Member News
July 24, 2006
USJF Junior National Judo Championships Day 2 Results
The USJF Junior National Championships concluded in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Sunday with several previews of match-ups that may be seen at this week’s Junior World Trials.
Jeanette Rodriguez (Margate, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) won her division for the second consecutive week for her fifth junior national title in the IJF-Junior 48kg division, including a semi-final victory by two yukos over 2006 USA Judo Junior Olympic Champion Corey-Jo Tashima (Mililani, Hawaii/Shobukan Judo). The finals were a repeat of last week’s USJA Junior National match in which Rodriguez again defeated her North Miami teammate Daimisy Porras (Hialeah, Fla.), this time armbarring Porras for the win.
Porras, who recently moved up to 48kg from 44kg, showed that she's an up-and-comer, throwing #2-ranked Brenna Clark (Hercules, Calif./APOA/Okubu Judo) with an uchimata (inner thigh throw) in the first round. In the silver medal final, however, she was handed her second loss of the day by Tashima who also beat Clark as she fought her way through the loser's pool to win a silver medal.
Franchesca Durand (North Lauderdale, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) and Nicki Schultheis (Gurnee, Ill./Gurnee Judo Club) continued their rivalry at 52kg. The two have fought frequently in the finals of this division and Durand continued her streak of having not dropped a match against Schultheis in over a year, throwing the Pan Am Junior silver medalist with a beautiful harai goshi (sweeping hip throw) for ippon in the first minute.
Heidi Metzler (Manheim, Pa./Mayo Quanchi Judo), the #3-ranked player at 52kg, had a difficult tournament, dropping matches to Schultheis and Canadian Amy Merry to finish fourth overall.
The 57kg division continues to be one of the most watched ones on the women’s side with the three top-ranked athletes competing as well as Tara Clark (Hercules, Calif./APOA/Okubu) who needed a top-three finish to move into a spot at the Junior World Trials.
Clark failed to reach the podium, but there was some movement among the top seeds as Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center) won the division to return to her #1 status and move Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) into the #2 slot for Trials.
Martin looked excellent in her first outing of the junior season, beating Delgado in the semi-finals and pinning third-ranked Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla./Budokan Judo) in the finals.
Carmichael, the USA Judo Junior Olympic Champion, avenged last week’s pair of losses against Delgado at the USJA Junior Nationals, throwing her with an o soto gari (major outer reaping) for ippon and the silver medal.
Larisa Lindstrom (Livermore, Calif./Amador Judo) secured her Trials invitation, and a likely third seed, by winning 63kg, including a victory over USJA Champion Yanik Labrada (Miami, Fla./Miami Judo).
Top-ranked Katie Sell (Oshkosh, Wis./Welcome Mat Judo/70kg) and Marina Shafir (Latham, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center) each had their #1 ranking locked up going into the weekend, but earned the all-important confidence boost of posting a gold medal win six days before Trials.
In the men’s divisions, 60kg had the most depth with not only all four of next week’s Trials participants competing, but also Peruvian Ronnie Talledo (North Lauderdale, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai) in the mix.
Both Talledo and top-ranked Jeremy Liggett (Scotia, N.Y./NYAC/Jason Morris Judo Center) are considered to be top seniors as Talledo won the New York Open in March and Liggett was a silver medalist at the Senior Pan Ams in May.
Liggett, with one of the toughest draws of the day, quickly defeated Aaron Kunihiro (Covina, Calif./San Gabriel Judo) and Rafael Ramos (Union City, N.J./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) in his first two rounds. Kunihiro likely will be the Trials’ fourth seed while Ramos, the #2 seed, is best known for his gold medal win at Senior Nationals.
In the semi-finals, however, Talledo threw Liggett thrown for a yuko (quarter-point) to take the lead. Both athletes drew penalties later in the match, but Talledo sealed the win, throwing Liggett with an o soto gari for a yuko in the last 10 seconds of the match.
Talledo would go on to beat Jean-Pierre Durand (North Lauderdale, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) in the final. In the silver medal match, Liggett, who beat 2005 Pan American Infantile Champion Miguel Ballesteros (Miami, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) to advance to the medal round, was up two kokas to one as the match wound down. With 19 seconds remaining, Durand caught Liggett with a fireman’s carry for a yuko and the match.
Ivan Lopouchanski (Hollywood, Fla./Budokan), the silver medalist at the USJA Juniors, won the 66kg division, armbarring Christian Garcia (North Miami Beach, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai). Top-ranked AJ Silverman (Scotia, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center) won his first match, but lost to Garcia in the semi-finals and then again in the fight for second.
