Tennessee’s Janiya Johnson after winning in the finals at Air Force Special Warfare 16U and Junior Folkstyle Nationals.
DES MOINES, Iowa – The medal rounds wrapped up in the 16U Girls division on Sunday morning at the 2025 Air Force Special Warfare 16U and Junior Folkstyle Nationals. Tennessee’s Janiya Johnson upended returning champion Kaili Manuel and California’s Aubree Gutierrez was named Outstanding Wrestler to highlight the action.
The 155-pound final between Johnson and Manuel came down to the final moments. Johnson secured two third period takedowns to ice a 6-2 win over the 2024 USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner and Junior division champion. The win by Johnson guaranteed no repeat champions in the 16U division.
Johnson was a 16U Freestyle Nationals champion in Fargo, N.D., last summer, and finished in third place at this event last year. She was also a runner-up at the 2024 U15 Women’s Nationals.
Gutierrez dominated the 115-pound bracket with three pins in preliminary round matches, plus a 14-3 major decision victory over Ella Henning of Minnesota in the championship bout. Gutierrez was runner-up at this event last year and a 2024 16U Freestyle Nationals All-American.
Earning pins in the finals were Mikayla Perkins of Indiana at 120 pounds, Ariella Dobin of Illinois at 125 pounds and Isabella Miller of Iowa at 135 pounds. The trio bonused through the tournament, collecting a combined nine pins and two technical falls between themselves.
The finals session at MidAmerican Energy Complex RecPlex opened with a thriller. Indiana’s Kaitlynn Fouty notched a takedown at the buzzer to overtake fellow Hoosier Ella Neibert, 6-5, at 100 pounds.
Also taking top prize on Sunday in the 16U Girls division were Kirra Mitchell of Georgia at 105 pounds, Lyric Hetzer of Ohio at 110 pounds, Zoe Delgado of Florida at 130 pounds, Scarlett Yeager of Kansas at 140 pounds, Eve Skrocki of Iowa at 145 pounds and Sarah Pulk of Minnesota at 170 pounds.
Piper Phillips of Iowa and Lyla Hensen of Michigan were crowned tournament champions after going undefeated in round-robin brackets on Saturday. Phillips posted a 2-0 record at 95 pounds with a 1:16 pin and 9-0 major decision to her credit. Hensen went 3-0 in the combined 190-207-pound bracket that featured four athletes. She earned a pin, technical fall and major decision on the way to gold.
Medal match scores and round robin bracket results in the 16U Girls division can be found below. Brackets and updated match-by-match results are available through USA Bracketing.
All matches from Des Moines are available to watch on-demand on FloWrestling.com. FloWrestling offers a monthly subscription priced at $29.99 or an annual subscription for $150 to access its platform.
2025 USA Wrestling Air Force Special Warfare 16U and Junior Folkstyle Nationals #
March 14-16, MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex, West Des Moines, Iowa #
16U Girls Results #
Final Results #
100 pounds #
1st – Kaitlynn Fouty (IN) dec. Ella Neibert (IN), 6-5
3rd – Esperanza Gallegos (NM) fall Cassidy O'Connell (WI), 2:43
5th – Maritza Medina (ID) maj. dec. Piper Eller (UT), 13-0
7th – Kielly Kasal (IA) fall Ella Giallombardo (MI), :42
105 pounds #
1st – Kirra Mitchell (GA) maj. dec. Alicia Kenfack (ND), 13-3
3rd – Alexa Thomas (WI) dec. Cora Stewart (WI), 5-3 TB
5th – Peggy Susan Dean (CO) maj. dec. Taylor Drake (ID), 13-2
