North Carolina Women's State Tournament
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Below is the Fan’s Guide that was posted in SEWrestle+ a few days ago. Updated brackets and information will be posted here as the tournament unfolds.
Update: 9:28 pm - February 3, 2023
Still wrestling happening on the backside, but at the moment …
Lumberton - 46
Lake Norman - 44
Westover - 40
Havelock - 38
North Henderson - 38
Finals are set:
100 - Jeulenea Khang (Freedom) vs. Jamie Hearl (Mount Airy)
107 - Omarzria (Ria) Wright (West Caldwell) vs. Megan Rowland (Pinecrest)
114 - Teresa Canady (Lumberton) vs. Leah Edwards (East Rowan)
120 - Anabel Rodriquez (Dixon) vs. Ayonna McNeil (Westover)
126 - Danielle Dennis (East Davidson) vs. Alfa G. Dominguez Gutierrez (Cary)
132 - Hailie Misplay (Pine Forest) vs. Brianna Deleon (Weddington)
138 - Gabby Akers (South Davidson) vs. Angelica Steffy (Croatan)
145 - Caleigh Suddreth (Lake Norman) vs. Keira Rosenmarkle (Seaforth)
152 - Nevaeh Banks (Lake Norman) vs. Natalie Titus (Havelock)
165 - Franshesca Morales (North Henderson) vs. Savannah Bramhall (Parkwood)
185 - Emma Warren (Enka) vs. Elaina Pollock (Laney)
235 - Wyntergale Oxendine (Lumberton) vs. Dream Walker (Northwood)
A Fan’s Guide to the North Carolina Girls State Tournament
Welcome to the Fan’s Guide for the NCHSAA Women’s Invitational
So what is a Fan’s Guide?
The Fan’s Gudie is a look at the tournament as a whole and each individual weight class … from a fan’s perspective. But it is not a prediction of who will win or who will make the podium. If you are interested in predictions you should visit Carolina Takedown Talk or Carolina Mat News. Rhett, Ryan, and Frank do a wonderful job of covering high school wrestling in North Carolina and if last year’s boys state tournament is any indication … they will again do a prediction of the tournament. In fact … Ryan has kindly sent me a list of who he predicts to win each bracket … so that is included below (he also gave me his favorites in each weight - they are included along with mine).
A Fan’s Guide is a little different. It is a look at a few individual pieces from each bracket … they include:
Favorite: the wrestler that enters the tournament as a region champ and has the best shot to claim the top step on Saturday.
Contenders: each of the other 3 region champs as well as any other wrestlers that have a good chance of making a run through the tournament, as well as anyone else that we believe could climb onto the top step of the podium. THEY ARE NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER.
Darkhorse: a wrestler that finished 3rd at one of the region tournaments and has demonstrated the ability to give anyone in the bracket a run for their money.
Bracketbuster: a wrestler that finished 4th at one of the region tournaments … this wrestler may not win it all (few #4’s win a state title - it happens it is just the rare occurrence), but could make a run for a spot on the podium.
I’ve also identified what should be one of the best 1st round matchups in each weight class.
Isn’t that kind of a prediction?
Yes and no. I do identify the favorite, but beyond that I have no idea of who will march through the bracket. I could give you an educated guess about a possible finals match and who will make the podium, but in the world of high school wrestling that is dangerous territory. Few wrestlers (if any) are unbeatable … but we do have past results and past accomplishments on which to make a guess or two (for example, Jeulenea Khang beat Jamie Hearl in the the Holy Angels final about a month ago … so that certainly goes into the calculus - the smart “prediciton” would be that Khang would do it again, but like I said - crazy things happen in high school wrestling … as a result we will stick with the “favorite, contenders, etc.). In reality, I am as much of a fan as any of you and like to talk wrestling. I hope each athlete goes out and performs to her ability and we, as fans, get an opportunity to watch some great wrestling.
Remember the sole purpose of the website, twitter, instagram, fan’s guides, pictures, etc. is to promote the sport in the Southeast. Have a great time in Greensboro, enjoy the wrestling, and best of luck to everyone competing.
