Team California wins Junior Nationals Women’s Freestyle team title; Robinson wins second Outstanding Wrestler honor; Mortimer impresses in top-ranked finals bout

Photo of Sage Mortimer (UT) by Austin Bernard

Fargo, N.D. — Texas’ Jasmine Robinson (152) won her second Outstanding Wrestler honor of the weekend to highlight the women’s freestyle finals of the 2021 Junior Nationals. Robinson, the only 15-year-old in the finals field, also won the 16U Nationals division earlier in the week. Team California ran away with the team title, having seven wrestlers in Wednesday’s finals session.

Utah’s top-ranked Sage Mortimer (at 117) also helped headline the finals action, defeating Texas’ #1 Samara Chavez in a clash of top-ranked wrestlers.

Mortimer, a 2019 Cadet World Team member who competed at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, used a highlight-reel four-point throw at the end of the second period to mark a dramatic finals bout. With about 45 seconds left in the match, Chavez, who took second at the 2021 UWW Junior Nationals, was able to put Mortimer on her back but could not lock up the pin. Mortimer held on, locking up the 12-7 win. Both wrestlers are set to attend King University.

Wednesday’s win gives Mortimer her third stop sign at this event. She previously won two titles in the 16U division.

Robinson, who used a key five-point throw to post a tech fall win over #5 Rose Cassioppi (Illinois), was not the only wrestler who won her second title of the week. At 122 pounds, #2 Shelby Moore of Washington knocked off California’s #5 Jennifer Soto in a hard-fought final to double up on the weekend. Moore, who took third at the 2021 UWW Cadet Nationals, also won the 2021 Girls Junior National Folkstyle Championships.

Another significant performance in the session came in the 132-pound final, as #1 London Houston (Washington) turned heads with a 12-1 win over Wisconsin’s #3 Hanna Errthum. Houston’s first-period tech fall was highlighted by two impressive four-point moves. Houston, a two-time Washington girls state champion and second-place finisher at the 2021 UWW Junior Nationals, will attend King University.

At 100 pounds, twin sisters #3 Brianna Gonzalez and #11 Emilie Gonzalez, rising seniors at Arroyo High School, both won their semifinal bouts to make the finals of the tournament. The two did not wrestle in the finals, as USA Wrestling rules allow them to be named co-champions in the event due to their relationship as sisters.

In an all-California bout at 106 pounds, Central High School’s #4 Paige Morales took home the Fargo title over #11 Kiely Tabaldo. Starting the scoring was Tabaldo, but Morales, a third-place finisher at the 2021 UWW Cadet Nationals and 2019 U15 Nationals champion, won several scramble positions through the match and came out on top, 8-4.

Minnesota’s #5 (at 122) Ngao Shoua Whitehorn won the 117-pound finals bout over #3 Jaclyn Dehney in style, opening up an early first period lead before securing a win via fall 28 seconds into the second period. Whitehorn is a two-time Minnesota girls state champion who finished fourth at the 2021 UWW Junior Nationals.

Illinois’ #3 Alexis Janiak was dominant in the 127-pound finals against New York’s #6 Sofia Macaluso, earning an impressive Fargo finals win. Janiak, a 2021 National High School Showcase champion and second-place finisher at the 2021 UWW Cadet Nationals, scored quickly and used a leg lace to roll to the title. She was the runner-up at the 2019 16U Nationals.

Another win via fall came in the 138-pound finals, as California's #6 Savannah Gomez pinned #11 Sara Sulejmani of Illinois in the finals. Gomez carried a 6-2 lead into the break, scoring again early in the second to put Sulejmani to her back. Gomez, a 2021 National High School Showcase champion, took third at the 2021 UWW Cadet Nationals.

#4 Destiny Rodriguez of Oregon used a key four-point double-leg takedown to open the second period to pick up a 13-3 win over #7 Reese Larramendy (Nevada) in the 144-pound finals. Rodriguez, a 2019 16U Nationals champion, trailed early in the match after Larramendy scored first, but asserted dominance the rest of the way to pick up the Fargo title.

At 180, #2 Brittyn Corbishley of Texas cruised to a Fargo title, knocking off #10 (at 164) Taryn Martin of Ohio. Corbishley, a two-time Texas 6A girls state champion who took third at the 2021 UWW Junior Nationals, began the match with an attention-grabbing four-point throw and didn't let up, using a couple of tilts to roll to an 11-0 win.

