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FARGO: Semifinals set in 16U Girls Freestyle heading into final day in Fargo

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Updated: July 17, 2026

Photo: Aerial view of the two raised mats in the Fargodome by Tony Rotundo.

By David Gerhart, USA Wrestling

FARGO, North Dakota – 2025 U17 World bronze medalist Maisie Elliott of Washington and 2026 U17 World Team member Sophia Valdez of Colorado are featured among the 16U Girls semifinalists at the 2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals.

At 95 pounds, Valdez notched a pair of decisions on Friday at the FARGODOME. She won an 11-9 contest over Hannah Trinh of Oregon to start the day. To punch her ticket into the semifinals, Valdez posted a 10-2 victory over California’s Kaila Robles Rials.

Elliott’s first match of the day was a first-period fall against Cideny Schaffer of Pennsylvania, which was followed by a 4-2 decision against Sophia Lazaro of California. Elliott is one of two wrestlers competing in both the 16U and Junior divisions this week who are still alive in the championship brackets of both tournaments. The other individual still alive for two national titles is Iowa’s Abigail Peterson.

Peterson joins Elliott at 100 pounds in both brackets, and the two are on opposite sides of the two brackets. In her 16U bracket, Peterson has bonused her way into the semifinals with three technical falls and a pin.

In the semifinals, Elliott is set to take on three-time age-group Pan American medalist Olivia Hernandez of Oregon. Hernandez has won each of the three meetings against Elliott. Peterson squares off against Pennsylvania’s Timi Coles in a rematch of the 2026 16U Girls Folkstyle Nationals championship bout, where Peterson pinned Coles at the 2:45 mark in the contest.

Peggy Susan Dean of Colorado entered the day in title contention in both the Junior and 16U tournaments; however, she lost on the championship side of the two brackets on Friday. At 110 pounds, returning tournament runner-up Riley Karwowski of Pennsylvania picked up the 10-0 win against Dean.

Karwowski is one of three returning runners-up who are still in the hunt for the top step on the podium at this year’s U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals. Brooklyn Henry of Pennsylvania advanced to the semifinals at 95 pounds for the second straight year and is set to take on Valdez to start the final day of competition.

Gray Joyce of Kansas is the final runner-up from 2025 and is looking to reach the finals again this year. In the quarterfinals at 145 pounds, Joyce ended Emma Antoni’s Triple Crown bid with a 12-2 technical fall. Antoni of Minnesota was the only competitor in the 16U Girls field who was still in contention to win the Triple Crown at the start of the tournament.

After one top seed went down on Thursday, four more were removed from championship contention on Friday. Taya Maumausolo Matagi of California beat No. 1 Caylee Rivera of New Mexico, 11-1, at 235 pounds during the round of 32. In the round of 16, Florida’s Kendal Haynie dropped a narrow 12-10 decision to Apphia Gutierrez of Arizona at 115 pounds. Washington’s Queen Moniz was pinned in the round of 16 at 190 pounds by Brianna Sandoval of New Jersey. Dean was the final No. 1 seed to bow out of the title race in the quarterfinals.

Heading into Saturday’s action, Pennsylvania has the most semifinalists with nine, followed by six from Kansas. Oklahoma boasts five semifinalists, with California, Illinois and Washington each with three.

As the team race starts to take shape with All-American status locked in and 128 wrestlers set to compete on the final day of competition, Pennsylvania leads all teams with 15 individuals still in action. California has 11 wrestlers still in the field, followed by Wisconsin with nine. Illinois and Oklahoma round out the top five with eight each.

The final day of the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals begins at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday with the semifinals in both the Junior and 16U Girls divisions, followed by the third-, fifth- and seventh-place bouts. The championship finals are scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday.

2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals

At Fargo, N.D., July 17

16U Girls Freestyle Results

Top 10 States | Wrestlers Remaining

1. Pennsylvania, 15 (9 championship, 6 consolation)

2. California, 11 (6 championship, 7 consolation)

3. Wisconsin, 9 (2 championship, 7 consolation)

T4. Illinois, 8 (4 championship, 4 consolation)

T4. Oklahoma, 8 (5 championship, 3 consolation)

T6. Kansas, 6 (6 championship, 0 consolation)

T6. New York, 6 (2 championship, 4 consolation)

8. Florida, 5 (2 championship, 3 consolation)

T9. Arizona, 4 (2 championship, 2 consolation)

T9. Colorado, 4 (2 championship, 2 consolation)

T9. Indiana, 4 (2 championship, 2 consolation)

T9. Missouri, 4 (2 championship, 2 consolation)