Brackets Explained
North Carolina has 4 Regions spread across the state. As a result, North Carolina crowns 4 Region Champions, but does not “seed” the state tournament. Seeding is regularly done in wrestling tournaments, as well as other sports, to separate the two best wrestlers from one another in an attempt to have the best matchup as the final match of the weight. Because North Carolina does not seed the State Tournament (or the Region Tournaments for that matter), you have the potential to have the two best wrestlers face one another in the semifinals.
North Carolina uses a formula for each weight class to separate the region champions (so you may see the West Region Champ on the same side as the East Region Champ at 100, but it could be different at 107, 114, etc.). Below is a graphic of the 100 lb. weight class to show you how the region champions have been separated and where each of the champions have been placed in the bracket. One positive that North Carolina does (but isn’t replicated in every state - most notably Florida which also has 4 regions) is that you get their region and place on the bracket.
So look at Line 1 - top line of the bracket. Jeulenea Khang is from FREE (which is Freedom High School), 12 (grade in school) and then see W, 1st - that means she was the West Champion (or took 1st in the West Region) last weekend. As a result, she wrestles someone that took 4th from another region in the opening round … that is Zainab Hijawi of SOCE (which is South Central) who is a freshman (9) and was 4th in the East Region.
Region Designations:
E - East
W - West
MW - Miswest
ME - Mideast
Team Designations (or abbreviations):
Team Notes
The team race could be an interesting one. The teams coming in with the largest number of wrestlers are usually in the best position because they have the most possible points at the beginning of the tournament. That said … if one of the wrestlers goes 0-2 they score no points … meaning it is as if (from a team perspective) they weren’t even there.
Jack Britt enters with the most wrestlers (8), but they also have 4 of those wrestlers that took either 3rd or 4th last weekend … so half of the squad could be “underdogs” in their opening match.
Havelock enters with 6 wrestles with just 2 that finished 3rd last weekend (and none that finished 4th). So if the higher placer wins in the opening round then they would be tied (at least in terms of number of quarterfinalists) with Jack Britt.
Dixon, North Henderson, Olympic, Smoky Mountain, and Swain County each enter with 5.
Dixon has 2 that took 3rd and 1 that took 4th last weekend - North Henderson and Swain County have the same.
Each of Olympic’s 5 finished 3rd last weekend
Smoky Mountain has 2 wrestlers that took 4th and 3 that finished 2nd last weekend
9 teams have 4 wrestlers in the field
Each of the 9 have their strengths (as well as their challenges), but Purnell Swett and Mount Airy appear to have the best shot at getting multiple wrestlers through and onto the podium (each has a champ and 2 runners-up from last weekend’s regions).
Jack Britt is in the driver’s seat with 8, but all will need to score points if they are going to take the title. Expect a battle between Britt, Havelock, Smoky Mountain, Purnell Swett, and Mount Airy when all of the dust settles on Saturday evening.
100 lbs.
Favorite: Jeulenea Khang (SEWrestle)/Jeulenea Khang (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Anna Ockerman (Corinth Holders)
Jamie Hearl (Mt Airy)
Isabella Crandall (Middle Creek)
Lily Prendergast (South Brunswick)
Cherish Charley (Ragsdale) - although the toughest spot in the bracket for a Region runner-up
Darkhorse: Germani Brown - Grimsley
Bracketbuster: Azya Morrow (Hoke County)
Best 1st Round Match: Ealy vs. Church
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Jeulenea Khang (Freedom)
Summary: Khang enters the favorite and has already beaten two of the three other Region Champs this season in Anna Ockerman and Jamie Hearl at Holy Angels. She will likely need to do that again if she is going to take the top step. Ockerman is a tough sophomore and should be the favorite in the 2nd quarter of the bracket, but I don’t believe she has wrestled Ealy, Church, or Cunningham yet this year. Hearl beat Isabella Crandall at Holy Angels in late December and should be the favorite on the bottom side. Keep an eye on Lily Predergast who took 2nd to Ockerman last weekend as well as Gracie Short who took 2nd to Khang in the West. Azya Morris is our bracketbuster … she lost a close 7-6 semis to Crandall last weekend.
107 lbs.
