Waldorf’s Legate wins Can-Am Open title
By Matt Oliver
JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Sonya Legate led the charge for the Waldorf College women’s wrestling team as she captured the 191-pound championship in Saturday’s Can-Am Open.
Legate (8-4) was dominant through the first two rounds. She scored an 11-0 technical fall over the University of Saskatchewan’s Rebecca Ells and earned an 11-2 decision against Saskatchewan’s Kiera Prior.
In the title match, Legate took care of business as the senior from Neligh, Nebraska. claimed a 4-2 decision over the University of Jamestown’s Renee Samano.
“Sonya was on a mission,” Waldorf coach Tyreece Gilder said. “She went in there determined to find a way to win and she just flat out got the job done.”
Redshirt freshman Rachael Coleck (130 pounds) and freshman Hope Cordoviz (101) each secured second place for the Warriors while freshman Cherydan James (143) took third. Freshmen Jasmine Alexander (116), Daisy Velazquez (130), Aisha Simpson (155) and Harmony Maitland (170) put together fourth-place finishes
“We had some battles,” Gilder said. “This tournament was running at a grinding pace and the ladies hung in there and battled the whole time.”
Coleck (9-8) emerged victorious in three of her four matches. She pulled out a 9-6 decision against Saskatchewan’s Alyx Paulson in the opening round and controlled Jamestown’s Carissa Chavez in a 10-0 technical fall. Coleck earned a 10-0 technical fall over Velazquez (1-3) and fell in a 9-0 decision to Jamestown’s Jenna Elmlinger in the title bout.
Cordoviz (3-10) faced Jamestown’s Kim Cardenas in both of her matches. Cardenas topped Cordoviz behind a 10-4 decision in the first meeting and followed with a 10-0 technical fall.
James (4-4) started strong and held off the University of Regina’s Dalynn Mackay in an 8-4 decision. Jamestown’s Marlie Gillis brought down James in a 13-2 technical fall. James bounced back, quickly winning by fall over Jamestown’s Pamela Fehr in 1 minute, 55 seconds. Midland University’s Gabi Hunter pinned James in 2:19 in a fifth-round matchup.
Alexander (2-5), Velazquez (1-5) and Maitland (1-3) each won one of four matches on the day. Simpson (2-9) was defeated in all three of her bouts.
Waldorf sophomores Maciel Ramirez (116) and Bailey McLaughlin (136) each secured fifth place. Ramirez (4-7) came out on top in one of three matches while McLaughlin (2-13) finished 0-4 in the tournament.
Sophomore Rose Heurtelou (109) placed sixth for the Warriors. Heurtelou (6-8) fell short in her three matchups.
After a solid start to the first month of the season, Waldorf is now idle until Nov. 14 when the Warriors return to action in the Missouri Valley College Open at Marshall, Missouri.