All four returning 16U champs punch through to quarterfinals; three also alive in quest for Triple Crown

FARGO, North Dakota – All four returning champions pushed into the quarterfinals as action kicked off in the 16U women’s division of the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals at the Fargodome on Saturday.

A record 1,029 entries took to 30 mats for the afternoon’s session with Colorado’s Justice Gutierrez, Maryland’s Taina Fernandez, Tennessee’s Janiya Johnson and Michigan’s Kaili Manuel all remaining in contention to repeat as champions in the 16U women’s division.

Kaili Manuel, the returning Outstanding Wrestler recipient, won a pair of bouts at 170 pounds, besting Texas’ Valerie Guerrero and Pennsylvania’s Ciyanna Okocha. Manuel will draw California’s returning All-American Eva Garcia in the quarterfinals.

Since 2023, when the event began wrestling both women’s divisions simultaneously, the number of athletes doubling up and wrestling both age groups has slowed to a trickle. Taina Fernandez is the only wrestler among the 2,245 entries opting to compete in both divisions. She went 3-0 in the day’s first session of Junior Women’s Freestyle and sits in Sunday’s quarterfinals of both divisions.

Fernandez spent just 97 seconds on the mat with three wins in her quest to repeat in the 16U division. She’ll face Minnesota’s Chloe Wehry in the quarters. Wehry was impressive, picking up four wins with her longest bout lasting 68 seconds.

Janiya Johnson is one of three wrestlers who remain eligible for the Triple Crown. A Triple Crown in the 16U women’s division requires a title at Folkstyle Nationals, a win at either the National High School Recruiting Showcase or USA Wrestling Women’s Nationals title at either of the age-group levels above U15, and a Fargo title.

The quest for the Triple Crown was nearly derailed as Johnson trailed California’s Olivia Faust 4-0 with a minute to go. A takedown with 30 seconds left cut it to a two-point deficit before Johnson finished a single leg with 10 seconds to go to tie the bout and ultimately take the match 4-4 on criteria. Johnson will face North Dakota’s Julia Arujao on Sunday.

All-Americans Symone Jewell of California and Matilda Hruby of Colorado also reached the quarters at the weight.

Justice Gutierrez was the first to punch through to the quarterfinals after a 10-0 technical fall over California’s Kaila Robles Rials. Gutierrez, the only returning All-American left in the championship side at the weight, will face Wisconsin’s Cassidy O’Connell on Sunday. A pair of returning All-Americans from last year’s draw at 88 pounds were knocked into the consolation round, including runner-up Brynn Engel of Wisconsin. She was beaten by Tennessee’s Easton Dadiomoff in the Round of 16.

Eve Skrocki, the third wrestler searching for a Triple Crown, had a pair of falls under 30 seconds and a technical fall to advance to the quarters at 145 pounds. Returning All-American Victoria Alvarado is in the quarterfinals in the top side of the bracket.

At 100 pounds, returning All-American Ryleigh Sturgill of Tennessee reached the quarterfinals after three victories, including a 10-0 win over Illinois’ Jade Hardee. Returning All-American Makayla Smith of Pennsylvania was bounced from the championship bracket in the Round of 32 after being pinned by New Mexico’s Vivienne Popadiuc. Ohio’s Lyric Hetzer sits in the quarters atop the bracket with a trio of technical falls. Hetzer is still in the running for a 16U Triple Crown. She’ll face New Jersey’s Gabriell Conte in the quarterfinals.

At 105 pounds, the only returning All-American in the draw, Illinois’ Chloe Skiles, reached the quarterfinals with four wins on the day, including a 10-0 win over Missouri’s Alissa Chanda.

California’s Aubree Gutierrez scored two techs and two falls to reach the quarters at 110 pounds. Gutierrez, the lone All-American in the draw at the weight, will face teammate Ella Cohen in the quarterfinals. At 115 pounds, returning runner-up Marlee Solomon of Pennsylvania was dominant, also earning two falls and two techs en route to the quarterfinals.

All three returning placers at 120 punched through unscathed. Ohio’s Carolyn Geckler, Florida’s Abigail Gonzalez and New Jersey’s Marie Sharp will all compete in the quarters on Sunday. The trio went a combined 11-0 with seven tech falls and four pins.

Wisconsin’s Faye Schachtner picked off returning All-American Ariella Dobin of Illinois in the Round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals, leaving just New Jersey’s Victoria Carbonaro as the sole returning placer in the bracket at 125.

All three returning All-Americans at 130 pounds advanced on the championship side with Iowa’s Isabella Miller, Tennessee’s Caroline Hilton and Idaho’s Olivia Bezdicek dominating their way to day two. Hilton and Bezdicek will face one another in the bottom side of the draw.

Wisconsin’s Harlow Skenandore pushed through with a trio of wins to reach the quarterfinals at 140 pounds. Skenandore will face Maryland’s Kesi Tsarni on Sunday.

At 190 pounds, Utah’s Tevia Nau Rarick was the lone wrestler among the three returning All-Americans to reach the quarterfinals. Rarick, last year’s runner-up, will face Nebraska’s Addison Arvdal, who pinned returning All-American Carli Vargas of Missouri in the Round of 16. At 235, All-Americans Peyton Mullin of New York and Shelby Wells of Texas each won their only bouts to move into the quarterfinals.

Team wise, Pennsylvania has the most wrestlers alive after day one, with 26 left with 15 in the quarterfinals. California and Wisconsin have eight wrestlers in the quarters, while Colorado, Illinois, New York, Iowa and Oklahoma have seven each.

The 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals continues at 9 a.m. (CT) on Sunday with the remaining rounds in the 16U and Junior Girls divisions. The championship finals are set for 2:30 p.m. (CT).

Catch all the action from Fargo, N.D., live or on-demand at FloWrestling.com. Tournament brackets and updated results are available through USA Bracketing.

Visit the USA Wrestling Event Hub for more coverage and need-to-know information to follow the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.