Favorite: Reagan Riddick (SEWrestle)/Reagan Riddick (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Shayla Evans (North Mecklenburg)
Megan Rowland (Pinecrest)
Omarzria (Ria) Wright (West Caldwell)
Morgan Repasky (McDowell)
Jenevy Olalde (Mt Airy)
Darkhorse: Liliana Zapote (North Henderson)
Bracketbuster: Miranda Valerio (Maiden)
Best 1st Round Match: Olalde vs. Zapote
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Reagan Riddick (First Flight)
Summary: Reagan Riddick dominated the East Region with 3 falls - she enters with a 26-0 record on the season and looks to put an exclamation on her senior season. Keep an eye on Omarzia Wright up top … she came from an unseeded spot in the region bracket to beat Jaylynne Esquivel of Cherokee, Hailey Wheeler, and then downed top seed Morgan Repasky 6-4 in the West finals. Megan Rowland got the tough draw with Riddick on the same side, but she cannot look past the winner of Zapote vs. Olalde which should be a very good opening round match. Shayla Evans dominated on her way to the Midwest region title - 3 falls including on in the finals over Olalde. If a #2, #3, or #4 makes a run to the finals - it will likely happen on the top side.
114 lbs.
Favorite: Leah Edwards (SEWrestle)/Leah Edwards (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Addison Vindigni (Cleveland)
Sydney Mark (Ashley)
Teresa Canaday (Lumberton)
Hope Horan (Mt Airy)
Isabella Hernandez (Jack Britt)
Darkhorse: Diya Dhanajay (Mallard Creek)
Bracketbuster: Mariel Mayo-Perez (Parkwood)
Best 1st Round Match: Dhanajay vs. Scales
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Leah Edwards (East Rowan)
Summary: Edwards enters this weekend 35-2 on the season with losses to just Mateo Diaz Ruiz and Jose Pina Velasquez. She has wins over Hope Horan, Sydney Mark, and others this season and is certainly the favorite after beating Horan 10-2 in the Midwest Regional Final last weekend. Addison Vindigni of Cleveland shares the top side of the bracket with Edwards - neither can look ahead but that is the likely semi (although Vindigni has a good Mariel Mayo-Perez in the opening round). The bottom side should be a battle with Regions Champ Sydney Mark and Teresa Canaday as well as Hope Horan. Horan taken a few losses this season, but most of them happened at 120 and she has only recently made her way to 113/114.
120 lbs.
Favorite: Anabel Rodriguez (SEWrestle)/Ayonna McNeil (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Anabel Rodriguez (Dixon)
Ayonna McNeil (Westover)
Laura Ruiz Diaz (Providence)
Ariana Anderson (Burns)
Joce Carter (Hoke County)
Darkhorse: Olivia Ready (Havelock)
Bracketbuster: Mia Kiser (Laney)
Best 1st Round Match: Huntley vs. Ready
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Olivia Ready (Havelock)
Summary: Good weight with what appears to be no clear favorite. Ryan went with Ayonna McNeil after she claimed the Mideast Region title over Joce Carter last weekend. She was handling Carter 12-2 when she got the fall at the end of the match. We have watched Anabel Rodriguez compete this season and she ran through the East Region last weekend. Whoever emerges with the title will have to overcome some tough competition to take the title. Olivia Ready lost her semifinal last weekend to Sanchez 10-8 … Sanchez could be a tough matchup for McNeil in the quarters. Ariana Anderson wasn’t seeded in the top 4 at last weekend’s West region, but she won 5-4 before getting 3 falls - tough to look past someone on that kind of a hot streak.
126 lbs.
Favorite: Alfa G Dominguez-Gutierrez (SEWrestle)/Kamilah Brooks (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Alfa G Dominguez-Gutierrez (Cary)
Kamilah Brooks (Pasquotank County)
Abby Carpenter (Franklin)
Danielle Dennis (East Davidson)
Tori Bland (Millbrook)
Darkhorse: Kennedie Snow (Havelock)
Bracketbuster: Madeline Coplin (Dixon)
Best 1st Round Match: Weimer vs. Snow
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Abby Carpenter (Franklin)
Summary: Another weight where the favorite could be any number of different wrestlers … Alfa G Dominguez-Gutierrez enters 41-0, Abby Carpenter is 32-1 with a loss to Ansley Reed of Science Hill (TN) early in the season, and Kamilah Brooks is 23-10, but has faced some tough competition wrestling anywhere from 126-138 for her team. Danielle Dennis was unseeded coming into the Midwest region tournament and knocked off the 4 seed, the top seed Zoey Green in sudden victory and pinned the 2 seed Kahlen Kuddie. Weimer vs. Snow is certainly the best 1st round matchup with a ton of good quarterfinal matchups that could happen as well.
