Zac Maes began the summer National Junior Judo season on July 9 in San Jose, Calif., where he competed in the USA Judo National Junior Olympics (17-20 year old, 55-kilogram division). He finished fourth in that event, one match away from a medal. However, he came back strong in the next two Junior National events, the US Judo Association Junior Nationals in Boca Raton, Fla., on July 16, and the US Judo Federation Junior Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale,Fla., on July 23, winning both events. On the following weekend again in Ft. Lauderdale, Zac won a bronze medal at the USA Judo Junior US Open International Championship. Last weekend, he won the Men's 55-kilogram division at the Rocky Mountain State Games on Aug. 5, and the next day won the High School 119-pound division in wrestling at the Games.
Zac's sister,
Micayla, won medals in all four of those championships, winning gold at every event except the US Judo Association event, where she finished second. She also won her division (11-12 year old) at the Rocky Mountain State Games.