Cadet finals set for Saturday at 2021 Women's Nationals in Irving
by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Photo: Faith Cole (red) battles Paige Morales in the 49 kg semifinals. Photo by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling.
IRVING, Texas – The best-of-three championship series is set for the Cadet World Team Trials in women’s freestyle at the 2021 Women’s Nationals in Irving, Texas. Action begins at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, live on FloWrestling.
Winners in the 10 weight classes will punch their tickets to the 2021 Cadet World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, July 19-25. Runners-up will earn the opportunity to wrestle for the USA at the 2021 Cadet Pan American Championships, alongside the Juniors, in Oaxtepec, Mexico, June 9-13.
Featured in the Cadet finals are two newly minted Junior World Team members, who won Junior National titles yesterday, Korina Blades at 61 kg and Amit Elor at 69 kg. Both athletes have already scored World medals in their young careers with Blades winning gold at the 2019 U15 World Championships and Elor picking up a bronze at the 2019 Cadet World Championships.
There are three World medalists in the finals, including:
- 40 kg: Gigi Bragg (2019 U15 World silver medalist)
- 61 kg: Korina Blades (2019 U15 World gold medalist)*
- 69 kg: Amit Elor (2019 Cadet World bronze medalist)*
*denotes also a Pan American medalist.
There are nine Pan American medalists in the finals, including:
- 43 kg: Angie Dill (2019 U15 Pan Am gold at 36 kg; 2019 U15 Pan Am bronze at 39 kg)
- 46 kg: Rianne Murphy (2019 U15 Pan Am gold medalist)
- 49 kg: Audrey Jimenez (2019 U15 Pan Am gold medalist)
- 49 kg: Faith Cole (2019 U15 Pan Am bronze medalist)
- 53 kg: Katie Gomez (2019 U15 Pan Am gold medalist)
- 57 kg: Savannah Cosme (2019 U15 Pan Am silver medalist)
- 61 kg: Korina Blades (2019 U15 Pan Am gold medalist)
- 69 kg: Amit Elor (2018 Cadet Pan Am gold medalist)
- 73 kg: Lillian Freitas (2018 U15 Pan Am gold medalist)
Finals matchups
40 kg: Gigi Bragg (MN) vs. Erica Pastoriza (AZ)
43 kg: Angie Dill (NY) vs. Emilie Gonzalez (CA)
46 kg: Rianne Murphy (IN) vs. Ava Ward (MO)
49 kg: Audrey Jimenez (AZ) vs. Faith Cole (MO)
53 kg: Jaclyn Dehney (NH) vs. Katie Gomez (CA)
57 kg: Savannah Cosme (CO) vs. Alexis Janiak (IL)
61 kg: Korina Blades (IL) vs. Marissa Jimenez (ID)
65 kg: Grace Stem (PA) vs. Maddie Kubicki (MO)
69 kg: Amit Elor (CA) vs. Maggie Graham (TN)
73 kg: Lillian Freitas (CA) vs. Rose Cassioppi (IL)
Semifinals results
40 kg
Gigi Bragg (MN) df. Makayla Young (OH), fall 1:48
Erica Pastoriza (AZ) df. Jhaile De Guzman (WA), 10-0
43 kg
Angie Dill (NY) df. Gabriella Gomez (IL), 10-0
Emilie Gonzalez (CA) df. Emaline Hicks (MI), 10-0
46 kg
Rianne Murphy (IN) df. Eliana Martinez (TX), 10-0
Ava Ward (MO) df. Heather Crull (IN), 11-4
49 kg
Audrey Jimenez (AZ) df. Kiely Tabaldo (CA), 10-0
Faith Cole (MO) df. Paige Morales (CA), 2-1
53 kg
Jaclyn Dehney (NH) df. Carissa Qureshi (CA), 8-6
Katie Gomez (CA) df. Ella Scmit (IA), 10-0
57 kg
Savannah Cosme (CO) df. Jennifer Soto (CA), fall 3:03
Alexis Janiak (IL) df. Josie Davis (OH), 10-0
61 kg
Korina Blades (IL) df. Savannah Gomez (CA), 9-1
Marissa Jimenez (ID) df. Janida Garcia (CA), 9-6
65 kg
Grace Stem (PA) df. Veronica Whitacre (NJ), 11-0
Maddie Kubicki (MO) df. Faith Bartoszek (WI), fall 3:30
69 kg
Amit Elor (CA) df. Jasmine Robinson (TX), fall 0:20
Maggie Graham (TN) df. Haley Ward (MO), 6-5
73 kg
Lillian Freitas (CA) df. Latifah McBryde (NY), 6-4
Rose Cassioppi (IL) df. Ella Nichols (CT), fall 3:51