Fearnside, Mensah-Stock and Guilford instrumental in Captains’ Cup win for Team Mensah-Stock
by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Team Mensah-Stock, coached by two-time World medalist Afsoon Johnston, came away with the inaugural Captains’ Cup on Sunday night, defeating Team Winchester, coached by 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann, in the finals, thanks to heroic performances from Amy Fearnside, Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Dymond Guilford.
Fearnside, a National Team member, started the dual with a bang for Team Mensah-Stock, upending two-time World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe in the dual’s opening bout. Down 9-0, Fearnside scored a takedown and gutted her way to a one-point deficit early in the first period. The two continued to battle and Fearnside eventually captured a 14-11 win.
Team Winchester rattled off three-straight wins coming from Captain Jacarra Winchester (53 kg), Gracie Figueroa (57 kg) and Macey Kilty (62 kg).
2019 World champion Winchester collected a first-period 10-0 technical fall against Alisha Howk. Figueroa, a multiple-time age-group World Team member, edged out two-time U23 World Team member Abby Nette, 4-3, to push Team Winchester ahead in the team score. Cadet World champion and three-time age-group World silver medalist registered a dominant 10-0 win over Xochitl Mota-Pettis.
Captain and World champion Mensah-Stock swung things in a different direction with a second-period fall over 2018 U23 World bronze medalist Alex Glaude at 68 kg. Leading 9-0, Mensah-Stock stuck Glaude at the 4:32-mark.
Going into the finale, Team Winchester led in the team score 3-2. Team Mensah-Stock needed shutout decision at the very least to take the dual.
Guilford, a Junior World Team member, took on Geneva Gray at 76 kg. Scoring takedown after takedown, Guilford collected a 10-0 tech fall and secured the Captains’ Cup for Team Mensah-Stock.
The other placement duals took place earlier in the day with Team Francis, coached by Life head coach Ashley Sword, edging out Team Burkert, coached by nine-time World medalist Kristie Davis for third place and Team Hildebrandt, coached by Beat the Streets Development Director Emma Randall, defeating Team Miracle, coached by four-time World champion Tricia Saunders, for fifth place.
2021 CAPTAINS’ CUP PRESENTED BY TITAN MERCURY
Feb. 13-14 | Iowa City, Iowa
1st place dual
Team Mensah-Stock df. Team Winchester, 3-3 (13-12 classification points)
50 kg: Amy Fearnside (Mensah-Stock) df. Alyssa Lampe (Winchester), 14-11
53 kg: Jacarra Winchester (Winchester) df. Alisha Howk (Mensah-Stock), 10-0
57 kg: Gracie Figueroa (Winchester) df. Abby Nette (Mensah-Stock), 4-3
62 kg: Macey Kilty (Winchester) df. Xochitl Mota-Pettis (Mensah-Stock), 10-0
68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Mensah-Stock) df. Alex Glaude (Winchester), fall 4:32
76 kg: Dymond Guilford (Mensah-Stock) df. Geneva Gray (Winchester), 10-0
3rd place dual
Team Francis df. Team Burkert, 3-3 (12-10 classification points)
50 kg: Emily Shilson (Francis) df. Aleeah Gould (Burkert), 10-0
53 kg: Katherine Shai (Burkert) df. Felicity Taylor (Francis), 5-0
57 kg: Brenda Reyna (Burkert) df. Lauren Mason (Francis), 7-2
62 kg: Mallory Velte (Burkert) df. Emma Bruntil (Francis), 8-0
68 kg: Skylar Grote (Francis) df. Alyvia Fiske (Burkert), 6-1
76 kg: Victoria Francis (Francis) df. Tristan Kelly (Burkert), 11-0
5th place dual
Team Hildebrandt df. Team Miracle, 4-2
50 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt (Hildebrandt) df. Erin Golston (Miracle), 8-0
53 kg: Alex Hedrick (Hildebrandt) df. Ronna Heaton (Miracle), 5-2
57 kg: Koral Sugiyama (Miracle) df. Lauren Louive (Hildebrandt), 17-5
62 kg: Jennifer Page (Hildebrandt) df. Julia Salata (Miracle), 9-0
68 kg: Ashlynn Ortega (Miracle) df. Kayla Marano (Hildebrandt), 4-4
76 kg: Precious Bell (Hildebrandt) df. Hannah Gladden (Miracle), 11-0