Day 5 preview: Junior Women’s finals, Greco-Roman gets started at 16U level
by Adam Engel, USA Wrestling
Sterling Dias of Nevada gets in deep on a shot during the 2022 Junior Nationals. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
The men return to the mats Wednesday morning, with the start of the 16U Greco-Roman division, before the Junior women’s freestyle finals at 2 p.m. At 5 p.m. Wednesday, 16U Greco-Roman action continues through the quarterfinals.
WHAT’S NEW: Greco-Roman starts its 50th year at nationals with the 16U tournament.
The Greco-Roman gets its start with the 16U Nationals, which comes in with one of its biggest fields ever.
Only one returning champion returns to the Fargodome mats tomorrow in 16U. Haakon Peterson of Wisconsin at 94 won a national championship at 88 last summer. He grabbed a 16U freestyle national championship on Monday afternoon and can double up with a title in this bracket.
Kellen Wolbert at 113 also from Wisconsin is the only Triple Crown eligible wrestler remaining on the 16U men’s side. However, he is not registered in Greco-Roman. So, there will not be any 16U Triple Crown winners this year.
WHAT FINISHES: Junior women’s freestyle champions to be crowned
The semifinals in the Junior women’s freestyle are set. Three returning champions look to find the finals after national championships last summer. They are Alexis Janiak of Illinois at 127, Sam Calkins of California at 180 and Eliana Bommarito of Michigan at 225.
Seven women who won 16U national championships on Sunday are still alive in the semis. They are Rianne Murphy of Indiana at 100, Ava Ward of Missouri at 106, Skylar Little Soldier of Minnesota at 127, Mishell Rebisch of Michigan at 152, Ella Pagel of Minnesota at 164, Sabrina Nauss of Michigan at 180 and Savannah Isaac of Ohio at 200.
There will be no more women’s wrestling in Fargo this year after the Junior finals in the afternoon.
Semifinal pairings:
100
Sterling Dias of Nevada vs Gigi Bragg of Michigan
Rianne Murphy of Indiana vs Makennah Craft of Ohio
106
Ava Ward of Missouri vs Clare Booe of Florida
Chloe Dearwester of Ohio vs Aspen Blasko of Minnesota
112
Alexandra Szkotnicki of Maryland vs Kiely Tabaldo of California
Avery Ashley of Texas vs Aubre Krazer of Pennsylvania
117
Isabella Marie Gonzales of California vs Alexis Montes of Texas
Arieana Arias of California vs Juliana Diaz of Florida
122
Cadence Diduch of Illinois vs Alejandra Valdiviezo of California
Haylie Jaffe of Pennsylvania vs Emily Sindoni of New York
127
Jaclyn Dehney of Massachusetts vs Jordyn Fouse of Pennsylvania
Sarah Savidge of Colorado vs Alexis Janiak of Illinois
132
Skylar Little Soldier of Minnesota vs Taydem Khamjoi of California
Alicen Dillard of Texas vs Janida Garcia of California
138
Skylar Hattendorf of Massachusetts vs Kryssceah Ravenelle of Rhode Island
Alessandra Elliott of New York vs Amitria McNack of Missouri
144
Allyssa Johnson of North Dakota vs Sydney Perry of Illinois
Caitlyn Davis of South Carolina vs Clarissa Agostini of Michigan
152
Stella Steigler of Virginia vs Aspen Barber of Colorado
Genevieve An of Georgia vs Mishell Rebisch of Michigan
164
Naomi Simon of Iowa vs Brooklyn Hays of Utah
Ella Pagel of Minnesota vs Shannon Workinger of Washington
180
Sabrina Nauss of Michigan vs Maliya Castillo of California
Tirza Twoteeth of Montana vs Alivia White of Washington
200
Sam Calkins of California vs Madeline Welch of Texas
Riley Dempewolf of Indiana vs Savannah Isaac of Ohio
225
Eliana Bommarito of Michigan vs Rewa Chababo of Texas
Dasia Yearby of South Carolina vs Alysse Phillips
California controls the team race with 36 points and nine semifinals. Michigan and Texas are tied for second with 15 points, and five each in the semifinals.
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. — 16U Greco-Roman: Session I — Preliminaries and Consolations
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. — Junior Women Freestyle: Session III — Semifinals, Consolation and Consolation Semifinals
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. — Junior Women Freestyle: Session IV — Finals, Medal Matches & Awards
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. — 16U Greco-Roman: Session II — 1/8 Championship, Quarterfinals and Consolations