#WomensWednesday: Who ya got in Who’s #1 girls showdown? Amit Elor or Kennedy Blades?
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Images of Amit Elor (left) and Kennedy Blades (right) by Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling.
This week, Flowrestling announced its matchups for its 2020 pre-season high school classic, Who’s #1, which is scheduled for October 3.
The featured girls high school match is a showdown which wrestling fans have been wanting to see for a long time. Two of the nation’s No. 1 ranked wrestlers, who have been competing at different weight classes, are matched-up, as the No. 1 at 152 pounds, Amit Elor of California, is wrestling against the No. 1 at 164 pounds, Kennedy Blades of Illinois.
Both are entering their junior years, and have a long list of achievements at the state, national and international level.
Blades competes at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania, the No. 1 team in the nation in the year-end national team rankings. Blades won a title at the first Prep School Nationals for girls, which was held in 2020. Elor attends College Park High School, but did not compete at the California state meet during her sophomore year, after winning the states impressively as a freshman in 2019.
Big things were expected of these athletes even before they entered high school. Blades made history in Illinois, when she became the first girl to win the IKWF Novice State Championships, competing against boys, back in 2016. Elor turned heads while a middle-school athlete, when she came to train at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and was able to hold her own in live scrimmages with Senior-level wrestlers.
Both have been very successful at the international events which they competed, usually at different weight classes, and sometimes as teammates on the same USA team. A quick summary of the international honors for each wrestler.
Amit Elor international results
• 2018 Pan American U15 champion (66 kg)
• 2019 Cadet World bronze medalist (69 kg)
• 2019 Cadet Beach World champion (unlimited)
• 2019 SEM Lady Open champion (68 kg)
• 2020 Klippan Lady Cadet Open champion (65 kg)
Kennedy Blades international results
• 2018 Pan American Cadet champion (69 kg)
• Ninth in 2019 Cadet World Championships
• 2019 SEM Lady Open champion (72 kg)
• 2020 Klippan Lady Cadet Open champion (72 kg)
They were both on the same U.S. tour team to the Klippan Lady Open in Sweden in January, and both were gold medalists. Elor had an amazing result, dropping down to 65 kg and beating two other U.S. girls who were ranked No. 1 in the nation at different weight classes, Kylie Welker of Wisconsin and Reese Larramendy of Nevada. She also beat Norwegian Elena Reinholsten in the finals by technical fall. Blades was dominant in her four matches, with two pins and a technical fall. Blades only faced foreign opponents with wins over two Swedes, a Norwegian and a Japanese opponent.
Back in 2018, Blades competed in Who’s #1 in Bethlehem, Pa. prior to her freshman year in high school. Her opponent was 2018 Cadet World champion and Junior World silver medalist Macey Kilty of Wisconsin, who was heading into her senior year of high school. At the time, Blades was coming off a 2018 Cadet Nationals title and a 2018 Pan American Cadet title. Their battle ended up very close, with the more experienced Kilty securing a 6-5 win.
Flo lists their weight class as 73 kg, meaning that Elor is moving up to Blades’ weight for this battle. (Of course, it is hard to tell how much each athlete has grown since the pandemic shut down the sport). Blades is taller than most of her opponents, and uses that size difference to her advantage. Elor is both tough and very technically skilled. Most of the time, these athletes both score a lot of points in a short time frame, with a majority of their matches being mis-matches in their favor. Although both have wrestled folkstyle in recent years, their focus is on their freestyle careers. At Wyoming Seminary, the team is a freestyle-first environment for Blades. Elor has been known to travel internationally for high-level training and competition.
Who do you have? Not an easy choice, is it?
Perhaps these two athletes will compete this one time, displaying their skills and putting on a good show for wrestling fans. However, as they grow and move on into higher age-groups, college careers and the international scene, they might find themselves in the same weight class again. Winning this match will mean a lot to whichever of these young stars can earn the victory at Who’s #1. We will find out on October 3.
FLOWRESTLING’S WHO’S #1
October 3, 2020
Match Order
138 Shayne Van Ness vs Jordan Williams
138: Joel Vandervere vs Jesse Mendez
126: Jordan Titus vs Dean Peterson
152: Victor Voinovich vs Jagger Condomitti
285: Kyonte Hamilton vs Chase Horne
220: Kyle Haas vs Nick Feldman
145: Cody Chittum vs Wyatt Henson
195: Seth Shumate vs Tate Picklo
73 kg: Kennedy Blades vs Amit Elor
132: Nic Bouzakis vs Ryan Crookham
160: Paddy Gallagher vs Travis Mastrogiovanni
120: Richie Figueroa vs Drake Ayala
170: Alex Facundo vs Cael Valencia
138: Van Ness/Williams vs Vandervere/Mendez
This week, Flowrestling announced its matchups for its 2020 pre-season high school classic, Who’s #1, which is scheduled for October 3.
