Spokane, WA - On the heels of the Beijing Olympics the Jason Morris Judo Center (JMJC) athletes kept rolling this past weekend enjoying a stellar weekend at the Jr. World Trials, Fall Classic and Ladder tournaments which were all held at the Valley Hub in Spokane, WA. The Jr. World trials offer an opportunity for the top four athletes in each weight class to compete for a spot on USA Judo's Jr. World team that will compete in Bangkok, Thailand October 23-26, 2008. The athletes were seeded #1-#4. #1 fought #4 and then the winner of the match between #2 and #3. In this format if the #1 seed wins then they qualify. If any of the other seeds win the trials then they earn a one-match fight off with the #1 seed for the chance to represent the USA. The JMJC started the day with six #1 seeds and one #2. Hudson Valley Sophomore and Burnt Hills High grad, #1 Jeremy Liggett (19) easily qualified for his second straight Jr. World team by dispatching Zach Godbold and Miguel Ballesteros at 66kg. Burnt Hills grad #1 Nick Delpopolo (19) joined Liggett qualifying for his second Jr. World team by pinning Andy Porras at 73kg. Delpopolo had a bye the first round. Porras had defeated Delpopolo in their previous two matchups last April while Nick was nursing a severely sprained ankle. Burnt Hills High Sophomore #1 Helen Delpopolo (15) joined her brother Nick to make them the first brother-sister athletes to make it simultaneously to the Jr. World team. Helen Delpopolo (70kg) beat Kesli Bostic and Melinda Bridges to earn her trip to Bangkok. Burnt Hills High Sr. #1 Angela Creutzberger (17) defeated Lisette Abad in her first round then dropped her finals bout in overtime time to #2 Katlyn Bouyssou. Creutzberger regrouped and dominated the fight-off against Bouyssou to qualify for her first Jr. Worlds. Schenectady Community College Freshman and Burnt Hills grad #1 Kyle Vashkulat (18) only had to beat Armen Babayan to make his first Jr. World team. Schalmont High Sr. #2 Ronni Aragona (17) defeated Natalie Mitura and then pulled off a fantastic upset of #1 seed Paola Genao-Bulter in a come-from-behind win to force a fight off. Aragona seemed to carry the momentum of her upset into the fight-off as she started strong and had Butler on her heels. Butler collected herself, however, catching Ronni with tegaruma for ippon to make the team. Unsettled by the awkward style of opponent John Fernandez #1 Tony Sangimino (18) was upset in the first round. Due to his #1 ranking Sangamino was still alive in the tournament. Tony then faced Danny Satinsky in the fight-off but lost a tight battle and had to settle for being the alternate to the 2008 Jr. World team. The JMJC has now placed athletes on the Jr. World team in an unprecedented five straight opportunities dating to 2000. (Once held bi-annually the Jr. Worlds are an annual event as of 2008.)

Immediately following the Jr. World team presentation the Fall Classic National event got started. Jeremy Liggett breezed to the 66kg title posting a 5-0 record showing off a variety of techniques to move into a career high #2 spot in the national rankings. Liggett then claimed the Ladder title the next day at 73kg putting up another 5-0 record bringing his total for the weekend to an impressive 12-0. The reason Liggett competed at 73kg is that in the Ladder tournament (designed as a developmental event) an athlete cannot compete in a weight class that they have national rankings’ points in. Kim Carpenter posted a 5-0 mark to capture the 52kg Fall Classic crown improving on last year’s bronze. This result moves Carpenter into a career-high #7 ranking. Carpenter then won a silver medal at the Ladder tournament at 57kg. SCCC student and Burnt Hills High grad Hannah Martin successfully defended her 57kg Fall Classic title going 4-0 on the day winning all her matches by ippon. Martin did not compete at the Ladder tournament due to the fact that she has ranking points at 63kg and moving all the way up to 70kg wouldn't be worth the injury risk. Nick Delpopolo was having a great day until injuring his shoulder in the final not allowing Delpopolo to defend his Fall Classic title. Nick had to settle for a 73kg silver. His record on the day was 4-1 including impressive wins over #1 Mike Eldred and long-time rival Bobby Lee. Nick's sister, Helen, also won a silver medal with a 4-2 mark on the day. Her only losses were to #2 ranked Katie Sell. Helen climbed to her career high ranking of #5 at 70kg. JMJC newest elite member Mike Doria (18) had a remarkable debut posting a 5-2 mark at 66kg to win a bronze and earn his first ranking of #11. Doria had wins over quality players Zach Godbold and Miguel Ballesteros. AJ Silverman (20) went 3-2 to place 4th at 73kg at the Fall Classic. AJ then went 4-2 to take a bronze the next day at the Ladder tournament. Ronni Aragona earned valuable Jr. points towards next year’s Jr. World trials by taking a gold at the Ladder at 63kg. Brad Bolen also took gold at the Ladder at 66kg after going 2-2 at the Fall Classic. Tony Sangimino shook off his disappointing result at the trials by fighting hard and long at the Ladder tournament taking silver at 81kg. Tony posted a 5-2 record losing only to Mike Eldred in the finals. Sangimino lost two very close battles with the 73kg #1 with the second match going into overtime.