Official Release and photo courtesy of Taylor Miller/USA Wrestling.
The USA has its Cadet World Team in women’s freestyle as 10 young ladies emerged victorious on Saturday night at the 2021 Women’s Nationals in Irving, Texas.
Two athletes, Korina Blades and Amit Elor, made their second teams of the weekend today after securing spots on the 2021 Junior World Team yesterday.
Blades, a 2019 U15 World champion, competed at 61 kg scorched the field, winning all but one of her matches by either technical fall or pin. In the finals, Blades racked up a 12-0 win and a 14-4 tech fall over Marissa Jimenez of Idaho.
Wrestling at 69 kg, 2019 Cadet World bronze medalist Amit Elor didn’t surrender a single point the entire day with only one match making it out of the first period. In the finals, she spent a total of 45 seconds on the mat, pinning Maggie Graham in 21 seconds and 24 seconds, respectively.
Advancing to her second finals series in two days, 2018 U15 Pan Am champion Lillian Freitas topped the podium in the Cadet division after a runner-up finish in the Junior division on Friday. Competing at 73 kg, Freitas shut out Rose Cassioppi of Illinois in the finals, 8-0 and 7-0, respectively. This summer will mark her second trip to the Cadet Worlds as she was also on the 2019 Cadet Team.
The USA 49 kg representative is Audrey Jimenez, who was impressive on Saturday, defeating USA Wrestling Highschool Showcase winner Nyla Valencia early in the tournament, before sailing to the finals, where she took down 2019 U15 Pan Am bronze medalist Faith Cole in two-straight matches. Because of her performance, Jimenez was named the Outstanding Wrestler.
At the lightest weight, 40 kg, Erica Pastoriza of Arizona bested 2019 U15 World silver medalist Gigi Bragg in the best-of-three series with two decisions. In the first bout, Pastoriza edged Bragg out, 2-1, before widening the gap 9-2 in the second round.
Angie Dill, who competed at 43 kg, won her finals series with two pins, defeating Emilie Gonzalez of California in 1:02 and 1:58, respectively.
Taking the crown at 53 kg was 2019 U15 Pan Am champion Katie Gomez, who won six of her seven bouts by technical fall. In the finals, she blanked Jaclyn Dehney from New Hampshire, 10-0 and 10-0.
Savannah Cosme, a 2019 U15 Pan Am silver medalist, won the spot at 57 kg, with two-straight wins against Alexis Janiak. Cosme won the first match by pin 3:36 and the second with an 8-2 decision.
To win the 65 kg spot, Grace Stem grinded out two matches over Maddie Kubicki from Missouri with 6-2 and 4-3 decisions.
Only one finals series went to three matches, 46 kg, where Ava Ward won her first bout over 2019 U15 Pan American champion Rianne Murphy, 8-0, before Murphy grabbed a second-round win with a 40-second pin. In the third bout, Ward secured the World Team spot with a 6-2 win.
Competition continues tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. CT with U23, U15, 12U and 8U action. Watch it all live on FloWrestling.org.
Finals matchups
40 kg: Erica Pastoriza (AZ) df. Gigi Bragg (MN), two matches to none
Round 1 – Pastoriza df. Bragg, 2-1
Round 2 – Pastoriza df. Bragg, 9-2
43 kg: Angie Dill (NY) vs. Emilie Gonzalez (CA), two matches to none
Round 1 – Dill df. Gonzalez, fall 1:02
Round 2 – Dill df. Gonzalez, fall 1:58
46 kg: Ava Ward (MO) df. Rianne Murphy (IN), two matches to one
Round 1 – Ward df. Murphy, 8-0
Round 2 – Murphy df. Ward, fall 0:40
Round 3 – Ward df. Murphy, 6-2
49 kg: Audrey Jimenez (AZ) df. Faith Cole (MO), two matches to none
Round 1 – Jimenez df. Cole, 5-0
Round 2 – Jimenez df. Cole, win by injury default
53 kg: Katie Gomez (CA) df. Jaclyn Dehney (NH), two matches to none
Round 1 – Gomez df. Dehney, 10-0
Round 2 – Gomez df. Dehney, 10-0
57 kg: Savannah Cosme (CO) df. Alexis Janiak (IL), two matches to none
Round 1 – Cosme df. Janiak, fall 3:36
Round 2 – Cosme df. Janiak, 8-2
61 kg: Korina Blades (IL) df. Marissa Jimenez (ID), two matches to none
Round 1 – Blades df. Jimenez, 12-0
Round 2 – Blades df. Jimenez, 14-4
65 kg: Grace Stem (PA) df. Maddie Kubicki (MO), two matches to none
Round 1 – Stem df. Kubicki, 6-2
Round 2 – Stem df. Kubicki, 4-3
69 kg: Amit Elor (CA) df. Maggie Graham (TN), two matches to none
Round 1 – Elor df. Graham, fall 0:21
Round 2 – Elor df. Graham, fall 0:24
73 kg: Lillian Freitas (CA) df. Rose Cassioppi (IL), two matches to none
Round 1 – Freitas df. Cassioppi, 8-0
Round 2 – Freitas df. Cassioppi, 7-0
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