Rix wins third career ASICS/Vaughan Girls Junior Nationals title, and five claim second career crown
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/30/2005
Deanna Rix of Maine won the 128 pound title and became the first three-time Junior Women's National champion, with her victory at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Women's National Championships at FargoDome on the campus of North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D., July 30. Rix, who was named ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year earlier today, scored a 10-0 technical fall in the finals over Bethany Harris of California. Rix scored three falls and three technical falls in the tournament. She was named Outstanding Wrestler of the championships. Winning second career ASICS/Vaughan Junior National titles were Nicole Woody of Maryland at 95 pounds, Caitlyn Chase of Illinois at 110 pounds, Na'Tasha Umemoto of Oregon at 138 pounds, Melissa Simmons of Washington at 160 pounds and Juanita Russell of New York at 195 pounds. Woody scored a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Amy Whitbeck of New York in the finals. Chase scored a 10-0 technical fall over FILA Cadet Nationals champion Michaela Hutchison of Alaska at the 4:20 mark. Chase was a U.S. Senior Nationals runner-up in 2005. In a battle of ASICS First Team All-Americans, Umemoto scored big points early and went on to defeat Stefenie Shaw of Connecticut, 13-4. It was the second straight year that Umemoto beat Shaw at this event, and last year Umemoto was named Outstanding Wrestler at the Junior Nationals. Umemoto was a 2004 U.S. Nationals champion on the Senior level and Shaw was fourth in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Simmons scored a pin in the finals over Amy Havens of California in 1:45. Simmons was sixth at the 2005 U.S. Senior Nationals. Russell wasted no time in winning her gold-medal match, pinning Brittany Delgado of South Carolina with a headlock in just 12 seconds. A number of talented athletes who have had other age-group national achievements won their first Junior Nationals title. In another battle of ASICS First Team All-Americans, Tatiana Padilla of California defeated 2004 Junior National champion Nicole Darrow, 10-1 at 119 pounds. Padilla was a 2005 FILA Cadet Nationals champion. At 148 pounds, Vanessa Oswalt of Ohio edged Amberlee Ebert of Wisconsin by a 3-2 margin. Oswalt was second at the 2004 Junior Nationals, and was sixth at the 2005 U.S. Senior Nationals. Winning her first Junior Nationals title was freshman Joey Miller of Oklahoma, who edged Cammie Yeik of Washington in the finals, 9-7 at 95 pounds. Miller has won a FILA Cadet National title. In a wide open battle at 175 pounds, Desiree Memea of Hawaii stopped Toni Copeland of New York in the finals, 8-7. It was the second straight year that Copeland placed second at the Junior Nationals. At 220 pounds, Lakia Henderson of Florida won a three athlete roundrobin for the title. Each of the athletes had a 1-1 record in the roundrobin, but Henderson won the gold on the strength of a victory over runner Paloma Basulto of California pinned Lauren Birks of Texas in the finals in 4:13, leading 8-0 at the time of the fall. This is the fourth year that a women's division is featured at the Junior Nationals. There was a record number of entries, 178 women representing 30 states. The previous record was set last year with 144 entries in the competition. The women's weight classes have changed for 2005, moving up from nine divisions to 11 divisions.