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Pastoriza, Jimenez repeat as champions, Robinson named OW as 2022 U17 Women’s World Team set
by Gary Abbott
Jasmine Robinson on the way to the U17 title at 69 kg. Photo by AJ Grieves.
FORT WORTH, Texas –The 2022 U.S. U17 Women’s World Team was set after an exciting best-of-three Championship series was held at the 2022 USMC Women’s U17 Nationals on Sunday.
Winners of the Championship Series earned a spot on the U17 World Team, which will compete at the U17 World Championships in Rome, Italy, July 25-31.
Returning champions and Arizona natives Erica Pastoriza of Wyoming Seminary (43 kg) and Audrey Jimenez of the Sunkist Kids (43 kg) will compete at the U17 World Championships for the second straight year. Pastoriza was a U17 World champion last summer, and Jimenez won a U17 World bronze medal.
Jimenez had to beat another 2021 U17 World member to make the team, Missouri’s Ava Ward of the Sunkist Kids. Last year, Ward was at 46 kg, but has moved up to 49 kg this year. Jimenez did not allow Ward to score on her in both matches and was able to complete some takedowns, winning bout one 6-0 and bout two 4-0. It was the third time in about a week that Jimenez stopped Ward, beating her also at the Girls National High School Showcase last week in Las Vegas, 8-0. Jimenez is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the high school level, and Ward is ranked No. 4.
Pastoriza needed three bouts to beat Colorado’s scrappy Katey Valdez of Betterman Elite Wrestling in the finals series. Pastoriza jumped to a 6-0 lead in bout one and held on for a 6-4 win. Valdez responded with clutch 4-3 win in bout two to force a deciding third match. Pastoriza scored the first six points in the third match, and kept up the pressure throughout, ultimately winning 10-6. Pastoriza is currently ranked No. 11 nationally.
Joining Jimenez as a No. 1 ranked wrestler to win the U17 Nationals was Shelby Moore of Takedown Express WC of Washington at 57 kg. Moore won in two straight shutout wins over No. 11 ranked Skylar Little Soldier of the Hastings WC of Minnesota. In bout one, Moore got her offense going in an 11-0 technical fall in 3:33. Her second win was a controlled 5-0 decision. This is the third major national title of the season for Moore, who won the Girls Junior Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa in early April and the Girls High School National Recruiting Showcase in Las Vegas last week
Texas star Jasmine Robinson of Best Trained, a 16U and Junior Nationals champion last summer in Fargo, was named Outstanding Wrestler after an impressive run at 69 kg. Ranked No. 4 nationally, Robinson defeated No. 14 Mishell Rebisch of the Michigan Revolution in two straight bouts. In match one, Robinson injured her arm after jumping to an 8-0 lead and finished off an 8-3 win. In bout two, she scored a quick pin in 1:04 to secure the series.
Four winners of last week’s Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase earned spots on the U17 World Team, Jimenez and Moore, plus No. 18 Gabriella Gomez of Illinois at 46 kg and No. 9 Amarisa Manuel of the Michigan Revolution at 73 kg.
Gomez swept her series against No. 9 ranked Valarie Solorio of Florida. She scored clutch takedowns in both matches, stopping Solorio 8-3 in the first match and 4-1 in the second match.
Manuel was pushed to three matches by No. 5 ranked Piper Fowler of the Higher Calling WC of Tennessee. Manuel got some big throws in her first round 11-2 technical fall over Fowler. However, Fowler came back in bout two and pinned Manuel in 1:14 to knot the series. In the deciding third match, Manuel took an early 4-1 lead but Fowler kept battling back. In the second period, Manuel led 8-3, but Fowler scored the next four points to make it 8-7, but could not erase the lead.
California star Elena Ivaldi, ranked No. 2 nationally, swept Colorado’s No. 9 Persaeus Gomez ofPomona Elite in two straight bouts at 53 kg. Ivaldi won a tight 5-2 decision over Gomez in the opening match, but came out with confidence and scored a pin in 1:51 in bout two for the series sweep. Gomez won the National High School Showcase last weekend.
Another winner in two straight matches was No. 10 ranked Valerie Hamilton of SOT-C of Illinois, who scored a pair of pins over Marissa Rumsey of Team Pennsylvania in the 61 kg finals. Hamilton’s pin times were 3:04 and 1:51.
