Six past champions undefeated after day one of ASICS/Vaughan Girls Junior Nationals

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/30/2004


Six past Junior National champions remained unbeaten after the first day of the ASICS/Vaughan Girls  Junior National Championship in Fargo, N.D., July 30.     The 2003 Junior National champions who advanced through the first day without a loss included Kelli Rasmussen of Minnesota at 110 pounds, Claire DuPont of Colorado at 110 pounds, Deanna Rix of Maine at 128 pounds and Ali Bernard of Minnesota at 150 pounds.    Rasmussen, who was the 101 pound champion a year ago, won four matches, three by pin and a 7-3 win over Emily Duckworth of Maryland.    DuPont is attempting to defend her 110-pound title from last year. She won three matches, all by technical fall, as well as receiving a bye.    Rix, the 119-pound champion last year, moved up in weight and is 5-0 after day one. She scored three technical falls, a pin, and a 6-0 decision over Tara-Patricia Williams of California.    Bernard is attempting to defend her 150-pound title. She has pinned all three of her opponents quickly, with fall times of 38 seconds, 35 seconds and 28 seconds. She won her pool, which places her in the championship finals on Saturday. Bernard was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion on the Senior level, as well as a 2003 Junior World Champion.    A pair of 2002 Junior National champions were also unbeaten on Friday, Rachel Holthaus of Minnesota at 101 pounds and Amberle Montgomery of Washington at 128 pounds.    Holthaus was the 95-pound Junior National champion in 2002, and was runner-up at 101 pounds last year. She has three wins, two by pin and one by technical fall.    Montgomery was the Outstanding Wrestler of the 2002 Junior Nationals but did not compete last year. She won five matches on Friday, which guaranteed her a spot in the championship finals on Saturday. Included were two pins, two technical falls, and a 10-6 decision over Chelynne Pringle of Minnesota.    Along with Montgomery and Bernard, the other athlete who has clinched a position in the gold-medal finals was Melissa Simmons of Washington at 165 pounds. Simmons won all three of her bouts by pin.    In a highly-anticipated match between Senior-level stars, Na'Tasha Umemoto of Oregon defeated Stefanie Shaw of Connecticut 10-7 at 138 pounds. Umemoto was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion on the Senior level at 130 pounds. Shaw placed fourth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Indianapolis, Ind. in May. Both placed third at last year's Junior Nationals, Umemoto at 128 pounds and Shaw at 138 pounds.    JUNIOR NATIONALS GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIPS  Athletes still alive in the draw    95 A pool - Norine Cruz (CA), Clara Rameriz (OH), Helen Timmons (TX), Shelby Stevens (MI)  95 B pool - Deanie Panganoran (CA), Leslie Lopez (PR), Nicole Woody (MD), Jessica Essad (NV)    101 A pool - Valerie Priser (CA), Whitney Conder (WA), Rachel Holthaus (MN), Cheslea Fuller (PA)  101 B pool - Round robin - Christina Varland (WY), Carla Watase (HI), Alyssa Lampe (WI); 4th in pool - Dianna Acors (NY)    110 A pool - Kelli Rasmussen (MN), Crystal Molinar (TX), Carla O'Connell (CA), Amanda Breezley (OH)  110 B pool - Round robin - Jessica Medina (CA), Caitlyn Chase (IL), Claire DuPont (CO); 4th in pool - LeAnn Barney (TX)    119 A pool - Jessica Jauck (CA), Cheyenne Stokes (OK), Nicole Darrow (NY), Jennifer Germany (CA)  119 B pool - Roundrobin - Danyelle Hedin (HI), Rachel Groft (PA), Sarah Peasley (WI); 4th in poll - Sharlee Solis (CA)    128 A pool - Roundrobin - Deanna Rix (ME), Rachel Billerbeck (TX), Tara-Patricia Williams (CA); 4th in pool - Amy Stoltzmann (CO)  128 B pool - Roundrobin - Amberle Montgomery (PA), Nikki Caballero (MI), Chelynne Pringle (MN); 4th in pool - Shylia Iokia    138 A pool - Roundrobin - Roundrobin - Na'Tasha Umemoto (OR), Stefanie Shaw (CT), Paige Rife (MI); 4th in pool - Amanda Muncer (TX)  138 B pool - Vanessa Oswalt (OH), Elena Pirozhkov (CT), Shelby Brown (CA), Samantha Gorman (MI)    150 A pool - Pool finals - Amy Havens (CA) and Heather Martin (MI); 3rd in pool - George Laman (CA); 4th in pool - Daphne Morial (TX)  150 B pool - 1st in pool - Ali Bernard (MN); Other pool competitors - Amanda Chittenden (MI), Ashleigh Lybargar (IN); 4th in pool - Stella Brown (CA)    165 A pool - 1st in pool - Melissa Simmons (WA); Pool competitors - Megan Richardson (CA) and Sara English (OH); 4th in pool - Jamie White (TX)  165 B pool - Roundrobin - Lacey Novinska (WI), Toni Copeland (NY), Dallas Monreal-Berner (IL); 4th in pool - Jenny Glover (FL)    175 - Roundrobin - Juanita Russell (NY), Ashley Benzio (PA), Desiree Memea (HI); 4th place - Jessia Surratt (TX); 5th place - Toni Rogers (TX)