Turner, Fowler reach finals at USMC U17 Women’s National Championships

Action continued in Spokane, Washington as the U17 women’s freestyle tournament began  Friday morning at the 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Women’s National Championships. The tournament saw all matches completed through the semifinals, setting up the medal matches and finals for Saturday morning.

The medal matches and finals are slated to begin at 10 a.m. (PDT) on Saturday. Each final will be a best-of-three championship series.

It’s a round robin style bracket at 40 kg, with Francesca Gusfa of New Jersey and Lily Enos of Illinois facing off in the finals. Gufsa won her first three matches, two by technical fall and one by fall at 29 seconds. Enos won two of her matches, dropping her second match of the day to Gufsa.

At 43 kg, Hailey Delgado of Texas goes head-to-head with Lisa Pastoriza of Arizona. Delgado, a 2023 U15 Pan American Championships gold medalist, used two decisions to reach the final series. Pastoriza’s opening match was won by fall just two minutes into the match. Her semifinal match saw her earn the victory by 3-0 decision.

2023 U17 World Champion Morgan Turner of Illinois is no stranger to the finals. She will face 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania in the best-of three championship series at 46 kg. Turner has been dominant this tournament, with an opening round fall at 52 seconds, two technical falls and an 8-0 decision in the semifinals. Bouzakis represented the U.S. at 40 kg at last year’s World Championships. In the semifinals, she defeated 2023 Fargo champion Madison Nieuwenhuis of Michigan, 11-0. Both athletes are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes in the National Girls High School Rankings.

In the 49 kg championship finals, Epenesa Elison of California matches up against Julianna Ocampo of Indiana. Elison, last year’s Girls Triple Crown winner, won gold at the 2023 U15 Pan American Championships. Ocampo will be a tough opponent, as she was a 2021 U17 Pan American Championships gold medalist.

At 53 kg, it’s Isabella Marie Gonzales of California against Charlie Wylie of New Jersey in the finals. Gonzales, ranked No. 1 at 115 in the National Girls High School Rankings, is a three-time age-group Pan American Championships gold medalist. Wylie went 5-0 on the day, with wins that included four technical falls and a pin in the semifinals. She is a 2023 U17 Pan American Championships gold medalist.

Emma Bacon of Pennsylvania squares off against Everest Leydecker of Arizona in the best-of-three series at 57 kg. Bacon is a 2021 Pan American Championships gold medalist and went 5-0 with three falls on the first day of action. Leydecker, a 2023 U17 World Team member, recorded four technical falls and pinned her semifinal opponent to reach the championship series.

Taina Fernandez of Maryland sees Jordyn Fouse of Pennsylvania in the final series at 61 kg. Fernandez is a two-time U15 Pan American Championships gold medalist and used four technical falls and a fall to advance to the best-of-three series. She will face a strong opponent in Fouse who earned three technical fall wins, one decision and a pin in the semifinals through this tournament.

In the 65 kg final series, Bella Williams of Oklahoma meets Isis France of Arizona. Both athletes won their respective weight classes in Fargo in 2023, so this will be a series you won’t want to miss. Williams picked up two technical falls and two decisions en route to the finals. France advanced with two falls, a decision and a technical fall in the semifinals.

It’s sure to be an exciting matchup at 69 kg, as Kaili Manuel of Michigan will face Sarah Pulk of Minnesota. Manuel earned three wins by technical fall, going 4-0. Pulk pinned three of her five opponents during day one of the tournament.

Rounding out the best-of-three championship series in the U17 age division, Piper Fowler of Tennessee takes on Alexandria Alli of Ohio. Fowler, a 2023 U17 World Champion, has had a stellar tournament, with two falls in less than a minute. She grinded out a 13-7 decision in the semifinals to return back to the championship series. Alli recorded three 10-0 technical falls en route to the final series. Fowler is the No. 1 ranked wrestler at her weight class in the National Girls High School Rankings.

For full results and updated brackets, click here. The tournament will be broadcast live online at FloWrestling.com (subscription required). Brackets and live results will be hosted on Trackwrestling.com.

Finals Pairings

40 kg - Francesca Gusfa (NJ) vs. Lily Enos (IL)

43 kg - Hailey Delgado (TX) vs. Lisa Pastoriza (AZ)

46 kg - Morgan Turner (IL) vs. Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA)

49 kg - Epenesa Elison (CA) vs. Julianna Ocampo (IN)

53 kg - Isabella Marie Gonzales (CA) vs. Charlie Wylie (NJ)

57 kg - Emma Bacon (PA) vs. Everest Leydecker (AZ)

61 kg - Taina Fernandez (MD) vs. Jordyn Fouse (PA)

65 kg - Bella Williams (OK) vs. Isis France (AZ)

69 kg - Kaili Manuel (MI) vs. Sarah Pulk (MN)

73 kg - Piper Fowler (TN) vs. Alexandria Alli (OH)

Semifinal Results

40 kg

Francesca Gusfa (NJ) tech. fall Brynn Engel (WI) TF 10-0

Lily Enos (IL) dec. Abigail Mendoza (TX) Dec 10-3

43 kg

Hailey Delgado (TX) dec. Justice Gutierrez (CO) Dec 4-1

Lisa Pastoriza (AZ) dec. Lilly Breeden (MO) Dec 3-0

46 kg

Morgan Turner (IL) dec. Marie Sharp (NJ) Dec 8-0

Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA) tech. fall Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI) TF 11-0

