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TO THE MAT: Half Moon Bay High School's Sara Foup-Allen wrestles Joe Ratti during a recent match she eventually won. Foup-Allen is one of six girls on the school's 40-member wrestling team. Chronicle Photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez |
Friday, January 14, 2000
When Half Moon Bay High School students Katie Ayer, Sara Foup-Allen and their friends get together, they talk about typical teen stuff: campus gossip, cute guys and the big sale at the mall. But when they're done going over the important stuff, the talk will turn to wrestling -- and not the fake kind you see on Saturday morning TV.
Ayer, Foup-Allen and their friends talk about Olympic-style grappling, about how to wriggle free from a vice-like half Nelson hold, or how best to pin a large, sweaty guy to a wrestling mat.
That's because Ayer, 16, and Foup-Allen, 14, are among a growing group of Bay Area high school girls competing either on boys' wrestling teams or against each other in league competition.
Last weekend Foup-Allen and Ayers both finished high in a statewide all girls tournament in Southern California. Ayers won her 140 pound weight class and Foup-Allen took second in her 103 pound class.
The girls were chaperoned by Foup-Allen's father, Lee Allen, a fixture on the Peninsula wrestling scene for years. The former Skyline College wrestling coach has been working with the U.S. National women's program as a coach and unoffical spokesman.
``Right now the women are viewed as a novelty. But we are trying to educate the public,'' says Allen, 65. ``Women's wrestling is still frowned upon in many parts of the country, especially in the midwest. California, and especially Northern California, is at the forefront,.''
Indeed, girls now comprise an expanding sector of peninsula area school wrestling rosters. Half Moon Bay High leads the count with six girls on its 40-member team.
Not surprisingly, many boys still feel awkward wrestling girls, in part because the experience can lead to an unexpected ego bruising.
In a match last week, the 5-foot-2, 103-pound Foup-Allen stopped a boy in her weight class within three minutes.
``He was winning early on, but I managed to get the upper hand and I ended up pinning him,'' said Foup- Allen.
Half Moon Bay coach Tom Baker, 31, says that when a girl goes up against a boy, the rules are the same as any same-sex match.
``As long as they are legal holds, anything goes,'' he says. ``The girls like it that way. They want the same rules. When the whistle blows there's no letting up.''
But, he says, wrestling against girls can put boys in a tough position psychologically.
``If the guy wins, well, he was wrestling a girl, he was supposed win,`` Baker says. ``And if he losses to a girl -- wow, that can crush a guy's ego. He never hears the end of it.''
A 1985 graduate of Half Moon Bay high, Baker says fear of serious injury would have prevented girls from wrestling during his high school days. But as coach, he says, he has witnessed nothing more than the usual abrasions and bumps.
``The girls have been some of the most agile and tenacious athletes I've seen on the wrestling mat,'' he says.
Ayer, a junior, started wrestling in club leagues in the sixth grade. She says that, while most of her male opponents have behaved like gentlemen in the ring, some have been verbally abusive.
``Once this guy was saying some really rude and sexist remarks during a match, but I was able to pin him and came away the winner,'' Ayer recalls. ``He walked away all pouty. I guess it was a shot to his manhood. Boys take it hard when they lose to a girl.''
But Half Moon Bay senior wrestler Gabe Gammon, 18, says that attitude is starting to change.
``It weighs heavily on a guy's mind when a girl beats him. And in the past a guy like that would be really razzed,`` Gammon says. ``But now most guys realize there are a lot of really good girls out there. It's not so embarrassing to lose if you did your best.'
His teammate, sophomore Josh Brown, 16, admits that, for some guys, grappling with a girl can be awkward.
``There are some obvious differences between guys and girls,'' he says. ``I just try to get the matches over as quickly as possible.''
For her part, Ayer says that girls are able to compensate for their lack of brute force with agility and flexibility.
``If you use the right techniques and holds,'' she says, ``strength and muscle mass goes out the door.''
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Mahomet wrestlers pin loss on BHS
By RANDY SHARER
Friday, January 14, 2000
The team outcome went as expected Thursday night at the Robert Frank Sports Complex when No. 8-state ranked Mahomet-Seymour visited unranked and flu-riddled Bloomington.
The Bulldogs posted a 46-15 triumph to improve to 16-1 while BHS fell to 15-3.
When it was over, always-driven Mahomet-Seymour coach Rob Porter got on his team for failing to improve since last week.
But looking back to the beginning of the season, Porter is impressed by his young team's progress. The journey has included three tournament championships and just one 35-29 dual meet loss to Clinton.
"You can't ask for much more than that," Porter said. "We're starting three freshmen and four sophomores."
