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Beach Blog 2022: California State Championship on April 3
by Rusty Davidson, Special to TheMat.com
Photo courtesy of Rusty Davidson.
On Sunday, April 3rd, California USA Wrestling hosted the state’s first-ever Beach Championship. Drawing over 100 entries, ages eight to 50, the event was hosted by Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department at Linda Mar Beach. I had the good fortune to be there.
Beach Wrestling is gaining traction in the United States. Since the first National-level Championship was held in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2005, that event has moved to Ft Lauderdale and Jacksonville, Fla., Rochester, N.Y., and its current home in Carolina Beach, N.C.
Participation in local, state, regional events has soared nationwide in recent years.
CA-USA Director of Cultural Exchange and USWOA Board Member Tod Blank, is one of the leaders of the Officials’ Association’s recently formed Developing Styles Officiating Committee. Tod, along with his wife Michelle, spearheaded the efforts to bring Beach Wrestling to the beautiful backdrop of Northern California.
Working collectively with California State Chairperson Duane Morgan and Secretary – Treasurer Rob Valerio, Blank initiated efforts to secure permits for Linda Mar. Rebecca Collier, Recreation Specialist for the City of Pacifica, fascinated with the potential Beach Wrestling brings to her venues, helped guide and steamline the process.
Several local volunteers spent Saturday afternoon grooming Linda Mar and preparing the competition area. Special Thanks are due to Oceana High School Coach Manny Borrego, along with four of Oceana’s athletes; Michelle Blank; Eva Davidson; and Bob James.
Thanks is also due to CA-USA Pairers, Tiffany Diaz and Kristine Hamel, along with seven California referees who stepped in beside Tod. Those referees include Ronnie Caughran. Ken Hamel, Pablo Ortiz, Jim Bennett, Tate Miller, Anthony Early; David Klapperich.
The list of entries featured several high school stand-outs from North Central California. Stanford 197-pounder Nick Stemmet was notable among Senior-level Competitors. Stemmet was a 2021 NCAA qualifier.
Successful athletes, in this and other championship events, add their names to the pool of potential U.S. representatives in the 2022 World Series of Beach Wrestling. The World Series includes five Senior-level events, beginning in Sarigerme, Turkey, May 28-29. Events in Spain, France and Greece follow in late June and July. The Series culminates with its Finals, in Constanta, Romania, the first weekend of September.
Constanta will also host the World Championship for Cadet and Junior athletes, in Beach Wrestling. Many more Americans will add their names to the American roster, May 19 – 20, at the U.S. Beach National Championship, Carolina Beach, NC.
I offer up this blog, like all, for Gary Abbott, Communications Director for USA Wrestlling. I know it’s Gary’s goal to cover everything. “Everything” is a daunting task. I enjoy helping out.
I’ll leave you with the Quote of the Day, heard by many from one of the California referees: “I didn’t get sun burned because I put a lot of sun screen on my entire body. But, overall, this was honestly the most fun wrestling tournament I’ve ever been to in my entire life !”
Well-said!
RD
Event champions
10U
Lorenzo Choto, Gilroy Hawks
Samuel Briggs, Delta
12U
Juelz-king Brewick, Livermore Elite
14U
Richard Mujagic, Dynasty Wrestling
Samuel Perez, Manteca Cobras
16U Men
Tanner Bartonico, Delta Wrestling
Arthur Parra
Christopher Acuna, CYC
Christian Diaz, Delta Wrestling
Emmanuel Schultz, Albany Wrestling
16U Women
Lauren Nguyen, Livermore Elite
Abbi Cooper, NorCal Queens
Danica Sauseda, Mountain House
Yessenia Covarrubias, Half Moon Bay
Hailey Kagle
Myia Weiler, Falcons
Luiza Nogueira, Birmingham Comm
Abby Siecienski, Albany Wrestling
Valentina Ortega, G.A.A.L.T. Wres
Jr Men
Colter Seidensp
Jayson Victoria
Marcos Bautista, Half Moon Bay
Gino Andrini
Xavier Bruening
Chris Gonzales, Ugly Eagles
Daniel Shaharuddin
Sam Vigienzone
Nick Stemmet
On Sunday, April 3rd, California USA Wrestling hosted the state’s first-ever Beach Championship. Drawing over 100 entries, ages eight to 50, the event was hosted by Pacifica Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department at Linda Mar Beach. I had the good fortune to be there.
