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News Page
Saturday, March 11, 2000
By Keith Morris
JOURNAL SPORTS WRITER
DETROIT - Had things gone the way Keristen LaBelle had hoped they would, she'd be wrestling today. Instead, the sophomore will be in the stands at Joe Louis Arena cheering on her Davison High teammates.
LaBelle came to Detroit with the goal of leaving as the first girl to finish among the top eight wrestlers at 103 pounds in Division I, which would have earned her All-State honors. It is believed she would have been the first girl in the country to medal at a state wrestling meet.
However, she'll have to wait until next year.
LaBelle lost a 5-2 decision to East Detroit sophomore Richard Gruenberg Friday morning and was eliminated from the three-day double-elimination tournament. Kevin Lilienthal of Wyondotte Roosevelt beat her 13-6 to send her to the losers' bracket Thursday. She needed to win two matches to medal and continue wrestling today.
LaBelle is one of three girls to qualify for the state finals. The other two - Caledona freshman Lynde Baltrusait (44-14) and Mason County Central senior Sandra Padnon (23-11) - also lost their first two matches. Saginaw Buena Vista's Cynthia Harrold became the first girl to qualify for the individual finals in her senior year last season.
LaBelle wore the realization that her dream had ended all over her face when her six-minute match ended. She put her head in her hands and wept briefly before being consoled by coach Roy Hall.
"I didn't have that bad a year, but it would have been better if I had placed," said a composed but disappointed LaBelle moments after the match. "You never setttle for anything less."
Despite the disappointment, LaBelle can look back with pride at several accomplishments this season. She went 50-12, became the first girl to win a Big Nine Conference championship and reached the district title match en route to becoming the first girl in state history to win a regional crown.
"I was hoping for 40 wins, so getting 50 is nice," LaBelle said. "I'm guess I'm pretty happy with 50 wins."
After a scoreless first period, Gruenberg began the second period on top and recorded a near fall and a takedown, with LaBelle escaping twice. With a 4-2 lead, Gruenberg choose the down position for the third period and LaBelle let him escape for the final point of the match with 57 seconds remaining in an effort to get a takedown.
"I felt pretty confident with the lead," Gruenberg said. "I wasn't going to go full-blown hard (in the final period)."
Being spotlighted as a girl in a boys' sport made LaBelle nervous.
"I had butterflies both days," LaBelle said. "Last night, I woke up every hour."
It was not the first meeting between LaBelle and Gruenberg.
"I wrestled her in AAU in the seventh grade and she beat me up pretty bad," Gruenberg said.
Gruenberg (34-5) has also lost to a girl in his varsity career, falling to Cousineau senior Christina LaBonte last season.
"Of course you're going to catch some guff from teammates, but if you lose you've just got to blow it off," he said of matches with girls.
Despite the fact both are sophomores, it's not likely the two will meet next season. While LaBelle believes she's finished growing and will be able to remain at 103 as a junior, Gruenberg expects to move up in weight.
"It was tough this year to make weight," he said.
The season isn't quite over for LaBelle, who'll return to both the state girls' tournament on March 19 and the national girls' tournament on March 25-26, both at Lake Orion High. She won titles at both tournaments a year ago.
LaBelle will be the focus of a segment on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, scheduled to be broadcast at 10 p.m. on April 10.
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