The Moose Jaw Koseikan Judo Club has a firm grip on its opponents - and on medals.

Local judokans added nine more medals to their season collection recently at a tournament in Melfort. Ten Moose Javians made the trip.

Novice boys Chris Gerry and Troy Busse led the way in their white and yellow belt lightweight category. Gerry was undefeated in four matches to earn gold, while Busse lost his only battle to Gerry, thereby earning silver.

In the same division, but in the middleweight class, two rookies earned medals. Dayna Tondevold and Brendon Shields captured silver and bronze, respectively. Both were competing in their first tournament.

Marisa Kerr fought in the Novice girls (white and yellow belt) middleweight category and placed fourth.

In the Cadet division, Mark Kerr (boys plus-46 kilogram) and Stephanie Legault (girls 38-kg) each earned gold medals.

Juveniles Glen Cullen (boys 43-kg) and Meaghen Cullen (girls 52-kg) each won bronze medals. Cullen was in Vancouver on the weekend at an international tournament.

Jim Wiens capped the local accomplishments with gold in the senior men's 95-kg category.

The Koseikan Club will host Zone 3 fight-offs for the 1998 Saskatchewan Winter Games Dec. 7 at the Golden Mile Diner on the exhibition grounds. Action begins at 1 p.m.

The club will also host a provincial tournament Feb. 21 at SIAST Palliser Campus, beginning at 11 a.m.

Appeared in the Moose Jaw Times-Herald Nov. 25, 1997