Tennessee’s Johnson eyes repeat and a Triple Crown at 16U division of U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals

Fargo, NORTH DAKOTA – Four wrestlers are one win away from repeating as champions in the 16U Girls division after quarterfinal and semifinal wins on Sunday morning at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.

Colorado’s Justice Gutierrez, Maryland’s Taina Fernandez, Tennessee’s Janiya Johnson and Michigan’s Kaili Manuel will wrestle for the big stop sign Sunday evening, while Johnson and Iowa’s Eve Skrocki will wrestle for the opportunity to win the Triple Crown.

On the team side of things, Pennsylvania is handily in command in the team race, punching four wrestlers into the finals. The wrestlers from the Keystone State are looking to lock up a third consecutive 16U Girls division team championship.

Taina Fernandez’s busy morning at 135 pounds included a run into the Junior division finals, sprinting from the raised platform on Mat 2 after her quarterfinal win over Minnesota’s Chloe Wehry to compete in her Junior quarterfinal a few mats away. Fernandez later dispensed with Oregon’s Paisely Morrison 10-0 in just 34 seconds to reach her second straight final. Fernandez will take on Oklahoma’s Emily Beckley, who came into the tournament ranked No. 16 in the country.

Janiya Johnson had to rally on Saturday to push into the quarterfinals with a criteria victory. She had another tight victory to open the day, topping North Dakota’s Julia Arujao 4-2. In the semifinals, Johnson fell behind 5-0 against Iowa’s Amalia Djoumessi, but a big four-pointer early in the second period gave her a 6-5 lead. She added a stepout and a takedown in the third for the final 9-5 win. Johnson will face returning All-American Symone Jewell of California in the 155-pound final. Jewell defeated 2025 16U Girls runner-up Matilda Hruby of Colorado 9-2 in her semifinal at 155 pounds.

Justice Gutierrez hadn’t given up a point until her 9-6 semifinal win at 95 pounds over California’s Olivia Munson. After four straight technical fall victories, Gutierrez briefly fell behind Munson in the second period after giving up a four-pointer to trail 6-4. Gutierrez responded with a four-pointer of her own 17 seconds later to take the lead for good. Gutierrez will take on Pennsylvania’s Brooklyn Henry in the finals. Henry picked off PA teammate Cidney Schaffer 8-4 in the semifinals.

At 170 pounds, returning 16U Girls champion and outstanding wrestler Kaili Manuel of Michigan outscored her opponents 40-3 en route to Sunday’s final. Manuel earned two 10-0 technical falls, including a semifinal tech over Illinois’ Alexis Penley to advance to her second straight final. Manuel will face Minnesota’s Sarah Pulk, who reached the finals for the second straight year. Pulk was the runner-up at 155 pounds last year, falling to Tennessee’s Janiya Johnson 8-4.

Eve Skrocki has been dominant en route to the finals at 145 pounds, not yielding a single point and earning three technical falls and two pins. Her quest for a Triple Crown will have to go through Kansas’ Gray Joyce, who has been equally as impressive. Joyce has teched all five of her opponents and outscored them 50-0. Her longest bout thus far was a third-round technical fall that lasted 77 seconds.

Notables

Twenty-one different states will be represented in the 16U Girls finals, with Pennsylvania leading with four athletes. New Jersey has three, while half-a dozen states – California, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas – each have two apiece. … JayaShree Bray of Nebraska became the state’s second-ever 16U Girls division finalist with a fall over Michigan’s Lyla Henson at 190 pounds. … Eden Hach of South Dakota became the state’s first finalist since Ronna (Heaton) Gross reached the finals at 115 pounds in 2015. Hach will try to become the state’s second-ever champion in the division. Hach faces Iowa’s Aniyah Smith in the finals at 235 pounds.

The only other champion from South Dakota was Gross in 2014.

2025 U.S. MARINE CORPS JUNIOR NATIONALS
At Fargo, N.D., July 13, 2025

16U Girls Finals Pairings
95 - Justice Gutierrez (CO) vs. Brooklyn Henry (PA)

100 - Ryleigh Sturgill (TN) vs. Riley Karwowski (PA)

105 - Hailey Delgado (TX) vs. Gail Sullivan (NY)

110 - Gabriella Conte (NJ) vs. Aubree Gutierrez (CA)

115 - Marlee Solomon (PA) vs. Reagan Mathers (AZ)

120 - Carolyn Geckler (OH) vs. Marie Sharp (NJ)

125 - Victoria Carbonaro (NJ) vs. Neve O'Byrne (PA)

130 - Landri VonGonten (TX) vs. Olivia Bezdicek (ID)

