American Gold Sports Alliance

Women's Wrestling

Amani Jones named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

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BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING

Amani Jones (Ola, Ga./North Central College) has been named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on December 14, 2023.

Jones won the title at 123 pounds at the North Central Open, held at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. on Sunday, December 10. The event is one of the toughest women’s college open tournaments. Jones helped lead North Central to the team title in this 29-team tournament, which featured top teams from the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA women’s wrestling.

Jones, ranked No. 1 in the NCAA and a 2023 NCWWC runner-up, scored a 10-0 technical fall over Iowa’s Ava Rose in the finals. As the top seed at 123, Jones won all five of her matches with bonus points, including three falls and two technical falls. She scored pins over Kivah Cavallero of the University of Providence, Karla Topete of Carthage College and Cali Leng of Iowa (in the semifinals.) Her other victory was a 10-0 quarterfinal technical fall over Isabelle Silva of Indiana Tech.

Jones is junior at North Central. In addition to her 2023 NCWWC second place, Jones placed fifth at the 2022 NCWWC Nationals. She was a 2023 U20 World bronze medalist for the United States at 55 kg. She won the 2023 U20 World Team Trials, and was fifth at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open. In 2022, Jones won the Pan American U20 Championships. A graduate of Ola High School in Georgia, Jones was a 2019 16U Nationals champion and fifth at the 2021 Junior Nationals.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please email the athlete’s name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments, and career accolades to communications@usawrestling.org.

NOT DONE YET: TWHS’ Rayome primed for next challenge on the mat

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BY: Matthew Ogle | VYPE

Junior Riley Rayome is gradually becoming a staple in a long line of acclaimed athletes at The Woodlands.

After taking gold at the UIL State Tournament last Winter, Rayome has subsequently set the stage for this season with style. This past weekend – her birthday weekend, no less – she won the Preseason National Tournament for USA Wrestling (115 weight class), and became the first TWHS student to earn the title of Most Outstanding Wrestler at the tournament.

Despite the precedent she’s already established, Rayome remains determined.

“I try to stay humble and realize that there are still things that I can accomplish,” she said. “I try to look at it as if I’m not done yet. There will always be someone better than me, so I just need to keep going. Once I accomplish something I just try to set a higher goal, which means I can’t let off the gas.”

Given the presence she has on the mat, it comes as no surprise that this junior Highlander will be the wrestling team’s captain in the upcoming season – a role she doesn’t take lightly.

“The pressure is high, but I do enjoy it,” said Rayome. “There’s a lot that comes with being a potential role model and setting an example for the team, but that’s part of what makes it fun. I like being able to have that control, and being able to say ‘I’ve done these things, I’ve been places’.”

“It also helps me to improve my leadership skills. I just enjoy helping people see what this sport can bring them, in order to help them see out their own visions.”

Considering her father, Jeffery Rayome, is her wrestling coach at The Woodlands, it’s not hard to see where Riley got her dedication to the sport from – dating all the way back when she started in second grade.

Riley Rayome with her father, Coach Jeffery RayomePhoto provided by Riley Rayome

“He (Rayome’s father) is the reason I started wrestling,” she said. “I would watch his practices as a kid, and seeing his passion made me want to go into it. Now that he’s my high school coach, I love having him in my corner. It makes me feel like I have a lot of trust in my matches, because I know that I’ll have the best person possible backing me up.”

Rayome named Brian Keck Preseason Nationals girls high school Outstanding Wrestler during exciting finals

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BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING

Many of the nation’s best girls high school wrestlers came out to test themselves at the Brian Keck Memorial Preseason Nationals. While a number of weight classes were won by well-established national stars, some of the champions used this event to make a name for themselves.

The Outstanding Wrestler was Texas star Riley Rayome of JfloTrained, who defeated Kaura Coles of Montana, 11-4 in the 115-pound finals. Rayome broke open a competitive match with some great wrestling, especially on the mat. Rayome came into Des Moines with a No. 7 national ranking, while Coles was at No. 6. It was one of the most competitive weight classes in the tournament.

