Six women secure Final X bids with US Open championship performances

LAS VEGAS – Ten women were crowned U.S. Open champions on Friday night at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas. Six of those champions earned bids to this summer’s Final X series to determine the 2019 World Team.

Champions in weight classes where there is not a returning World medalist received the Final X berths (50 kg, 55 kg, 57 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg and 72 kg).

Five women claimed their second-consecutive bids to Final X, including two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan, 2017 World bronze medalist Becka Leathers and 2018 World Team members Whitney Conder, Jacarra Winchester and Forrest Molinari.

At 59 kg, Alli Ragan won the U.S. Open title, defeating 2018 U23 World Team member Abigail Nette with a 10-0 tech fall halfway through the second period. It marks Ragan’s third-career U.S. Open championship.

Ragan won the Final X series last year but did not compete at the World Championships, due to injury.

“It’s good to be back in the competition,” Ragan said. “I haven’t been in the Open since 2015, and last year, I didn’t even know if I was going to be able to wrestle again, so it’s good to be here and be back again.”

Molinari, who was fifth at the 2018 Senior World Championships, won the crown at 65 kg, defeating 2017 Junior World champion Maya Nelson in a 5-1 decision.

In one of the more loaded weights of the tournament, Molinari had to go through two World champions in Nelson and 2018 Cadet World champ and Junior World silver medalist Macey Kilty to win her first U.S. Open title.

2017 World bronze medalist Becka Leathers is back on top after an exciting battle with 2018 World Team representative Jenna Burkert in the 57 kg finals.

With Leathers only leading 1-0 at the break, she and Burkert both picked up their offense in the second, trading takedowns, but it was Leathers who emerged with a 7-5 victory.

Four-time World Team member Whitney Conder avenged a loss from earlier in the international season to top-seeded Erin Golston in the 50 kg finals.

Conder used a first-period four-point takedown to propel her to a 7-0 shutout victory. The win marked Conder’s six-overall and third-consecutive U.S. Open title.

Fresh off a bronze-medal finish at the 2019 Pan American Championships, Jacarra Winchester won her second U.S. Open title in a row with a strong 10-0 performance over Areana Villaescusa in the 55 kg finals.

One of the most impressive performances of the night came from EAP athlete and 2018 Cadet World bronze medalist Tiare Ikei, who won the 53 kg bracket.

Just 17 years old, Ikei took out veteran and five-time Senior National Team member Katherine Shai (Fulp-Allen).

Shai took a 4-2 lead in to the break with a late first-period takedown. Ikei came out sharp in the second period, with a four-point takedown and two turns on a trapped-arm gut. Shortly after, Ikei countered a Shai shot, putting her to her back for four more points and a 14-4 tech fall.

Earlier in the day, Ikei knocked off No. 1 Cody Pfau with a late pin. Her efforts earned Ikei the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award.

“I started a little late in wrestling, but to be able to have the opportunity to be able to go to the Olympic Training Center is great,” Ikei said. “It was rough getting my butt kicked day in and day out, but I can say I’ve grown from every butt whooping.”

2018 Final X runner-up Kayla Miracle celebrated her birthday today, winning her third-consecutive U.S. Open title.

Facing Desiree Zavala in the 62 kg gold match, Miracle rattled off multiple takedowns for a 10-0 shutout.

Miracle was one of three U.S. Open champions for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club on Friday, joined by Ragan and Molinari.

2018 U.S. Open runner-up Randi Beltz improved on last year’s performance, capturing gold at 68 kg. For the title, Beltz dominated 2019 WCWA champion and National Team member Jayden Laurent with a 10-1 decision.

At 72 kg, 2018 Junior World Team member and WCWA All-American for Simon Fraser Alyvia Fiske knocked off 2017 Senior World Team member Victoria Francis with a takedown in the final 30 seconds for a 5-4 win. With the win, Fiske advances to Final X at 72 kg.

In a battle of college stars, two-time WCWA All-American Precious Bell pinned three-time WCWA All-American and 2018 National Team member Hannah Gladden in the second period of the 76 kg finals.

The 2019 U.S. Open wraps up tomorrow with the Senior and Junior men’s freestyle live on Flowrestling.org.

2019 SENIOR WOMEN’S FREESTYLE U.S. OPEN

at South Point Hotel and Arena, Las Vegas, Nev.

