Rix named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete’s name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to John Fuller at [email protected]
Deanna Rix (South Berwick, Maine) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of July 27-Aug. 1
Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.
Rix won the gold medal at 128 pounds at the ASICS/Vaughan Women’s Junior National Championships, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament in Fargo, N.D., July 30.
For Rix, it was a third career Junior Nationals title, setting the record for the most Junior National titles for girls in a career.
In the gold medal finals, Rix scored a 10-0 technical fall over Bethany Harris of California.
Rix scored three falls and three technical falls on the way to her title. She opened the tournament with three straight pins, scoring falls over Trisha Kulash of Michigan, Tina Karol of Kansas and Reneta Kaethler of Pennsylvania. She then scored technical fall wins over Megan Corden of Connecticut and Jessica Jauck of California.
Earlier in the week, Rix entered the Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman, competing against boys at 130 pounds.
To the surprise and delight of the crowd, Rix won her first two matches handily, a 10-0 technical fall over Cody Blackford of Tennessee and a 1:12 pin of Daniel Navarro of California. In the third round, Rix lost a competitive 3-0 match to Gus Lee of North Dakota. She withdrew from the tournament in the next round with a hand injury.
Rix was named the 2005 ASICS Girls Wrestler of the Year after her amazing prep career ended. Wrestling for Marshwood High School, she was second at the Maine state high school championships as a senior, competing against boys. She was beaten in the finals in overtime. It is the highest placement ever for a girl competing in a boys state high school meet, matching the achievement of Erica Dye of West Virginia and Michaela Hutchison of Alaska.
Rix will attend Northern Michigan Univ. in the fall, as part of the USOEC Women’s wrestling university resident program there.
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