Junior women’s freestyle finals set, Illinois leads team standings after session III

Photo: Alexandra Szkotnicki of Maryland defeats Angelina Cassioppi of Illinois in the semifinals at 117 pounds. (Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

FARGO, N.D.—The finals are set at the 2023 USMC Junior Women’s Freestyle National Championships following the fourth session at the Fargodome. Six returning champions are in the finals and Illinois leads the team race after session three.
Medal matches take place in the next session, beginning at noon. All of the action can be followed at FloWrestling.org.
At 100 pounds, 2022 All-American Gabriele Tedesco of Florida had a strong win over Emaline Hicks of Michigan by 10-0 technical fall in the first period to punch her ticket to the finals. She will face Valarie Solorio of Pennsylvania. Solorio bested Katey Valdez of Colorado in a 14-10 decision match in the semifinals.
Heather Crull of Indiana found a spot in the finals after defeating returning All-American Alexsys Jacquez of Colorado by 11-0 technical fall. Crull was the runner-up at 106 pounds in the 16U division at last year’s championships. She sees 2022 All-American Harlee Hiller of Illinois in the finals at 106 pounds.
Zao Estrada of South Carolina quickly defeated Janessa George of Colorado by 10-0 technical fall 75 seconds into the match. Estrada ranked No. 5 at 117, aims for her first National title at Fargo this year. She is a two-time All-American, placing second in 2021 and fourth in 2022. Estrada matches up against Clare Booe of Florida in the finals at 112 pounds. Booe is a returning National Champion at 106 pounds in 2022 and a three-time All-American in Fargo. She returns to the finals following a 10-0 technical fall over Gigi Bragg of Michigan.
At 117 pounds, Alexandra Szkotnicki matches up against Calli Gilchrist of Connecticut. Szkotnicki reached the finals by earning a 12-4 decision win against Angelina Cassioppi of Illinois. She is also a returning champion from 2022 and a three-time All-American in Fargo. Gilchrist picked up a close 16-13 semifinals win over Angelina Vargas of Missouri.
The 122 pound final match will see Aubre Krazer of Pennsylvania face Lexie Lopez of Colorado. Krazer, a three-time All-American, placed second at last year’s tournament. She defeated Rose Kaplan of Indiana by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals. Lopez defeated Olivia Moreno of Texas in a close 5-4 decision semifinal match.
Jaclyn Dehney of Massachusetts faces Emily Sindoni of New York in the finals at 127 pounds. Dehney, a three-time All-American and runner up at 117 pounds in 2021, pinned Kylie Rule Wisconsin to return to the finals. Sindoni is last year’s runner up at 122 pounds. She bested Tyler Swanigan of Michigan by 12-1 technical fall in the semifinals.
At 132 pounds, Cadence Diduch of Illinois sees Lilly Luft of Iowa in the finals. Diduch is ranked No. 4 at 132 pounds and won the Junior Nationals last year, defeating 127 pound finalist Emily Sindoni. She brought down Hanna Errthum of Wisconsin by 6-2 decision in the semifinals. Luft placed fifth in the 16U division at 132 pounds in 2021 and defeated Anna Vogt of Texas by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals.
Netavia Wickson of Illinois is set to face Kaidance Gerg of Idaho in the finals at 138 pounds. Wickson placed third at last year’s tournament at 138 pounds. She defeated Allyssa Johnson of North Dakota by 11-0 technical fall to earn a spot in the finals. Gerg is in the finals following a 10-0 technical fall over Bridgette Sotomayor of Arizona.
The final match at 144 pounds includes Sydney Perry of Illinois against Nebi Tsarni of Maryland. Perry, a returning champion from 2022 and three-time All-American, defeated 2022 All-American May Cuyler of Virginia by 10-0 technical fall in the semifinals. Tsarni is a four-time all-American and two-time 16U National Champion at 144 pounds, having won the title in 2021 and 2022.
At 152 pounds, No. 3 Eduarda Rodrigues of California sees Stella Steigler of Virginia in the finals. Rodrigues pinned Mishell Rebisch of Michigan, last year’s champion and ranked No. 4 at 164, in the semifinals. Steigler, a three-time All-American and last year’s runner up, reached the finals with a close 12-9 decision over Lizzie Shunn of Utah.
The final matchup at 164 pounds sees Naomi Simon of Iowa face Alexandra Hofrichter of Wisconsin. Simon, a two-time All-American, reached the finals with a 10-0 technical fall against Amarisa Manuel of Michigan. Hofrichter is a 2021 All-American at 152 pounds. She pinned Ella Pagel of Minnesota to reach the finals.
Sabrina Nauss of Michigan matches up with Cheyenne Ruiz of Utah in the finals at 180 pounds. Nauss is a three-time National Champion, winning both the Junior and 16U age divisions at 180 pounds in 2022. She also claimed the title at 180 pounds in the 16U division in 2021. Defeating Isabella Renfro of Missouri helped Nauss return to this year’s final match. Ruiz reached the finals after pinning Bella Porcelli of Iowa.
The final match at 200 pounds will feature Savannah Isaac of Ohio and Tirza Twoteeth of Montana. Isaac is a two-time champion, winning the Junior and 16U age divisions in 2022. She used an 11-0 technical fall against Zoe Adam of South Dakota to return to the finals. Twoteeth aims to win her first national title at 200 pounds after placing fourth in the 16U division at 180 pounds and sixth in the Junior division at 180 pounds in 2022. Twoteeth meets Isaac in the finals by pinning Mariyah Brumley of Missouri in the semifinal match.