132 lbs.
Favorite: Hallie Misplay (SEWrestle)/Hallie Misplay (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Brianna DeLeon (Weddington)
Jasmin Valencia (Franklin)
Lauren Hall (Heide Trask)
Bliss Joyce (Trinity)
Yenny Vences (Montgomery Central)
Darkhorse: Bridgette Westbrook (Swansboro)
Bracketbuster: DeAnna Fox (Green Hope)
Best 1st Round Match: Vences vs. Bell
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Brenna DeLeon (Weddington)
Summary: Tough to pick between Misplay and Deleon as the favorite. Both CTT and SEWrestle picked Misplay as the favorite, but the argument could be made for Deleon after she dominated the Midwest Region and enters with a perfect 16-0 record with wins over Cheyene Bramhill, Trinity Davis, and Jasmin Valencia. Misplay’s losses have come on the guys side where she has lost to Tyler Buonocore, Andrew Metters, and others. Misplay and Deleon are on the opposite sides of the bracket - so look for that to be the potential final … although there are obstacles for each along the way. Valencia and Hall are the other two region champs - both pinned their ways to the region titles so they are certainly ones to watch.
138 lbs.
Favorite: Angelica Steffy (SEWrestle)/Angelica Steffy (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Tasia Neadeau (Swain County)
Gabby Akers (South Davidson)
Iyanna Crawford (Purnell Swett)
Joycelyn Mattingly (Pinecrest)
Sophia Sutton (Swansboro)
Darkhorse: Cheyene Bramhall (Parkwood)
Bracketbuster: Giovanna Disbennett (Dixon)
Best 1st Round Match: Mattingly vs. Bramhall
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Angelica Steffy (Croatan)
Summary: Steffy has had a great run this season and enters the weekend with just 2 losses (John Schulz and Mason Sheehan). She has beaten Mattingly, Akers, and others and is the favorite to climb to the top step this weekend … that said he quarter is tough with the winner of Mattingly vs. Bramhall waiting on her. And then, assuming a win by both region champs, a semi vs Neadeau. Akers and Crawford are the two region champs on the bottom side. Akers pinned her way to the Midwest title … all in the first period and Crawford pinned Mattingley for the Mideast title.
145 lbs.
Favorite: Caleigh Suddreth (SEWrestle)/Caleigh Suddreth (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Maggie Milbery (Swansboro)
Keira Rosenmarkle (Seaforth)
Kaya Brown (Brevard)
Sumaiya Aamoud (Jack Britt)
Caden Collett (Northwest Cabarrus)
Darkhorse: Dayna Bland (Wakefield)
Bracketbuster: Sydney Bell (Purnell Swett)
Best 1st Round Match: Collett vs. Farrell
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Caleigh Suddreth (Lake Norman)
Summary: Lake Norman’s Suddreth has been tough all season and enters this weekend 12-1 with her lone loss coming to Vicent Simone of Hickory Ridge. She has wins over Crawford, Collett, and others, but hasn’t faced Milbery, Rosenmarkle, or Brown yet this season (at least from what was on trackwrestling). Brown shares the top side with Suddreth and she pinned her way to the West title this past weekend. Rosenmarkle and Milbery both had to battle for their region crowns … which could mean that Suddreth’s and Brown’s quarters will be tough.
152 lbs.
Favorite: Neveah Banks (SEWrestle)/Sophia Ozanich (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Nevaeh Banks (Lake Norman)
Sophia Ozanich (Jack Britt)
Kenley Riley (West Carteret)
Paloma Ramirez (Pisgah)
Natalie Titus (Havelock)
Darkhorse: Victoria Darden (RJ Reynolds)
Bracketbuster: Ashlee Fuentes (Atkins)
Best 1st Round Match: Titus vs. Darden
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Sophia Ozanich (Jack Britt)
Summary: Differing opinions on who enters at the favorite at 152. Regardless the two sit on opposite sides of the bracket and could meet in the finals on Saturday if both can navigate their way through. But both could face another region champ in the semis … Banks sits on the same side as Kenley Riley and Ozanich sits on the same side as Paloma Ramirez. But for Ozanich she may need to avenge a loss to Natalie Titus in the quarters before looking to that potential semi. Titus beat Ozanich at WRAL previously so she will have work to do if the two cross paths in the quarters. That said … Banks isn’t a shoe-in either. She lost to Victoria Darden previously in early December so don’t be surprised if we see someone else on the top step.