Making the finals at 61 kg is Marissa Rumsey of Team Pennsylvania, who has an honorable mention ranking on the high school level. Rumsey will face No. 10 in the finals. The times of her falls were 3:04 in the first match and 1:51 in the second match.
Perhaps the top clutch performance of the tournament came at 65 kg, where No. 22 ranked Lizzie Shun of Champions WC of Utah stopped No. 7 Sydney Perry of Illinois in two straight bouts. Shunn hit a big four-point move in the first match to emerge with a 7-2 victory. In the second match, Shunn had her scoring unleashed in a 10-0 technical fall in the first period.
At 40 kg, Megan Valdez of California beat Annalise Maralit of the Misfit Girls in two straight matches. Valdez and Maralit placed 1-2 in a five-athlete round robin on Saturday. The 14-12 win by Valdez over Maralit in the round robin counted as bout one of their series. This morning, Valdez secured a 10-0 technical fall to earn her World Team spot.
USMC WOMEN’S U17 NATIONALS
At Fort Worth, Texas,
40 kg - Megan Valdez (California) dec. Annalise Maralit (Misfit Girls Wrestling), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 - Valdez dec. Maralt, 14-12
Bout 2 – Valdez tech. fall Maralt, 10-0
Round Robin placements
3rd - Elizabeth Brunson (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
4th - Abigail Mendoza (Texas Style WC)
5th - Kendall Moe (Contenders Wrestling Academy)
43 kg – Erica Pastoriza (Wyoming Seminary WC) dec. Katey Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 2 matches to 1
Bout 1 – Pastoriza dec. Valdez, 6-4
Bout 2 – Valdez dec. Pastoriza, 4-3
Bout 3 – Pastoriza dec. Valdez, 10-6
3rd Joely Slyter ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) dec. Eyvori Jacquez CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 12-4
5th Kennedy Farrar AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling) dec Emaline Hicks MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 14-9
46 kg – Gabriella Gomez IL (Illinois) dec. Valarie Solorio FL (Florida), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Gomez dec. Solorio, 8-3
Bout 2 – Gomez dec. Solorio, 4-1
3rd Avy Perez CA (Birmingham Community Charter High School Wrestling) forfeit Rianne Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club)
5th Mia Zuniga WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy) inj dft Isabella Bocanegra AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling)
7th Gigi Bragg MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) inj dft Chloe Dearwester OH (Ohio)
49 kg –Audrey Jimenez AZ (Sunkist Kids WC) dec. Ava Ward (Sunkist Kids WC), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Jimenez dec. Ward, 6-0
Bout 2 –Jimenez dec. Ward, 4-0
3rd Anaya Falcon CA (Pounders WC) dec. Julianna Ocampo IN (Beast Mode Wrestling Club), 6-3
5th Clare Booe FL (Palm Harbor University High School Wrestling) tech fall Sierra Chiesa PA (Team Pennsylvania), 12-2 3:06
7th Aubre Krazer PA (Team Pennsylvania) tech fall Diana Olivarez CA (Red Wave Wrestling), 10-0 1:41
53 kg – Elena Ivaldi CA (MatTime) dec. Persaeus Gomez (Pomona Elite), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Ivaldi dec. Gomez, 5-2
Bout 2 – Ivaldi pin Gomez, 1:51
3rd Karlee Brooks AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) dec. Bella Williams OK (Husky Wrestling Club), 3-1
5th Isabella marie Gonzales CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) forfeit Emma Albanese NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
7th Malia Welch WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy) forfeit Carley Ceshker WI (Ringers Wrestling Club)
57 kg –Shelby Moore (Takedown Express WC) dec. Skylar Little Soldier (Hastings WC), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Moore tech fall Little Soldier, 11-0, 3:33
Bout 2 – Moore dec. Little Soldier, 5-0
3rd Cadence Diduch IL (Alber Athletics Wrestling Club) tech fall Zao Estrada SC (ET Wrestling), 10-0 2:25
5th Haylie Jaffe PA (Team Pennsylvania) tech fall Emily Frost NY (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:59
7th Carissa Qureshi CA (California) pin Madison Canales TX (Gracie Barra Westchase Wrestling Club), 3:24
61 kg – Valerie Hamilton (Sot-c) dec.Marissa Rumsey (Team Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Hamilton pin Rumsey, 3:04
Bout 2 – Hamilton pin Rumsey, 1:51
3rd Zaynah Mcbryde NY (Bulls Wrestling Club) dec. Kaidance Gerg WA (Washington), 4-2
