Submission wrestler finds you can come home

By Jeremy D. Malamed

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Posted: Friday, February 24, 2006 10:51 AM CST

When Clement Shields moved back to Calaveras County recently, one of the last things he thought he’d find was a submission fighting tournament.

Despite not training in nearly four months since moving from Santa Cruz to Arnold, the opportunity to compete in a tournament in his own backyard was too much for Shields to pass up.

Clement, the older brother of world-ranked mixed martial arts fighter Jake Shields, was one of about 50 participants in Saturday’s Foothill Submission Championships II in Valley Springs.

Hosted by Lohsen Martial Arts Academy, the tournament drew men, women and children from across Northern California, including fighters trained by Nick Diaz, a world-ranked mixed martial arts fighter from Stockton, and Cesar Gracie.

Shields, who grew up in Mountain Ranch and won a Mother Lode League wrestling championship at Calaveras High in 1994, finished first in the men’s 161- to 180-pound division at Saturday’s Foothill Submission Championships. The 29-year-old, who has competed in submission wrestling events off and on for the past four years, went 3-0 on the day, tapping out Jeremy Barr of AMAC with a rear choke in the finals.

“I heard about the tournament just a couple of days before,” said Shields, who has also competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu events. “I was surprised. I didn’t know anybody was doing submission grappling up here.

“It was a good tournament. It was a little bit easier than some of the bigger tournaments I’ve been to in the Bay Area where you get 30 guys in a bracket, but there was still some pretty good competition. It ran smooth. It was nice being able to sign up on the morning of the event.”

Due to his lack of training, Shields decided not to take part in the competition for the Absolute championship belt, open to fighters of any weight class. That competition was won by 17-year-old Darin Cooley of Lodi, a Nick Diaz student. Cooley was awarded the belt when Brian Arellano was disqualified for an unintentional slam. At the Foothill Submission Championships, all strikes and slams are prohibited.

Lohsen Martial Arts plans on hosting the next Foothill Submission Championships in August.

Foothill Submission Championships II

At Valley Springs Elementary School n Feb. 18

Results (name, school)

Kids under 12 n 0-75 pounds (points)

First, Dane Ehlers (Lohsen Martial Arts); second, Chano Real (Cesar Gracie).

Kids under 12 n 0-75 pounds (submission)

First, Royce McPhee-Eayha (Lohsen Martial Arts); second, Chano Real (Cesar Gracie)

Kids under 12 n 75+ pounds (group A, points)

First, Jake Lovdal (Shingu Fighter); second, Brendan Raymundo (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Kids under 12 n 75+ pounds (group A, submission)

First, Jake Lovdal (Shingu Fighter); second, Brendan Raymundo (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Kids under 12 n 75+ pounds (group B, points)

First, Justin Copulos (Lohsen Martial Arts); second, Peter Maravelias (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Kids under 12 n 75+ pounds (group B, submission)

First, Pete Maravelias (Lohsen Martial Arts); second, Kyle Caires (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Youth 12-16 n open weight (points)

First, Marcus Feiner (Cesar Gracie); second, Travis Caires (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Youth 12-16 n open weight (submission)

First, Marcus Feiner (Cesar Gracie); second, Travis Caires (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Women n open weight (submission)

First, Cher Favors (Cesar Gracie); second, Lenna Moore (Lohsen Martial Arts).

Men n 121-140 pounds (submission)

First, Orland Catbagan (Steve Heath-Slaughter House); second, Chaz Sanchez (AMAC).

Men n 141-160 pounds (submission)

First, Darin Cooley (Nick Diaz); second, David Hose (Shingu Fighter).

Men n 161-180 (submission)

First, Clement Shields (independent); second, Jeremy Barr (AMAC).

Men n 181-200 pounds (submission)

First, Brian Arellano (independent); second, Brookins Delano (AMAC).

Men n 200+ pounds (submission)

First, Kenny Desler (AMAC); second, Chris Davis (Cesar Gracie).

Men n Absolute (submission)

First, Darin Cooley (Nick Diaz); second, Brian Arellano (independent).

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