Utterback wins 16U division Outstanding Wrestler at Girls Folkstyle Nationals

Photo: Reanah Utterback (R) received the Outstanding Wrestler award, presented to her by 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Randi Miller. Photo by Chris Mora, chrismoraphoto.com.  

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 2022 USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle Nationals kicked off on Friday with the 16U division, which was run through completion in the first session at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo.

In an exciting and talented field, 14 athletes picked up titles this morning.

At 112 pounds, Reanah Utterback, a freshman state champ from Iowa, came out on top in a bracket that featured four 2022 high school state champions and two nationally ranked athletes. She won three of her four bouts by pin, including a 55-second fall in the finals over Kaylin Taylor of Montana. Utterback, ranked No. 14 in the nation, also notched a second-period pin against No. 15 Kyla Johnson from Indiana in the first round.

In addition to Utterback, two other state champions were victorious today, including Lauren Walton of Kentucky (132 pounds) and Cheyenne Ruiz of Utah (180 pounds).

In her final at 132 pounds, Walton, ranked No. 10 in the country, defeated Morgan Lucio from Arizona with a fall in 57 seconds, while Ruiz, who is ranked No. 22 nationally, took out Indiana state champion Avalyn Mosconi with a second-period pin at 180 pounds.

Other notable performances came at 100, 106, 117 and 152.

At 100 pounds, 2019 U15 World silver medalist Gigi Bragg pinned her way to her second tournament win in a week. Fresh off a National High School Recruiting Showcase win in Milwaukee last weekend, she defeated Alicia Serratos from California in 4:25 in the finals.

The nation’s No. 17 pound-for-pound wrestler and second-ranked athlete at her respective weight, Ava Ward dominated her way to the 106-pound title, earning three pins to secure her spot in the finals. There, she took out Heather Crull of Indiana, who holds the No. 18 national ranking, 9-3.

To claim the crown at 117 pounds, Carley Cehsker of Wisconsin, who is ranked No. 7, defeated all four of her opponents by pin, including Tennessee state champion Melanie Val in the quarterfinals in 1:44.

En route to winning the 152-pound division, Piper Fowler from Tennessee defeated Michigan’s Mishell Rebisch, who won a state title earlier this year and is ranked No. 20 in the country at 144 pounds. Fowler picked up the win via fall in 1:49.

Other athletes to win brackets on Friday were Katey Valdez of Colorado (94 pounds), Everest Leydecker of Arizona (122 pounds), Ryen Allen of Michigan (127 pounds), Gianna DiBenedetto of California (138 pounds), Emma Peach of Iowa (144 pounds), Ella Pagel of Minnesota (164) and Tirza Twoteeth of Montana (200 pounds).

Action continues with the Junior division of competition on Friday evening, which will conclude on Saturday morning. The youth divisions will take place Saturday afternoon and the National Duals are slated for Sunday.

Fans can watch all the action live on FloWrestling with brackets available on Trackwrestling.

2022 GIRLS FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS

at Broadmoor World Arena (Colorado Springs, CO) | March 18-20, 2022

16U results

94 pounds
1st - Katey Valdez (Colorado) won by fall over Kennedy Farrar (Arizona) (Fall 3:35)
3rd - Joely Slyter (Idaho) won by major decision over Lillian Zapata (Texas) (Maj 10-2)
5th - Grace Romans (Texas) won by fall over Abigail Mendoza (Texas) (Fall 0:52)
7th - Samantha Bertini (Massachusetts) won by fall over Lily Webster (Iowa) (Fall 1:12)

100 pounds
1st - Gigi Bragg (Michigan) won by fall over Alicia Serratos (California) (Fall 4:25)
3rd - Aspen Blasko (Minnesota) won by fall over Elena Cordova (New Mexico) (Fall 1:09)
5th - Aislin Kellner (New York) won by major decision over Kylin Ivory Truitt (Texas) (Maj 12-1)
7th - Jade Brundige (Missouri) won by fall over Eyvori Jacquez (Colorado) (Fall 5:50)

106 pounds
1st - Ava Ward (Missouri) won by decision over Heather Crull (Indiana) (Dec 9-3)
3rd - Joy Cantu (Indiana) won by decision over Liz Donovan (New Hampshire) (Dec 3-2)
5th - Sophia Shultz (Nebraska) won by fall over Avy Perez (California) (Fall 0:39)
7th - Isabella Da Silva (Texas) won by fall over Kiara Torres (Washington) (Fall 3:28)

112 pounds
1st - Reanah Utterback (Iowa) won by fall over Kaylin Taylor (Montana) (Fall 0:55)
3rd - Aubrie Pehrson (Nebraska) won by fall over Kyla Johnson (Indiana) (Fall 4:45)
5th - Zoey Barber (Nebraska) won by fall over Isabella Cross (Colorado) (Fall 1:06)
7th - Deja Wheat (Texas) won by major decision over Savannah Winkleblack (Michigan) (Maj 11-0)

