Crull repeats as Junior girls champion at U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals; Batres wins OW award

FARGO, N.D. – It was a highly entertaining and exciting gold-medal finals in the Junior girls freestyle finals at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals on Sunday afternoon.

Olivia Crull of Indiana repeated as Junior Nationals champion, securing a 10-0 technical fall over Pennsylvania’s Julia Horger in the 105-pound finals. Crull, a 2023 U17 World bronze medalist, was dominant for the entire tournament, scoring four pins, a technical fall and a shutout decision on her way to the crown.

Kayla Batres of Connecticut was named Outstanding Wrestler after her 11-1 technical fall victory over New Jersey’s Charlie Wylie at 110 pounds. Batres opened the match with a four-point takedown, added two more takedowns, an exposure and a step out to finish the bout in the first period.

Maryland’s Taina Fernandez became the first girl to win both 16U and Junior titles since USA Wrestling began holding those tournaments on the same days three years ago. Fernandez dominated Maddie Marsh of Indiana in the Junior finals at 135 pounds in an 11-0 technical fall. She won in the first match of the 16U finals over Emily Beckley of Oklahoma, when the match order was changed. When the Junior and 16U Nationals were held on different days, there were 24 instances when a girl won both age levels in the same year.

Pennsylvania, led by four individual champions and nine total All-Americans, won the team champion trophy with 177 points, followed by second-place Michigan with 126 points and third place California with 119 points.

Champions from Pennsylvania were Jaclyn Bouzakis (100), Emma Bacon (125), Violette Lasure (145) and Jael Miller (170).

Bouzakis jumped to an 8-0 lead over returning Junior Nationals champion Katey Valdez of Colorado, with three takedowns and an exposure. Bouzakis led throughout the match until Valdez was able to turn Bouzakis to her back for an extended period at the end of the match. Bouzakis was in major danger but fought to avoid being pinned, winning the match 14-7 when time ran out.

Bouzakis was a 2024 16U Nationals champion and also won a 2023 U17 World bronze medal.

Bacon was also dominant in her finals match, scoring a 16-5 technical fall over tough Cecilia Williams of Michigan in the finals. Bacon broke open a 2-2 tie with a series of first period scores to lead 10-2 at the break. She closed out the technical fall with two takedowns and a turn in the second period

Lasure won for the second straight year in Fargo, after claiming a 16U Nationals title last year. Lasure fell behind Olivia Davis 4-0 at the break, but opened up her offense in the second period to cruise to a 12-7 victory.

Miller, a graduated senior, ended her high school career with style, securing a 15-2 technical fall over Iowa’s Autumn Elsbury in the finals. Miller will wrestle for North Central College.

Minnesota and New Jersey each had two individual champions. For Minnesota, it was the first time that they had a pair of Junior girls champions since 2004.

Minnesota champions were Caley Graber (120) and Nora Akpan (140). Graber was dominant in her 10-0 technical fall over Savannah Witt of Pennsylvania. Graber dominated on her feet, scoring five takedowns. Akpan trailed Michigan’s Alexis Lazar, 2-1 until scoring the winning takedown with three seconds left for a 3-2 win.

New Jersey’s individual champions were Taina McGowan (130) and Olivia Georges (155). McGowan was in command in her 10-0 technical fall over Zorina Johnson of Oregon. McGowan led 7-0 at the break and closed it out with a takedown and step out in the second period. Georges trailed 2-0 on a pair of step outs against Connecticut’s Sarah Henckel, then powered back with 10 straight points for a 10-2 victory.

Natalie Radecki became Delaware’s first Junior girls champion and All-American after beating Zoey Haney in the 95-pound finals, 8-4. Radecki led 6-0 at the break, and added a second-period takedown. Radecki was Delaware’s first girls All-American when she was second at the 16U Nationals last year.

Other individual champions were Harlee Hiller of Illinois (115), Mahalia Adams of Virginia (190), Amie Hartman of Idaho (207) and Deionna Borders of Ohio (235).

Hiller, a graduated senior, ended her high school career with a pin of Mackenzie Carder of Ohio in 5:01. Hiller, who will wrestle for Iowa, was leading 6-2 when she secured the fall.