T9. Washington, 4 (4 championship, 0 consolation)

Semifinal Matchups
95 pounds

Sophia Valdez (Colorado) vs. Brooklyn Henry (Pennsylvania)

Brooklyn Murray (Massachusetts) vs. Lanaia Selig (Washington)

100 pounds

Abigail Peterson (Iowa) vs. Timi Coles (Pennsylvania)

Olivia Hernandez (Oregon) vs. Maisie Elliott (Washington)

105 pounds

Bella Manno (Arizona) vs. Kayne-Lin Chun (Hawaii)

Olivia Munson (California) vs. Ella Neibert (Indiana)

110 pounds

Riley Karwowski (Pennsylvania) vs. Charlotte Nold (Illinois)

Chloe Medlock (Oklahoma) vs. Audrey Cunningham (Texas)

115 pounds

Mabel Rogers (Missouri) vs. Kaylee Vera (Ohio)

Auriana Wakinekona (Hawaii) vs. Lillian Fonceca (California)

120 pounds

Olivia Kearns (Pennsylvania) vs. McKenna Wilson (Oklahoma)

Elle Changaris (New Jersey) vs. Mikayla Perkins (Indiana)

125 pounds

Presley Beard (Kansas) vs. Aleia Apostol (California)

Hailey Worden (Nevada) vs. Winter West (Washington)

130 pounds

Rachel Garcia (Oklahoma) vs. Daelin Cody (Wisconsin)

Anastasia Rodnikova (Illinois) vs. Zaylyn Woods (Texas)

135 pounds

Eila Schultz (Colorado) vs. Noli Paddock (New York)

Shannon Logue (Pennsylvania) vs. Rain Scott (Illinois)

140 pounds

Ki’Morah Cathey (Oklahoma) vs. Paisley Morrison (Oregon)

Jenny Gautreau (Pennsylvania) vs. Kesi Tsarni (Maryland)

145 pounds

Audrey Robinson (Oregon) vs. Zoe Delgado (Florida)

Yamilett Cortez (Arizona) vs. Gray Joyce (Kansas)

155 pounds

Ava Guilmette (New York) vs. Scarlett Yeager (Kansas)

Leolyn Karnowski (Kansas) vs. Camilla Hathaway (Pennsylvania)

170 pounds

Alexis Penley (Illinois) vs. Reghan Koch (Ohio)

Remington LaFlamme (Pennsylvania) vs. Siobhan Flanner (Kansas)

190 pounds

Brianna Sandoval (New Jersey) vs. Ashley Hoffman (Pennsylvania)

Princess Saili (Washington) vs. Kaylee Thompson (Kansas)

207 pounds

Lyla Hensen (Michigan) vs. Mercedes Kruse (Wisconsin)

Kenzie Barrett (Florida) vs. Abagail Lacy (Oklahoma)

235 pounds

Taya Maumausolo Matagi (California) vs. Malena Borja (Missouri)

Jacey Peterson (North Dakota) vs. Maycee Hales (Utah)