135 - Taina Fernandez (MD) vs. Emily Beckley (OK)

140 - Clover Williams (OK) vs. Harlow Skenandore (WI)

145 - Gray Joyce (KS) vs. Eve Skrocki (IA)

155 - Janiya Johnson (TN) vs. Symone Jewell (CA)

170 - Kaili Manuel (MI) vs. Sarah Pulk (MN)

190 - Tevia Nau Rarick (UT) vs. JayaShree Bray (NE)

207 - Racheal Adolphe (IN) vs. Lulu Kirk (KS)

235 - Aniyah Smith (IA) vs. Eden Hach (SD)

16U Girls Semifinal Results

95

Justice Gutierrez (CO) Dec. Olivia Munson (CA), 9-6

Brooklyn Henry (PA) Dec. Cidney Schaffer (PA), 8-4

100

Ryleigh Sturgill (TN) T.F. Peggy Susan Dean (CO), 10-0 (2:36)

Riley Karwowski (PA) T.F. Vivienne Popadiuc (NM), 10-0 (4:00)

105

Hailey Delgado (TX) T.F. Chloe Skiles (IL), 11-0 (1:35)

Gail Sullivan (NY) Dec. Morgan Hyland (PA), 7-4

110

Gabriella Conte (NJ) T.F. Cora Stewart (WI), 12-2 (3:34)

Aubree Gutierrez (CA) Dec. Winter West (WA), 9-8

115

Marlee Solomon (PA) Dec. Lucia Ranieri (NJ), 3-3

Reagan Mathers (AZ) Dec. Malia Ottow (WA), 8-0

120

Carolyn Geckler (OH) T.F. Maya Fiodorova (NV), 10-0 (1:47)

Marie Sharp (NJ) Dec. Mikayla Perkins (IN), 9-2

125

Victoria Carbonaro (NJ) T.F. Sobina Clendaniel (AK), 11-0 (1:45)

Neve O'Byrne (PA) F. Lilli Cooper (IA), 2:14

130

Landri VonGonten (TX) F. Isabella Miller (IA), 3:59

Olivia Bezdicek (ID) F. Saige McCleery (WA), 0:24

135

Taina Fernandez (MD) T.F. Paisley Morrison (OR), 10-0 (0:34)

Emily Beckley (OK) F. Giavonna Good (UT), 0:52

140

Clover Williams (OK) F. Keely Fallert (MO), 3:40

Harlow Skenandore (WI) Dec. Audrey Robinson (OR), 7-3

145

Gray Joyce (KS) T.F. Victoria Alvarado (NY), 11-0 (0:55)

Eve Skrocki (IA) T.F. Jameson Strickland (PA), 11-0 (2:46)

155

Janiya Johnson (TN) Dec. Amalia Djoumessi (IA), 9-5

Symone Jewell (CA) Dec. Matilda Hruby (CO), 9-2

170

Kaili Manuel (MI) T.F. Alexis Penley (IL), 10-0 (2:37)

Sarah Pulk (MN) Dec. Leolyn Karnowski (KS), 10-6

190

Tevia Nau Rarick (UT) T.F. Riley Samarripa (OK), 10-0 (1:25)

JayaShree Bray (NE) F. Lyla Hensen (MI), 1:28

207

Racheal Adolphe (IN) F. Abagail Lacy (OK), 0:38

Lulu Kirk (KS) Dec. Alyciana Rogers (TX), 5-2

235

Aniyah Smith (IA) F. Peyton Mullin (NY), 2:32

Eden Hach (SD) F. Khloe Henshaw (AL), 1:02

16U Girls Quarterfinal Results

95

Justice Gutierrez (CO) T.F. Cassidy O'Connell (WI), 10-0 (2:56)

Olivia Munson (CA) Dec. Easton Dadiomoff (TN), 7-5

Brooklyn Henry (PA) Dec. Madyn Overman (AZ), 6-4

Cidney Schaffer (PA) F. Lexi Pancoast (PA), 3:41

100

Ryleigh Sturgill (TN) T.F. Kiana Lien (CA), 10-0 (3:06)

Peggy Susan Dean (CO) Dec. Tiffany Francisco (FL), 6-3

Riley Karwowski (PA) F. Cameron Hodge (CO), 0:19

Vivienne Popadiuc (NM) Dec. Krislynn Martinez (KS), 5-3

105

Hailey Delgado (TX) T.F. Ava Schultz (MN), 11-0 (1:55)

