Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion Women Kansas Krusaders in Detroit at USGWA Nationals

I am currently in Washington, DC at a conference. I have heard from Coach Ed and the girls and coaches have arrived in Detroit. Sounds like at least 15 girls are representing KS at the biggest all girls tournament that I know of...there are usually 700 girls competing. I will be back in Wichita tomorrow afternoon and I will post updates as I get the results.

Good Luck to all the Kansas Girls...let's bring home some hardware.

Ms. Jenni

Ok, I am working on getting an update from today's competition. I got bumped off my flight in Washington to Altanta by a bunch of guys wanting to get to something called the Final Four. I guess I picked a bad day to fly in that area. Anyway, I am sitting in Atlanta waiting to go to Wichita. I am calling and getting to scoop on today and I will follow up later.

Ms. Jenni

Finally, the results from Detroit. There were 720 girls competing this year in the USGWA Nationals. It was a very hectic and unorganized weekend, and officiating was not so great either. However, I must say, Coach Ed sounds very excited and happy over the girls performance at the hardest girl tourney around and the competition did not disappoint. We had a total of 20 girls that are either from KS or have been with the Krusaders at tournaments for some time now.

I have names and placings. I will start with the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!

Beth Johnson totally dominated the competition. Per Ed, "No one could touch Beth." Beth is from Garden City and traveled out with Bob and Jeanie Dey.

Morgan Otteson did not disappoint either, she had a round robin to seat the bracket and she did have a loss there, but came back to avenge her loss in grand fashion and take home the gold. Morgan is from Mill Valley and for those that have seen her wrestle...enough said.

That brings me to Emily Newberry. This is the little pint sized KS tornado that Coach Ed calls, "wild thing". Wild thing delivered the gold back to Columbus, KS in grand style.

They added into the competition this year something they called a G3 bracket. It was for all the girls that went out in the regular bracket, they got to wrestle another consolation bracket.

We had three girls go out in the regular bracket and then kicked tail in the "G3". All three took first place in the backside bracket.

Jessica Bowman - Lawrence Coyotes
Janessa Valle - Wichita Wolfpack
Kelsey Murphy - NE KS

We have two girls from OK that we have known forever. Karissa Avallone actually considers herself a Kansas Krusader. She took 7th in a difficult bracket. Hanna Martin that has also traveled the country with Coach Ed many times, she wore OK colors and supported her state that is finally fielding a team this year. I could not do this without mentioning her though as we all love Hanna and I particularly love to watch her eat...she LOVES her foods. Hanna took 3rd with only one loss. If you don't know Hanna check out her creditials. She is hanging right in there with her El Reno teammates and made it to HS state this year. Their state shirt read 8 guys and a Chick!

We had four girls from Lakin travel out with Coaches Frederiksen and Gonzales. They along with Beth Johnson, represented the SW part of the state.

Regina Ward - 6th
Tayler Frederiksen - 7th
Samantha Gonzalez - DNP
Nikki Penthey - DNP

Also, from the Lawrence Coyotes was little Payton Covert. She also had a tough bracket and came out as an All American at 8th place.

Southeast Ks had to represent also. "Wild Thing's" mentor from Columbus HS has really been turning it on and Coach Ed can't quit talking about how much this young lady has improved. Danette O'Hara made some noise in Detroit City and is now an All American placing 7th.

There was another young lady that competed from KS and I can't go without mentioning her. She wrestles for Team Tigers and her name is Krista Revelle, she placed 6th. I hope that some day she will choose to call herself a KS Krusader, as well.

Now for the Central part of the state. From McPherson KS and try NOT to ask them about their trip out to Detroit. Chandra Engel placed 11th and her protege Addie Lanning did very well and place 2nd in her bracket.

We have three other placers that regularly work out with Coach Ed on Wed nights and their teams on the other nights.

Darian Gonzalez from Newton with the Runner Up in her bracket. Her dad is the wonderful man that keeps our webpage updated.

