Dojo Puts Up Strong Performance at 2025 Iowa State Championship
Left to Right, Top Row - Jae, Swede, Liv, Jacob, Rachel, Logan, Ember, Boli. Bottom Row - Sensei Chaye Thompson, Sensei Leo Rodriguez
The 2025 Iowa State Championship was held on Sunday, November 9th, rather than on its usual Saturday, due to the seminar led by Megumi Sensei being held at the tournament venue on Saturday. Despite the unusual timing, the tournament had a strong turnout of 77 competitors, of which 8 were adults from the Des Moines Judo Academy. The day saw our dojo represented by veteran competitors like Jaehyeok Choi (yonkyu/green belt), Olivia McBee (sankyu/brown belt) and Jacob van Cleaf (yonkyu/green belt). It was also the first outing for the newly promoted Joseph Swedenhjelm (rokyu/yellow belt) and a mainstay of our sister school, Squared BJJ of Grinnell, whose been granted rank through the Des Moines Judo Academy under Sensei Leo Rodriguez, Bolívar Aponte Rolón (rokyu/yellow belt). Rachel Salisbury (rokyu/ yellow belt) also made it on the mat for her second shiai or “competition,” determined to put the lesson’s from her experience in Minnesota, as well as her recent training, to good use. The team was supported by several members of our dojo, and coached by Sensei’s Leo Rodriguez and Chaye Thompson.
Left to Right - Alayna Gushin, Liv, Rachel
Olivia (“Liv”), and Rachel faced off against each other and Alayna Gushin of Teikiatsu Judo in the Senior Women’s Medium Division. Rachel lost to Alayna, but won against Liv by scoring two waza-ari (a half-point score, awarded for pinning an opponent for at least 10, but fewer than 20, seconds, or a throw that fails to score an ippon) using sasae tsurikomi ashi to obtain waza-ari awasete ippon (lit. “two half-points make a full point”), securing a bronze medal and marking her first tournament win. The match between the two was exciting, taking multiple bouts with several falls failing to score points and prolonged periods of groundwork. Despite being defeated by Rachel, Liv rallied and went on to beat Alayna by scoring ippon (a full point score which instantly ends a match, awarded for pinning an opponent for 20 seconds, or throwing an opponent so they land on their back with force, speed, and control) with drop seoi-nage (shoulder throw), a move she’s been cultivating for at least the past two months. Although the throw initially appeared to not be working, Liv roused her inner bushi (warrior) and continued to drive forward until her opponent was first disbalanced, then fallen, securing her the gold and the fastest ippon in the women division, and second fastest ippon by a woman all day, at 15 seconds.
Left to Right - Garret Cox, Swede, Jacob
Joseph Swedenhjelm (“Swede”) fought in division two of the Senior Men’s Novice Heavy, which was split into two divisions due to an unprecedented 7 qualifying men showing for competition. Division two consisted of Swede, Jacob van Cleaf, and Garret Cox of Quad City Judo & Fitness. Swede took the gold, defeating both his rival competitors with a ko-uchi-gari to o-soto-gari combo he learned in Thursday evening classes from Sensei Leo, taking out Garret Cox in 15 seconds, and Jacob in 14 seconds. Jacob van Cleaf managed to hold out against Garret Cox for 1 minute and 8 seconds, before learning a valuable lesson about fighting until you hear sore-made or “finished” (the call the indicates the match is concluded and all fighting has ceased) and being pinned, gaining him the bronze medal.
Bolivar (“Boli”) had a gold banner day, sweeping both division one of the Senior Men’s Novice Heavy and the Men’s Masters 30-45 Heavy, each by ippon with a magnificent harai-goshi in approximately 16 to 40 seconds, with only two matches standing out. The Men’s Masters was best two out of three against Cory Cooper of Sempai Judo Academy, with the Boli’s second win being by walkover due to Cory being injured in an earlier match. The other standout was against our own Jaehyeok Choi (“Jae”), a long time successful competitor who also managed to dominate everyone else in his division. The match between the two took 2 minutes and 17 seconds, falling just 43 seconds short of going the full 3 minute period, but was ultimately Boli’s victory to claim, leaving Jae with an amazing story and a well earned silver medal.
A bracket redistribution saw Jacob van Cleaf moved to the Master’s Men Over 45 Heavy, to fight Michael Keller Jr. of Wahadachi Judo Club to attempt to retain the master’s champion title, which he had been training with an eye towards since last year’s championship. Jacob was able to win the first match by pin using mune-gatame in one minute and forty seconds, securing his first victory via osae-komi (hold down/pin). According to Sensei Leo Rodriguez, Jacob “fought great and showed lots of growth and resilience,” with the second and third matches being close and taking fifty-three seconds and one minute and forty-seven seconds respectively. Unfortunately Jacob was unable to secure a second victory and gave up the title. However, when asked by his son if it intended to focus with the same intensity to win it back next year, Jacob replied “can’t stop, won’t stop, don’t even know how to stop.”