One of the top wrestlers in the field, No. 2 nationally ranked Eduarda Rodrigues of California, powered through her 155-pound bracket with pins in all five of her matches. She wrapped up the title with a fall over No. 19 Kaylee Davis of Prodigy Wrestling of Oklahoma in 2:56.

The 170-pound finals featured a pair of elite stars, with Iowan Naomi Simon of the Iowa City WC, ranked No. 2 at 170 pounds, against Illinois’ Valerie Hamilton of SOT-C, who is No. 1 at 135 pounds and jumped up for this event. Although Hamilton was able to turn Simon for back points, it was Simon who controlled most of the positions on the way to a 6-3 win.

While the tournament was loaded with nationally ranked high school girls, and most of the champions were high in the rankings, two of the individual champions came to Des Moines unranked, 130-pound winner Riley Hanrahan of Team Nazar Training Center in Wisconsin and 190-pound wrestler Libby Dix of Iowa.

Hanrahan stopped No. 11 ranked Lilyana Balderas of the Sunkist Kids Monster Garage in the finals with a pin in 5:44. Hanrahan beat No. 8 Briney Rueb, No. 30 Chloe Sanders and No. 4 Samantha Sachs on the way to the finals.

Dix scored a 4-0 decision in the finals against No. 6 Mariah Brumley of Lebanon Yellowjackets of Missouri. Her first win in the tournament was over No. 2 ranked Tirza Twoteeth of Montana, by pin in 5:13. Dix won her first three matches by pin.

The first two matches of the finals finished with pins, as No. 3 Katey Valdez of Betterman Elite Wrestling of Colorado (100) and No. 5 Gabrielle Tedesco of Lake Gibson High in Florida (105).

Valdez pinned Jubilee Rendon of Team Xtreme in Texas in 40 seconds, and Tedesco, a 2023 Junior Nationals champion, pinned Athea Valenzuela of Arizona in 1:42.

At 110 pounds, No. 24 Ava Peters of Aviators needed sudden victory to defeat Alicia Serratos of Wolf Pack WC in California, 9-7.

No. 6 Sierra Chiesa of Bad Karma WC of Pennsylvania was powerful in her victory at 120 pounds, holding a strong lead before pinning No. 5 Lexie Lopez of Victory WC of Colorado.

No. 9 Kaylyn Harrill of The Best Wrestler in Nebraska opened up her offense in a 10-4 win over Brissa Bernal of Oklahoma, who competes for BullTrained Wrestling. Bernal, who has been nationally ranked in the past, is coming back after missing substantial time with injury.

Harrill will be competing in the U15 Pan American Championships later this fall.

No. 27 Emma Chacon of Arizona stopped Iowa’s Isabella Miller of Big Game WC in a competitive final at 135 pounds, by a 5-2 margin.

Taking the 140-pound title was No. 11 Cassandra Gonzales of Minnesota Elite WC, who shut out No. 16 Gianna DiBenedetto of the Swamp Monsters WC of California. Also winning by a shutout was No. 3 Gretchen Donally of Montana, who stopped No. 23 Mackenzie Pratt of Illinois, 7-0.

In a battle of nationally ranked athletes at 235 pounds, No. 12 Mia Cienega of the Ascend Wrestling Academy controlled No. 6 Chloe Hoselton of SOT-C, 5-2.