The Purple Raiders, who forfeited at 103 pounds, 125 and 130, were missing several wrestlers because of the flu.
"I had to send a couple home in the middle of the dual," said BHS coach Mark Gardner.
Even at full strength, the Raiders would have been hard pressed to prevail.
"It's a typical Mahomet-Seymour team," Gardner said. "They are good on their feet. They are tough to pin."
Team score aside, the festivities were not void of entertainment.
"I thought I saw some great matches, especially at 189," said Porter, who watched Jeremy Davis (23-5) avenge an earlier loss to Dustin Casey with a 10-2 major decision. "That's a big match for Jeremy. He wants to get to state again and he's got to be able to beat a kid like Casey to get there."
One of the most dramatic bouts came at 160 where Mahomet-Seymour's Ryan Stites edged Noah Wyatt, 7-5, in overtime.
"It was a little sloppy, but we got the victory and we'll take it," said Porter, whose team hosts an invitational at 9:30 a.m. Saturday where No. 3-state ranked Chicago Marist will be the heavy favorite.
No. 3-state ranked Casey Roddis (24-3) of BHS moved up two weight classes Thursday to down Cole Elmer, 11-4.
"He struggled because he's not sure what he can and can't do with that much weight," Gardner said of Roddis. "He's starting to adjust a little bit."
BHS sophomore Greg Callahan cut things a little close at 215 as he trailed Joe Sapp until scoring back points with 17 seconds left for a 7-6 triumph.
"That kid wrestles his behind off in the (practice) room," Gardner said. "It's going to start paying off for him. That was a good kid that he beat.''
No. 3-state ranked Seth Livingston (25-2) of BHS never led Chris Little (19-6) until a stalling point sent him on to a 4-1 decision.
Mahomet-Seymour sophomore Mary Kelly, among the nation's best female wrestlers, was in attendance with her arm in a sling to protect a separated collarbone. She may be out for the season after going 16-8 at 103.
AT BLOOMINGTON
MAHOMET-SEYMOUR 46, BLOOMINGTON 15
103-- Brent Johnson (M) won by forfeit; 112-- Michael Slade (M) major dec. Mike Lininger (B), 11-2; 119-- Josh Jeffers (M) technical fall over Jeff Stauter (B), 6:00, 18-3; 125-- Brian Reece (M) won by forfeit; 130-- Andrew Kesler (M) won by forfeit; 135-- Jason Johnston (M) pinned Bob Brennan (B), 1:53; 140-- Nate Gaddy (B) dec. Chris Novak (M), 8-6; 145-- Josh Bland (B) dec. Brandon Arnold (M), 12-9; 152-- Casey Roddis (B) dec. Cole Elmer (M), 11-4; 160-- Ryan Stites (M) dec. Noah Wyatt (B), 7-5 OT; 171-- Ryan Armetta (B) pinned Nick Jameson (M), 4:39; 189-- Jeremy Davis (M) major dec. Dustin Casey (B), 10-2; 215-- Greg Callahan (B) dec. Joe Sapp (M), 7-6; 275-- Seth Livingston (B) dec. Chris Little (M), 4-1.
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PREP WRESTLING
Saturday, January 15, 2000
Carman-Ainsworth 42, Flushing 36103 - Justin Straley (F) void; 112 - Chris Young (F) d. John Hurst :54; 119 - Alex Sivil (F) d. Jack McCarty 2:40; 125 - John Singer (CA) d. Jeremy Rosencrantz 3-2; 130 - Mike Young (F) void; 135 - Carl Bastien (CA) d. Hazim Rishmawi 2:39; 140 - Dave Vinney (CA) d. Brian Lavictrore :59; 145 - Mark Rowley (F) d. Tyrone Clark 1:17; 152 - Zamaior Pittman (CA) d. Brian Ashlock 2:40; 160 - Larry Jacques (F) void; 171 - Rick Ellis (CA) d. Jeff Beson 1:13; 189 - Dan Bell (CA) d. Derek Gregory 1:10; 215 - Garrett Potter (CA) d. Zendon Robinson 3:11; 275 - D. Mothershed (CA) d. Mike Snyder 10-3.
Record: Carman-Ainsworth 7-8.
