What to Watch - Episode 2 - NC Women's Invitational
Not enough time to put together a typical “SEWrestle” Fan’s Guide for the Women’s tournament which happens tomorrow at Glenn High School (brackets were just released yesterday), but still excited to 140 girls registered to compete tomorrow.
106 and 113 both have an A and B brackets - again not sure if there is a difference between the two, but it is very cool to see 2 full 16-women brackets at each of those weights. Here are the brackets with the favorite, a few contenders, and some other names you might want to keep an eye on.
Favorite: Aynsley Fink (Robbinsville)
Contenders:
Diandra Tejeda (Jack Britt)
Bryanna Luihn (Wake Forest)
Brianne Graves (Western Harnett)
Darkhorse: Lily Prendergast (South Brunswick)
What to Expect: Fink is a boys State Qualifier and is the top seed after placing 2nd at the event last year. She will be tough to beat on Saturday.
Favorite: Laila Sa (Hoke County)
Contenders:
Glennin Hansen (North Henderson)
Morgan Rapasky (McDowell)
Larissa Driver (Bunn)
Darkhorse: Tori Strickland (Polk County)
What to Expect: Sa is 21-3 this year for Hoke County and is the top seed in the “B” bracket. She is a senior and has a ton of experience - another wrestler that will be tough to knock off on her way to the top. The bottom side needs to keep an eye on Tori Strickland … trust me.
Favorite: Reagan Riddick (First Flight)
Contenders:
Hope Horan (Mt Airy)
Ayonna McNeill (Westover)
Carissa Peters (South Granville)
Darkhorse: Jaylnne Esquival (Cherokee)
What to Expect: Riddick goes everywhere and wrestles everyone. The sophomore is the returning State Champ and should be the one to beat in the 113 “A” bracket.
Favorite: Amy Williams (Millbrook)
Contenders:
Sophia Forquer (Corinth Holders)
Elizabeth Daniels (Northern Nash)
Skye Cavallaro (SW Onslow)
Darkhorse: Veronika Quinn (CB Aycock)
What to Expect: This should be a really interesting bracket with the top two - Williams and Forquer - looking to be on a collision course. Williams is a returning placer from the 2020 Women’s Invitational and Forquer has compiled a very good 15-2 record wrestling mostly boys - regardless that could be a really good final.
Favorite: Sydney Sullivan (Northern Nash)
Contenders:
Jessica Lohmann (Swain County)
Mickey Allen (West Henderson)
Ferrell Ava (Cox Mill)
Darkhorse: Brooke Zak (Currituck County)
What to Expect: Sullivan is the top seed with her only loss coming to Logan Tortual of Rosewood. She will be tough on the top side, but everyone should keep an eye on freshman Brooke Zak of Currituck County … she could surprise some people. Lohmann sits in the #2 seed after taking second here last season. 120 should be a fun one to watch.
Favorite: Aurora Efird (Parkwood)
Contenders:
Milena Daniels (Hoke County)
Kady Watkins (Cedar Ridge)
Karly McNeill (Lee County)
Darkhorse: Madeline Coplin (Dixon)
What to Expect: Aurora Efird is the returning champ and is the top seed at 126 - it would be a surprise to see her not claim a title again in 2021. BUT don’t sleep on Milena Daniels of Hoke County. Her only loss has come up at 132 and hasbeaten Karly McNeill already this season.
Favorite: Jade Hutto (South Caldwell)
Contenders:
Maya Kaleo (Hoke County)
Chloe Lambert (Swain County
Kamilah Brooks (Manteo)
Darkhorse: Autumn Coles (East Chapel Hill)
What to Expect: Hutto is another that travels everywhere and wrestles everyone. She is a returning placer and is the top seed. Don’t be fooled by the 11-13 record - nearly all of those matches have come against the boys (including losses to Tobias Finn and Tyler Caldwell) - she as tough as they come. That said - everyone needs to keep an eye on Maya Kaleo who is unbeaten wrestling 132 and 138 this season (when girls wrestling gets sanctioned in North Carolina - Hoke County is going to be a force).
Favorite: Hallie Misplay (Pine Forest)
Contenders:
Isabel Lambert (Swain County)
Emma Tyndall (Lee County)
Jersey Call (East Wilkes)
Darkhorse: Mariah Carver (West Henderson)
What to Expect: Misplay has wrestled much of the season at 132 - but is the top seed at 138 after some good wins (over Milena Daniels and others). Lambert is the #2 seed with Emma Tyndall as the 3 seed.
Favorite: Chelsy Posadas (Northern Durham)
Contenders:
Emmy Everhardt (Swain County)
Mara Cavazos (Bunn)
Mikayla Taylor (Richlands)
Darkhorse: Caleigh Suddreth (Lake Norman)
What to Expect: Posadas Is the top seed and was 3rd a year ago. She is 5-2 on the season with both losses coming in varsity boys matches. She will be tough to beat. She shares the top side with Taylor who also placed a year ago. The bottom side features freshman Everhardt of Swain County and Cavazos of Bunn.
Favorite: Laura Thompson (Cleveland)
Contenders:
Sydney Bell (Purnell Swett)
Willow Chance (Rosman)
Serenity Sobolefski (Mitchell)
Darkhorse: Carly Manning (Apex Friendship)
What to Expect: Thompson is the top seed and was runner-up in 2020. She is going to be tough to beat, but she could have her hands full in the semis with Carly Manning of Apex Friendship (assuming she downs 4 seed Sobolefski). Manning is also a returning placer and is tough - don’t let her record fool you. Bell is unbeaten and is the #2 seed with Chance as the 3 seed.
Favorite: Savannah Bramhall (Parkwood)
Contenders:
Aaliyah Milligan (Purnell Swett)
Jamira Jackson (Montgomery Central)
Zariah Moss (Thomasville)
Darkhorse: Emma Snow (Southwestern Randolph)
What to Expect: Looks like a collision course between the top two seeds - Bramhall and Milligan. Bramhall is a returning champ and Milligan is a returning placer, but neither can afford to look ahead. Nearly all (if not all) of Jackson’s losses have come to boys while wrestling varsity for Central (including losses to the likes of Aiden Curry and Kyler Pickard).
Favorite: Ella Beam (Burns)
Contenders:
Jocelyn Paredes (West Wilkes)
Gabriella Kessey (Hoke County)
Angeline Mathis (East Rutherford)
Darkhorse: Emma Hair (Apex Friendship)
What to Expect: Another weight that looks - at least on paper - like we will see the top seeds In the finals. Both Beam and Paredes were second at the 2020 NCHSAA Women’s Invitational and both will look to take the top step in 2021. Kessey is the 3 seed and Mathis is the 4 seed in a large bracket.
Favorite: Samantha Kidder (Hoke County)
Contenders:
Piper Hill (Hoke County)
Saige Cook (Burns)
Myranda Johnson (North Iredell)
Darkhorse: Savanna Hurley (South Stanly)
What to Expect: Round robin at 285. No returning placers from what I can tell. Kidder is the top seed, but we will see how it all plays out.