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NHSCA High School Nationals - Girls Wrap up

Same thing here with the girls as with the boys wrap up. I have only watched a few of each girls matches so far … so this won’t be in great depth, but will highlight those girls that had an outstanding weekend. For those of you unfamiliar with NHSCA - the boys are separated into their high school “class" (Senior, Junior, etc.). The girls haven’t had the # of participants for that to happen … yet. Perhaps as girls wrestling continues to grow - one bracket at NHSCA’s will be a thing of the past.

The Results

  • Georgia and Florida each had National Champs - nice to see 4 of our 6 states represented in the finals as Aniyah Kelly of SC and Jailynn Tindall of TN both lost their finals match.

  • Georgia had 5 All Americans including National Champ CG Bertrand

  • Florida had just one - National Champ Chloe Ogden

  • South Carolina had 3 AA’s

  • Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina each had 1 AA

Championship Finals

  • 112: Catherine Grace Bertrand (GA) fall Chloe Herrick (MO), 1:47

  • 128: Janida Garcia (CA) dec. Aniyah Kelly (SC), 5-0

  • 136: Chloe Ogden (FL) fall Abby Piper (WA), 2:40

  • 144: Loralei Smith Milton (WV) dec. Jailynn Tindall (TN), 8-6

All Americans

3rd/4th

  • 144: Kilee Callaghan (WA) def. Yasmine Oliveira (AL), 3-2 2:05

5th/6th

  • 120: Isabella Hoffman (SC) fall Sam Parcell (CA), 1:32

  • 128: Aileen Lester (AK) fall Brette Spink (TN), 3:07

  • 136: Kiana Daniel Los Banos (CA) fall Hannah Mains (SC), 2:35

  • 144: Mia Buckner (GA) fall Brianne Honaker (VA), 1:23

7th/8th

  • 112: Alyssa Valdiva (GA) fall Reagan Riddick (NC), 3:16

  • 144: Tays Pascual (NY) fall Kamryn Ellis (GA), 0:33

  • 160: Shianne Whited (VA) fall Caitlyn Mixon (GA), 0:56


Briefly by Weight Class

103

No SE wrestlers made the podium. NC’s Heaven Fitch came in as the #2 seed, but dropped her quarter to California’s Kaelami Shufeldt 6-2 and then her next match 4-0 to Mia Zuniga of Washington to finish 2-2. Florida’s Kealonie Bega also went 2-2 with an 8-2 loss to Fitch. Vega had 2 good wins over Rylee Balcazar of Colorado and Charlee Shuler of VA, but couldn’t find her way to the podium through the backside.

112

Georgia’s CG Bertrand was simply outstanding on her way to the 112 lb. title. Presbyterian is getting a good one next year. Three of her 5 wins were by fall including her finals match over Chloe Herrick of Missouri. She outscored her opponents 28-1 - giving up her one point as a penalty at the end of her match vs. Isabella Ngo 13-1. Georgia also had another AA at 112 - Alyssa Valdiva who finished 7h. She finished the weekend 5-2 by pinning NC’s Reagan Riddick in the 7th/8th place match. Riddick was 3-3 with a fall of Grace Elliott of TN and a 9-0 decision of Madison Packer of CA to make the podium.

Bertrand.jpg

120

The South Carolina girls wrestled well this weekend and that included All American Isabella Hoffman at 120. Hoffman finished 3-2 and 5th - pinning CA’s Sam Parcell in her placement match. Hoffman ran into one of the best in PA’s Montana Delawder in the semis … Delawder rolled to the title.

128

South Carolina’s Aniyah Kelly showed why she is one of the best 128’s in the SE … she finished the weekend 4-1 with a loss to Janida Garcia of California in the the finals. Kelly had quite the back and forth semi vs. Brooklyn Grant of Delaware - eventually coming out on top of a 13-9 decision. TN’s Brette Spink also made the podium - finishing the weekend 3-3 and taking 6th. She lost to AA’s Dillard, Grant, and Aileen Lester. Spink had a nice win over Mullis of Georgia and a 10-8 decision of Lara Schecter to make top 6.

136

Florida’s Ogden is the top 136 in the country and she showed that this past weekend at NHSCA’s. She went 4-0 with 3 falls and a 12-5 decision of Alexandra Lopez of California. One of Ogden’s wins came over SC’s Hannah Mains who rebounded from that semifinal loss to make the podium in the #6 spot.

144

144 was good to the Southeast. 4 SE hammers made the podium including runner-up Jailynn Tindall of Tennessee. Tindall dominated her first 3 matches - winning with 2 falls and an 8-0 major of Mia Buckner of Georgia (who finished 5th). She dropped her finals match 8-6 - had an opportunity to tie it in the last minute with a takedown but couldn’t make it happen. Alabama’s Yasmine Oliveira had a very good tournament in taking 4th at 144. Oliveira also lost a close one to Smith in the semis 10-6 - rebounded with a 7-5 SV1 over Buckner before defaulting to Kilee Callaghan of Washington and taking 4th. Buckner finished 4-2 with her only losses coming to fellow SE wrestlers. GA’s Kamryn Ellis rounded out the SE wrestlers on the podium by finishing 8th.