The last final matchup will see two California athletes face off for the National title at 225 pounds. Alysse Phillips, a returning All-American, pinned Brenda Banks of Pennsylvania in the semifinals. She will see Gemma Templeman in the finals. Templeman also earned a spot in the finals by pinning her opponent, Fernanda Canedo of California.
In the team standings, Illinois claimed the top spot following the third session with 124 points. California (84 points), Michigan (79 points), Colorado (65 points) and Pennsylvania (63 points) round out the top five teams.
The finals will begin at 6 p.m. local time. All of the action can be followed at FloWrestling.org.
Finals Pairings
100 pounds
Gabriele Tedesco (Florida) vs Valarie Solorio (Pennsylvania)
106 pounds
Heather Crull (Indiana) vs. Harlee Hiller (Illinois)
112 pounds
Zao Estrada (South Carolina) vs. Clare Booe (Florida)
117 pounds
Alexandra Szkotnicki (Maryland) vs. Calli Gilchrist (Connecticut)
122 pounds
Aubre Krazer (Pennsylvania) vs. Lexie Lopez (Colorado)
127 pounds
Jaclyn Dehney (Massachusetts) vs. Emily Sindoni (New York)
132 pounds
Cadence Diduch (Illinois) vs. Lilly Luft (Iowa)
138 pounds
Netavia Wickson (Illinois) vs. Kaidance Gerg (Idaho)
144 pounds
Sydney Perry (Illinois) vs. Nebi Tsarni (Maryland)
152 pounds
Eduarda Rodrigues (California) vs. Stella Steigler (Virginia)
164 pounds
Naomi Simon (Iowa) vs. Alexandra Hofrichter (Wisconsin)
180 pounds
Sabrina Nauss (Michigan) vs. Cheyenne Ruiz (Utah)
200 pounds
Savannah Isaac (Ohio) vs. Tirza Twoteeth (Montana)
220 pounds
Alysse Phillips (California) vs. Gemma Templeman (California)
Semifinal Results
100 pounds
Gabriele Tedesco (Florida) tech. fall Emaline Hicks (Michigan), 10-0 2:24
Valarie Solorio (Pennsylvania) dec. Katey Valdez (Colorado), 14-10
106 pounds
Heather Crull (Indiana) tech. fall Alexsys Jacquez (Colorado), 11-0 5:58
Harlee Hiller (Illinois) dec. Chloe Dearwester (Ohio), 12-6
112 pounds
Zao Estrada (South Carolina) tech. fall Janessa George (Colorado), 10-0 1:15
Clare Booe (Florida) tech. fall Gigi Bragg (Michigan), 10-0 2:28
117 pounds
Alexandra Szkotnicki (Maryland) dec. Angelina Cassioppi (Illinois), 12-4
Calli Gilchrist (Connecticut) dec. Angelina Vargas (Missouri), 16-13
122 pounds
Aubre Krazer (Pennsylvania) tech. fall Rose Kaplan (Indiana), 10-0 4:17
Lexie Lopez (Colorado) dec. Olivia Moreno (Texas), 5-4
127 pounds
Jaclyn Dehney (Massachusetts) pin Kylie Rule (Wisconsin), 4:04
Emily Sindoni (New York) tech. fall Tyler Swanigan (Michigan), 12-1 3:28
132 pounds
Cadence Diduch (Illinois) dec. Hanna Errthum (Wisconsin), 6-2
Lilly Luft (Iowa) tech. fall Anna Vogt (Texas), 10-0 5:01
138 pounds
Netavia Wickson (Illinois) tech. fall Allyssa Johnson (North Dakota), 11-0 1:47
Kaidance Gerg (Idaho) tech. fall Bridgette Sotomayor (Arizona), 10-0 4:27
144 pounds
Sydney Perry (Illinois) tech. fall May Cuyler (Virginia), 10-0 2:40
Nebi Tsarni (Maryland) tech. fall Sevreign Aumua (Missouri), 12-1 5:53
152 pounds
Eduarda Rodrigues (California) pin Mishell Rebisch (Michigan), 2:20
Stella Steigler (Virginia) dec. Lizzie Shunn (Utah), 12-9
164 pounds
Naomi Simon (Iowa) tech. fall Amarisa Manuel (Michigan), 10-0 3:40
Alexandra Hofrichter (Wisconsin) pin Ella Pagel (Minnesota), 1:07
180 pounds
Sabrina Nauss (Michigan) tech. fall Isabella Renfro (Missouri), 10-0 2:41
Cheyenne Ruiz (Utah) pin Bella Porcelli (Iowa), 5:58
200 pounds
Savannah Isaac (Ohio) tech. fall Zoe Adam (South Dakota), 11-0 3:44
Tirza Twoteeth (Montana) pin Mariyah Brumley (Missouri), 4:40
225 pounds
Alysse Phillips (California) pin Brenda Banks (Pennsylvania), 1:45
Gemma Templeman (California) pin Fernanda Canedo (California), 4:28
Team Standings
1 – Illinois (125 points)
2 – California (84 points)
3 – Michigan (79 points)
4 – Colorado (65 points)
5 – Pennsylvania (63 points)
6 – Missouri (59 points)
7 – Maryland (54 points)
8 – Florida (49 points)
9 – New York (48 points)
9 – Wisconsin (48 points)