Hedin named Outstanding Wrestler at Body Bar FILA Junior Women’s Nationals
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/14/2004
Danielle Hedin of Hawaii claimed the 55 kg/121 lbs. weight division and was named Outstanding Wrestler in a very competitive Body Bar FILA Junior Women's Nationals, held in St. Joseph, Minn., March 14. Hedin defeated Missouri Valley College student Debbi Sakai in the gold-medal finals, 7-5. Sakai is also a native of Hawaii, and was a FILA Junior Nationals champion in 2003. FILA Junior athletes are 17-20 years old. The tournament featured many top college wrestlers along with some talented high school athletes who meet the age requirements. Athletes from the U.S. women's college programs that won gold medals included Aquilla Hills at 44 kg/97 lbs., Sara Fulp Allen at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Tabithia Ramsey at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Alaina Berube at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Stephany Lee at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Hills, who competes for Cumberland College, won her weight class uncontested. Fulp-Allen, a freshman at Menlo College, scored a 10-3 victory over fellow California native Laura Felix in the gold-medal match. Ramsey, a wrestler for the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, had a 7-2 finals victory over Lassen College wrestler Sabrina Lancelotti. Berube, a star at Cumberland College, captured her title with a 5-1 win over Brooke Bogren, who wrestles for Missouri Valley College. Berube earned the Most Falls award for the tournament with four falls in 9:08. Berube was also a FILA Junior Nationals champion last year. Lee, who is one of the nation's top college wrestlers competing at Missouri Valley College, pinned 2003 Junior World team member Juanita Russell of New York in 2:09. Lee was a FILA Junior Nationals runner-up a year ago. High school stars who won gold medals included Stefanie Shaw of Connecticut at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Heather Martin of Ohio at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. and Samantha Lang of Oregon at 79.5 kg/175 lbs. Shaw scored a pin over Venessa Oswalt of Ohio in the finals in 5:33 Martin pinned Kelly Branham, a talented college wrestler from Missouri Valley, in the finals in 2:04. Lang also scored a pin in the finals, stopping Lizz Sanders of Iowa in 33 seconds. Lang was also a FILA Junior Nationals champion at this division last year.