160

Georgia’s Caitlyn Mixon lost her first match to Shianne Whited of Virginia and then rebounded to win two matches to make the podium - she would eventually lose a second time to Whited and take 8th.

185

185 had no SE wrestlers in a bracket that was dominated by Savannah Isaac of Ohio.


On the rise

These 10 girls showed that they deserve a look. Sure folkstyle vs. freestyle - very different, but loved the way they battled through their brackets.

  1. Jaiylnn Tindall (TN) - Bertrand could’ve been #1 on this list, but she is a known commodity and is nationally-ranked. Tindall, on the other hand,

  2. Catherine Grace Bertrand (GA) - Bertrand was simply awesome on her way to the 112 lb. title - the only reason she (or Ogden) aren’t #1 on this list is because they are already “at their ceiling” in terms of being known. CG is off to Presbyterian next year and it will be interesting to see how she transitions to wrestling just freestyle in college.

  3. Yasmine Oliveira (AL) - really good weekend for Oliveira. She nearly downed eventual Champ Smith in the semis - rebounded for a win in the consi semis before defaulting for 4th.

  4. Aniyah Kelly (SC) - Kelly finished 2nd at 128 - she was 4-1 and looked great in making the finals.

  5. Chloe Ogen (FL) - Nowhere for the #1 wrestler at 144 to go. She is already committed (signed?) to the University of North Carolina. She dominated her weight, but that was expected.

  6. Alyssa Valdiva (GA) - finished on the podium in a deep 112 lb. bracket. Beat fellow SE hammer Reagan Riddick for 7th.

  7. Isabella Hoffman (SC) - Hoffman made the podium in a deep 120 bracket. She lost to PA’s Delawder in the semis and ended up 5th.

  8. Brette Spink (TN) - AA at 128 - lost some tough matches, but fought back through the consis to finish 6th.

  9. Mia Buckner (GA) - went 4-2 and fought hard all weekend to take 6th at 144.

  10. Hannah Mains (SC) - finished 6th in at 136 - made the semis where she lost to Ogden.

NHSCA High School - Girls Preview

I don’t have a ton of insight into the girls division … certainly know the girls in the SE far better than the girls from other parts of the country. But here is a quick look at those registered that are ranked by USA Wrestling in their latest release.


103 (22 Registered)

  • Faith Cole (MO) - #3 at 106

  • Anaya Falcon (CA) - #8 at 100

  • Heaven Fitch (NC) #9 at 100

  • Persaeus Gomez (CO) - #12 at 106

  • Zoey Salmons (WV) #24 at 106

  • Kealonie Vega (FL)

  • Aneri Patel (GA)


112 (33 Registered)

  • Jaclyn Dehney (NH) - #2 at 117

  • Jenavi Alejandro (NV) - #5 at 112

  • Carissa Qureshi (CA) - #7 at 117

  • Catherine Bertrand (GA) - #8 at 106

  • Alyssa Valdivia (GA) - #16 at 112

  • Isabella Ngo (CA) - #18 at 117

  • Chloe Herrick (MO) - #24 at 117

  • Grace Elliott (TN)

  • Sophia Forquer (NC)

  • Talia Lugo (FL)

  • Reagan Riddick (NC)

  • Catarina Velasquez (GA)


120 (25 Registered)

  • Montana Delawder (PA) - #2 at 127

  • Gianna DiBenedetto (CA) - #8 at 122

  • Ally Fitzgerald (NY) - #10 at 122

  • Lauren Walton (KY) - #19 at 138

  • Katie Ward (NV) - #14 at 127

  • Brooke Zak (NC) - #20 at 122

  • Roseanna Vaughn (TN)

  • Samya-Sydney Lucas (FL)

  • Paris Martinez (FL)

  • Hannah Wecer (GA)

  • Brooke French (GA)

  • Aliyanah Rogers (GA)

  • Isabella Hoffman (SC)

  • Hannah Mains (SC)

  • Jennifer Pranouphong (TN)


128 (23 Registered)

  • Janida Garcia (CA) - #4 at 132

  • Alicen Dillard (CO) - #16 at 138

  • Catherine Mullis (GA)

  • Aniyah Kelly (SC)

  • Caroline Gilstrap (SC)

  • Brette Spink (TN)


136 (14 Registered)

  • Chloe Ogden (FL) - #1 at 138

  • Paige Wehrmeister (MO) - #20 at 138

  • Marissa Jimenez (ID) - #21 at 138

  • Haley Redmond (TN)

  • Eva Keefauver (NC)


144 (16 Registered)

  • Cheyenne Bowman (CA) - #3 at 152

  • Haley Ward (MO) - #6 at 152

  • Yasmine Oliveira (AL)

