Day 2 preview: Junior Women and 16U Women finals, with team title races up for grabs

Day two of the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals brings us the completion of the women’s competitions, with both the Junior division and the 16U division finishing up. Fans enjoy the gold-medal finals of both tournaments being held side-by-side on the two raised mats at the end of the arena.

Key Junior quarterfinals matches to watch (with national high school ranking listed)

105 – No. 6 Ava Fodera (CA) vs. No. 5 Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI)

California and Michigan both have 11 quarterfinalists, and this quarterfinal battle could be important to the team race. Nieuwenhuis, a junior, has a deeper body of work, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 16U Nationals and third place finish at the 2025 U17 Trials. Fodera, also a junior, has had a solid season, placing third at the Recruiting Showcase and seventh at the U17 Trials. Nieuwenhuis will need to be ready for a battle right off the bat.

115 – No. 4 Harlee Hiller (IL) vs. unseeded Angelina Gochis (IL)

This is the only quarterfinal in which athletes from the same state will do battle. It will be a battle between one of the top seniors (Hiller) against a sophomore who is rising on the national scene (Gochis). Both were state champions in Illinois this year, Gochis at 110 pounds and Hiller at 115 pounds. Hiller pinned Gochis twice in the Illinois state freestyle meet this year.

115 – No. 8 Libby Roberts (WA) vs. No. 22 Mackenzie Carder (OH)

What is cool about the Junior division of the women’s event in Fargo is that many graduated seniors come out to compete. Washington’s Libby Roberts is among those who are here seeking a stop sign trophy before heading off to the next level. Roberts was fourth in the 2024 Juniors and runner-up in the 2023 16U Nationals, along with a ton of other hardware. Carder is a sophomore who has been an Ohio state high school runner-up the last two years, with a ton of other post season achievements. These two have not met at any major USA Wrestling events.

130 – No. 5 Taina McGowan (NJ) vs. No. 8 Emma Chacon (AZ)

This match pits a pair of talents who have the potential to rise to the top in the future. Both specialize in freestyle with McGowan at Wyoming Seminary and Chacon at Valiant College Prep. Both are sophomores. McGowan was a 2024 16U Nationals champion who has losses this season to two of the nation’s top stars, Aubre Krazer at Who’s Number One and Taina Fernandez at Midlands. Chacon was fifth at last year’s Junior Nationals, and has placed in a number of national events this season. They have not met at any major USA Wrestling events.

155 – No. 6 Amelia Fawcett (AK) vs. No. 9 Eloise Woolsey (NM)

You might wonder why a match between athletes from Alaska and New Mexico, which are not traditional USA Wrestling powers, might be interesting, but these are two special athletes. Fawcett is a senior who has travelled all over the U.S. mainland and made a big impact nationally. She was a 2025 USA Wrestling Junior folkstyle champion. Woolsey started her career in Hawaii, but has thrived since going to New Mexico. Both are capable of deep runs in their weight classes

235 – No. 1 Tilisa Matakaiongo (UT) vs. No. 10 Ariana Chavez (TX)

Matakaiongo is aiming for a Triple Crown and is currently the No. 1 ranked wrestler in this weight class. But her opponent Chavez has been ranked No. 1 in the past the weight class. These athletes have split a pair of matches in major USA Wrestling events within the past year. Both are fully capable of winning a national title, but only one will advance to the semifinals.

The Junior Team Race

Because Saturday’s action went to the round of 16, there were no team points scored on day one of the Women’s Junior division. In terms of raw numbers, California has the most wrestlers still competing with 26, followed by Missouri with 17, Pennsylvania with 15, Wisconsin with 14 and Michigan with 13. Rounding out the top 10 teams in terms of wrestlers still in the brackets are Iowa and Illinois with 12, Texas and Ohio with 11 and Florida with nine.

A telling statistic could be the number of quarterfinalists each team has secured. There are an amazing 38 teams which have qualified at least one wrestler for the quarterfinals in the Junior Women’s division.

Junior Quarterfinalists by team

11 – Missouri, California

9 – Michigan, Pennsylvania

7- Ohio

6 – Texas

5 – Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin

4 – New Jersey, Washington, Arizona

3 – Indiana, Virginia, Connecticut, Idaho, Minnesota, Florida

2 – Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Nevada, Maryland, Tennessee, Utah

1 – Hawaii, Delaware, North Carolina, New Mexico, Kansas, New York, South Carolina, Montana, South Dakota, Oregon, Alaska

Key 16U quarterfinals matches to watch (with high school national ranking)

105 – No. 12 Kirra Mitchell (GA) vs. unranked Gail Sullivan (NY)

Mitchell was third at this year’s Prep National championships and has had some great performances this spring, winning the 16U Folkstyle Nationals and taking second in the Recruiting Showcase. Sullivan has won numerous major USA Wrestling events on the youth levels and is looking to make an impact on the 16U level. She was second at the 2024 U15 Nationals. Both have great futures, but only one will make the semifinals

110 – No. 5 Aubree Gutierrez (CA) vs. No. 5 Ella Cohen (CA)

This is a hard-core California battle between a pair of state high school champions. Cohen won the state at 105 pounds this year, then went on to break through with a title at the National Recruiting Showcase at 105 pounds. Gutierrez was the state champion at 110 pounds this year, and was second at the Recruiting Showcase at 110 pounds. Now at the same weight, it will be a match that will have national impact.

