MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Alyssa Rodriguez usually spends her winters counting down the days to soccer practice.

Not this year. Not since she discovered what she says has become a passion for her — wrestling.

The Edgren junior 101-pounder and her freshman 108-pound teammate Champagne Tatman will help make history at this week’s Far East High School Wrestling Tournament at Okinawa’s Camp Foster.

The two will join three girls from Osan American, including Far East veteran 108-pounder Emily Albonetti, and Kadena senior 101-pounder Shelby Gillas in the four-day meet that begins Wednesday at the Foster Field House.

Six female wrestlers tops the old mark of three set in the 2006 Far East tournament. And teammates, opponents and coaches firmly believe that this group of girls will be competitive.

No girl has won a single match in the 32-year history of Far East tournaments. Edgren’s fourth-year coach Justin Edmonds believes that could change this week.

“They’ve shown they’re competitive. They’re out there to wrestle,” Edmonds said. “It’s an excellent thing. It provides a whole new perspective and energy.”

“They’re going to turn some heads,” Kinnick coach Nico Hindie said.

“Girls are just as good as guys,” said Rodriguez, who has won two bouts in DODDS-Japan tournaments this season. “The times are changing.”

“I don’t see it as just a male sport,” said Tatman.

She pinned Kinnick’s Tyler Campbell in an exhibition bout at last month’s “Beast of the Far East” tournament at Yokosuka Naval Base.

“That was fun, knowing I got my first pin. That felt pretty cool,” Tatman said. “If anybody can do it, I can, too.”

What got the two Eagles girls interested?

Rodriguez saw wrestling as a way to keep in shape for soccer; Tatman says she hangs out with boys anyway, “I’m used to playing rough, so I thought I’d try it.”

“I’ve fallen in love with the sport,” Rodriguez said, citing wrestling’s “intensity, knowing it’s only you out there. You can’t blame anybody else. It was a revelation and a good thing.”

“We’re really excited they came out,” said Edgren’s senior 180-pounder Andrew Blankenship. “We needed a 101 and a 108. These two have shown as much dedication and inspiration to the sport as I’ve seen in my four years here.”

Albonetti competed in the 2006 tournament when she dominated the second period of a 101-pound bout against Kinnick’s Byron Stipe; she eventually got pinned in the third period.

After sitting out all of last season with a knee injury, Albonetti returned to win six of her 12 bouts this season. She’ll be joined by teammates Jordan Phillippe and Sofia Hemmer at Far East.

“Once she’s out on the mat, any opponent better be wary,” coach David Hemmer said of Albonetti. “Emily brings one of the most tenacious takedowns I’ve ever seen. Couple that with her intensity and that’s … a lethal combination that opponents have found tough to beat.”

Gillas spent much of this season recovering from a shoulder injury but has been cleared to wrestle, coach Steve Schrock said.

“Her shoulder’s fine,” he said. “She’s ready to go.”

And there’s a side benefit for Kadena: “We have a full lineup for only the second time in Kadena wrestling history,” Schrock said.

Far East High School Wrestling TournamentDates: Feb. 13-16.

Host school: Kubasaki High School, Camp Foster, Okinawa.

Site: Foster Field House, Foster Athletics Complex, Camp Foster, Okinawa.

Participating teams: Seoul American Falcons (defending dual-meet and individual team champion); Kadena Panthers, Okinawa; Kubasaki Dragons, Okinawa; Guam High Panthers, Asan, Guam; Robert D. Edgren Eagles, Misawa Air Base, Japan; Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan; Yokota Panthers, Yokota Air Base, Japan; Osan American Cougars, Osan Air Base, South Korea; E.J. King Cobras, Sasebo Naval Base, Japan; Zama American Trojans, Camp Zama, Japan; Daegu American Warriors, Camp George, South Korea.