49 kg

Epenesa Elison (CA) tech. fall Taylor Whiting (WI) TF 10-0

Julianna Ocampo (IN) pin Grace Romans (TX) Fall 0:52

53 kg

Isabella Marie Gonzales (CA) tech. fall Angela Bianchi (WI) TF 10-0

Charlie Wylie (NJ) pin Amelia Murphy (IN) Fall 2:50

57 kg

Emma Bacon (PA) pin Dealya Collins (WI) Fall 3:01

Everest Leydecker (AZ) pin Sierra Chiesa (PA) Fall 3:54

61 kg

Taina Fernandez (MD) tech. fall Zoe Griffith (NY) TF 12-2

Jordyn Fouse (PA) pin Madilyn Peach (WI) Fall 2:41

65 kg

Bella Williams (OK) dec. Violette Lasure (PA) Dec 7-2

Isis France (AZ) tech. fall Taylin Silco (TX) TF 11-0

69 kg

Kaili Manuel (MI) tech. fall Sarah Henckel (CT) TF 10-0

Sarah Pulk (MN) pin Skylar Slade (IA) Fall 2:57

73 kg

Piper Fowler (TN) dec. Clarissa Wangen (WA) Dec 13-7

Alexandria Alli (OH) tech. fall Matilda Hruby (CO) TF 10-0

Quarterfinal Results

40 kg

Round 2 - Brynn Engel (WI) dec. Abigail Mendoza (TX) Dec 10-6

Round 2 - Francesca Gusfa (NJ) pin Lily Enos (IL) Fall 0:29

43 kg

Hailey Delgado (TX) dec. Natalie Radecki (DE) Dec 7-0

Justice Gutierrez (CO) tech. fall Grace Loutzenhiser (AK) TF 11-0

Lisa Pastoriza (AZ) pin Ann Porter (CA) Fall 1:54

Lilly Breeden (MO) pin Alysa Patel (NJ) Fall 1:20

46 kg

Morgan Turner (IL) tech. fall Katelynn Dockery (TX) TF 10-0

Marie Sharp (NJ) pin Mara Vanderpool (NE) Fall 1:29

Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI) dec. Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith (AZ) Dec 8-6

Jaclyn Bouzakis (PA) tech. fall Lola Gonzales (CO) TF 11-0

49 kg

Epenesa Elison (CA) tech. fall Libby Roberts (WA) TF 10-0

Taylor Whiting (WI) dec. Kailey Salazar (CA) Dec 9-3

Grace Romans (TX) tech. fall Maya Alvarado (FL) TF 10-0

Julianna Ocampo (IN) tech. fall Sarissa Tucker (VA) TF 10-0

53 kg

Isabella Marie Gonzales (CA) pin Tai McBride (WY) Fall 2:24

Angela Bianchi (WI) dec. Reanah Utterback (IA) Dec 4-3

Charlie Wylie (NJ) tech. fall Mackenzie Carder (OH) TF 11-0

Amelia Murphy (IN) dec. Kayla Batres (CT) Dec 8-6

57 kg

Emma Bacon (PA) tech. fall Jax Realin (HI) TF 11-0

Dealya Collins (WI) pin Victoria Carbonaro (NJ) Fall 1:47

Everest Leydecker (AZ) tech. fall Lauren Zaragoza (CA) TF 10-0

Sierra Chiesa (PA) dec. Samantha Sachs (CA) Dec 6-5

61 kg

Taina Fernandez (MD) pin Calista Rodish (IA) Fall 1:13

Zoe Griffith (NY) dec. Margaret Buurma (MI) Dec 5-3

Madilyn Peach (WI) tech. fall Saoirse Cook (AK) TF 10-0

Jordyn Fouse (PA) dec. Timberly Martinez (CO) Dec 4-0

65 kg

Bella Williams (OK) dec. Aleksandra Bastaic (IN) Dec 7-0

Violette Lasure (PA) pin Lilliana Banks (WI) Fall 1:47

Taylin Silco (TX) dec. Morgan Lucio (AZ) Dec 10-4

Isis France (AZ) dec. Cassandra Gonzales (MN) Dec 5-4

69 kg

Sarah Henckel (CT) dec. Angelina Jiang (CA) Dec 6-0

Kaili Manuel (MI) tech. fall Cali Dupree (MO) TF 13-0

Sarah Pulk (MN) pin Jayci Shelton (MO) Fall 1:19

Skylar Slade (IA) tech. fall Rihanna Venegas (MI) TF 11-0

73 kg

Piper Fowler (TN) pin Piper Zatechka (NE) Fall 0:43

Clarissa Wangen (WA) dec. Brynn Shepardson (NY) Dec 8-6

Alexandria Alli (OH) won by injury default over Maddie Hayden (MI) Inj. 2:22

Matilda Hruby (CO) pin Billie Bonwell (NV) Fall 1:54

Schedule

Saturday, April 13

U23 Women and U17 Girls

Best 2 out of 3 Championship Finals and 3rd, 5th, 7th place matches

10:00am to 1:00pm.

14U Girls

Session 3 - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, and Consolation

10:00am to 1:00pm

U20 Women

Session 4 - Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Consolations

2:00pm to 8:00pm

14U Girls

Session 4 – Semifinals, Consolations & All Medals

2:00pm to 6:00pm

Sunday, April 14

U15 Women

Session 5 – Preliminaries, Consolations, All Medals, & Best 2 out of 3 Finals

10:00am to 4:00pm

U20 Women

Session 5 – Consolation, Consolation-Semi, Best 2 out of 3 Finals and Placements

10:00am to 1:00pm

8U, 10U, 12U Girls

Session 5 – Preliminaries, Consolations & All Medals

10:00am to 3:00pm