117 pounds
1st - Carley Ceshker (Wisconsin) won by fall over Isabella Marie Gonzales (California) (Fall 3:45)
3rd - Ashley Naranjo (Washington) won by decision over Margaret Buurma (Michigan) (Dec 9-2)
5th - Kaylan Hitchcock (Kansas) won by decision over Melanie Val (Tennessee) (Dec 6-0)
7th - Leah Edwards (North Carolina) won by fall over Raquel Iturrino (Texas) (Fall 4:26)

122 pounds
1st - Everest Leydecker (Arizona) won by decision over Aleksandra Bastaic (Indiana) (Dec 8-5)
3rd - Peyton Hellmann (South Dakota) won by fall over Neelie Parker (Texas) (Fall 3:43)
5th - Julia Stevens (Texas) won by fall over Aylin Pagan (Texas) (Fall 3:28)
7th - Isabella Gunderson (Utah) won by fall over Regan Rosseter (Nebraska) (Fall 0:54)

127 pounds
1st - Ryen Allen (Michigan) won by fall over Dealya Collins (Wisconsin) (Fall 1:57)
3rd - Lacie Knick (Ohio) won by fall over Adrianna Lopez (Colorado) (Fall 1:23)
5th - Amanda Jaeger (Kansas) won by decision over Kennedie Brantley (North Carolina) (Dec 7-3)
7th - Mylie Blakley (Texas) won by fall over Maya Tubbs (Texas) (Fall 3:02)

132 pounds
1st - Lauren Walton (Kentucky) won by fall over Morgan Lucio (Arizona) (Fall 0:57)
3rd - Jordyn Fouse (Pennsylvania) won by decision over Emma Chacon (Arizona) (Dec 4-0)
5th - Isis France (Arizona) won by fall over Mia Collins (New York) (Fall 5:50)
7th - Kennedy Blanton (Oregon) won by major decision over Sara Daley (Lousiana) (Maj 11-1)

138 pounds
1st - Gianna DiBenedetto (California) won by decision over Amitria McNack (Missouri) (Dec 7-4)
3rd - Aubrie Molina (Hawaii) won by decision over Josie Newby (Idaho) (Dec 14-8)
5th - Josie Hause (Indiana) won by forfeit over Myleigh Hammarbeck (Texas) (FF)
7th - Camryn Scott (Colorado) won by fall over Tasia Neadeau (North Carolina) (Fall 1:29)

144 pounds
1st - Emma Peach (Iowa) won by major decision over Elly Janovsky (Indiana) (Maj 10-0)
3rd - Zoe Fries (Idaho) won by fall over CharleMarie Jackson (Wyoming) (Fall 1:23)
5th - Kohana Renner (Tennessee) won by fall over Rhees Hatch (Utah) (Fall 5:40)
7th - Summer Schellinger (Oregon) received a bye

152 pounds
1st - Piper Fowler (Tennessee) won by fall over Mishell Rebisch (Michigan) (Fall 1:49)
3rd - Sage Rosario (Kansas) won by decision over Skylar Slade (Iowa) (Dec 7-6)
5th - Emma Heaton (Texas) won by major decision over Gianna Falise (Colorado) (Maj 12-4)
7th - Chelsea Rivera (New Mexico) won by fall over Dekota Carter-Ochoa (Montana) (Fall 5:44)

164 pounds
1st - Ella Pagel (Minnesota) won by fall over Alison Evans (Colorado) (Fall 3:50)
3rd - KyLee Lindsley (Montana) won by major decision over Grace Johns (Kansas) (Maj 13-4)
5th - Ashten Hubbs (Wyoming) won by medical forfeit over Bella Porcelli (Iowa) (MFF)
7th - Taylor Waddy (Virginia) won by fall over Elizabeth Reyes (California) (Fall 0:30)

180 pounds
1st - Cheyenne Ruiz (Utah) won by fall over Avalyn Mosconi (Indiana) (Fall 3:10)
3rd - Cristen Martinez (New Mexico) won by fall over Blythe Cayko (Colorado) (Fall 5:17)
5th - Taylor Schiesser (Georgia) won by fall over Anasette Cooper (North Carolina) (Fall 1:05)

200 pounds
1st - Tirza Twoteeth (Montana) won by fall over Keilikki Nau Rarick (Utah) (Fall 2:48)
3rd - Kennedy Juarez (Texas) won by fall over Olivia Burciaga (Idaho) (Fall 4:26)
5th - Savannah Sistad (Iowa) won by fall over Echo Tremeear (Colorado) (Fall 1:54)