Fargo 2022 Preview: six 16U Women FS champs expected to return
Photo: Skylar Little Soldier (top) of Hastings, Minn., defeated Taydem Khamjoi of Linden, Calif., for the 127-pound championship in last summer’s 16U women’s freestyle tournament of USA Wrestling’s 16U/Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D.
Fargo 2022 — otherwise known as USA Wrestling’s 16U and Junior Nationals that features six different tournaments in these two age groups — will begin next Friday, July 16, in Fargo, N.D., with the 16U Women’s freestyle competition set to hold its championship round on July 17.
And at least six of last year’s 14 champions are expected to return from last year’s tournament: Cecilia Williams (Michigan) at 112 pounds; Cadence Diduch (Illinois) at 117; Skylar Little Soldier (Minnesota) at 127; Nebi Tsarni (Maryland) at 144; Ella Pagel (Minnesota) at 164; and Sabrina Nauss (Michigan) at 180.
This annual summer national event began in 1971 in Iowa City with just Junior men’s freestyle before adding Junior Greco-Roman in 1972. It has moved to several other locations before landing in Fargo in 1993, when 16U (formerly called the Cadet division) men’s freestyle and Greco were added. Junior women’s freestyle was introduced in 2002 before 16U women’s freestyle was added in 2011.
Since that time, the number of 16U women competing has continued to grow and preliminary numbers show that 545 girls from 45 states will compete this summer. That breaks the old record — 360 in 2019 — for this tournament.
Overall, a record 7,100 young wrestlers will compete in the six tourneys in the week-long event that once again will be held in the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State University.
The source for these numbers can be found in Jason Bryant’s MatTalk Online Fargo Almanac. (https://mattalkonline.gumroad.com/l/fargoguide)
The following is a schedule for all six tournaments:
| Tourney | First-round | Quarters/Semis | Finals |
| 16U women’s FS | July 16, 8 a.m. | July 16, 3 p.m. | July 17, 1:30 p.m. |
| 16U men’s FS | July 16, 8 a.m. | July 17, 4:30 p.m. | July 18, 1:30 p.m. |
| Junior men’s FS | July 17, 4:30 p.m. | July 18, 9 a.m./4:30 p.m. | July 19, 1 p.m. |
| Junior women’s FS | July 19, 9 a.m. | July 19, 4 p.m./July 20 9 a.m. | July 20, 2 p.m. |
| 16U Greco | July 20, 8 a.m. | July 20, 5 p.m./July 21, 8:30 a.m. | July 21, 2 p.m. |
| Junior Greco | July 21, 8:30 a.m. | July 21, 4:30 p.m./July 22, 9 a.m. | July 22, 2 p.m. |
The following are the All-American results from last year’s 16U Women’s Freestyle Nationals.
Championship Matches
94 – Valarie Solorio (Florida) dec. Gabriella Gomez (Illinois), 6-3
100 – Makenzie Smith (Indiana) pinned Mikayla Garcia (California), 13-0 1:39
106 – Paige Morales (California) dec. Kiely Tabaldo (California), 4-0
112 – Cecilia Williams (Michigan) dec. Zao Estrada (South Carolina), 4-2
117 – Cadence Diduch (Illinois) dec. Valerie Hamilton (Illinois), 4-0
122 – Shelby Moore (Washington) won by TF over Julianna Morris (Connecticut), 10-0 3:33
127 – Skylar Little Soldier (Minnesota) dec. Taydem Khamjoi (California), 13-4
132 – Cassia Zammit (Ohio) dec. Sydney Perry (Illinois), 8-2
138 – Alessandra Elliott (New York) dec. Lydia Roope (Michigan), 6-2
144 – Nebi Tsarni (Maryland) dec. Amarisa Manuel (Michigan), 3-2
152 – Jasmine Robinson (Texas) pinned Genesis Gilmore (Tennessee), 10-0 1:45