7th – Kynlie Keffer (IN) fall Grace Pinkelton (IN), 2:11
110 pounds #
1st – Lyric Hetzer (OH) tech. fall Khole Perez (IL), 27-8
3rd – Abbie Slothower (KS) fall Miley Locke (KS), 2:03
5th – Izabel Baku-Elder (ND) fall Xavery Zollinger (ID), 2:49
7th – Amy Twait (ID) fall Ella Als (IA), 4:25
115 pounds #
1st – Aubree Gutierrez (CA) maj. dec. Ella Henning (MN), 14-3
3rd – Cadence Christensen (IA) maj. dec. Mia Anderson (NE), 13-1
5th – Kaison Miller (KS) fall Allison McDaniel (CO), 4:49
7th – Morgan Johnson (WI) tech. fall Jaylyn Lazzerini (OK), 15-0
120 pounds #
1st – Mikayla Perkins (IN) fall Anna Buurma (MI), 4:23
3rd – Kate Krause (IA) dec. Alexandra Thovson (MN), 6-3
5th – Patricia Bray (CA) dec. Addison McGinness (IA), 6-2
7th – Carleigh Arjes (IA) maj. dec. Katy Simpson (WI), 11-1
125 pounds #
1st – Ariella Dobin (IL) fall Kenadee McDowell (MO), 5:17
3rd – Lilli Cooper (IA) maj. dec. Trista Gessler (MN), 17-4
5th – Kylee Hodges (KS) maj. dec. Ramsey Brandenburg (WI), 9-0
7th – Kahlyn Fouty (IN) dec. Temperance Lowe (MO), 8-4
130 pounds #
1st – Zoe Delgado (FL) dec. Kit Alsaker (WI), 11-8
3rd – Anastasia Rodnikova (IL) fall June Wagner-Gilbert (IN), 2:31
5th – BethAnn Templeman (IA) fall Kylie Schwartz (MT), 3:16
7th – Sheyla Hawley (UT) dec. Jocelynn Richardson (IA), 12-9
135 pounds #
1st – Isabella Miller (IA) fall Chloe Wehry (MN), 3:18
3rd – Ginger Majurin (MI) fall Maggie Thielges (ND), 3:52
5th – Makayla Dixon (NE) dec. Rylie Ingrassia (MO), 5-4 TB
7th – Haylynn Littleton (OH) fall Ashlyn Martin Gomez (ID), 0:25
140 pounds #
1st – Scarlett Yeager (KS) dec. Damiyah Williams (IA), 12-8
3rd – Rylee Dearwester (OH) fall Halle Pfannenstiel (KS), 1:49
5th – Ava Perkins (IA) dec. Naomi Miller (ND), 6-5
7th – Addison Clixby (MT) fall London McEntire (UT), 2:08
145 pounds #
1st – Eve Skrocki (IA) maj. dec. Layla Risler (WI), 13-1
3rd – Anastasia Simon (IA) fall Athena Anderson (MO), 2:25
5th – Jammie Krah (IA) fall Kailee Walker (UT), 2:51
7th – Marta Gutiérrez (IN) received a bye
155 pounds #
1st – Janiya Johnson (TN) dec. Kaili Manuel (MI), 6-2
3rd – Allison Garbacz (IL) fall Aubrey Maupin (OR), 4:06
5th – Siobhan Flanner (KS) fall Amelia Soltis (WI), 0:51
7th – Brooke Werth (MT) fall Devon Banks (KY), 1:39
170 pounds #
1st – Sarah Pulk (MN) dec. Leolyn Karnowski (KS), 7-4
3rd – Alexis Penley (IL) fall Tynsley Leonard (KS), 1:48
5th – Molly Olague (ID) maj. dec. Faith Stevenson (AZ), 9-0
7th – Bryn Schmidt (WI) dec. Evie Stine (WI), 5-0
Round Robin Bracket Results #
95 pounds (3-person bracket) #
1st – Piper Phillips (IA), 2-0
2nd – Isabella Maes (NM), 1-1
3rd – Ariel Humphreys (MO), 0-2
R1 – Isabella Maes (NM) maj. dec. Ariel Humphreys, 19-8
R2 – Piper Phillips (IA) fall Isabella Maes (NM), 1:16
R3 – Piper Phillips (IA) maj. dec. Ariel Humphreys (MO), 9-0
190-207 pounds (4-person bracket) #
1st – Lyla Hensen (MI), 3-0
2nd – Harper McClain (NM), 2-1
3rd – Britney Pineda Herrera (NE), 1-2
4th – Kylie ONeil (UT), 0-3
R1 – Harper McClain (NM) fall Kylie ONeil (UT), 3:38
R1 – Lyla Hensen (MI) tech. fall Britney Pineda Herrera (NE), 17-1
R2 – Harper McClain (NM) maj. dec. Britney Pineda Herrera (NE), 17-6
R2 – Lyla Hensen (MI) fall Kylie ONeil (UT), 1:32
R3 – Lyla Hensen (MI) fall Harper McClain (NM), 1:21
R3 – Britney Pineda Herrera (NE) fall Kylie ONeil (UT), 0:46
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