2022 USMC Women's Nationals
Former Florida (and King University) Hammer Ana Luciano Claims the U23 68 kg Title
Luciano had a tough Tiyahna Askew (former Georgia Hammer) right off the scale and claimed an 8-5 decision to advance … she then beat Kaylynn Albrecht and Dalia Garibay to advance to the finals opposite Lydia Krauss. Luciano dominated the finals - beating Krauss by fall in both matches to claim the U23 68 kg title. Luciano was joined in the finals by a host of other SE hammers, but none that were able to win that final series of matches.
At U23, Tennessee’s Emma Walker advanced to the finals at 65 kg before losing to Colorado’s Ashylnn Ortega in the best 2 of 3 finals … Walker won the first match by fall (leading 6-2) before losing 2-0 and 3-1 to take 2nd. Walker finished her U23 tournament 4-2 and runner-up at 65 kg. Several other former SE hammers made the podium at U23 …
Georgia’s Dianna Holmes was 6th at 50 kg
Florida’s Angela Lorusso was 5th at 53 kg
South Carolina’s Jerzie Estrada was 6th at 57 kg
Georgia’s Tiyahna Askew was 7th at 68 kg
Tennessee’s Kenya-Lee Sloan was 3rd at 72 kg
NOTE: We go by what the wrestler posted as their “home state” so even though Macey Kilty wrestles for Tar Heel Wrestling Club she listed Wisconsin and is not listed above.
Georgia’s Amani Jones takes 2nd in U20 55 kg
Georgia’s Amani Jones made a run to the finals at 55 kg before losing her best 2 of 3 series with Adrian Dorado Marin in the finals. Jones was joined on the podium by Florida’s Juliana Diaz who was 4th at 53 kg, Florida’s Chloe Ogden who was 5th at 65 kg, and Tennessee’s Emma Walker who finished 7th at 65 kg.
Southeast puts a ton on the podium in U17, but none claim the top step
The U17 girls from the #dirtysouth had quite the tournament with both Florida’s Valerie Solorio and Tennessee’s Piper Fowler making the finals, but neither win their best of 3 series and walk away with a U17 title. Solorio lost a pair of matches to Gabriella Gomez of Illinois to take 2nd in the 46 kg weight and Piper Fowler pushed Amarisa Manuel of Michigan to 3 matches before losing her last match 10-7 to take 2nd at 73 kg. South Carolina’s Annalise Marlit also made the finals after taking 2nd in a round robin at 40 kg - in a tough 14-12 decision to Megan Valdez of California. That got Maralit another match with Valdez - this time losing by technical superiority to take 2nd.
Solorio, Maralit, and Fowler weren’t the only Southeast wrestlers to make the podium at U17 …
Florida’s Clare Booe was 5th at 49 kg
South Carolina’s Zao Estrada was 4th at 57 kg
Georgia’s Heidi Raines was 5th at 65 kg
Tennessee’s Maggie Graham was 6th at 65 kg
Georgia’s Genevieve An was 3rd at 69 kg
Tennessee’s Genesis Gilmore was 8th at 69 kg
Florida’s Jaclyn Bouzakis dominates to claim the U15 36 kg Title
We have long thought of the Bouzakis clan as being from Pennsylvania, but the toughest of the bunch (that is what Nic told me) - Jaclyn is still listed as being from Florida (and as a result we recognize her run to the 36 kg title). Bouzakis won by technical superiority before downing Hailey Delgado 8-4 to make the finals … where she won 12-2 over Francesca Gusfa (they do not wrestle best 2 of 3 in the U15 finals). Bouzakis was joined on the podium by Florida’s Mary Manis and Georgia’s Greta Garbuzovas. Manis finished 2nd at 46 kg (losing to Emma Bacon - another former Florida hammer - now in PA) and Garbuzovas was 4th at 66 kg.
Day 1: Georgia’s Amani Jones has punched her ticket to the 55 kg final where she will take on ARMY (WCAP) Adriana Dorado Marin at 10 am tomorrow morning on Flowrestling. Jones isn’t the only former (or current) SE hammer to make the podium.
Florida’s Juliana Diaz dropped her semifinal match to Estrella Dorado Marin at 53 kg, but rebounded with an exciting 13-11 win over Alexis Montes to make the consolation finals. Diaz gets a familiar face in the 3rd place match in Hannah Hall (now of Colorado, but formerly from the Sunshine State). Both Emma Walker of Tennessee and Chloe Ogden (now of Tar Heel Wrestling Club and formerly of Lake Highland Prep) dropped their 65 kg quarterfinal matchups … the two met on the backside with Ogden winning 10-5 to make the 5th place match and Walker will go for 7th at 65 kg. Ogden also beat South Carolina’s Caitlyn Davis in the bloodround at 65 kg.
The medalists will compete tomorrow at 10 am (Central). The U15 Girls will also wrap up in the morning … I don’t know many of the U15’s except for Lake Highland Prep’s Mary Manis who will wrestle her 46 kg semifinal match Friday evening. The U23 Women and U17 Girls will kickoff their tournaments tomorrow.
Photo Credit: Amber Cloy