Quarterfinal Results
95 pounds

Brooklyn Murray (Massachusetts) tech. fall Emma Martinez (California), 10-0

Brooklyn Henry (Pennsylvania) dec. Piper Phillips (Iowa), 4-3

Lanaia Selig (Washington) tech. fall Mia Nesbitt (Pennsylvania), 10-0

Sophia Valdez (Colorado) dec. Kaila Robles Rials (California), 10-2

100 pounds

Abigail Peterson (Iowa) tech. fall Mya Beckett (Wisconsin), 12-2

Timi Coles (Pennsylvania) fall Kylee Ooton (Oklahoma), 3:02

Maisie Elliott (Washington) dec. Sophia Lazaro (California), 4-2

Olivia Hernandez (Oregon) dec. Paola Perez (Florida), 7-4

105 pounds

Bella Manno (Arizona) tech. fall Isabella Suetos (California), 11-0

Olivia Munson (California) dec. Kennedy Hogan (Illinois), 6-0

Kayne-Lin Chun (Hawaii) dec. Cameron Hodge (Texas), 6-4

Ella Neibert (Indiana) dec. Vivienne Popadiuc (New Mexico), 14-8

110 pounds

Riley Karwowski (Pennsylvania) tech. fall Peggy Susan Dean (Colorado), 10-0

Chloe Medlock (Oklahoma) tech. fall Isabella Thiel (Ohio), 12-2

Audrey Cunningham (Texas) dec. Zolah Williams (Missouri), 6-2

Charlotte Nold (Illinois) dec. Aya Yoshitake (California), 3-2

115 pounds

Kaylee Vera (Ohio) fall Emma Baker (Michigan), 1:17

Lillian Fonceca (California) fall Alexandria Barskiy (New Jersey), 2:28

Mabel Rogers (Missouri) tech. fall Apphia Gutierrez (Arizona), 12-2

Auriana Wakinekona (Hawaii) fall Sophia Marie Gonzales (California), 0:42

120 pounds

Elle Changaris (New Jersey) fall Whitney Cawthra (Idaho), 1:38

Olivia Kearns (Pennsylvania) fall Alexa Smith (California), 0:31

McKenna Wilson (Oklahoma) dec. Lucy Hornby (Washington), 10-6

Mikayla Perkins (Indiana) tech. fall Vivienne Yarbrough (Texas), 13-2

125 pounds

Hailey Worden (Nevada) fall Anna Babenko (Rhode Island), 0:37

Presley Beard (Kansas) tech. fall Kaydence Golding (North Dakota), 11-0

Aleia Apostol (California) dec. Hannah Naccarati-Cholo (Arizona), 8-7

Winter West (Washington) tech. fall Morgan Johnson (Wisconsin), 10-0

130 pounds

Rachel Garcia (Oklahoma) tech. fall Ramsey Brandenburg (Wisconsin), 14-4

Anastasia Rodnikova (Illinois) dec. Finley Evjen (South Dakota), 10-2

Daelin Cody (Wisconsin) dec. Cecilia Verrilli (Connecticut), 9-2

Zaylyn Woods (Texas) dec. Corabella Wesley (Indiana), 11-4

135 pounds

Noli Paddock (New York) fall Annabella Nelson (Wisconsin), 0:51

Shannon Logue (Pennsylvania) fall Erin Delling (Missouri), 2:39

Eila Schultz (Colorado) dec. Sheyna Cruz (New Jersey), 6-2

Rain Scott (Illinois) dec. Giavonna Good (Utah), 8-4

140 pounds

Kesi Tsarni (Maryland) tech. fall Avery Colvin (Utah), 10-0

Ki’Morah Cathey (Oklahoma) fall Katie Davidson (Wisconsin), 1:39

Paisley Morrison (Oregon) fall Ariel Biggs (Missouri), 3:29

Jenny Gautreau (Pennsylvania) dec. Ava Turner (West Virginia), 9-6

145 pounds

Audrey Robinson (Oregon) tech. fall Layla Risler (Wisconsin), 10-0

Yamilett Cortez (Arizona) fall Piper Sandell (Illinois), 3:10

Gray Joyce (Kansas) tech. fall Emma Antoni (Minnesota), 12-2

Zoe Delgado (Florida) fall Kimberly Munoz (Pennsylvania), 3:12

155 pounds

Ava Guilmette (New York) fall Jaylee Simmons (Oklahoma), 2:48

Scarlett Yeager (Kansas) tech. fall Maddison Miller (Pennsylvania), 15-3

Leolyn Karnowski (Kansas) tech. fall Ennis Coakley (Florida), 10-0

Camilla Hathaway (Pennsylvania) dec. Brynlee Vaughan (Wisconsin), 8-2

170 pounds

Remington LaFlamme (Pennsylvania) fall Hayden Manning (Pennsylvania), 1:19

Alexis Penley (Illinois) tech. fall Emmyjane Bragg (California), 10-0

Siobhan Flanner (Kansas) tech. fall Regan Jensen (Iowa), 10-0

Reghan Koch (Ohio) dec. Aaliyah Miller (Wisconsin), 14-11

190 pounds

Ashley Hoffman (Pennsylvania) fall Payton Toone (Idaho), 1:29

Brianna Sandoval (New Jersey) fall Tasi Maumausolo Matagi (California), 2:46

Princess Saili (Washington) tech. fall Zeinab Mourad (Florida), 12-2

Kaylee Thompson (Kansas) fall Gyssell Andrade (New Jersey), 1:25

207 pounds

Lyla Hensen (Michigan) fall Jessica Hite (South Dakota), 0:42

Kenzie Barrett (Florida) dec. Jaylene Dealba (Illinois), 10-5

Abagail Lacy (Oklahoma) dec. Brianna White (Colorado), 7-0

Mercedes Kruse (Wisconsin) fall Kaydence Sander (Wyoming), 0:56

235 pounds

Taya Maumausolo Matagi (California) fall Zavanna Evans (New York), 0:52

Malena Borja (Missouri) fall Laila Medley (Wisconsin), 1:07

Maycee Hales (Utah) fall Ellie Drennon (Missouri), 1:30

Jacey Peterson (North Dakota) dec. Brielle Soto (Wisconsin), 8-3