World champions Fernandez, Turner highlight U17 finalists at USMC Women’s Nationals
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Two-time U17 World medalist Morgan Turner in action on Friday at the 2025 USMC Women’s Nationals.
SPOKANE, Wash. – The best-of-three championship series are set in the U17 Women’s division after a fiery day of wrestling at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Women’s National Championships.
A pair of past U17 World champions—Morgan Turner of Illinois and Taina Fernandez of Maryland—navigated to the championship series once again and are in position to earn a repeat bid to the U17 World Championships, which are set for Athens, Greece, this summer.
Turner posted a 5-0 record to make the 49 kg finals with two technical falls and two pins to her credit. She was pushed to a 9-5 decision in the semifinals by Julia Horger of Pennsylvania. California’s Christin Estrada, who was equally as dominant on Friday with five bonus-point wins, stands opposite Turner in the finals.
Fernandez started her day at 61 kg with four-straight 10-0 technical falls and iced her spot in the championship series with a 2:29 pin on Diana Barone of California. The opposite side of the bracket saw Texan Landri VonGonten secure three pins and a 10-0 technical fall on her path to the finals.
The feature championship series comes at 46 kg with returning tournament champion Hailey Delgado of Texas facing 2023 U17 World bronze medalist Jaclyn Bouzakis of Pennsylvania. Both women teched their way to the semifinals before earning six-point decisions—Delgado 6-0 over 2023 Fargo champion Madison Nieuwenhuis of Michigan, and Bouzakis 10-4 against Ryleigh Sturgill of Tennessee.
California’s Epenesa Elison, a who doubled up as U15 and U17 champion in 2024, was a standout on Friday with four 10-0 technical falls plus a 12-4 semifinal win over Michigan’s Fargo finalist Cheyenne Frank. Elison is up against fellow Californian Stevie Joyce Martin in the 53 kg finals.
Also in the running for first place are Fargo champions Emma Bacon of Pennsylvania at 57 kg, Violette Lasure of Pennsylvania at 65 kg and Janiya Johnson of Tennessee at 69 kg. Johnson picked up a notable win over last year’s champion Kaili Manuel of Michigan in the semis.
The U17 Women’s finals and medal matches are set for 10 a.m. (PT) on Saturday at The Podium. The U17 Women’s finals will be held alongside the U23 Women’s finals.
The USMC Women’s Nationals is streaming live on FloWrestling. Brackets will be available through USA Bracketing, USA Wrestling’s new best-in-class event management software.
2025 U.S. Marine Corps Women’s National Championships
April 4-6, The Podium, Spokane, Wash.
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U17 Women Results
Best-of-Three Championship Series Matchups
40 kg – Maisie Elliott, WA vs. Brooklyn Henry, PA
43 kg – Madison Healey, PA vs. Natalie Radecki, DE
46 kg – Jaclyn Bouzakis, PA vs. Hailey Delgado, TX
49 kg – Morgan Turner, IL vs. Christina Estrada, CA
53 kg – Epenesa Elison, CA vs. Stevie Joyce Martin, CA
57 kg – Emma Bacon, PA vs. Zorina Johnson, OR
61 kg – Taina Fernandez, MD vs. Landri VonGonten, TX
65 kg – Violette Lasure, PA vs. Riley Hanrahan, WI
69 kg – Janiya Johnson, TN vs. Cassandra Gonzales, MN
