July 1


Women's individual champions

43 kg - Amy Hou (USA- GA)

46 kg - Cody Pfau (USA - CO)

49 kg - Josee Trembley (Canada - Lessor)

52 kg - Cassy Herkelman (USA - IA)

56 kg - Stefanie Hampton (USA - MI)

60 kg - Nicole Roach (Canada - ONT)

65 kg - Alyssa LaFrancis (USA - CA)

70 kg - Gracelynn Dougan (Canada - ONT)

80 kg - Kaitlyn Hill (USA - MI)

U.S placewinners in women's freestyle


43 kg

Amy Hou (GA), 1st

Julia Long (WY), 3rd


46 kg

Cody Pfau (CO), 1st

Cadence Lee (CA), 3rd


49 kg

Rachel Hale (VT), 2nd

Alexis Bleau (NY), 4th

Kelsey Gray (NY), 6th


52 kg

Cassy Herkelman (IA), 1st

Hanna Grisewood (NY), 2nd

Francesca Giorgio (PA), 3rd

Jasmine Bailey (IA), 4th

Justine Stewart (CA), 6th


56 kg

Stefanie Hampton (MI), 1st

Kayla Miracle (IN), 3rd

Kayla Lam-Little (CA), 6th


60 kg

Angelica Leveque (NH), 2nd

Rosemary Flores (NY), 3rd

Cristta Hartinger (NY), 4th

Marki Simmons (CA), 5th


65 kg

Alyssa LaFrancis (CA), 1st

Natalia Rodriguez (MA), 2nd

Brittney Harvey (MI), 3rd

Brittney Yost (CA), 6th


70 kg

Mary Westman (NY), 2nd

Olivia Toth (NH), 3rd

Andrea Ruiz (CA), 4th


80 kg

Kaitlyn Hill (MI), 1st

Men's freestyle champions

42 kg - Philip Le (Canada - ONT)

46 kg - Jordan Raghunahdan (Canada - ONT)

50 kg - Sam Jagas (Canada - ONT)

54 kg - Kim Guk-Hyeen (Korea)

58 kg - Lim Moun-Hyuk (Korea)

63 kg - Anthony Finocchiaro (USA - NY)

69 kg - Park Jun-Hee (Korea)

76 kg - Bradley Ojala (USA - CA)

85 kg - Josh Kim (Canada - ONT)

100 kg - Sekhon Pawanpreet (CAN - AOC)

115 kg - Seung Huang (Korea)

130 kg - Brian Ervin (USA - NY)

U.S. placewinners in men's freestyle


54 kg

Brian Amato (CT), 4th

Ryan Snow (NY), 6th


58 kg

Jacob Stroham (MA), 3rd

Nicolas Arroyo (MA), 5th

Brendon Siebold (MA), 6th


63 kg

Anthony Finocchiaro (NY), 1st

Brent Waterman (ME), 4th

Jake Klingaman (MI), 5th


76 kg

Bradley Ojala (CA), 1st

Jack Buell (NY), 4th

Dan Smith (NY), 6th


85 kg

Jared Escibana (MA), 2nd


100 kg

James Ford (OH), 2nd


130 kg

Brian Ervin (NY), 1st

Donovan Lozado (MA), 2nd