COLORADO SPRINGS — Two-time Junior World medalist Kayla Miracle led the way for six Lady Tiger wrestlers this past week at the Dave Schultz Memorial, finishing runner-up in the 58kg weight class.

In addition to Miracle, Charlotte Fowler, Andribeth Rivera, Shelby Hall, Koral Sugiyama and Sophia Carson all competed in the Dave Schultz Memorial, and four of the five finished in the consolation semifinal bout in their respective weight classes.

"Anytime I can reward a hard working wrestler with a trip like this to the Olympic Training Center I will do it," said coach Lee Miracle. "Not everyone gets to visit the OTC. Hopefully it fuels the fire in their bellies to train to be World Champions and Olympians."
 
Miracle, who was looking to repeat as medalist after winning the Dave Schultz in 2016, earned a bye in the opening round to set up a bout with Randi Beltz – who defeated Miracle back at the Olympic Team Trials last spring. Miracle knocked off Beltz 9-2 in the semifinal and faced Miki Kawauchi of Japan in the championship match.
 
Miracle was leading early 2-0, but Kawauchi hit a powerful hip toss and secured a first-period fall.
 
Japan had the most individual champions with four. Joining Kagata and Kawauchi as individual champions were 2011 Cadet World champion Yui Sakano at 60 kg/132 lbs. and three-time Junior World champion and three-time Cadet World champion Masako Furuichi at 75 kg/165 lbs.
 
Canada won the team title with 60 points, ahead of runner-up Japan with 55 points.

"Kayla's finals match against Japan was a bit of a disappointment but, she got caught, It happens," said Miracle. "She was wrestling the match very well. It was the first time in about five years that she has been pinned. She will learn from it and move on. She wrestled extremely well in the tournament I was happy to see her beat Beltz and avenge the loss from the Olympic Trials."
 
In addition to Miracle, the Lady Tigers had another duo competing at 58kgs - Koral Sugiyama and Shelby Hall. In her first round, Hall was pinned by Beltz in 0:31 and then again by Lauren Louive in the consolation semifinal bout. Sugiyama was also pinned by Louive – in the opening round – but picked up a fall herself over Sounder in 1:36. But Beltz got the best of Sugiyama in the consolation semifinal bout with a pin in 0:58.
 
At 48kg, Charlotte Fowler earned a couple of victories. After moving to the consolation bracket, Fowler pinned Britnee Cook in 1:37 and then won via criteria, 7-7, over Sarah Allen to set up a semifinal bout vs. Jada Parsons. Parsons got the best of Fowler with a pin in 1:21.
 
Rivera, who was competing for her homeland of Puerto Rico, picked up a 12-8 victory over Rachel Archer but lost 11-0 to Jessica MacDonald and was pinned in the consolation semi's to Ronna Heaton.
 
Sophia Carson, who wrestled at 60kg, was defeated three times in round robin matches.
 
"I enjoy taking the younger girls who are working hard on and off of the mat to this tournament," said Miracle. "They get a chance to see the next level and understand why I am so hard on them. It is a physical war against a highly trained athlete every time you walk onto the mat at the senior level. If you do not prepare for that battle you will get hurt. This perspective that they gain from this trip makes them look at the college level very differently. It gives them confidence knowing that they have battled tougher opponents and survived."
 
The Lady Tigers will now travel to the WCWA National Championship on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 10-11, in Oklahoma City.
 
Photo Credit: Justin Hoch