Michigan's Spenser, Colorado's Ortega among champs crowned in Cadet Nationals women's freestyle event

Michigan’s Kenya Spencer won a battle of returning champions at Cadet Nationals. John Sachs photo.

FARGO, N.D. – Michigan’s Kenya Spencer has been here before. 

Spencer repeated as women’s freestyle champion at the Cadet Nationals on Saturday night at the Fargo Dome.

Spencer downed returning champion Taylor Rosario of Texas 9-2 in the finals at 172 pounds. 

“It was definitely harder to win this year,” Spencer said. “She won it last year, so it was a huge win for me. It’s a tough tournament with a lot of good competitors.”

The eight-day ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals kicked off on Saturday. 

Colorado’s Ashlynn Ortega was named Outstanding Wrestler after winning by technical fall over Kayla Marano of Oklahoma in her finals match at 132.

“This was a huge opportunity for me to accomplish my goals,” Ortega said. “There are so many great wrestlers here and it was huge for me to win this. I’ve improved a lot, I’ve been working really hard and it paid off.” 

California won its third straight Cadet women’s team title. Texas finished second and Washington third.

Idaho’s Cierra Foster pinned Brittany Bates of Texas in the finals at 124. 

South Dakota won its first national title when Ronna Heaton earned a 10-0 technical fall over California’s Annastassia Ramirez at 108.

Washington’s Sierra Joner pinned teammate Tommie Mosteller in the finals at 115.

New York’s Alexis Bleau held off Pennsylvania’s Mariah Harris 4-3 in the finals at 154. Bleau was second in the 2013 Cadet Nationals.

Naomi Chavez of Texas overcame an early deficit to pin Brooke Thurber of Wisconsin in the finals at 95. 

Georgia earned its first championship when Hailey Horton pinned Jocelyn Murphy of Illinois in the finals at 101.

California’s Nonie Reyes-Small rallied late in the match to outlast Desiree Giamarusti of Illinois 7-6 in the 143 finals. 

Washington’s Emily Huerta rolled to the title at 198 pounds, winning the round-robin competition in that division. Huerta won all five of her matches by fall.

Jayda Bordeaux of Texas won the title at 88.

There were 120 entries in the Cadet women’s division, a slight increase from last year. This is the fourth year the Cadet women’s class has been contested in Fargo.

Cadet Nationals Women’s Freestyle

Fargo Dome, Fargo, N.D.

Finals results 

88 Pounds

1st – Jayda Bordeaux (Texas)

95 Pounds

Naomi Chavez (Texas) pinned Brooke Thurber (Wisconsin), fall 1:29

101 Pounds

Hailey Horton (Georgia) pinned Jocelyn Murphy (Illinois), 1:25

108 Pounds

Ronna Heaton (South Dakota) tech. fall over Annastassia Ramirez (California), 10-0 

115 Pounds

Sierra Joner (Washington) pinned Tommie Mosteller (Washington), 2:35 

124 Pounds

Cierra Foster (Idaho) pinned Brittany Bates (Texas), 1:16

132 Pounds

Ashlynn Ortega (Colorado) tech. fall over Kayla Marano (Oklahoma), 10-0 

143 Pounds

Nonie Reyes-Small (California) dec. Desiree Giamarusti (Illinois), 7-6

154 Pounds

Alexis Bleau (New York) dec. Mariah Harris (Pennsylvania), 4-3 

172 Pounds

Kenya Spencer (Michigan) dec. Taylor Rosario (Texas), 9-2

198 Pounds

1st – Emily Huerta (Washington)

2nd – Rachel Bridges (Texas)

Round-robin format