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Brooks wins Outstanding Wrestler at Girls Recruiting Showcase as five repeat as champions

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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

Karlee Brooks works for the fall over Zao Estrada in the 120-pound finals of the Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase (Photo by AJ Grieves)

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – It was the finals match that everyone was looking forward to at the Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase, and it did not disappoint.

Returning champions Karlee Brooks of the Titan Mercury WC and Zao Estrada of Daughters Of Zion Wrestling reached the finals. Estrada was attempting to win a record fourth straight Showcase title, while Brooks was a member of the 2023 U.S. U17 World Team seeking another Showcase championship belt.

It was Estrada who took charge of the match, getting her scoring untracked and leading 12-6 in the final minute of the match. Brooks nailed a sweet four-point headlock, but Estrada battled off her back for what seemed like a long time before Brooks got the pin with just nine seconds left in the bout. Brooks was named Outstanding Wrestler for her strong tournament and big-time win in the finals.

It was a great afternoon of high-level girls high school freestyle wrestling on Sunday at the South Point Arena. The field was stacked, with numerous nationally ranked athletes in every single weight class. This annual event is part of the Pritchard Companies U.S. Open.

There were four other star wrestlers who repeated as National Girls High School Recruiting Showcase champions, Clare Booe of Wyoming Seminary WC (115), Isis France of Wyoming Seminary WC (135) and Eduarda Rodrigues of Team Thunder WC (155) and Tilisa Matakaiongo of the Canyon View Falcons (235).

Booe, a two-time Junior Nationals champion, dominated 2022 U17 World silver medalist Gabriella Gomez of RTC Wrestling in an 11-0 technical fall. Booe entered the event with a No. 2 national rankings.

France was also dominant in her final, scoring an 11-1 technical fall over Timberly Martinez of the MJ Mustangs. France was ranked No. 4, while Martinez was No. 16.

Rodrigues, ranked No. 1 nationally in her weight class, did not have to wrestle in the finals when opponent Kaili Manuel of the Michigan Revolution WC did not compete.

Matakaiongo, No. 3 nationally, scored a pin over No. 12 Faith Tarrant of Askeo International Mat Club in 2:06.

Two age-group World medalists came home with championship belts: Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania (100) and Valerie Hamilton of Sot-C (145).

Bouzakis, a 2023 U17 World bronze medalist who is ranked No. 1 in the nation, scored a 10-0 technical fall over Marley Solomon of the Team Thunder WC.

Hamilton, a 2023 U17 World silver medalist with a No. 2 national ranking, pinned No. 5 Belicia Manuel of the Michigan Revolution WC in 28 seconds.

Every year at the Showcase, there are wrestlers who have break through performances and blast their way onto the national scene. This year, a pair of athletes who are unranked at the national level won Showcase titles, Sophia Slaughter of the Virginia Assassins WC (130) and Louise Juitt of MO West Championship WC (140).

Slaughter nailed two four-point throws to defeat No. 8 Samantha Sachs of Glendora HS, 12-2 in the finals. Juitt edged No. 6 Morgan Lucio of Valient WC, 5-4.

It was a great day for the Wyoming Seminary program, which won five individual titles from Bouzakis, Booe, France, Rianne Murphy (105) and Emma Bacon (125).

Murphy, a senior and a past U.S. age-group World Team member, pinned Taylor Whiting of the Askren Wrestling Academy in 2:41. Bacon, a freshman, pinned No. 1 ranked Kaidance Gerg of Team Idaho WC in 4:43.

Other individual champions were Emma Albanese of Legends of Gold Las Vegas (110), Matilda Hruby of the Brighton WC (170) and Isabella Phillips of Outlaw WC (190).

Albanese, who missed much of the year with an injury, won a hard-fought 9-7 battle with Libby Roberts of the Inland Northwest Training Center. Albanese entered with a No. 10 national ranking, while Roberts was also at No. 10 at a different weight class.

Hruby, a No. 9 ranked freshman, pinned No. 29 Billie Bonwell in 1:56.

Phillips, ranked No. 15 coming into the event, scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over No. 13 Ella Murphy of Tennessee.

NATIONAL GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING SHOWCASE

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 27-28

100 LBS

1st Jaclyn Bouzakis PA (Pennsylvania) tech fall Marley Solomon CA (Team Thunder Wrestling Club), 10-0 3:17

3rd Justice Gutierrez CO (Pomona Elite (PWCC)) tech fall Lilly Breeden MO (Victory Wrestling), 10-0 4:06

5th Madison Heinzer CA (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) pin Lisa Pastoriza AZ (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club), 5:35

7th Zoey Haney MO (GTH Wrestling) tech fall Mya Hairston MO (Thoroughbred Wrestling Academy (TWA)), 12-2 4:12

105 LBS

1st Rianne Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) pin Taylor Whiting WI (Askren Wrestling Academy), 2:42

3rd Jazmine Turner CA (Nor Cal Take Down Wrestling Club) pin Jillian Wells CA (California), 2:16

5th Bianca Eide MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) inj dft Ashley Naranjo WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy), 0:00

