First-time national champs Pfau, Hendey, Mensah claim gold at U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier

Amanda Hendey finishes off a pin of Jennifer Page in the 63 kg finals at the U.S. Nationals. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
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LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The final three weight classes in the women’s freestyle competition at the U.S. Nationals/Trials Qualifier were held on Saturday, and all three of the winners claimed their first Senior nationals title.
Tamyra Mensah of the Titan Mercury WC kept up the pace and defeated 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Randi Miller of the U.S. Army WCAP in the finals at 69 kg/152 lbs. Mensah was named Outstanding Wrestler in the women’s division.
At last year’s World Team Trials, Mensah also defeated Miller, making it two in a row over one of the nation’s top women’s stars. Mensah, who was a WCWA national champion for Wayland Baptist Univ. in Texas, is now a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
“No matter if I win or lose, it’s always a brawl. It’s a big win. My goal was to extend the distance between our points when we finished and I did it. Last time, we finished in a tie. This time I had a point lead. It just lets me know that everything I’ve been working for at the OTC or Wayland, wherever I go, I keep excelling and I’ll go back and just keep moving forward. It means a lot that I’m not going backwards and I like it,” said Mensah.
The other two champions won their first national titles by scoring a pin in the finals.
College star Cody Pfau of the Titan Mercury WC scored a stunning pin in 2:23 of the first period after trailing Erin Golston of the New York AC by eight points.
Golston went up 8-0 scoring takedowns and turns. During an exchange, Pfau put Golston onto her back and secured the pin. Golston protested the call, claiming Golston had scored first to reach a technical fall, before the pin occurred. After a review, the pin was upheld and Pfau got the national title.
Pfau is a WCWA women’s college national champion for Oklahoma City, and has competed against Golston a number of times in recent seasons.
At 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Amanda Hendey of the Titan Mercury WC won her first national crown by pinning Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC in 4:13.
Hendey jumped to a 4-0 lead, but Page hit a four-point move to tie it at 4-4 at the break. In the second period, Hendey hit a big throw to put Page on her back and secure the fall.
“I had to bring my old game plan from when I used to wrestle her back in the day. I’ve seen her wrestle. I know what she’s going to do. My game play’s worked before and it just worked into my way this time. It kind of took me a while to figure it out and I felt like it showed it this tournament. I wrestle so much better when I stay offensive. I’m not a good wrestler if I’m not trying to score. Coming into this tournament, I knew that and I worked really hard, doing the right things and knew that if I stayed aggressive I had the potential to do this,” she said.
Titan Mercury WC won the Div. I team title with 97 points. The Div. II champion was the New York AC with 37 points, followed by the Sunkist Kids with 29 points.

U.S. NATIONALS/TRIALS QUALIFIER

At Las Vegas, Nev., December 19


Women’s Freestyle Finals
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Erin Golston, Lake In The Hills, Ill. (NYAC), 2:23
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Amanda Hendey, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC), 4:13
69 kg/152 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 5-2

Women’s Freestyle weight class results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
1st - Cody Pfau, Brush, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Erin Golston, Lake In The Hills, Ill. (New York AC/OTC), 2:23
3rd - Breonnah Neal, Clemons, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Nicole Woody, Odenton, Mich. (Terrapin WC), 3-2
5th - Marina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) inj. dft over Regina Doi, Kingsburg, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
7th - Candace Workman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Harmonie Roberts, Ukiah, Calif. (Running Eagles), 1:33
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
1st - Amanda Hendey, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) pin Jennifer Page, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC), 4:13
3rd - Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids WC) tech fall Mallory Velte, Sacramento, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), 10-0
5th - Alexis Porter, Ballston Lake, N.Y. (NYAC/MWC) pin Hannah Jewell, Grand Blanc, Mich. (King University), 2:08
7th - - Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) pin Rachael McFarland, Dewitt, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC), 2:01
69 kg/152 lbs.
1st - Tamyra Mensah, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 5-2
3rd - Forrest Molinari, Benicia, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Rachel Watters, Ankeny, Iowa (Gator/OKCU Women’s RTC), 4-4
5th - Veronica Carlson, Rock Hill, S.C. (NYAC) tech. fall Lisa Gonzalez, Rio Grande City, Texas (Lindenwood Women`s WC), 11-0
7th - Brittany David, St. Charles, Mo. (Lindenwood Women`s WC) tech. fall Yvonne Galindo, El Paso, Texas (Gator/OKCU Women’s RTC), 10-0
Outstanding Wrestler – Tamyra Mensah (Titan Mercury WC), 69 kg
Div I Team Standings – 1. Titan Mercury, 97 pts.
Div. II Team Standings – 1. New York AC, 37, 2. Sunkist Kids, 29