Adams also finished her high school career with a Junior Nationals title, stopping Kanata Richardson of Michigan, 8-2. The match was tied at 2-2 at the break, then Adams scored two takedowns and a turn in the second period. She will wrestle for Iowa Central CC at the next level.

Hartman scored a takedown with 39 seconds left to secure a 3-3 criteria decision over Mia Cienega of Washington in the finals. Hartman will next head to Dickinson State for college.

Borders secured a solid 7-0 shutout over Chloe Hoselton of Illinois in the championship finals.

The girls competition at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals is now concluded, with boys freestyle at the Junior and 16U levels starting up on Monday. The boys freestyle tournament will run for three days and will be broadcast live by FloWrestling https://flosports.link/4fTU45E. Results will be located on USA Bracketing. https://www.usabracketing.com/events/c5d3fc33-e502-4c07-8fcd-62a2f6b338b4

U.S. MARINE CORPS JUNIOR NATIONALS

At Fargo, N.D., July 13, 2025

Junior Girls Freestyle Results

95

1st - Natalie Radecki (DE) Dec. Zoey Haney (MO), 8-4

3rd - Lillee Denson (MI) Dec. Lilly Breeden (MO), 12-9

5th - Francesca Gusfa (NJ) F. Serah Yogi (HI), 1:30

7th - Alexa Rodriguez Lopez (TX) F. Lily Enos (IL), 1:38

100

1st - Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA) Dec. Katey Valdez (CO), 14-7

3rd - Jaelle Cortez (CA) T.F. Ella Thomas (OH), 10-0 (3:38)

5th - Killian Evans (MO) T.F. Sandy Breeden (MO), 20-10 (4:44)

7th - Vina Nguyen (WA) F. Kyrian Perez (OK), 0:49

105

1st - Heather Crull (IN) T.F. Julia Horger (PA), 10-0 (1:38)

3rd - Christina Estrada (CA) T.F. Eva Zimmerman (UT), 18-7 (5:11)

5th - Sarissa Tucker (VA) Inj. Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI),

7th - Kiera Partello (FL) F. Isabelle Apple (MO), 2:35

110

1st - Kayla Batres (CT) T.F. Charlie Wylie (NJ), 11-1 (2:04)

3rd - Nakayla Dawson (MI) Dec. Kendall Moe (IN), 8-1

5th - Jayden Keller (MO) T.F. Reanah Utterback (IA), 14-3 (4:57)

7th - Mariah Mills (FL) Dec. Addie Morse (OK), 9-0

115

1st - Harlee Hiller (IL) F. Mackenzie Carder (OH), 5:01

3rd - Taylor Whiting (WI) T.F. Joely Slyter (ID), 17-4 (5:31)

5th - Jenna Anderson (VA) T.F. Libby Roberts (WA), 14-4 (5:49)

7th - Angelina Gochis (IL) Dec. Isabel Kaplan (IN), 6-0

120

1st - Caley Graber (MN) T.F. Savannah Witt (PA), 10-0 (4:20)

3rd - Calli Gilchrist (CT) Dec. Morgan Maschmann (NE), 11-6

5th - Cheyenne Frank (MI) F. Alena Williams (AR), 1:15

7th - Stevie Joyce Martin (CA) F. Kennedy Russell (CA), 1:18

125

1st - Emma Bacon (PA) T.F. Cecilia Williams (MI), 16-5 (5:59)

3rd - Ruby Julien-Newsom (CA) T.F. Kailey Benson (MO), 13-2 (4:04)

5th - Madilyn Peach (WI) Inj. Me'kala James (CA),

7th - Mika Yoffee (NV) For. Regina Stoeser (SD),

130

1st - Taina McGowan (NJ) T.F. Zorina Johnson (OR), 10-0 (5:09)

3rd - Corynne McNulty (MA) T.F. Abigail Mozden (OH), 10-0 (0:42)

5th - Kailin Sebert (TX) F. Tiyanna Mack (SC), 1:12

7th - Naima Ghaffar (IN) F. Brooklyn Perez (AZ), 3:27

135

1st - Taina Fernandez (MD) T.F. Maddie Marsh (IN), 11-0 (4:23)

