Sports

Karate N Motion Karate Kids Have Winning Weekend

Team competed in Somerset and Mercer Counties

The following was provided by Karate N Motion: 

On Sunday, March 17th, in Somerset N.J., the KnM Karate Kids had a special day at a memorable event that was dubbed the 50th Anniversary of Gary Alexander's International Martial Arts Association Tournament. A team of 9 kids from Westfield's South Avenue - Karate N Motion Dojo, won a total of 15 Karate trophies. Everyone scored! Everyone was impressive.

In Kata

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Jonah Plawker, 8, of Westfield, took "First Place" marking his second Championship in as many weeks. Way to Go - Jonah! Also - "Big Props" to KnM's first-time Karate Kata Champion CAS Malak, 11, of Westfield. In winning CAS earned a life-time membership as a Champion in the Karate N Motion Goshi Shun Style of Karate. Right On CAS! Finishing second behind CAS was Catherine Rozanas, 9, of Fanwood. It was Catherine's first-time ever in competition. Wow!!!

Other 2nd Place Kata winners included Nicole Kenny 11, of Scotch Plains, a seasoned Karatechampion from past competitions, and Maddy Covington, 12, of Westfield, who just one day earlier won the Kata Grand Championship at another event. Tristan Challis, 13, of Garwood,also finished 3rd in Kata - in route to winning another Championship in sparring later that day. Honorable mentions go to Julia Plawker 11, and Spencer Harding, 10, of Westfield. Both wouldlater trophy - big time.

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In Weapons

Jonah Plawker doubled up with a second place finish in "Bo Staff" Kata. Sean Canavan, tookthird in Bo Staff, and earned what would be his second of three trophies for the day. Honorable mentions go to both Tristan Challis and Julia Plawker - each are past weapons champions who would also later trophy in other events. 

In Sparring - a.k.a Kumite

Tristan, Sean, Jonah, and Spencer each earned First Place Championships. For Spencer it marked his life-time membership into the legacy of Karate n Motion's Goshi Shun Fighting Champions. Finishing second to Spencer, was Kellen "AK" Brandon, 9, of West Orange. The 1,2 finish for Spencer and "AK" marked two events on the day in which Karate N Motion took first and second place trophies. Jonah's kumite championship was also a first-time win. He, too, along with Spencer joins the KnM-Goshi Shun fighting legacy. He also has now championed in two different events - (today's fighting championship and a Kata championship,earned just one week earlier). Yesss! Cas Malak received a DQ.

Not to be denied, KnM's perennial champion in Kata, Weapons, & Sparring - Julia Plawker, 11, finished second in Kumite. However, the Westfielder's championship match found her up against a Black Belt competitor. Julia is a junior-green belt - two belts her junior. She fought well. We learn. We re-tool. We'll win, Next time...

Tristan and Sean also won their respective sparring divisions in exciting fashion. Their matches closed out the youth sparring competition at the tournament. They each earned thrilling 1st place finishes against very able competition. 

All in all it was a great day for the hometown Karate N Motion team. 

Just one day earlier, on March 16, the Karate tournament dubbed The Mercer County Nationals, were held on the campus of Ryder College. Karate N Motion sent 6 competitors. They finished with 11 trophies. Impressive!!! Most notable: Maddy Covington took the Grand Championship in Kata - beating all age groups winners in the White to Yellow Belt beginner category. The team from Karate N Motion scored Five - 1st place finishes; Two 2nd place; & Three 3rd place finishes. Again - everyone who attended scored!
1st Place: Maddy Covington - Sparring, Kata & Grand Champion Kata; Julia Plawker, Kata &Weapons2nd Place: Tristan Challis - Weapons Joey Echols - Weapons & Kata;3rd Place: Tristan Challis - Kata; Joey Echols - Sparring; Chris Holder - Sparring; Sean Canavan - Kata 
KnM's version of "March Madness" actually began on March 10th at Kings Karate Tournament in Newton, N.J. The Dojo fielded a team of 8 - all pre-teens - who at the end of the day brought home 13 awards. "Four" of them earned Martial Arts honors for the 1st time. 
The Tally: Four 1st Place; Three 2nd Place; Four 3rd Place and Two 4th place awards.Everyone who competed brought home a trophy or a medal. Most notable: They were virtually all beginners. 
1st Place: Julia Plawker - Sparring & Kata; Jonah Plawker - Kata; Joseph Retinger - Kata2nd Place: Joseph Retinger - Sparring; CAS Malak - Sparring; Maddy Covington 2nd KataSpencer Harding - Kata3rd: Place: Jonah Plawker - weapons; Cas Malak - Kata; Julia Plawker - Weapons4th: Place: Elizabeth Acevedo - Sparring: Amanda Rosenthal - SparringHonorable Mention: Spencer Harding and Jonah Plawker -sparring, Maddy Covington - DQ Sparring;


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