5th Emily Sindoni NY (Spartan Combat RTC) inj. dft Hanna Errthum WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling)
7th Lilly Luft IA (Immortal Athletics WC) forfeit Kryssceah Ravenelle RI (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club)
65 kg – Lizzie Shunn (Champions WC) dec. Sydney Perry (Illinois), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Shunn dec. Perry, 7-2
Bout 2 – Shunn tech fall Perry, 10-0, 2:56
3rd Faith Bartoszek WI (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) dec. Sarah Henckel CT (Team Tugman Wrestling Club), 2-1
5th Heidi Raines GA (Georgia) in dft Maggie Graham TN (Bluff City Wrestling Club)
7th Charlotte Gilfoil PA (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) dec. Ashley Dehney NH (Massachusetts Wrestling Association), 8-0
69 kg – Jasmine Robinson (Best Trained Wrestling) dec. Mishell Rebisch (Michigan Revolution), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Robinson dec. Rebisch, 8-3
Bout 2 – Robinson pin Rebisch, 1:04
3rd Genevieve An GA (Level Up Wrestling Center) dec. Sage Rosario KS (Kansas), 10-6
5th Avery Beckman TX (Vici Wrestling Club) injd Anya Hatch UT (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
7th Delise e Villa CA (Somar Wrestling Club) dec. Genesis Gilmore TN (WildSide Wrestling Club), 4-2
73 kg –Amarisa Manuel (Michigan Revolution WC) dec. Piper Fowler (Higher Calling WC), 2 matches to 1
Bout 1 –Manuel tech fall Fowler, 11-1, 2:22
Bout 2 – Fowler pin Manuel, 1:14
Bout 3 – Manuel dec. Fowler, 10-7
3rd Kaiulani Garcia CA (California) dec. Stella Steigler VA (Virginia Assassins Wrestling Club), 3-3
5th Kaylee Ricketts NE (Nebraska) pin Naomi Simon IA (Iowa), 2:56
7th Caitlyn Flaherty TX (Frisco Texas Jacks Wrestling) tech fall Alison Evans CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 10-0 0:26
FORT WORTH, Texas –The 2022 U.S. U17 Women’s World Team was set after an exciting best-of-three Championship series was held at the 2022 USMC Women’s U17 Nationals on Sunday.
Winners of the Championship Series earned a spot on the U17 World Team, which will compete at the U17 World Championships in Rome, Italy, July 25-31.
Returning champions and Arizona natives Erica Pastoriza of Wyoming Seminary (43 kg) and Audrey Jimenez of the Sunkist Kids (43 kg) will compete at the U17 World Championships for the second straight year. Pastoriza was a U17 World champion last summer, and Jimenez won a U17 World bronze medal.
Jimenez had to beat another 2021 U17 World member to make the team, Missouri’s Ava Ward of the Sunkist Kids. Last year, Ward was at 46 kg, but has moved up to 49 kg this year. Jimenez did not allow Ward to score on her in both matches and was able to complete some takedowns, winning bout one 6-0 and bout two 4-0. It was the third time in about a week that Jimenez stopped Ward, beating her also at the Girls National High School Showcase last week in Las Vegas, 8-0. Jimenez is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the high school level, and Ward is ranked No. 4.
Pastoriza needed three bouts to beat Colorado’s scrappy Katey Valdez of Betterman Elite Wrestling in the finals series. Pastoriza jumped to a 6-0 lead in bout one and held on for a 6-4 win. Valdez responded with clutch 4-3 win in bout two to force a deciding third match. Pastoriza scored the first six points in the third match, and kept up the pressure throughout, ultimately winning 10-6. Pastoriza is currently ranked No. 11 nationally.
Joining Jimenez as a No. 1 ranked wrestler to win the U17 Nationals was Shelby Moore of Takedown Express WC of Washington at 57 kg. Moore won in two straight shutout wins over No. 11 ranked Skylar Little Soldier of the Hastings WC of Minnesota. In bout one, Moore got her offense going in an 11-0 technical fall in 3:33. Her second win was a controlled 5-0 decision. This is the third major national title of the season for Moore, who won the Girls Junior Folkstyle Nationals in Iowa in early April and the Girls High School National Recruiting Showcase in Las Vegas last week
Texas star Jasmine Robinson of Best Trained, a 16U and Junior Nationals champion last summer in Fargo, was named Outstanding Wrestler after an impressive run at 69 kg. Ranked No. 4 nationally, Robinson defeated No. 14 Mishell Rebisch of the Michigan Revolution in two straight bouts. In match one, Robinson injured her arm after jumping to an 8-0 lead and finished off an 8-3 win. In bout two, she scored a quick pin in 1:04 to secure the series.