73 kg – Matilda Hruby, CO vs. Ella Poalillo, NJ
Semifinal Results
40 kg
Maisie Elliott, WA tech. fall Katelyn Rowles, IN, 10-0
Brooklyn Henry, PA fall Hayden Kumfer, AK, 2:54
43 kg
Madison Healey, PA dec. Justice Gutierrez, CO, 5-4
Natalie Radecki, DE dec. Timmery Condit, CO, 9-4
46 kg
Jaclyn Bouzakis, PA dec. Ryleigh Sturgill, TN, 10-4
Hailey Delgado, TX dec. Madison Nieuwenhuis, MI, 4-1
49 kg
Morgan Turner, IL dec. Julia Horger, PA, 9-5
Christina Estrada, CA tech. fall Sophia Marie Gonzales, CA, 10-0
53 kg
Epenesa Elison, CA dec. Cheyenne Frank, MI, 12-4
Stevie Joyce Martin, CA fall Marlee Solomon, PA, 1:55
57 kg
Emma Bacon, PA fall Olivia Bezdicek, ID, 3:53
Zorina Johnson, OR dec. Madilyn Peach, WI, 12-6
61 kg
Taina Fernandez, MD fall Diana Barone, CA, 2:29
Landri VonGonten, TX fall Isabella Miller, IA, 0:18
65 kg
Violette Lasure, PA tech. fall Makaylee Cannon, OK, 10-0
Riley Hanrahan, WI fall Caroline Hilton, TN, 1:33
69 kg
Janiya Johnson, TN dec. Kaili Manuel, MI, 4-1
Cassandra Gonzales, MN dec. Julia Araujo, ND, 6-2
73 kg
Matilda Hruby, CO dec. Juliet Alt, PA, 10-1
Ella Poalillo, NJ tech. fall Sarah Pulk, MN, 13-3
Quarterfinal Results
40 kg
Maisie Elliott, WA tech. fall Mia Pardo, NC, 10-0
Katelyn Rowles, IN fall Shaley Lau, HI, 2:24
Hayden Kumfer, AK fall Mi-Na Maya, WA, 0:23
43 kg
Justice Gutierrez, CO tech. fall Olivia Maya Felix, CA, 10-0
Madison Healey, PA dec. Serah Yogi, HI, 21-13
Natalie Radecki, DE dec. Easton Dadiomoff, TN, 7-2
Timmery Condit, CO fall Lindsey Lau, HI, 1:06
46 kg
Jaclyn Bouzakis, PA tech. fall Lola Gonzales, CO, 10-0
Ryleigh Sturgill, TN tech. fall Peggy Susan Dean, CO, 10-0
Madison Nieuwenhuis, MI dec. Riley Karwowski, PA, 5-0
Hailey Delgado, TX tech. fall Alexandria Marin, CA, 11-1
49 kg
Morgan Turner, IL fall Ava Fodera, CA, 1:31
Julia Horger, PA tech. fall Aubree Gutierrez, CA, 10-0
Christina Estrada, CA fall Daylee Watson, PA, 1:55
Sophia Marie Gonzales, CA dec. Charlie Wylie, NJ, 6-3
53 kg
Epenesa Elison, CA tech. fall Valarie McAnelly, AK, 10-0
Cheyenne Frank, MI dec. Kinzie Williams, ID, 8-6
Marlee Solomon, PA dec. Isabel Kaplan, IN, 5-0
Stevie Joyce Martin, CA dec. Maggie Cornish, CA, 6-2
57 kg
Emma Bacon, PA tech. fall Sobina Clendaniel, AK, 10-0
Olivia Bezdicek, ID dec. Marie Sharp, NJ, 6-3
Madilyn Peach, WI dec. Neve O'Byrne, PA, 11-8
Zorina Johnson, OR dec. Victoria Carbonaro, NJ, 9-4
61 kg
Taina Fernandez, MD tech. fall Saige McCleery, WA, 10-0
Diana Barone, CA dec. Corynne McNulty, MA, 3-1
Isabella Miller, IA dec. Nia Hagler, UT, 6-4
Landri VonGonten, TX fall Kailin Sebert, TX, 4:00
65 kg
Violette Lasure, PA dec. Maddie Marsh, IN, 3-1
Makaylee Cannon, OK fall Eve Skrocki, IA, 3:19
Caroline Hilton, TN dec. Greta Garbuzovas, GA, 4-2
Riley Hanrahan, WI dec. Alexis Lazar, MI, 8-2
69 kg
Kaili Manuel, MI tech. fall Eva Garcia, CA, 10-0
Janiya Johnson, TN dec. Harlow Skenandore, WI, 6-0
Julia Araujo, ND dec. Victoria Alvarado, NY, 4-2
Cassandra Gonzales, MN dec. Eloise Woolsey, NM, 8-2
73 kg
Matilda Hruby, CO dec. Tynsley Leonard, KS, 5-2
Juliet Alt, PA tech. fall Sawyer Ward, TN, 11-1
Ella Poalillo, NJ fall Leilani Lemus, CA, 3:12
Sarah Pulk, MN tech. fall Elizabeth Yelle, TX, 13-0
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