TOMEO, VAN DUSEN DEFEND CADET WOMEN'S NATIONAL TITLES IN FREEESTYLE WRESTLING IN NEW ORLEANS, LA., JUNE 21Erin Tomeo of Volant, Pa. and Marcie Van Dusen of Twin Peaks, Calif. won gold medals for the second straight year at the Cadet Women's National Wrestling Championships, held in New Orleans, La., June 21.
Young women, age 14-16 years old, representing 19 states, competed at the Cadet Women's National Championships. It was the second year that USA Wrestling has hosted this competition.
Five 1996 Cadet Women's National champions returned to defend their titles, but only Tomeo and Van Dusen were able to win for a second straight year.
Tomeo claimed the 101-pound title, pinning Melia Hutchison of Soldotna, Alaska in the finals in 1:20. Tomeo was the 88-pound champion a year ago.
Van Dusen claimed the 123-pound title, winning the round-robin competition. Among her key wins was a 4-3 decision over runner-up Jayme Pierce of Minoa, N.Y. Van Dusen was the 121-pound champion in 1996.
In a rematch of the 1996 finals, Jill Remiticado of Aiea, Hawaii, pinned Chelsea Duncan of Richland, Wash. in 1:49, to claim the 114-pound title. It was a reversal of last year's finals at 112 pounds, which Duncan won by a 2-0 referee's decision.
Amy Wahle of Neola, Iowa edged 1996 Cadet Women's Nationals champion Megan Andrews of Napa, Calif., 9-8 to win the 132-pound title. Andrews was the champion at 130 pounds last year.
The other 1996 Cadet Women's National champion who was unable to defend her crown was Mary Cycon of Stamford, Conn., who placed third at 88 pounds this year.
Among the other Cadet Women's national champions were Jennifer Cycon of Stamford, Conn. (83), Micah Kelly of Mercer, Pa. (88), Arielle Bradbury of Montesano, Wash. (94), Katrina Betts of Milan, Mich. (108), Melanie Marcari of Fremont, Calif. (143) and Alicia Mena of St. Paul, Minn. (154+).
Jennifer Cycon won the 83-pound title uncontested.
Kelly won the roundrobin competition at her weight class, including a 3-0 overtime decision over Jennifer Perrin of Boswell, Pa. in the finals.
Bradbury pinned Christiana Diehl of Ann Arbor, Mich., in the finals in 54 seconds.
Betts pinned Danielle Bennett of Fulton, N.Y. in 29 seconds to claim the gold medal.
Marcari won the roundrobin competition in her weight division, including a pin over second-place Brandy Beayon of Bomoseen, Vt. in 1:53.
Mena also won a roundrobin competition to claim her title, including an 8-0 decision over runner-up Alison Patrick of Boise, Idaho.
Women's wrestling is a growing sport in the United States, as more young women athletes are getting involved each year. The Cadet Women's National Championships showed an increase in entries from its first year.
1997 CADET WOMEN'S NATIONAL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS at New Orleans, La., June 21
83 - 1st - Jennifer Cycon, Stamford, Conn.
88 -1st - Micah Kelly, Mercer, Pa.; 2nd - Jennifer Perrin, Boswell, Pa.; 3rd - Mary Cycon, Stamford, Conn.; Roundrobin - Kelly pin Cycon, 2:44; Perrin dec. Cycon, 6-3; Kelly dec. Perrin, 3-0, ot
94 - 1st - Arielle Bradbury, Montesano, Wash. pin Christiana Diehl, Ann Arbor, Mich., 0:54
101 - 1st - Erin Tomeo, Volant, Pa., dec. Melina Hutchinson, Soldotna, Alaska, 1:20; 3rd - Jessi Shirley, Galion, Ohio, won by tech. fall over Rebecca Gross, Kenner, La., 11-0
108 - 1st - Katrina Betts, Milan, Mich., pin Danielle Bennett, Fulton, N.Y., 0:29; 3rd - Jenny Wong, Woodbury, Minn. pin Trish Shrader, Tacoma, Wash., 0:16
114 - 1st - Jill Remiticado, Aiea, Hawaii, pin Chelsea Duncan, Richland, Wash., 1:49; 3rd - Rebecca Decola, Ann Arbor, Mich., dec. Bobbie Joe Hoerth, Chilton, Wis., 7-4
123 - 1st - Marcie Van Dusen, Twin Peaks, Calif.; 2nd - Jayme Pierce, Minoa, N.Y.; 3rd - Megan McHattie, St. Paul, Minn.; 4th - Brenda Schoonover, Ridgway, Pa.; Roundrobin - Van Dusen dec. Pierce, 4-3; Van Dusen pin McHattie, 1:24; Pierce pin McHattie, 2:57
132 - 1st - Amy Wahle, Neola, Iowa, dec. Megan Andrews, Napa, Calif., 9-8; 3rd - Elena Mena, St. Paul, Minn., pin Audra Smith, Panama, N.Y., 0:17
143 - 1st - Melanie Marcari, Fremont, Calif.; 2nd - Brandy Beayon, Bomoseen, Vt.; 3rd - Bonny Roualet, Bloomington, Ind.; Roundrobin - Marcari pin Roualet, 1:29; Marcari pin Beayon, 1:53; Beayon dec. Roualet, 5-3
154 + - 1st - Alicia Mena, St. Paul, Minn.; 2nd - Alison Patrick, Boise, Idaho; 3rd - Rachel Varner, Bakersfield, Calif.; 4th - Erin Walker, Seminole, Fla.; Roundrobin - Mena dec. Patrick, 8-0; Patrick dec. Varner, 3-2; Mena pin Varner, 1:49