Four winners of last week’s Girls National High School Recruiting Showcase earned spots on the U17 World Team, Jimenez and Moore, plus No. 18 Gabriella Gomez of Illinois at 46 kg and No. 9 Amarisa Manuel of the Michigan Revolution at 73 kg.
Gomez swept her series against No. 9 ranked Valarie Solorio of Florida. She scored clutch takedowns in both matches, stopping Solorio 8-3 in the first match and 4-1 in the second match.
Manuel was pushed to three matches by No. 5 ranked Piper Fowler of the Higher Calling WC of Tennessee. Manuel got some big throws in her first round 11-2 technical fall over Fowler. However, Fowler came back in bout two and pinned Manuel in 1:14 to knot the series. In the deciding third match, Manuel took an early 4-1 lead but Fowler kept battling back. In the second period, Manuel led 8-3, but Fowler scored the next four points to make it 8-7, but could not erase the lead.
California star Elena Ivaldi, ranked No. 2 nationally, swept Colorado’s No. 9 Persaeus Gomez ofPomona Elite in two straight bouts at 53 kg. Ivaldi won a tight 5-2 decision over Gomez in the opening match, but came out with confidence and scored a pin in 1:51 in bout two for the series sweep. Gomez won the National High School Showcase last weekend.
Another winner in two straight matches was No. 10 ranked Valerie Hamilton of SOT-C of Illinois, who scored a pair of pins over Marissa Rumsey of Team Pennsylvania in the 61 kg finals. Hamilton’s pin times were 3:04 and 1:51.
Making the finals at 61 kg is Marissa Rumsey of Team Pennsylvania, who has an honorable mention ranking on the high school level. Rumsey will face No. 10 in the finals. The times of her falls were 3:04 in the first match and 1:51 in the second match.
Perhaps the top clutch performance of the tournament came at 65 kg, where No. 22 ranked Lizzie Shun of Champions WC of Utah stopped No. 7 Sydney Perry of Illinois in two straight bouts. Shunn hit a big four-point move in the first match to emerge with a 7-2 victory. In the second match, Shunn had her scoring unleashed in a 10-0 technical fall in the first period.
At 40 kg, Megan Valdez of California beat Annalise Maralit of the Misfit Girls in two straight matches. Valdez and Maralit placed 1-2 in a five-athlete round robin on Saturday. The 14-12 win by Valdez over Maralit in the round robin counted as bout one of their series. This morning, Valdez secured a 10-0 technical fall to earn her World Team spot.
USMC WOMEN’S U17 NATIONALS
At Fort Worth, Texas,
40 kg - Megan Valdez (California) dec. Annalise Maralit (Misfit Girls Wrestling), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 - Valdez dec. Maralt, 14-12
Bout 2 – Valdez tech. fall Maralt, 10-0
Round Robin placements
3rd - Elizabeth Brunson (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
4th - Abigail Mendoza (Texas Style WC)
5th - Kendall Moe (Contenders Wrestling Academy)
43 kg – Erica Pastoriza (Wyoming Seminary WC) dec. Katey Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 2 matches to 1
Bout 1 – Pastoriza dec. Valdez, 6-4
Bout 2 – Valdez dec. Pastoriza, 4-3
Bout 3 – Pastoriza dec. Valdez, 10-6
3rd Joely Slyter ID (Team Idaho Wrestling Club) dec. Eyvori Jacquez CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 12-4
5th Kennedy Farrar AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling) dec Emaline Hicks MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club), 14-9
46 kg – Gabriella Gomez IL (Illinois) dec. Valarie Solorio FL (Florida), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Gomez dec. Solorio, 8-3
Bout 2 – Gomez dec. Solorio, 4-1
3rd Avy Perez CA (Birmingham Community Charter High School Wrestling) forfeit Rianne Murphy IN (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club)