The featured girls high school match is a showdown which wrestling fans have been wanting to see for a long time. Two of the nation’s No. 1 ranked wrestlers, who have been competing at different weight classes, are matched-up, as the No. 1 at 152 pounds, Amit Elor of California, is wrestling against the No. 1 at 164 pounds, Kennedy Blades of Illinois.
Both are entering their junior years, and have a long list of achievements at the state, national and international level.
Blades competes at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania, the No. 1 team in the nation in the year-end national team rankings. Blades won a title at the first Prep School Nationals for girls, which was held in 2020. Elor attends College Park High School, but did not compete at the California state meet during her sophomore year, after winning the states impressively as a freshman in 2019.
Big things were expected of these athletes even before they entered high school. Blades made history in Illinois, when she became the first girl to win the IKWF Novice State Championships, competing against boys, back in 2016. Elor turned heads while a middle-school athlete, when she came to train at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and was able to hold her own in live scrimmages with Senior-level wrestlers.
Both have been very successful at the international events which they competed, usually at different weight classes, and sometimes as teammates on the same USA team. A quick summary of the international honors for each wrestler.
Amit Elor international results
• 2018 Pan American U15 champion (66 kg)
• 2019 Cadet World bronze medalist (69 kg)
• 2019 Cadet Beach World champion (unlimited)
• 2019 SEM Lady Open champion (68 kg)
• 2020 Klippan Lady Cadet Open champion (65 kg)
Kennedy Blades international results
• 2018 Pan American Cadet champion (69 kg)
• Ninth in 2019 Cadet World Championships
• 2019 SEM Lady Open champion (72 kg)
• 2020 Klippan Lady Cadet Open champion (72 kg)
They were both on the same U.S. tour team to the Klippan Lady Open in Sweden in January, and both were gold medalists. Elor had an amazing result, dropping down to 65 kg and beating two other U.S. girls who were ranked No. 1 in the nation at different weight classes, Kylie Welker of Wisconsin and Reese Larramendy of Nevada. She also beat Norwegian Elena Reinholsten in the finals by technical fall. Blades was dominant in her four matches, with two pins and a technical fall. Blades only faced foreign opponents with wins over two Swedes, a Norwegian and a Japanese opponent.
Back in 2018, Blades competed in Who’s #1 in Bethlehem, Pa. prior to her freshman year in high school. Her opponent was 2018 Cadet World champion and Junior World silver medalist Macey Kilty of Wisconsin, who was heading into her senior year of high school. At the time, Blades was coming off a 2018 Cadet Nationals title and a 2018 Pan American Cadet title. Their battle ended up very close, with the more experienced Kilty securing a 6-5 win.
Flo lists their weight class as 73 kg, meaning that Elor is moving up to Blades’ weight for this battle. (Of course, it is hard to tell how much each athlete has grown since the pandemic shut down the sport). Blades is taller than most of her opponents, and uses that size difference to her advantage. Elor is both tough and very technically skilled. Most of the time, these athletes both score a lot of points in a short time frame, with a majority of their matches being mis-matches in their favor. Although both have wrestled folkstyle in recent years, their focus is on their freestyle careers. At Wyoming Seminary, the team is a freestyle-first environment for Blades. Elor has been known to travel internationally for high-level training and competition.
Who do you have? Not an easy choice, is it?
Perhaps these two athletes will compete this one time, displaying their skills and putting on a good show for wrestling fans. However, as they grow and move on into higher age-groups, college careers and the international scene, they might find themselves in the same weight class again. Winning this match will mean a lot to whichever of these young stars can earn the victory at Who’s #1. We will find out on October 3.
FLOWRESTLING’S WHO’S #1
October 3, 2020
Match Order
138 Shayne Van Ness vs Jordan Williams
138: Joel Vandervere vs Jesse Mendez
126: Jordan Titus vs Dean Peterson
152: Victor Voinovich vs Jagger Condomitti
285: Kyonte Hamilton vs Chase Horne
220: Kyle Haas vs Nick Feldman
145: Cody Chittum vs Wyatt Henson
195: Seth Shumate vs Tate Picklo
73 kg: Kennedy Blades vs Amit Elor
132: Nic Bouzakis vs Ryan Crookham
160: Paddy Gallagher vs Travis Mastrogiovanni
120: Richie Figueroa vs Drake Ayala
170: Alex Facundo vs Cael Valencia
138: Van Ness/Williams vs Vandervere/Mendez
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