Flushing 43, Kearsley 24
103 - Justin Straley (F) d. Kobe Carpenter 7-2; 112 - Chris Young (F) d. Shaun Splaney 17-6; 119 - Alex Sivil (F) d. T.J. Burdazon 1:16; 125 - Jeremy Rosencrantz (F) d. Reid Roberts 8-4; 130 - Matt Ferguson (K) d. Mike Young 4-1; 135 - Derek Inman (K) d. Hazim Rishmawi 4:29; 140 - Stephen Bauer (K) s. Brian Lavictrore 8-7; 145 - Mark Rowley (F) d. Ryan Lorie 2:45; 152 - Brian Ashlock (F) d. Kevin Paul 1:34; 160 - Larry Jacques (F) d. Nick Morris 2:41; 171 - Jeff Beson (F) d. Gil Blasdell 7-5; 189 - Zendon Robinson (F) d. Andy Walker 1:13; 215 - Gary Wright (K) d. Derek Gregory 5:11; 275 - Mike Alton (K) d. Mike Snyder 2:22.
Record: Flushing 8-5-1, 2-2 Big Nine.
Davison 75, Beecher 4
103 - Kersten LaBelle (D) void; 112 - Shaun Newton (D) void; 119 - John Whitman (D) void; 125 - Nick Findley (D) d. Mustafa Gloster 3:03; 130 - Chase Metcalf (D) d. Greg Price 2:57; 135 - Joe Whitman (D) d. Montrell Lewis 2:34; 140 - Chad Roush (D) void; 145 - Jimmy McFall (D) d. Rondel Thompson 15-5; 152 - Tim Polidan (D) d. Scott Auld 1:27; 160 - Casey Streeter (D) d. Andre Moore :14; 171 - John Phillips (D) d. Gordon McMillan 20-5; 189 - Derek Lehr (D) d. Anthony Gonzalez 3:33; 215 - Devon Harris (B) d. John McRandall 12-4; 275 - Nic LaFar (D) void.
Davison 56, Swartz Creek 17
103 - Kersten LaBelle (D) Jacob Melki 16-1; 112 - John Whitman (D) d. Ryan Rowe :28; 119 - Sean newton (D) d. Brandon Carter 5-0; 125 - Merritt Allinger (SC) d. Nick Findley 2:32; 130 - Chase Metcalf (D) d. Don Miller 16-1; 135 - Joe Whitman (D) d. Joe Broderick 1:34; 140 - Chad Roush (D) d. Jon Freese 1:35; 145 - Jimmy McFall (D) d. Rob McColough 23-8; 152 - Tim Polidan (D) Sean Tate 20-11; 160 - Casey Steeter (D) d. Mike Anderson 1:40; 171 - John Phillips (D) d. Jared Chittick 21-8; 189 - Eric Hagler (SC) d. Adam Wilmonth 5:47; 215 - Jordan Gill (SC) d. Derek Lehr 17-1; 275 - Nic Lafear (D) d. Brad Lyons :45.
Record: Davison 17-1
Grand Blanc 54, Clio 30
103 - Sam Puri (GB) void; 112 - Rich Cross (C) d. Robert Bouvier, 1:38; 119 - Jason Dodge (C) d. Nicole Sly, :45; 125 - Aarron Foulkes (GB) d. Nick Alexander, 2:33; 130 - Jerry Walworth (C) d. Cameron Lahring, 3:58; 135 - Brent Asbury (GB) void; 140 - Jason Coliadis (GB) d. Charlie Cross, 1:58; 145 - Anthony Dinh (GB) d. Chris Vieau, 1:27; 152 - Joe Funsch (C) d. Sean Rowser, 1:36; 160 - Kyle Brotherton (C) d. Chris Johnson, 3:26; 171 - Felix Monroe (GB) d. Gavin Schriner, 3:51; 189 - Patrick Gaulden (GB) d. Matt Cosner, 1:28; 215 - Nick Neu (GB) void; 275 - Bob Kefgen (GB) d. Travis Welch, 2:41.
Grand Blanc 42, Powers Catholic 33
103 - Joe Petrides (PC) d. Puri, 2:43; 112 - Bouvier (GB) d. Brett Williams, 2:52; 119 - Adam Perez (PC) d. Sly, :53; 125 - Folkes (GB) d. Joe Eichron, 16-11; 130 - Lahring (GB) d. Steve Wittenkeller, 4:26; 135 - Matt Miller (PC) d. Asbury, 1:58; 140 - Coliadis (GB) d. Al Perry, 1:59; 145 - Dinh (GB) d. Justin Perez, 3:23; 152 - Rowser (GB) d. Matt Digman, 3:57; 160 - Mike Kopec (PC) d. Johnson, 2:32; 171 - Monroe (GB) d. Mike Zintsmaster, 5:41; 189 - E.J. Schultz (PC) d. Gaulden, 18-13; 215 - Josh Shonts (PC) d. Neu, 1:50; 275 - Kefgen (GB) d. Ryan James, 10-4.