  • Litzy Soto (GA)

  • Jailynn Tindall (TN)


160 (18 Registered)

  • Ella Nichols (CT) - #3 at 164

  • Dakota-Marie Dinielli (CT) - #8 at 152

  • Jayde Massa (GA)

  • Caitlyn Mixon (GA)

  • Ella Tallent (TN)


185 (11 Registered)

  • Alivia White (WA) - #6 at 180

  • Savannah Isaac (OH) - #12 at 200

  • Amanda Pace (NJ) - #16 at 180

  • Jamie Helms (GA)

  • Jaleyah Holmes (SC)

South Carolina’s Zao Estrada claims USA Wrestling National Recruiting Showcase title

National Champ

Zao Estrada - South Carolina (Champ at 112)

Estrada had an 18-8 tech fall over Ava Purifoy (VA), an 19-8 tech fall over Abbygale Duke of Wyoming Seminary 19-8, and a 10-0 tech fall over Rose Ann Marshall of Wisconsin to advance to the finals. In the finals, Estrada faced Janavi Alejandro of Nevada. Alejandro got up 6-4 after the 1st period (remember the girls are wrestling Freestyle), but Estrada scored 6 to go up 10-5. Alejandro made a run but couldn’t get the turn at the end and Estrada claimed the 112 lb. title with a wild 11-10 decision.


All Americans

Clare Booe - Florida (7th at 110)

Booe rebounded from a 13-12 1st round loss to Erica Pastoriza of Arizona to win 3 in a row and make the podium. She dropped her consi quarter to Emma Baerthein 17-12 before avenging her earlier loss to Pastoriza by fall to finish 7th at 100 lbs.

Juliana Diaz - Florida (5th at 117)

Diaz downed fellow Floridian Hannah Hall 5-0 and Haley Vann of Oregon 10-0 before dropping her quarterfinal match to Valerie Hamilton of IL 10-4 (Hamilton finished 2nd). Diaz bounced back with wins over Brooke Crawley of WI and Taylin Long of IL before falling to Leah Gaitan of CA in the consi semis. Diaz took an injury default over Lexy Beadles of CA to finish 5th.

Kailey Rees - Florida (6th at 122)

Rees had a fall, an 11-1 tech fall, and a 2:12 fall to advance to the semis vs. Berlin Brodie Kiddoo of IL. Rees was winning the match 5-0 after the 1st period, but gave up 2 in the 2nd period and then the fall to drop to the consis. Rees dropped her next two matches - a fall to Larissa Kaz of WI and a fall to Emily Alvis of OR to finish 6th.

Genevieve An - Georgia (6th at 127)

An got into some wild matches on the championship side. She won with a 10-0 tech fall to start, but then outlasted Emily Gruenhagen of WI 20-16 in a match where she was up 17-9 after the 1st period only to watch her lead slip away … she finished strong and advanced to the quarters where she met Catharine Campbell of IN. In another wild one - An come out on top 9-8 to advance to the semis. She lost to eventual Champ Lexi Janiak to drop to the consis. An dropped her final two matches - a fall to Katie Ward of NV and a tech fall to Carina Giangeruso of NJ to finish 6th.

Jada Llamido - Florida (3rd at 138)

Llamido had a 50 second fall, an 11-0 tech fall, and a 2:18 fall to cruise into the semis at 138. She then lost a tough one to eventual Champ Savannah Gomez of CA 12-8. She fought back from being down 8-1 after the 1st period to come within striking distance, but couldn’t get the W. Llamido easily took care of business on the backside with an 11-0 tech fall and a 10-0 tech fall to finished 3rd.

Maggie Graham - Tennessee (3rd at 152)

Graham cruised into the 152 semis with an 11-1 tech fall of Cass Freundilich (NV) and an 18-7 tech fall of Brooklyn Hays of Utah before falling to eventual Champ Haley Ward (MO) in an 8-5 thriller. Graham out the first points on the board, but Ward fought back to take a 3-2 lead into the intermission. Graham got the first 3 points of the 2nd period and led 5-3, but Ward scored the final 5 to take the W. Graham rebounded with a 9-8 decision of Stella Steigler of Virginia and an 11-0 tech fall of Anna McDougal of Oregon to take 3rd.

Andrea Smith - Florida (3rd at 200)

Smith beat Tara Henes of Ohio by fall before losing to Sam Calkins of California in the semis. She rebounded with a win over Grace Grey of Iowa and Sydney Bentley of Nevada to finish 3rd.

Valerie Smith - Tennessee (2nd at 225)

Smith pinned Julia Richey of California before losing to Eliana Bommarito of Michigan in the finals at 225.

Justina ChongNee - Tennessee (4th at 225)

Justina pinned California’s Tatianna Herrera before losing to eventual champ Eliana Bommarito in the semis. ChongNee beat Omastewin Foster of Montana before losing to Julia Richey of California and finishing 4th.