In a talent-filled final at 200 pounds, #4 Sam Calkins of California, a 2021 Junior Folkstyle Nationals champion, won a 2-2 match on criteria against #3 Riley Dempewolf of Indiana to add a Fargo title to her resume. Calkins, who will be a senior at Liberty High School, fought off a late push from Dempewolf to hold onto the victory. Dempewolf is a three-time Indiana girls state champion.

The finals session ended in style, as Michigan’s #1 Eliana Bommarito pinned #12 Lexie Cole of Missouri to secure the title. Bommarito, a 2021 National High School Showcase champion and three-time Michigan girls state champion, had Cole on her back twice in the match and finished up the win with 26 seconds left in the first period.

Over the course of the session, seven FloWrestling Golden Tickets were given to wrestlers, marking their invitation to FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 event this fall. Those who received invitations are: Brianna Gonzalez (100), Paige Morales (106), Shelby Moore (122), Alexis Janiak (127), Savannah Gomez (138), Destiny Rodriguez (144) and Jasmine Robinson (152).

There were 673 total entries into the 2021 Junior Nationals women’s freestyle division, a record for the event.

Wrestling picks right back up tonight as the 16U Greco-Roman begins at 5 p.m. CT. Follow on FloWrestling.com

2021 Junior Women’s Final Results

 

100 pounds

1st - Brianna Gonzalez (California) NC Emilie Gonzalez (California)

3rd - Alexandra Szkotnicki (Maryland) fall Erin Hikiji (Hawaii), 10-6 2:28

5th - Madison Avila (California) dec. Kealonie Vega (Florida), 2-1

7th - Clare Booe (Florida) dec. Kaycie Tanimoto (Texas), 7-1

 

106 pounds

1st - Paige Morales (California) dec. Kiely Tabaldo (California), 8-4

3rd - Faith Cole (Missouri) tech-fall Julianne Moccia (Maryland), 10-0 1:38

5th - Rianne Murphy (Indiana) tech-fall Greta Gustafson (California), 10-0 2:35

7th - Karlee Brooks (Arizona) fall Marisol Rodriguez (California), 7-0 3:49

 

112 pounds

1st - Sage Mortimer (Utah) dec. Samara Chavez (Texas), 12-7

3rd - Jenavi Alejandro (Nevada) dec. Avery Ashley (Texas), 14-5

5th - Ava Bayless (Pennsylvania) forfeit Nyla Valencia (California), 0-0

7th - Kendra Ryan (Michigan) fall Hannah Hall (Florida), 4-0 1:19

 

117 pounds

1st - Ngao Shoua Whitethorn (Minnesota) fall Jaclyn Dehney (Massachusetts), 10-2 3:34

3rd - Salyna Shotwell (Washington) fall Taylin Long (Illinois), 8-6 4:49

5th - Ella Schmit (Iowa) fall Torieonna Buchanan (Indiana), 10-2 4:09

7th - Juliana Diaz (Florida) dec. Allison Hynes (Oklahoma), 8-4

 

122 pounds

1st - Shelby Moore (Washington) VPO1 Jennifer Soto (California), 5-1

3rd - Montana Delawder (Pennsylvania) VSU Sara Sterner (California), 10-0 1:06

5th - Amani Jones (Georgia) VPO1 Adrienna Turner (California), 4-1

7th - Ally Fitzgerald (New York) VPO1 Anya Knappenberger (Maryland), 10-1

 

127 pounds

1st - Alexis Janiak (Illinois) VSU Sofia Macaluso (New York), 10-0 1:22

3rd - Janida Garcia (California) VSU Skylar Little soldier (Minnesota), 10-0 3:25

5th - Kylie Rule (Wisconsin) VPO1 Alyssa Randles (Idaho), 10-4

7th - Sarah Savidge (Colorado) VSU Larissa Kaz (Wisconsin), 11-0 0:46

 

132 pounds

1st - London Houston (Washington) tech-fall Hanna Errthum (Wisconsin), 12-1 0:56

3rd - Esther Han (Utah) dec. Aubrey Yauger (Texas), 6-2

5th - Cassia Zammit (Ohio) dec. Taylor Fierbach-Graveman (South Dakota), 23-18

7th - Marissa Jimenez (Idaho) fall Abigail Varady (Washington), 8-0 5:04

 

