Umemoto, Lang star at FILA Cadet Women’s Nationals in St. Joseph, Minn.
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
04/12/2003
Event Photos It was a good day for Oregon wrestling stars at the FILA Cadet Women's Nationals in St. Joseph, Minn., April 12. Winning the Outstanding Wrestler award was Na'Tasha Umemoto of Oregon, the champion at 56 kg/123.25 lbs. Claiming the Most Falls Trophy was Samantha Lang of Oregon, the champion at 78 kg/170 lbs. Umemoto scored three technical falls on the way to her victory, including a 14-1 decision of Danyelle Hedin of Hawaii in the gold-medal finals. Umemoto was also a FILA Cadet National champion last year at 114.5 pounds. Lang scored three falls in just 2:42 during the tournament. It was the second straight FILA Cadet National title for Lang. In addition, earlier in the day, Lang also won a gold medal at the FILA Junior National Championships. There were two athletes that won both a FILA Cadet and FILA Junior national title today. Also claiming her second national title of the day was Ali Bernard of of the New Ulm Rolling Thunder club in Minnesota. Bernard won three matches by pin to claim the FILA Cadet title, including a 46 second pin over runner-up Melissa Simmons of Washington, who is with the USA Cobra club. Four athletes won FILA Cadet National titles for the second straight year: Umemoto, Lang, Chelynne Pringle of Minnesota and Heather Martin of Ohio. Pringle, who competes for the Minneapolis WC, claimed the 60 kg/132.25 lbs. title, with two pins and a technical fall. Pringle won a 14-3 technical fall over runner-up Erin Reagan of the Rez-Style Wrestling of North Carolina. Martin was the champion of the 65 kg/143.25 lbs. class, with a pin and a technical fall. She defeated runner-up Brittany Shell of Alaska, 12-0. Among the other champions in the field were Kelli Rasmussen of the Minnesota Storm at 46 kg/101.25 lbs., Caitlyn Chase of the Minnesota Storm at 49 kg/108 lbs. and Nicole Darrow of TNT club at 52 kg/114.5 lbs. Rasmussen won three matches by technical fall, including a 13-3 win over runner-up Diana Acors of TNT in New York. Chase won two bouts by pin, including a 39 second fall over runner-up Chris Varland of Douglas WC in Wyoming. Darrow won four bouts, including a 8-0 win over runner-up Laine Orabana of North Carolina. Two athletes won their weights uncontested, Nicole Woody of Maryland at 83.75 lbs. and Joey Miller of Oklahoma at 94.75 lbs.