3rd - Morgan Lucio (AZ) T.F. Lauren Zaragoza (CA), 12-1 (1:24)

5th - Kate Doughty (CO) Dec. Claudia Heeney (IL), 12-7

7th - Lilliana Banks (WI) T.F. Dealya Collins (WI), 13-2 (2:13)

140

1st - Nora Akpan (MN) Dec. Alexis Lazar (MI), 3-2

3rd - Zoey Haines (PA) F. Ailee Briggs (FL), 1:49

5th - Riley Hanrahan (WI) T.F. Louise Juitt (MO), 10-0 (3:17)

7th - Dulcy Martinez (CA) T.F. Jacinda Espinosa (MO), 10-0 (2:43)

145

1st - Violette Lasure (PA) Dec. Olivia Davis (CA), 12-7

3rd - Greta Brus (IA) F. Elise Twait (ID), 3:50

5th - Faith Bane (NC) Dec. Skylar Slade (IA), 7-2

7th - Maggie Ortmann (MO) F. Ashley Thompson (AR), 4:58

155

1st - Olivia Georges (NJ) Dec. Sarah Henckel (CT), 10-2

3rd - Kaylie Hall (WV) Dec. Amelia Fawcett (AK), 8-7

5th - Chandni Banks (CA) F. Cassandra Gonzales (MN), 1:43

7th - Eloise Woolsey (NM) F. Paige De Caro (NJ), 0:44

170

1st - Jael Miller (PA) T.F. Autumn Elsbury (IA), 15-2 (2:36)

3rd - Kendall Bibla (FL) Dec. Makayla Vasser (NE), 18-12

5th - Emily Novak (MN) F. TorRina Rushing (FL), 0:42

7th - Maddie Hayden (MI) Dec. Chaniah Bernier (MD), 8-1

190

1st - Mahalia Adams (VA) Dec. Kanata Richardson (MI), 8-2

3rd - Brooke Huffman (WI) F. Libby Dix (IA), 2:35

5th - Selena Mares-Castro (WA) F. Evelyn Vargas (CA), 1:30

7th - Hayleen Martinez (KS) F. Briana Alvarado (CA), 5:53

207

1st - Amie Hartman (ID) Dec. Mia Cienega (WA), 3-3

3rd - Halle Spears (MI) F. Maddie Miller (OH), 1:10

5th - Tirza Twoteeth (MT) F. Taylor Orner (PA), 1:24

7th - Angel Hill (CA) F. Sophiea Quinn (MO), 0:36

235

1st - Deionna Borders (OH) Dec. Chloe Hoselton (IL), 7-0

3rd - Brenda Banks (PA) F. Alexis Stinson (MO), 1:09

5th - Tilisa Matakaiongo (UT) F. Maliana Heimuli (TX), 3:15

7th - Aubrey Bartkowiak (IN) For. Azreal Smith (OK),

Junior Girls Freestyle Team Scores

1st – Pennsylvania - 177

2nd - Michigan - 126

3rd - California - 119

4th - Missouri - 99

5th - Ohio - 81

5th – New Jersey - 81

7th - Indiana - 69

8th - Minnesota - 66

9th - Iowa - 61

10th - Connecticut - 60

11th - Illinois - 59

12th – Wisconsin - 55

13th - Idaho - 49

14th - Florida - 44

15th - Virginia - 43

16th - Washington - 41

17th – Colorado - 29

18th - Maryland - 27

19th - Delaware - 25

20th – Nebraska - 24

21st - Utah - 21

21st - Texas - 21

23rd - Oregon - 20

24th - Arizona - 17

25th – West Virginia - 15

25th - Massachusetts - 15

27th – Alaska - 12

28th – North Carolina - 9

28th – Montana - 9

28th - Arkansas - 9

31st - Hawaii - 7

31st – South Carolina - 7

33rd - Oklahoma - 6

34th – New Mexico - 5

34th – Kansas - 5

34th – Nevada - 5

37th – South Dakora - 2