Finals results
50 kg
1st - Whitney Conder (Army WCAP) dec. Erin Golston (NYAC), 7-0
3rd - Victoria Anthony (Sunkist Kids) fall Haley Augello (Sunkist Kids), 0:24
5th - Amy Fearnside (TMWC) dec. Emily Shilson (TMWC), 12-3
7th - Alleida Martinez (TMWC) dec. Maria Vidales (Lions Wrestling Club), 8-0

53 kg
1st - Tiare Ikei (EAP) TF Katherine Shai (TMWC), 14-4
3rd - Gracie Figueroa (TMWC) win by forfeit Cody Pfau (TMWC)
5th - Peyton Prussin (Valkyrie) dec. Marissa Ritchie (Team JGold), 10-6
7th - Madison Angelito (Univ. of the Cumberlands) TF Kierstien Bush (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 10-0

55 kg
1st - Jacarra Winchester (TMWC) TF Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP), 10-0
3rd - Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids) TF Alisha Howk (Sunkist Kids), 10-0
5th - Shauna Isbell-Kemp (TMWC) dec. Alexandra Hedrick (TMWC), 4-3
7th - Ronna Heaton (Sunkist Kids) win by injury default Samantha Klingel (Army/WCAP)

57 kg
1st - Becka Leathers (TMWC) dec. Jenna Burkert (Army WCAP), 7-5
3rd - Cameron Guerin (TMWC) fall Kelsey Campbell (Sunkist Kids), 0:57
5th - Allison Petix (Team Tornado) dec. Koral Sugiyama (Campbellsville Univ.), 8-8
7th - Dajan Treder (Univ. of Providence) TF Sierra Brown-Ton (Colorado Mesa), 12-2

59 kg
1st - Alli Ragan (Sunkist Kids) TF Abigail Nette (Lion WC), 10-0
3rd - Lauren Mason (Burnaby Mountain WC) dec. Lauren Louive (NYAC), 2-2
5th - Megan Black (TMWC) fall Maya Porter (Journeymen WC), 1:52
7th - Daishea Jaime (Aries WC/OKRTC) TF Alayna Swilley (SWOCC), 10-0

62 kg
1st - Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids) TF Desiree Zavala (Team Takedown), 10-0
3rd -Alexis Porter (NYAC) win by injury default Brenda Reyna (TMWC)
5th - Alexandria Liles (Army/WCAP) fall Amber Strong (Colorado Mesa), 1:22
7th - Natalia Hinojo (Aries WC/OKRTC) win by forfeit Bridgette Duty (Univ. of Cumberlands)

65 kg
1st - Forrest Molinari (TMWC) dec. Maya Nelson (Sunkist Kids), 5-1
3rd - Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids) TF Nicole Joseph (Team Tornado), 11-0
5th - Destiny Lyng (Aries WC/OKRTC) win by forfeit Julia Salata (NYAC)
7th - Gabrielle Garcia (Pounders) fall Melissa Jacobs N (Minnesota Storm), 1:56

68 kg
1st - Randi Beltz (Army WCAP) dec. Jayden Laurent (TMWC), 10-1
3rd - Ashlynn Ortega (Team Tornado) dec. Kayla Marano (Lions WC), 6-1
5th – Skylar Grote (NYAC) TF Anna Naylor (Univ. of Cumberlands), 10-0
7th - Marilyn Garcia (Unattached) TF Ophelia Lara (Lions WC), 12-2

72 kg
1st - Alyvia Fiske (TMWC) dec. Victoria Francis (TMWC), 5-4
3rd - Iman Kazem (Menlo College) TF Lena Flanagan (Team Takedown), 13-2
5th - Rachel Watters (NYAC/OKRTC) win by forfeit Alexis Gomez (Gomez Wrestling)
7th - Dymond Guilford (Missouri Baptist) TF Myranda Velazquez (Jamestown Taz WC), 10-0

76 kg
1st - Precious Bell (unattached) df. Hannah Gladden (Lion WC), fall
3rd - Korinahe Bullock (TMWC) dec. Nahiela Magee (Army/WCAP), 4-4
5th - Kenya-Lee Sloan (Campbellsville) win by forfeit Paige Baynes (Wayland Baptist)
7th -  Payton Rigert (Univ. of Cumberlands) win by injury Leilani Camargo-Naone (C4 Wrestling)

Outstanding Wrestler – Tiare Ikei (EAP)

Division I team standings
1. Titan Mercury WC – 101 points
2. Sunkist Kids – 69 points

Division II team standings
1. Army WCAP – 30 points
2. New York AC – 29 points