One of the day’s most watched matches was the gold medal final between Bobby Lee (Lauderhill, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site) and Nick Delpopolo (Westfield, N.J./Cranford/Jason Morris Judo Center). Considered to be two of the top junior players in the United States, the only match-up for the #1 and #2 ranked athletes in the 73kg division was been in the final of the High School Nationals. In March Delpopolo took the match, throwing Lee for a yuko on the border of the mat.
This time around, borders came into play again as Lee was handed an out of bounds penalty that would prove to be the score Delpopolo needed to win the match.
Lee, who had defeated his previous opponents all by ippon picked up another one with a win over Antonio Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai) who won the Juvenile B division on Saturday.
Yuko Sin (Glenville, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center) was the only top-seeded male athlete going into Trials to produce a gold medal this weekend. Sin, a Senior Nationals bronze medalist, won 81kg decisively, including a first-round defeat of Wesley Thomas (San Mateo, Calif./Palo Alto Judo), the USA Judo Junior Olympic Champion. In the final, Sin won over Phillip Spano (Tampa, Fla./El Mambi Judo), a former top 73kg player who moved up to 81 to win last week’s USJA event. Spano, now ranked third, went on to defeat Thomas to win the silver medal.
Jacob Larsen (Santa Rosa, Calif./Redwood Chase Judo/90kg) won his second junior title of the season, after a win at the USA Judo Junior Olympics two weeks ago. After a bye and a first-round win against Gary Cherny (Denver, Colo./Northglenn), Larsen threw Kyle Vashkulat (Scotia, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center) with an opposite side ippon seoi nage (shoulder throw) to win the semis.
Larsen also had little trouble defeating his finals opponent, Canadian Justin Schmaltz (CAN/Beiseiker, Canada/Judo Alberta) to win the division. Schmaltz then defeated Vashkulat in the silver medal match.
Although Larsen won the event, Vashkulat earned enough points to regain his #1 ranking headed into Trials. Steve Fayzakov (Fresh Meadows, N.Y./Spartak Sports Club), who upset Larsen at this year’s High School Nationals, will go into Trials with a third seed, but finished out of medal range this Sunday.
Zane Malloy (Oak Harbor, Wash./Naval Air Station), younger brother of Marti, a Senior Nationals silver medalist former Junior World Team member, defeated USJA Junior National Champion Daniel Yuabov (Fluhsing, N.Y./Spartak) in the first round before beating winning gold over Giorgio Gazzani, Panorama City, Calif./Valley Judo) who recently made the move from 90kg to the 100kg division. Gazzani then lost in the silver medal match to Yuabov, a High School Nationals silver medalist as a heavyweight.
Top-ranked heavyweight Zachary Bell (Naperville, Ill./Fox Valley Judo) won his third consecutive silver medal of the 2006 Triple Crown series with a win over Mitchell Yokogawa (Los Angeles, Calif./San Gabriel). Finnish athlete Kari Kauppinen (FIN/Helsinki, Finland/Finn-Fighter's Club) took the gold.
James LeBaron (Atlanta, Ga./Waka Mu Sha), who upset Bell twice last week to win the USJA event, was unable to repeat the feat at USJF’s, but will hold onto a top-four ranking and a Junior World Trials invitation.