Chloe Skiles (IL) Dec. Emma Faczak (CO), 6-1

Gail Sullivan (NY) Dec. Kirra Mitchell (GA), 4-2

Morgan Hyland (PA) T.F. Tatianna Castillo (MI), 10-0 (3:19)

110

Gabriella Conte (NJ) Dec. Lyric Hetzer (OH), 5-4

Cora Stewart (WI) T.F. Marina Loera (KS), 12-2 (3:19)

Winter West (WA) F. Addison Hunt (TX), 3:07

Aubree Gutierrez (CA) Dec. Ella Cohen (CA), 4-1

115

Marlee Solomon (PA) F. Erica Irvine (IA), 1:55

Lucia Ranieri (NJ) Dec. Olivia Kearns (PA), 9-6

Malia Ottow (WA) Dec. Isabella Phelps (NY), 10-8

Reagan Mathers (AZ) Dec. Hannah Naccarati-Cholo (AZ), 4-4

120

Carolyn Geckler (OH) F. Demetria Griffin (IL), 1:22

Maya Fiodorova (NV) F. Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (IL), 1:11

Marie Sharp (NJ) F. Cameron Leng (OH), 2:37

Mikayla Perkins (IN) Dec. Abigail Gonzalez (FL), 9-8

125

Victoria Carbonaro (NJ) T.F. Arianna Ruiz (FL), 10-0 (1:23)

Sobina Clendaniel (AK) Dec. Ariella Dobin (IL), 3-0

Lilli Cooper (IA) F. Claire Lancaster (OK), 2:44

Neve O'Byrne (PA) T.F. Ranelle Smith (OK), 10-0 (1:43)

130

Isabella Miller (IA) Dec. Kit Alsaker (WI), 5-3

Landri VonGonten (TX) F. Ginger Majurin (MI), 2:37

Saige McCleery (WA) Dec. Sophia Fodera (CA), 10-5

Olivia Bezdicek (ID) F. Caroline Hilton (TN), 1:23

135

Taina Fernandez (MD) T.F. Chloe Wehry (MN), 14-2 (2:35)

Paisley Morrison (OR) Dec. Erika Sleznikow (WI), 10-7

Giavonna Good (UT) Dec. Sarah Pearson (PA), 8-4

Emily Beckley (OK) T.F. Brooke Deeter (UT), 13-3 (2:55)

140

Clover Williams (OK) T.F. Kiara Richard (NY), 11-1 (3:11)

Keely Fallert (MO) F. Stella Pettitt (WI), 3:56

Audrey Robinson (OR) F. Jammie Krah (IA), 3:56

Harlow Skenandore (WI) T.F. Kesi Tsarni (MD), 10-0 (2:21)

145

Gray Joyce (KS) T.F. Haru Duus (CA), 10-0 (1:09)

Victoria Alvarado (NY) Dec. Maddison Miller (PA), 8-2

Eve Skrocki (IA) T.F. Allison Garbacz (IL), 10-0 (3:37)

Jameson Strickland (PA) F. Giancarla Garduno (IL), 0:43

155

Amalia Djoumessi (IA) F. Ava Guilmette (NY), 1:34

Janiya Johnson (TN) Dec. Julia Araujo (ND), 4-2

Symone Jewell (CA) Dec. Juliet Alt (PA), 10-6

Matilda Hruby (CO) F. Christal Desir (FL), 3:33

170

Kaili Manuel (MI) T.F. Eva Garcia (CA), 10-0 (3:23)

Alexis Penley (IL) Dec. Remington LaFlamme (PA), 8-4

Sarah Pulk (MN) F. Laila Hustoles (CO), 1:14

Leolyn Karnowski (KS) Inj. Veronica Madrid (KS), 0:29

190

Riley Samarripa (OK) T.F. Ashley Hoffman (PA), 12-1 (0:24)

Tevia Nau Rarick (UT) F. Addison Arvdal (NE), 1:27

Lyla Hensen (MI) Dec. Shayla Martinez (CO), 8-6

JayaShree Bray (NE) F. Alyvia Edwards (OK), 3:56

207

Abagail Lacy (OK) F. Jenna Chapman (PA), 2:45

Racheal Adolphe (IN) F. Ellisa Bly (NY), 1:39

Alyciana Rogers (TX) F. Jessica Hite (SD), 1:12

Lulu Kirk (KS) T.F. Autumn King (WI), 10-0 (2:00)

235

Peyton Mullin (NY) F. Caylee Miller (NM), 0:36

Aniyah Smith (IA) Dec. Sawyer Newman (WA), 8-1

Eden Hach (SD) F. Shelby Wells (TX), 0:34

Khloe Henshaw (AL) F. Asreilla Wallace (IL), 0:48