138 pounds

1st - Savannah Gomez (California) fall Sara Sulejmani (Illinois), 8-2 3:32

3rd - Nina Makem (Minnesota) fall Caitlyn Davis (South Carolina), 5-4 4:18

5th - Madison Sandquist (Texas) tech-fall Mariah Wahl (Montana), 10-0 1:04

7th - Paige Wehrmeister (Missouri) dec. Alondra Morales (Washington), 8-6

 

144 pounds

1st - Destiny Rodriguez (Oregon) tech-fall Reese Larramendy (Nevada), 13-3 5:05

3rd - Katerina Lange (Minnesota) fall Kendall Bostelman (Ohio), 8-2 2:16

5th - Faith Bartoszek (Wisconsin) dec. Schyler Caringi (New York), 4-2

7th - Maddie Kubicki (Missouri) fall Nebi Tsarni (Maryland), 4-0 0:53

 

152 pounds

1st - Jasmine Robinson (Texas) tech-fall Rose Cassioppi (Illinois), 11-0 1:11

3rd - Amarisa Manuel (Michigan) fall Ella Nichols (Connecticut), 10-0 2:52

5th - Stella Steigler (Virginia) tech-fall Emily Brown (New York), 14-3 5:55

7th - Alexandra Hofrichter (Wisconsin) fall Aspen Barber (Colorado), 12-4 3:28

 

164 pounds

1st - Kylie Welker (Wisconsin) tech-fall Ashley Reed (Connecticut), 13-0 1:24

3rd - Jessi Johnson (New Jersey) fall Shannon Workinger (Washington), 10-9 5:13

5th - Alex Brulotte (Washington) tech-fall Olivia Stean (Kansas), 10-0 1:17

7th - Alexandria Hernandez (Washington) dec. Jessica Kemgne (New York), 10-7

 

180 pounds

1st - Brittyn Corbishley (Texas) tech-fall Taryn Martin (Ohio), 11-0 2:18

3rd - Sabrina Nauss (Michigan) dec. Alivia White (Washington), 11-9

5th - Jaycee Foeller (Missouri) tech-fall Sierra Chavez (Florida), 11-0 1:13

7th - Tristian Martinez (New Mexico) fall Dasia Yearby (South Carolina), 3-0 1:35

 

200 pounds

1st - Sam Calkins (California) dec. Riley Dempewolf (Indiana), 2-2

3rd - Catherine Dutton (Missouri) fall Lexi Shannon (Texas), 3-2 2:24

5th - Mariyah Brumley (Missouri) fall Madisen Pillers (Washington), 6-2 0:45

7th - Trinity Monaghan (Pennsylvania) fall Journey Land (Arkansas), 8-0 1:37

 

225 LBS

1st - Eliana Bommarito (Michigan) fall Lexie Cole (Missouri), 9-0 2:34

3rd - Hannah Francis (Texas) dec. Omastewin Foster (Montana), 6-1

5th - Madeleine Wadesisi (Ohio) fall Karla Padilla zepeda (Utah), 4-0 0:24

7th - Stefania Jaramillo (Colorado) dec. Andrea Smith (Florida), 6-4

 

Outstanding Wrestler

152-pound champion Jasmine Robinson (TX)

 

Most Falls

152 - Amarisa Manuel (MI) – 7 pins in 12:57, fastest in 0:45

 

Team Standings

1 - California 214

2 - Texas - 132

3 - Washington 114

4 - Missouri 78

5 - Illinois 77

6 - Wisconsin 70

7 - Minnesota 67

8 - Michigan 60

9 - Ohio 50

10 - Utah 47

11 - New York 11

12 - Indian 36

13 - Nevada 35

14 - Connecticut 32

15 - Maryland 31

16 - Pennsylvania 29

17 - Florida 28

18 - Oregon 25

19 - Massachusetts 20

20 - Montana 19

21 - New Jersey 15

22 - South Carolina 14

23 (tied) - Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho - 12

26 (tied) - Georgia, Iowa, Virginia 9

29 (tied) - Kansas & South Dakota 7

31 (tied) - Arizona & New Mexico 5

33 (tied) - Oklahoma & Arkansas 2