7th Sandy Breeden MO (Victory Wrestling) inj dft Camryn Gresham OH (Ohio), 0:00

110 LBS

1st Emma Albanese NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas) dec. Libby Roberts WA (Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center), 9-7

3rd Reanah Utterback IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) pin Amelia Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club), 2:06

5th Aroma Marrufo MO (MO West Championship Wrestling Club) pin Hannah Lopez OK (Lions Wrestling Academy),  2:33

7th Arisna Stott UT (Aviator Grappling Academy) tech fall Kennedy Perez MI (Michigan), 11-0 2:54

115 LBS

1st Clare Booe FL (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) tech fall Gabriella Gomez IL (RTC Wrestling), 11-0 3:17

3rd Marjorie Mcdaniel WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy) pin Leiannah Landreth KS (Mulvane Wrestling Club), 1:40

5th Eden Hernandez CA (Poway High School Wrestling) pin Akeelah Moore TX (Ranger 47 Wrestling Club), 0:45

7th Lilly Quintanilla WY (Thermopolis Wrestling Club) inj. dft Aleena Navarrete UT (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 0:00

120 LBS

1st Karlee Brooks AZ (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) pin Zao Estrada SC (Daughters Of Zion Wrestling), 5:51

3rd Angelina Vargas (Greater Heights Wrestling) tech fall Milana Borrelli FL (Florida), 15-4 4:18

5th Noelani Lutz NV (Gold Rush Wrestling) tech fall Evelyn Holmes-Smith AL (Alabama), 12-1 1:36

7th Rianna Bernal CA (Surfside RTC) pin Violet De la Cruz TX (Boneyard Wrestling Academy), 2:00

125 LBS

1st Emma Bacon PA (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club) pin Kaidance Gerg ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 4:43

3rd Victoria Carbonaro NJ (New Jersey) dec. Alexis Lazar MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 4-3

5th Jamie Laswell AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling) forfeit Mary Manis FL (Spartan RTC@LHP)

7th Danica Torres AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling) pin Lauren Zaragoza CA (Brawley Union High School Wrestling), 5:46

130 LBS

1st Sophia Slaughter VA (Virginia Assassins Wrestling Club) tech fall Samantha Sachs CA (Glendora High School Wrestling), 12-2 5:10

3rd Taylor Ellis Hishaw OK (Edmond North High School Wrestling) pin Tammy Grace CA (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club), 1:43

5th Emma Chacon AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) dec. Anna Vogt TX (Boneyard Wrestling Academy), 7-0

7th Isabella Cepak MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) pin Lilyana Lamothe WA (Mat Demon Wrestling Club), 1:27

135 LBS

1st Isis France AZ (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) tech fall Timberly Martinez CO (MJ Mustangs Wrestling), 11-1 2:53

3rd Paige Gershmel MT (Montana) pin Margaret Buurma MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 0:46

5th Morgan Edwards PA (Blairstown Wrestling Club) inj dft Peyton Hellmann SD (Berge Elite Wrestling Academy)

7th Mary Jane Porter CA (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) tech fall Ella Gahl IN (Spartans Wrestling Club), 14-3 4:28

140 LBS

1st Louise Juitt MO (MO West Championship Wrestling Club) dec. Morgan Lucio AZ (Valiant Wrestling Club), 5-4

3rd Corynne Mcnulty MA (Massachusetts) tech fall Amelia Fawcett AK (Pioneer Grappling Academy), 12-0 3:00

5th Sandilynn Tuinei NV (Gold Rush Wrestling) tech fall Holland Wieber ID (The Factory Wrestling Club), 10-0 1:00

7th Kaitlyn Thorn MT (Big Game Wrestling Club MT) tech fall Kimberlynn Fowers UT (Sanderson Wrestling Academy), 10-0 4:47

145 LBS

1st Valerie Hamilton IL (Sot-c) pin Belicia Manuel MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 0:28

3rd Ava Collins OR (The Factory Wrestling Club) tech fall Clare Waite ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 10-0 4:36

5th Cassandra Gonzales MN (MN Elite Wrestling Club) dec. Lucia Ledezma CA (Granite Wrestling Club), 2-1

7th Delarie Juarez CA (Brawley Wrestling Academy) tech fall Audrey Rogotzke MN (Stillwater Area Wrestling), 10-0 4:09

155 LBS

1st Eduarda Rodrigues CA (Team Thunder Wrestling Club) forfeit Kaili Manuel MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club)

3rd Sarah Henckel CT (Connecticut) tech fall Katherine Stewart FL (RPA Wrestling), 10-0 2:14

5th Desza Munson CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling) inj dft. Skylar Slade IA (Moen Wrestling Academy)

7th Sadie Evans WA (FordDynastyWrestlingClub) pin Eva Garcia CA (California), 4-2 3:15

170 LBS

1st Matilda Hruby CO (Brighton Wrestling Club) pin Billie Bonwell NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas), 1:56

3rd Aubrie Molina HI (Rogue Nation) inj. Millie Azlin OK (Raw Wrestling Club)