164 – Ella Pagel (Minnesota) pinned Ali Haiser (Missouri), 8-2 2:28
180 – Sabrina Nauss (Michigan) won by TF over Kiara Ganey (Illinois), 13-2 3:17
200 – Catherine Dutton (Missouri) won by TF over Mariyah Brumley (Missouri), 12-0 3:30
3rd Place Matches
94 – Katey Valdez (Colorado) pinned Abbeygael Cabuag (California), 8-7 2:52
100 – Juliana Alejandro (Nevada) won by TF over Clare Booe (Florida), 12-2 2:52
106 – Persaeus Gomez (Colorado) dec. Rianne Murphy (Indiana), 4-2
112 – Calli Gilchrist (Connecticut) won by TF over Raegan Briggs (Ohio), 12-2 3:21
117 – Elena Ivaldi (California) pinned Carissa Qureshi (California), 8-5 3:51
122 – Haylie Jaffe (Pennsylvania) dec. Alejandra Valdiviezo (California), 5-1
127 – Ragan Retell (New York) won by TF over Alanna Haney (Washington), 15-3 1:53
132 – Hanna Errthum (Wisconsin) won by TF over Mishell Rebisch (Alaska), 12-2 3:02
138 – Avangeline Turner (California) won by injury default over Attalia Watson (Illinois), 8-4 3:38
144 – Maggie Graham (Tennessee) dec. Lizzie Shunn (Utah), 10-4
152 – Abbigail Smith (Colorado) pinned Alison Evans (Colorado), 14-5 2:57
164 – Olivia Stean (Kansas) pinned Jael Miller (Pennsylvania), 4-0 1:10
180 – Savannah Isaac (Ohio) won by TF over Blythe Cayko (Colorado), 10-0 1:52
200 – Taylor Knox (Colorado) pinned Genesis Carrillo (Puerto Rico), 8-3 2:48
5th Place Matches
94 – Megan Valdez (California) dec. Gigi Bragg (Michigan), 11-8
100 – Aspen Blasko (Minnesota) dec. Angelina Cassioppi (Illinois), 2-1
106 – Ana Malovich (Pennsylvania) won by injury default over Chloe Dearwester (Ohio)
112 – Emma Albanese (Nevada) won by TF over Emily Frost (New York), 10-0 1:48
117 – Bianca Johnson (Washington) pinned Anna Dicugno (Washington), 10-4 3:57
122 – Savannah Witt (Pennsylvania) dec. Gianna Dibenedetto (California), 6-2
127 – Alexandra Viera (New York) won by TF over Nicole Redmond (Kansas), 13-2 0:48
132 – Lilly Luft (Iowa) dec. Mia Furman (Idaho), 8-0
138 – Genevieve An (Georgia) pinned Taylor Miess (Colorado), 10-2 1:56
144 – Faith Bartoszek (Wisconsin) dec. Stella Steigler (Virginia), 5-0
152 – Abigail Ervasti (Minnesota) dec. Skylur Lewis (Arkansas), 4-1
164 – Bella Porcelli (Iowa) pinned Abbie Miles (Pennsylvania), 6-6 1:13
180 – Sophie Pollack (New York) pinned Grace Johns (Kansas), 4-2 1:19
200 – Madisen Pillers (Washington) pinned Alyssa Favara (Florida), 8-0 0:53
7th Place Matches
94 – Eyvori Jacquez (Colorado) dec. Joely Slyter (Idaho), 8-8
100 – Jayleah Pletz (Pennsylvania) dec. Aubre Krazer (Pennsylvania), 6-4
106 – Heather Crull (Indiana) pinned Lexia Schechterly (Pennsylvania), 14-5 3:50
112 – Presley Anderson (California) dec. Joy Cantu (Indiana), 8-7
117 – Daniella Nugent (Massachusetts) won by TF over Marissa Rumsey (Pennsylvania), 2-0
122 – Camryn Brown (Connecticut) pinned Payton Weese (Missouri), 9-4 2:58
127 – Sophia Barnes (Iowa) pinned Julia Fongaro (New Jersey), 10-3 2:57
132 – Brenya Crahan (Missouri) won by TF over Hailie Misplay (North Carolina), 10-0 1:39
138 – Nya Jolley (Utah) pinned Taylor Johnson (Missouri), 2-0 1:02
144 – Avry Ryhal (Pennsylvania) dec. Kaylie Petersen (Indiana), 12-5
152 – Alexis Ritchie (Illinois) pinned Gianna Falise (Colorado), 8-0 1:49
164 – Kaylee Davis (Oklahoma) pinned Archer Jones (Arkansas), 5-3 3:57
180 – Kiley Mcclain (California) pinned Destiny Madison (Florida), 2-0 0:30
200 – no match