5th Mia Zuniga WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy) inj dft Isabella Bocanegra AZ (Arizona Girls Wrestling)
7th Gigi Bragg MI (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) inj dft Chloe Dearwester OH (Ohio)
49 kg –Audrey Jimenez AZ (Sunkist Kids WC) dec. Ava Ward (Sunkist Kids WC), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Jimenez dec. Ward, 6-0
Bout 2 –Jimenez dec. Ward, 4-0
3rd Anaya Falcon CA (Pounders WC) dec. Julianna Ocampo IN (Beast Mode Wrestling Club), 6-3
5th Clare Booe FL (Palm Harbor University High School Wrestling) tech fall Sierra Chiesa PA (Team Pennsylvania), 12-2 3:06
7th Aubre Krazer PA (Team Pennsylvania) tech fall Diana Olivarez CA (Red Wave Wrestling), 10-0 1:41
53 kg – Elena Ivaldi CA (MatTime) dec. Persaeus Gomez (Pomona Elite), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Ivaldi dec. Gomez, 5-2
Bout 2 – Ivaldi pin Gomez, 1:51
3rd Karlee Brooks AZ (Thorobred Wrestling Club) dec. Bella Williams OK (Husky Wrestling Club), 3-1
5th Isabella marie Gonzales CA (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) forfeit Emma Albanese NV (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
7th Malia Welch WA (Ascend Wrestling Academy) forfeit Carley Ceshker WI (Ringers Wrestling Club)
57 kg –Shelby Moore (Takedown Express WC) dec. Skylar Little Soldier (Hastings WC), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Moore tech fall Little Soldier, 11-0, 3:33
Bout 2 – Moore dec. Little Soldier, 5-0
3rd Cadence Diduch IL (Alber Athletics Wrestling Club) tech fall Zao Estrada SC (ET Wrestling), 10-0 2:25
5th Haylie Jaffe PA (Team Pennsylvania) tech fall Emily Frost NY (Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club), 10-0 2:59
7th Carissa Qureshi CA (California) pin Madison Canales TX (Gracie Barra Westchase Wrestling Club), 3:24
61 kg – Valerie Hamilton (Sot-c) dec.Marissa Rumsey (Team Pennsylvania), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Hamilton pin Rumsey, 3:04
Bout 2 – Hamilton pin Rumsey, 1:51
3rd Zaynah Mcbryde NY (Bulls Wrestling Club) dec. Kaidance Gerg WA (Washington), 4-2
5th Emily Sindoni NY (Spartan Combat RTC) inj. dft Hanna Errthum WI (Combat W.C. School of Wrestling)
7th Lilly Luft IA (Immortal Athletics WC) forfeit Kryssceah Ravenelle RI (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club)
65 kg – Lizzie Shunn (Champions WC) dec. Sydney Perry (Illinois), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Shunn dec. Perry, 7-2
Bout 2 – Shunn tech fall Perry, 10-0, 2:56
3rd Faith Bartoszek WI (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) dec. Sarah Henckel CT (Team Tugman Wrestling Club), 2-1
5th Heidi Raines GA (Georgia) in dft Maggie Graham TN (Bluff City Wrestling Club)
7th Charlotte Gilfoil PA (Wyoming Seminary Wrestling Club) dec. Ashley Dehney NH (Massachusetts Wrestling Association), 8-0
69 kg – Jasmine Robinson (Best Trained Wrestling) dec. Mishell Rebisch (Michigan Revolution), 2 matches to 0
Bout 1 – Robinson dec. Rebisch, 8-3
Bout 2 – Robinson pin Rebisch, 1:04
3rd Genevieve An GA (Level Up Wrestling Center) dec. Sage Rosario KS (Kansas), 10-6
5th Avery Beckman TX (Vici Wrestling Club) injd Anya Hatch UT (Legends of Gold Las Vegas)
7th Delise e Villa CA (Somar Wrestling Club) dec. Genesis Gilmore TN (WildSide Wrestling Club), 4-2
73 kg –Amarisa Manuel (Michigan Revolution WC) dec. Piper Fowler (Higher Calling WC), 2 matches to 1
Bout 1 –Manuel tech fall Fowler, 11-1, 2:22
Bout 2 – Fowler pin Manuel, 1:14
Bout 3 – Manuel dec. Fowler, 10-7
3rd Kaiulani Garcia CA (California) dec. Stella Steigler VA (Virginia Assassins Wrestling Club), 3-3
5th Kaylee Ricketts NE (Nebraska) pin Naomi Simon IA (Iowa), 2:56
7th Caitlyn Flaherty TX (Frisco Texas Jacks Wrestling) tech fall Alison Evans CO (Betterman Elite Wrestling), 10-0 0:26