5th Alana Thelin MO (MO West Championship Wrestling Club) tech fall Kylee Lindsley MT (Bozeman Wrestling Club), 13-2 3:55

7th Ryann Miller IL (ISI Wrestling Club) pin Kate Bird UT (Wasatch Wrestling Club), 2:04

190 LBS

1st Isabella Phillips WA (Outlaw Wresling Club) tech fall Ella Murphey TN (Tennessee), 10-0 4:58

3rd Maria Aiono NV (Khutulun Wrestling Club) pin Amie Hartman ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 5:53

5th Brooke Huffman WI (Team Nazar Training Center) inj. Mia Cienega WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy)

7th Kitana Leafaatoto NV (Gold Rush Wrestling) tech fall Tirza Twoteeth MT (Kalispell Wrestling Club), 10-0 3:00

235 LBS

1st Tilisa Matakaiongo UT (Canyon View Falcons) pin Faith Tarrant WA (Askeo International Mat Club), 2:06

3rd Anna Bozanic CA (MTC - Mantanona Training Center) pin Alexis Stinson MO (Victory Wrestling), 0:42

5th Angie Aguilar UT (Stallions Wrestling Club) dec. Phoenix Molina IL (Patton Trained WC), 8-2

7th Jayden Moehle MO (MO West Championship Wrestling Club) dec. Caroline Biegel NJ (New Jersey), 7-6

Semifinal results

100 pounds

Jaclyn Bouzakis PA (Pennsylvania) pin Justice Gutierrez CO (Pomona Elite , 2:36

Marley Solomon CA (Team Thunder Wrestling Club) dec. Lilly Breeden MO (Victory Wrestling), 11-2

105 pounds

Rianne Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) pin Ashley Naranjo WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy), 6-0 1:28

Taylor Whiting WI (Askren Wrestling Academy) tech fall Bianca Eide MN (Pinnacle Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:00

110 pounds

Emma Albanese NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas) dec. Amelia Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club), 5-4

Libby Roberts WA (Inland Northwest Wrestling Training Center) dec. Reanah Utterback IA (Sebolt Wrestling Academy), 11-8

115 pounds

Clare Booe FL (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) dec. Eden Hernandez CA (Poway High School Wrestling), 8-4

Gabriella Gomez IL (RTC Wrestling) tech fall Leannah Landreth KS (Mulvane Wrestling Club), 12-1 4:27

120 pounds

Zao Estrada SC (Daughters Of Zion Wrestling) tech fall Noelani Lutz NV (Gold Rush Wrestling), 11-0 1:57

Karlee Brooks AZ (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Milana Borrelli FL (Florida), 7-0

125 pounds

Emma Bacon PA (X-Calibur Athletics Wrestling Club) pin Mary Manis FL (Spartan RTC@LHP), 2:08

Kaidance Gerg ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) dec. Victoria Carbonaro NJ (New Jersey), 8-0

130 pounds

Samantha Sachs CA (Glendora High School Wrestling) tech fall Anna Vogt TX (Boneyard Wrestling Academy), 10-0 2:57

Sophia Slaughter VA (Virginia Assassins Wrestling Club) dec. Taylor Ellis Hishaw OK (Edmond North High School Wrestling), 7-4

135 pounds

Isis France AZ (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) pin Margaret Buurma MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 8-0 1:45

Timberly Martinez CO (MJ Mustangs Wrestling) pin Peyton Hellmann SD (Berge Elite Wrestling Academy), 5-2 1:08

140 pounds

Louise Juitt MO (MO West Championship Wrestling Club) dec. Corynne Mcnulty MA (Massachusetts), 5-3

Morgan Lucio AZ (Valiant Wrestling Club) dec. Sandilynn Tuinei NV (Gold Rush Wrestling), 5-3

145 pounds

Valerie Hamilton IL (Sot-c) pin Lucia Ledezma CA (Granite Wrestling Club), 4-0 1:31

Belicia Manuel MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) dec. Cassandra Gonzales MN (MN Elite Wrestling Club), 10-2

155 pounds

Eduarda Rodrigues CA (Team Thunder Wrestling Club) pin Skylar Slade IA (Moen Wrestling Academy), 0:16

Kaili Manuel MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) tech fall Desza Munson CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 10-0 1:37

170 pounds

Matilda Hruby CO (Brighton Wrestling Club) pin Millie Azlin OK (Raw Wrestling Club), 2-2 2:11

Billie Bonwell NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas) tech fall Molina HI (Rogue Nation), 10-0 3:44

190 pounds

Isabella Phillips WA (Outlaw Wresling Club) dec. Amie Hartman ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club), 9-2

Ella Murphey TN (Tennessee) pin Brooke Huffman WI (Team Nazar Training Center), 1:54

235 pounds

Tilisa Matakaiongo UT (Canyon View Falcons) pin Alexis Stinson MO (Victory Wrestling), 0:38

Faith Tarrant WA (Askeo International Mat Club) pin  Phoenix Molina IL (Patton Trained WC), 1:23

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