165 lbs.
Favorite: Savannah Bramhall (SEWrestle)/Savannah Bramhall (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Franshesca Morales (North Henderson)
Faith Bane (New Bern)
JJais Romero (Westover)
Lylah Cogdill (Swain County)
Jadyn Magallanes (West Forsyth)
Darkhorse: Jordyn Cooper (RY Reynolds)
Bracketbuster: Reilynn Swift (Swansboro)
Best 1st Round Match: Rodriguez-Cuevas vs. Cooper
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Savannah Bramhall (Parkwood)
Summary: Bramhall is 29-0 and has won 3 “unofficial” state titles to this point in her career. She is the clear favorite to capture her 4th title and first “official” title on Saturday. Region Champs Faith Bane, Franshesca Morales, and JJais Romero are the other region champs and seem the likely candidates to try to derail the Bramhall train. Romano shares the bottom side with Bramhall and was the top seed in the Mideast last weekend. She didn’t get much work as she won with a 30 second fall before taking an injury default over Rodriguez-Cuevas in the finals. Bane and Morales are up top and don’t be surprised if both are pushed in the quarters, but Morales seems the likeliest to make her way to the finals.
185 lbs.
Favorite: Emma Warren (SEWrestle)/Emma Warren (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Elaina Pollock (Laney)
Jenna Catania (Mount Tabor)
Lianna David (EE Smith)
Kyndal Harris (Havelock)
Veronica Mathis (Smoky Mountain)
Darkhorse: Cynthia Smith (Hickory Ridge)
Bracketbuster: Ariana Flores (North Henderson)
Best 1st Round Match: Mathis vs. Smith
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Emma Warren (Enka)
Summary: Emma Warren enters as the favorite after cruising to the West title with a 9-1 decision of Flores and a fall of Mathis. Her only losses on the year have come to out of state competition in Georgia’s Jayde Massa and Tennessee’s Trinity Lynn. To be fair she hasn’t crossed paths with Elaina Pollock this season. Pollock is 24-2 and had two first period falls on her way to the East title last weekend. She also has a loss to Jayde Massa of Georgia … her other loss came to Cynthia Smith at the WRAL Invitational (Smith is a potential quarterfinal matchup with Pollock). The other two region champs are Jenna Catania and Lianna David. Catania came from an unseeded spot in the Midwest region to beat Cynthia Smith and David was the 3 seed in the Mideast before pinning top seed Saliyah Brooks. Watch the 3rd quarter of this bracket … it could be a wild one.
235 lbs.
Favorite: Nyema George (SEWrestle)/Nyema George (Carolina Takedown Talk’s Ryan Mitchell)
Contenders:
Wyntergale Oxendine (Lumberton)
Jillian Boothe (Mallard Creek)
Kimberly Talton (Madison)
Mackenzie Riley (West Rowan)
Sundiata Gaston (Dixon)
Darkhorse: Makayla Owens (Westover)
Bracketbuster: Abigail Sanchez (Thomasville)
Best 1st Round Match: Hoyle vs. Owens
Carolina Takedown Talk’s (Ryan Mitchell) Predicted Champ: Nyema George (Havelock)
Summary: George and Oxendine have traded wins this season and either could make a case as the favorite. George won the east with 2 1st period falls, Oxendine had two falls and then a 5-2 decision over Dream Walker to take the mideast title. The two sit on opposite sides of the bracket so a potential grudge match could come in the finals. Jillian Boothe and Kimberly Talton are the other region champs in the bracket. Boothe 3 falls and dominated on her way to the midwest title … she will be a tough out for George on the top side if the two meet in the semis. Talton also had 3 falls as she claimed the West title over Liliana Hoyle.