140 – No. 16 Harlow Skenandore (WI) vs. No. 5 Kesi Tsarni (MD)

One of the fastest rising wrestlers on the national scene is Tsarni, who was a Prep National runner-up, losing to Taina Fernandez. Tsarni won the Northeast 16U Regional and the Journeymen World Classic this spring, and was unbeaten in the Junior National Duals. Skenandore was fourth in last year’s 16U Nationals and has numerous national placements. She is coming off a challenging season. They met in the consolation semifinals of the 2024 U15 Nationals, a match won by Skenandore by technical fall.

155 – No. 11 Ava Guilmette (NY) vs. No. 23 Amalia Djoumessi (IA)

Guilmette won the 2025 New York state high school title as a freshman, in the only state that uses freestyle for its high school competition. Djoumessi was also a state high school champion as a freshman, beating nationally ranked Haylee McGrew in the state finals. They have not met in a major USA Wrestling event to date, and both have the capability to advance to the finals, but must first get through a tough quarterfinal.

155 – No. 17 Julia Araujo (ND) vs. No. 3 Janiya Johnson (TN)

Johnson is gunning for the 16U Triple Crown, but had a big challenge in the round of 16 today, edging California’s Olivia Faust, 4-4. She aims to bounce back against Araujo, who is proving to be very tough at major events. Araujo was undefeated at the Junior Duals and was third at the U17 World Team Trials. Expect Johnson to have to be at her best against Araujo.

The 16U Team Race

The 16U team race is different than at the Junior level, with a little bit of less balance. Once again, no team points were scored on Saturday, which went through the round of 16. Team points do not start being counted until after the quarterfinals.

Pennsylvania has the most still alive in the championship and consolation rounds with 26, with California in second with 20. Illinois has 19 in the tournament and with Colorado 14. Kansas and New York have 13, Iowa has 12 and Texas has 11.

However, when you look at the number of quarterfinalists, Pennsylvania has a decided advantage with 15 in the quarterfinals, almost double the amount of any other team. A good morning session by Pennsylvania, and the team race could be over.

16U Quarterfinalists by team

15 - Pennsylvania

8 – Wisconsin, California

7 – Colorado, Illinois, New York, Iowa, Oklahoma

6 – Kansas

5 - Texas

4 – Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Washington, Florida

3 – Arizona, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah

2 – New Mexico, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon, Nebraska, South Dakota

1 – Georgia, Nevada, Alaska, Idaho, Missouri, Alabama

Last year there were two women Triple Crown winners; this year we could have five

Last year, on the third year in which Triple Crowns were awarded for girls at the 16U and Junior level, we had our first winners, with Valerie Hamilton of Illinois at the Junior level and Kaili Manuel of Michigan at the 16U level. After day one this year, there are two alive for the Triple Crown on the Junior level, Brooke Huffman of Wisconsin (190) and Tilisa Matakaiongo of Utah (235). And there are three alive for the Triple Crown on the 16U level, Lyric Hetzer of Ohio (110), Eve Skrocki of Iowa (145) and Janiya Johnson of Tennessee (155). Will it be a big year for Triple Crowners on the women’s side?

Taina Fernandez double-up watch: Can she manage two tournaments at the same time?

This year, 2024 U17 World champion Taina Fernandez of Maryland is the only girl who is entered in both the Junior and 16U Nationals at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. Ever since USA Wrestling changed the schedule to have the Junior and 16U division held at the same time, no athlete has been an All-American in both tournaments, let alone national champion in both tournaments.

On Saturday, Fernandez wrestled all day, but the Junior session was in the morning and the 16U session was in the afternoon. She qualified for the quarterfinals in both tournaments and had a 6-0 record for the day. Her quarterfinal opponents are Kate Doughty of Colorado (Junior) and Chloe Wehry of Minnesota (16U). Her biggest challenge may not be the opponents but the schedule. It is possible that Fernandez may be called to wrestle two matches at the same time, something that is not possible and could stop her quest for a rare double.

Three Past World medalists will be on display on Sunday

Winning a Junior National title is a major achievement, but many of those competing on Sunday also have big-time international achievements. Here are past age-group World medalists on display on Sunday.

• Taina Fernandez – 2024 U17 World Champion
• Heather Crull (IN) – 2023 U17 World bronze medalist
• Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA) – 2023 U17 World bronze medalist

Another Day at the Beach

A record 1,217 entries wrestled in the two women’s divisions in the Fargodome on Saturday. However, only 511 wrestlers qualified to compete on Sunday, as each weight class has just 16 wrestlers left.

For the other 705 wrestlers who are no longer competing in the women’s events, there is an option for more matches on Sunday. In Fargo, there is a Beach Wrestling Tournament set for 3:00 p.m. at Gastropub Volleyball. Girls in both Junior and 16U divisions are invited. This is the fourth year of a Beach Wrestling option alongside this tournament, and wrestlers and their families are encouraged to compete and have some fun, as well.  The cost is $30, and athletes can register through USA Wrestling’s membership system.

Sunday, July 13th

Session III

9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

16U Girls - Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation (3 rounds) and Consolation Semifinals

Junior Girls - Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolations (3 rounds) and Consolation Semifinals

Beach Wrestling

10:00 a.m. – Check-in for Beach Wrestling for 16U Girls & Junior Girls at Gastropub Volleyball, 3234 43rd St S, Fargo, ND

11:00 a.m. - Beach Wrestling for 16U Girls & Junior Girls at Gastropub Volleyball

Session IV

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

16U Girls - Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)

Junior Girls - Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)

2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.16U Girls & Junior Girls - Parade of All-Americans and Championship Finalists and Championship Finals