Special awards were presented as follows:
Outstanding Contestant – First Day
Miguel Ballesteros (Miami, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai/Juvenile B 60kg)
Jeanette Rodriguez (Margate, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site/Juvenile B 48kg)
Outstanding Contestant – Second Day
Kyle Taketa (Torrance, Calif./Gardena Judo/Juvenile A 53kg)
Christina Zamora (Tustin, Calif./OCK/Juvenile A 58kg)
Sportsmanship Award – First Day
Jose Cos IV (Elbert, Colo./Olympic Training Center/Juvenile B 55kg)
Rosalinda Hernandez 48Kg Intermediate B Florida
Sportsmanship Award – Second Day
Nick Delpopolo (Westfield, N.J./Cranford/Jason Morris Judo Center/IJF Junior 73kg)
Yesenia Crespo (Dover, Fla./El Mambi/Juvenile A 48kg)
Best Technique Award – First Day
AJ Pedro (Methuen, Mass./Pedro’s Judo Center/Bantam 31kg)
Larisa Lindstrom (Livermore, Calif./Amador Judo/Juvenile B 63kg)
Best Technique Award – Second Day
Ivan Lopouchanski (Hollywood, Fla./Budokan/IJF Junior 66kg)
Marisa Fukunaga (Honolulu, Hawaii/Hawaii Tenri Judo/Juvenile A 44kg)
Fighting Spirit – First Day
Antonio Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai/Juvenile B 73kg)
Katelyn Bouyssou (Hope, R.I./Mayo Quanchi/Intermediate B 38kg)
Fighting Spirit – Second Day
Dariel Porras (Hialeah, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai/Juvenile A 64kg)
Taylor Ibera (Honolulu, Hawaii/Tenri Judo/IJF Junior 44kg)
Female IJF Junior (Born 1987 or Later) 44kg
1. Taylor Ibera (Honolulu, Hawaii/Tenri Judo)
2. Veronica Prado (Coral Springs, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
3. Alexa Liddie (Colorado Springs, Colo./Olympic Training Center USA Judo National Training Site)
Female IJF Junior 48kg
1. Jeanette Rodriguez (Margate, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
2. Corey-Jo Tashima (Mililani, Hawaii/Shobukan Judo)
3. Daimisy Porras (Hialeah, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
Female IJF Junior 52kg
1. Franchesca Durand (North Lauderdale, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
2. Nicki Schultheis (Gurnee, Ill./Gurnee Judo Club)
3. Amy Merry (CAN/Quispamsis, Canada/Shimpokai Judo)
Female IJF Junior 57kg
1. Hannah Martin (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla./Budokan Judo)
3. Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
Female IJF Junior 63kg
1. Larisa Lindstrom (Livermore, Calif./Amador Judo)
2. Natalia Mitura (Coventry, R.I./Mayo Quanchi)
3. Yanik Labrada (Miami, Fla./Miami Judo)
Female IJF Junior 70kg
1. Kathleen Sell (Oshkosh, Wis./Welcome Mat Judo)
2. Emilly Lilly (Camarillo, Calif./Sawtelle Judo)
3. Catherine Bridges (Coventry, R.I./Mayo Quanchi)
Female IJF Junior 78kg
1. Marina Shafir (Latham, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Halee Shadden (Mineral, Texas/Ruben Martin Judo)
3. Kelsi Bostic (Anderson, Ind./Judan Judo)
Female Juvenile A (Born 1992-1993) 40kg
1. Kiana Abellera (Los Angeles, Calif./Sawtelle)
2. Madison Hatch (Lebanon, Conn./Mayo Quanchi)
3. Amanda Buell (Middletown, Ind./Buell's Family Dojo)
Female Juvenile A 44kg
1. Marisa Fukunaga (Honolulu, Hawaii/Hawaii Tenri Judo)
2. Jessica Irons (Yorkville, Ill./Yorkville Judo)
3. Maddyson Post (Livermore, Calif./Amador Judo)
Female Juvenile A 48kg
1. Yesenia Crespo (Dover, Fla./El Mambi)
2. Gabriela Denu (Aberdeen, Md./Undeclared)
3. Carina Caminero (Tampa, Fla./El Mambi Judo Club)
Female Juvenile A 53kg
1. Chrissy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii/Tenri Judo)
2. Sofia Mani (SWE/Westminster, Colo./Northglenn Judo)
3. Megan Ishibashi (Elk Grove, Calif./Sacramento Judo Club)
Female Juvenile A 58kg
1. Christina Zamora (Tustin, Calif./OCK)
2. Dominique Ellis (GBR/London, Great Britain/Moberly)
3. Kayla Martin (Evansville, Ind./Renshuden Judo)
Female Juvenile A 64kg
1. Shaniqua Brown (Atlanta, Ga./Waka Mu Sha)
2. Kadee Shadden (Mineral, Texas/Ruben Martin Judo)
3. Aleesha Allen (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kims Martial Arts)
Female Juvenile A +64kg
1. Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va./Washington Judo)
2. Laquinta Allen (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Onikusu)
3. Alexandra Cogswell (Westminster, Colo./Hyland Hills)
Male IJF Junior 55kg
1. Zachary Maes (Northglenn, Colo./Northglenn Judo)
2. Dave Carelli (Scotia, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Nathan Jones (Evansville, Ind./Morris Dynamics)
Male IJF Junior 60kg
1. Ronnie Talledo (PER/North Lauderdale, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai
2. Jean-Pierre Durand (North Lauderdale, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
3. Jeremy Liggett (Scotia, N.Y./NYAC/JMJC)
Male IJF Junior 66kg
1. Ivan Lopouchanski (Hollywood, Fla./Budokan)
2. Christian Garcia (North Miami Beach, Fla./Ki-Itsu-Sai)
3. AJ Silverman (Scotia, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
Male IJF Junior 73kg
1. Nick Delpopolo (Westfield, N.J./Cranford/Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Bobby Lee (Lauderhill, Fla./North Miami USA Judo National Training Site)
3. Antonio Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.,/Ki-Itsu-Sai)
Male IJF Junior 81kg
1. Yuko Sin (Glenville, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Phillip Spano (Tampa, Fla./El Mambi Judo)
3. Wesley Thomas (San Mateo, Calif./Palo Alto Judo)
Male IJF Junior 90kg
1. Jacob Larsen (Santa Rosa, Calif./Redwood Chase Judo)
2. Justin Schmaltz (CAN/Beiseiker, Canada/Judo Alberta)
3. Kyle Vashkulat (Scotia, N.Y./Jason Morris Judo Center)
Male IJF Junior 100kg
1. Zane Malloy (Oak Harbor, Wash./Naval Air Station)
2. Daniel Yuabov (Fluhsing, N.Y./Spartak)
3. Giorgio Gazzani, Panorama City, Calif., Valley Judo
Male IJF Junior +100kg
1. Kari Kauppinen (FIN/Helsinki, Finland/Finn-Fighter's Club)
2. Zachary Bell (Naperville, Ill./Fox Valley Judo)
3. Mitchell Yokogawa (Los Angeles, Calif./San Gabriel)
Male Juvenile A 36kg
1. Everet Desilets (Providence, R.I./Mayo Quanchi)
2. David Terao (Honolulu, Hawaii/Shobukan Judo)
3. Matthew Beckham (Elk Grove, Calif./Sacramento Judo)
Male Juvenile A 40kg
1. Luca Gama (Coral Springs, Fla./Ki Itsu Sai)
2. Max Benjamin (Fresh Meadows, N.Y./Queens Judo Center)
3. Joshua Prado (Coral Springs, Fla./Ki Itsu Sai
Male Juvenile A 44kg
1. Santiago Martinez (Coral Springs, Fla./Ki Itsu Sai)
2. Eric Farjado (Lincoln Park, N.J./Camal Judo)
3. Hanif Shabazz (Atlanta, Ga./Waka Mu Sha)
Male Juvenile A 48kg
1. Robby Schultheis (Gurnee, Ill./Gurnee Judo Club)
2. Max Schneider (Chicago, Ill./Tohkon)
3. Keith Beauvais (Thornton, Colo./Northglenn Judo Club)
Male Juvenile A 53kg
1. Kyle Taketa (Torrance, Calif./Gardena Judo)
2. Max Golembo (Vernon Hills, Ill./Cohen's Judo)
3. Ruben Martin (Burleson, Texas/Ruben Martin Judo)
Male Juvenile A 58kg
1. Yan Kafarskiy (Richmond Hills, N.Y./Spartak Sports Club)
2. Richard Santacruz (Riverview, Fla./Florida School of Judo)
3. John Farrar Jr. (Rochester, N.Y./Bedroc Martial Judo)
Male Juvenile A 64kg
1. Dariel Porras (Coral Springs, Fla./Ki Itsu Sai)
2. David Fung (St. Albans, N.Y./Camal Judo)
3. Dylan Madron (Highland, Ill./USA Stars)
Male Juvenile A 70kg
1. Kadiem Wheatle (Brooklyn, N.Y./Starrett)
2. Rafael Azizyan (Los Angeles, Calif./Hayastan)
3. Robert Novo III (Miami, Fla./Banagua Judo)
Male Juvenile A 83kg
1. Joshua Gordon (Milwaukee, Wis./Wahadachi)
2. Zach Burkhardt (Alexandria, Ind./Anderson YMCA)
3. William Shiraga (Hacienda Heights, Calif./West Covina Judo)
Male Juvenile A +83kg
1. Christopher Roman (Snellville, Ga./Waka Mu Sha)
2. Kevin Duarte (Baldwin Park, Calif./Mojica Judo)
3. Christopher Escamilla (Boynton Beach, Fla./West Palm Beach)
Results by Organization
Point System:
Place won | Point Value
1 5
2 3
3 1
Organization name |Total|
1. Florida 72
2. New York 41
2. California 41
3. Illinois 21
3. Hawaii 21
4. Georgia 11
4. Colorado 11
5. Wisconsin 10
6. Rhode Island 9
7. New Jersey 8
8. Indiana 7
8. Texas 7
9. Finland 5
9. Washington 5
9. Virginia 5
10. Canada 4
11. Connecticut 3
11. Great Britain 3
11. Maryland 3
12. Pennsylvania 1
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