Aerial Groene lives and wrestles for Goddard but has been working out steadily with the Wichita girls. She is an All American with 5th place.

And last but not least, Kaysha Anderson from my very own NW Jr Grizzlies...Kaysha just started wrestling this year and has not had that many wins, but she braved the trip to Detroit anyway. All you guys know that that is how champions are made. Kaysha worked hard in Detroit, got a REALLY BIG win per Coach Ed and comes home an All America with 6th place.

Well, that should be all 20 girls and we at the KS Krusaders couldn't be prouder. We had a fine turnout of girls and a large amount of hardware to take home. On behalf of myself, Coach Ed, Coach Jason Ogden and Coach Brooke Bogren, I want to say thanks for all the effort and time and money to the parents and wrestlers and fans. We are looking forward to a good FS season and hope to see even more at the USAW Women's Body Bar FS Nationals in Colorado Springs on April 21-22, 2007.

Here's to a safe trip home for everyone.

Thanks Girls!!!!!!!!!!!

Ms. Jenni

Way to represent girls!!!

I can not express enough how much our family appreciates the way Coach ED, MS. Jenni and all the rest of the Krusaders have accepted Karissa as 1 of the team. This includes all of the parents that treat her as if she was 1 of their own children.
We just think the world of you guys and are looking forward to seeing you at Body Bar.
The Avallone family

I would like to congradulate all the girl wrestlers that went to Detroit whether you placed or not. It takes guts to get out there and participate. It also takes Dedication, commitment to strive for your dreams. It is not an easy task to go out there and give it your all. You get to win and you also get defeat. You learn to respect your bodies and know its needs. You have to prep your minds and prepare yourself for the outcome and be a good sport when its killing you inside when you lose and you've given it all you have to give. It is not easy for a girls we are emotional we cry, we sometime even need to be alone to contain our emotions when others want to surround you. Sometimes it is better to walk and get our composer together and then go back and talk with coach, but as long as we remember our good sportsmanship when we are leaving the mat and shake hands and congradulate our opponents. I have been the mother of a wrestler for about 11 years now. I have seen my daughter grow up wrestling all her childhood life. I do not have to ask her if she hurts or how she feels or what she needs anymore she knows her body very well she wraps herself and takes care of her wounds and when I go to remind her to do something, she tells me I know mom I'm already working on it and I will walk to where she is and she does she is taking care of her body. We all want the best for our girls and we all want them to be winners with stong minds but lets all try and remember they are still girls. Somebodies little pumkin. Not all parents get to attend these big meets sometimes all we can do is send our child with others. Some times pressures run high and it looks hopefull then the big lose comes. Lets all try to remember that it is really the lose of that young lady, that girl who just lost. The person who gave it all she had, the girl that went to all those practices with the boys or girls and worked her body till it was as sore as could be. That girl who lost all that weigh worked all those pounds off went to the gym by herself and gave it all she had. My daughter always travels alone or travels with her loving coach that is like family we fight we laugh we struggle threw our relationship A week or so ago my husband and I took her to a tournament and we had to introduce ourselves as the real parents. Our daughter works very hard every day, I worry alot about her due to how hard she pushes herself. She strives to be the best and I am very proud of her. I am proud of her accomplishments and I am proud of her faults due to she keeps striving to better herself. I would like to Thank You All for helping her acheive. She is a girl wrestler. She has never had a coach tell her she could not accomplish her dream all her Coaches have always encouraged her to be her best. Thank you Bob and Jeanie Dey you are the Best people that Beth has ever encountered in her life. you have been there threw thick and thin with Beth, you have been there threw puberty you have been there threw every move Beth has ever made good or bad. Without you she would not have accomplished the things she has accomplished.You are her parents as well as we are. Thankyou Garden City Coaches all of you there are so many of you that have always welcomed Beth on the mat at any time she walked in the door, you never turned her away and always pushed her past what she thought she could do. You all have helped Beth Achieve her best. Thank you all Bethie's mom