Beach Wrestling is gaining traction in the United States. Since the first National-level Championship was held in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2005, that event has moved to Ft Lauderdale and Jacksonville, Fla., Rochester, N.Y., and its current home in Carolina Beach, N.C.
Participation in local, state, regional events has soared nationwide in recent years.
CA-USA Director of Cultural Exchange and USWOA Board Member Tod Blank, is one of the leaders of the Officials’ Association’s recently formed Developing Styles Officiating Committee. Tod, along with his wife Michelle, spearheaded the efforts to bring Beach Wrestling to the beautiful backdrop of Northern California.
Working collectively with California State Chairperson Duane Morgan and Secretary – Treasurer Rob Valerio, Blank initiated efforts to secure permits for Linda Mar. Rebecca Collier, Recreation Specialist for the City of Pacifica, fascinated with the potential Beach Wrestling brings to her venues, helped guide and steamline the process.
Several local volunteers spent Saturday afternoon grooming Linda Mar and preparing the competition area. Special Thanks are due to Oceana High School Coach Manny Borrego, along with four of Oceana’s athletes; Michelle Blank; Eva Davidson; and Bob James.
Thanks is also due to CA-USA Pairers, Tiffany Diaz and Kristine Hamel, along with seven California referees who stepped in beside Tod. Those referees include Ronnie Caughran. Ken Hamel, Pablo Ortiz, Jim Bennett, Tate Miller, Anthony Early; David Klapperich.
The list of entries featured several high school stand-outs from North Central California. Stanford 197-pounder Nick Stemmet was notable among Senior-level Competitors. Stemmet was a 2021 NCAA qualifier.
Successful athletes, in this and other championship events, add their names to the pool of potential U.S. representatives in the 2022 World Series of Beach Wrestling. The World Series includes five Senior-level events, beginning in Sarigerme, Turkey, May 28-29. Events in Spain, France and Greece follow in late June and July. The Series culminates with its Finals, in Constanta, Romania, the first weekend of September.
Constanta will also host the World Championship for Cadet and Junior athletes, in Beach Wrestling. Many more Americans will add their names to the American roster, May 19 – 20, at the U.S. Beach National Championship, Carolina Beach, NC.
I offer up this blog, like all, for Gary Abbott, Communications Director for USA Wrestlling. I know it’s Gary’s goal to cover everything. “Everything” is a daunting task. I enjoy helping out.
I’ll leave you with the Quote of the Day, heard by many from one of the California referees: “I didn’t get sun burned because I put a lot of sun screen on my entire body. But, overall, this was honestly the most fun wrestling tournament I’ve ever been to in my entire life !”
Well-said!
RD
Event champions
10U
Lorenzo Choto, Gilroy Hawks
Samuel Briggs, Delta
12U
Juelz-king Brewick, Livermore Elite
14U
Richard Mujagic, Dynasty Wrestling
Samuel Perez, Manteca Cobras
16U Men
Tanner Bartonico, Delta Wrestling
Arthur Parra
Christopher Acuna, CYC
Christian Diaz, Delta Wrestling
Emmanuel Schultz, Albany Wrestling
16U Women
Lauren Nguyen, Livermore Elite
Abbi Cooper, NorCal Queens
Danica Sauseda, Mountain House
Yessenia Covarrubias, Half Moon Bay
Hailey Kagle
Myia Weiler, Falcons
Luiza Nogueira, Birmingham Comm
Abby Siecienski, Albany Wrestling
Valentina Ortega, G.A.A.L.T. Wres
Jr Men
Colter Seidensp
Jayson Victoria
Marcos Bautista, Half Moon Bay
Gino Andrini
Xavier Bruening
Chris Gonzales, Ugly Eagles
Daniel Shaharuddin
Sam Vigienzone
Nick Stemmet