Returning Far East champions: Scott Wood, 108 pounds, Kubasaki; Chris Hoshaw, 122 pounds, Kadena; David Heitstuman, 135 pounds, E.J. King; Jacob Bloom, 148 pounds, Kadena; Justin Stokes, 180 pounds, Seoul American.

Format: Individual round-robin for seeding purposes on first day. Double-elimination individual tournament on second and third days. Dual-meet tournament on fourth day.

Schedule of events: Wrestling begins at 9 a.m. all four days. Approximate time of individual finals, 4 p.m. Friday. Approximate time of dual-meet final, 5 p.m. Saturday.

Awards: Team awards to top six finishers in individual and dual-meet tournaments. Individual awards to top six finishers in each of 13 weight classes. Team scoring is in a 10-7-5-3-2-1 point system. Outstanding Wrestler award as voted on by coaches.

Team championship leaders: Kubasaki Dragons, Okinawa, 20; Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Japan, 6; St. Mary's International Titans, Japan, 6; American School In Japan Mustangs, 4; Seoul American Falcons, South Korea, 3; Zama American Trojans, Japan, 2; Yokota Panthers, Japan, 2; Kadena Panthers, Okinawa, 2.

Team Champions1977, Kubasaki Dragons, Okinawa, Japan

1978, Yokota Panthers, Japan

1979, Zama American Trojans, Japan

1980, Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Japan

1981, No tournament

1982, Zama American and St. Mary's International Titans, Tokyo

1983, Kubasaki

1984, Kubasaki and St. Mary's International

1985, Kubasaki

1986, Kubasaki

1987, St. Mary's International

1988, Kubasaki

1989, American School In Japan Mustangs, Tokyo

1990, American School In Japan

1991, Kubasaki

1992, Kubasaki

1993, American School In Japan

1994, Kubasaki

1995, American School In Japan (dual-meet), Kubasaki (individual freestyle)

1996, Nile C. Kinnick (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

1997, St. Mary's International (dual-meet), Kubasaki (individual freestyle)

1998, Kubasaki (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

1999, Kubasaki (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

2000, Kubasaki (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

2001, Nile C. Kinnick (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

2002, Kubasaki (dual meet), Nile C. Kinnick (individual freestyle)

2003, Yokota (individual freestyle), St. Mary's International (dual meet)

2004, St. Mary's International (individual freestyle), Seoul American (dual meet)

2005, Kubasaki (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

2006, Kadena Panthers, Okinawa (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

2007, Seoul American (dual-meet and individual freestyle)

Outstanding Wrestler1977, Mike Lewis, Nile C. Kinnick.

1978, Masaru Yamada, Kubasaki.

1979, Dennis Higdon, Seoul American.

1980, Clint Yamaoka, Yokota.

1981, no tournament.

1982, Brian Webb, Seoul American.

1983, Ariel Morano, Kubasaki.

1984, Robert Westberg, Kubasaki.

1985, John Higa, Kubasaki.

1986, Antonio Pacheco, Kubasaki.

1987, Brian Hughes, Kubasaki.

1988, David Fish, American School In Japan.

1989, Elbert Bailey, Kubasaki.

1990, Mike Greeson, Zama American.

1991, Jens Larsson, St. Mary's International.

1992, Chris Gunderson, Nile C. Kinnick.

1993, Tom Chavez, Kubasaki.

1994, Evan Moore, Christian Academy In Japan.

1995, Sam Colby, Seoul American.

1996, Kento Omori, St. Mary's International.

1997, Eduardo Ayala, St. Mary's International.

1998, Casey Vulcan, Seoul American.

1999, Ken Nagao, St. Mary's International.

2000, Randall Hull, Seoul American.

2001, Ray Lamb, Seoul American.

2002, Mundre Fleming, Kadena; and Bernam Tapang, Kubasaki.

2003, Zolboo Enkhbayar, Brent International.

2004, Zolboo Enkhbayar, Brent International.

2005, David Burnett, Zama American.

2006, Steve Courtney, Kubasaki.

2007, Carlos Albaladejo, Osan American.

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