Shilson and Kilty among several Cadet stars to also win Junior Women titles

Photo: Emily Shilson (right) of Minnesota used two headlocks to beat Genae Sampract of Illinois; the second leading to a pin in the 100-pound Junior Women’s Freestyle championship match in Fargo.

FARGO, N.D. — Much of the American wrestling world has spoken the past few months about the depth and the number of talented young men’s freestylers. They should also look at what is happening in women’s wrestling, where several Cadet-level wrestlers defeated older wrestlers at the United States Marines Corps Junior Women’s Freestyle Nationals Friday evening in the Fargodome.

A total of four young women, aged 16, left the Fargodome with Junior titles, including two wrestlers — Emily Shilson of Osseo, Minn., at 100 pounds and 127-pound Macey Kilty from Stratford, Wisc. — who won 2017 Cadet national championships this past Monday.

“Any time I can go with someone older is good,” said Shilson, who used a second headlock to pin 19-year-old Genae Sampract of Belleville, Ill., who evened the score at 6-6. “They usually have a little different style of wrestling; more physical.”

Macey Kilty (left) points to her coaches after she stunned Junior World team member Ronna Heaton for the 127-pound Junior Women’s freestyle title in Fargo. (G. Wyatt Schultz photo)

That was indeed the story for Kilty, whose 4-1 victory over 18-year-old Ronna Heaton, the 2015 Cadet World champion and 2017 Junior World team member, showed plenty of chippy moments.

Kilty, who was named the Outstanding Wrestler in Juniors as she had in Cadets, believes age does not play as big of factor in today’s women’s wrestling.

“It shows there is always someone gunning for you,” said Kilty, who trains with Kevin Black in River Falls, Wisc.. “Who knows there may be a seventh grader out there who could beat me.”

Among the other younger women to score big wins over older wrestlers were 152-pound Alexis Gomez and 164-pound Sydnee Kimber.

Gomez, the sister of highly-ranked Junior Austin Gomez of Carol Stream, Ill., stunned 19-year-old Kayla Marano, the defending Junior champ, 2015 World Cadet bronze medalist and daughter of former World champion Kristie Marano.

“Since Helen Maroulis won gold (at the 2016 Olympics in Rio), we are all pushing and pushing to be better,” said Gomez, whose highest previous Fargo finish was second in the 2016 Cadet Nationals. “That’s what wresting is all about.”

Among the other winners was 122-pound Gracie Figueroa of Selma, Calif., who will represent the United States in both the UWW Cadet and Junior World Championships, which will be held respectively in Finland and Greece later this summer.

She admitted this was a tune-up for the Worlds.

“I had to see what I needed to work on,” said the 17-year-old high school senior who has now won five championships in Fargo since 2015 and won a Cadet World bronze medal in 2016.

2017 USMC/USWA Junior Women Freestyle Nationals

July 21 • Fargo, N.D.

Championship Matches

100 — Emily Shilson (Osseo, Minn.) pinned Genae Sampract (Belleville, Ill.), 10-6 4:44

106 — Vayle Baker (Benton, Pa.) dec. Mckayla Campbell (Wauseon, Ohio), 11-11 criteria

112 — Alisha Howk (River Falls, Wisc.) dec. Autumn Gordon Sugar Grove, OH (Ohio), 10-8

117 — Alleida Martinez (Selma, Calif.) dec. Cameron Guerin (Yakima, Wash.), 6-5

122 — Gracie Figueroa (Selma, Calif.) pinned Kourtney Boehm (Florence, Colo.), 10-0 2:28

127 — Macey Kilty (Stratford, Wisc.) dec. 1 Ronna Heaton Brookings, SD (South Dakota), 4-1

132 — Alexandria Liles (Allen, Texas) dec. Breanna Douglas (Paola, Kan.), 6-1

138 — Emma Bruntil (Acme, Wash.) pinned Jerzie Estrada (Parker, Colo.), 6-2 4:32

144 — Jayden Laurent (Denmark, Wisc.) won by TF over Alara Boyd (Muncie, Ind.), 10-0 5:16

152 — Alexis Gomez (Carol Stream, Ill.) dec. Kayla Marano Jefferson, GA (Georgia), 9-7

164 — Sydnee Kimber (Sitka, Alaska) dec. Dymond Guilford Lancaster, CA (California), 10-4

180 — Marissa Patterson (Topeka, Kansas) pinned Jesse Kirby (Rixeyville, Va.), 4-0 1:23

200 — Alexandra Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.) dec. Corey Burton (Hesperia, Calif.), 3-0

225 — Arianna Cobian (Pittsburg, Calif.) pinned Jasmin Clarke Kelseyville, CA (California), 8-0 1:56

Final Team Standings