BRIAN KECK PRESEASON NATIONALS

At Des Moines, Iowa, October 29, 2023

9th-12th Grade Girls results

100 pounds

1st – Katey Valdez (Betterman Elite Wrestling) won by fall over Jubilee Rendon (Team Xtreme Wrestling) (Fall 0:40)

3rd – Zurri Zamora (Texas) won by fall over Brianne Graves (Ohio) (Fall 3:22)

5th – Katie Biscoglia (Ubasa Wrestling Academy) won by fall over Mia Navarro (California) (Fall 2:38)

7th – Mya Hairston (Thoroughbred Wrestling Academy (TWA)) won by decision over Abigail Mendoza (Texas Style Wrestling Club) (Dec 8-2)

105 pounds

1st – Gabriele Tedesco (Lake Gibson High School Wrestling) won by fall over Athea Valenzuela (Arizona Girls Wrestling) (Fall 1:42)

3rd – Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith (Arizona Girls Wrestling) won by decision over Jazmine Turner (Grace M Davis High School Wrestling) (Dec 6-1)

5th – Kendall Moe (Contenders Wrestling Academy) won by decision over Sloane Kruger (Mat Demon Wrestling Club) (Dec 4-2)

7th – Layla Phillips (Immortal Athletics WC) won by fall over Payton Thiele (The Best Wrestler) (Fall 0:47)

110 pounds

1st – Ava Peters (Aviators Wrestling) won in sudden victory – 1 over Alicia Serratos (Wolf Pack WC) (SV-1 9-7)

3rd – Sophia Shultz (The Best Wrestler) won by fall over Sofia Ferran (Golden Bears Wrestling Club) (Fall 5:00)

5th Place Match

Madison Heinzer (Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club) won by decision over Madilyn Enterline (Bad Karma Wrestling Club) (Dec 6-2)

7th Place Match

Cheyenne Frank (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) won by fall over Abigail Gindele (Pursuit Wrestling Minnesota) (Fall 0:30)

115 pounds

1st – Riley Rayome (Jflo Trained) won by decision over Kaura Coles (Montana) (Dec 11-4)

3rd – Gigi Bragg (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) won by decision over Lindsey Lopez (Victory Wrestling Club – VTC) (Dec 4-1)

5th – Kamdyn Saulter (Summit Wrestling Academy) won by fall over Reanah Utterback (Sebolt Wrestling Academy) (Fall 0:58)

7th – Bk Martinez (Ayala High School Wrestling) won by fall over Tessa Urias (ReZults Wrestling) (Fall 2:28)

120 pounds

1st – Sierra Chiesa (Bad Karma Wrestling Club) won by fall over Lexie Lopez (Victory Wrestling Club – VTC) (Fall 5:41)

3rd – Kailey Benson (Missouri) won by major decision over Aiyana Perkins (Oklahoma) (Maj 12-0)

5th – Kylee Kurszewski (Neenah Wrestling) won by decision over Izzy LeVine (Arizona Girls Wrestling) (Dec 10-5)

7th – Ariella Dobin (Toss Em Up Wrestling Academy) won by fall over Madalyn Deiter (North Montana Wrestling Club) (Fall 4:53)

125 pounds

1st – Kaylyn Harrill (The Best Wrestler) won by decision over Brissa Bernal (BullTrained Wrestling) (Dec 10-4)

3rd – Ava Milliner (Heart and Pride Wrestling Club) won in sudden victory – 1 over Dealya Collins (Mineral Point Wrestling Club) (SV-1 11-9)

5th – Jamie Laswell (Arizona Girls Wrestling) won by decision over Lindsey Rywolt (South Side Wrestling Club) (Dec 3-0)

7th – Arianna Ruiz (Golden Bears Wrestling Club) won by fall over Kate Doughty (Lockdown Wrestling Club) (Fall 1:48)

130 pounds

1st – Riley Hanrahan (Team Nazar Training Center) won by fall over Lilyana Balderas (Sunkist Kids Monster Garage) (Fall 5:44)

3rd – Lynn Horn (Oklahoma) won by fall over Camille Rainey (Warrior Trained Wrestling) (Fall 1:52)

5th – Landri VonGonten (Legacy Wrestling Club) won by medical forfeit over Samantha Sachs (Legacy Wrestling Center) (MFF)

7th – Regan Rosseter (The Best Wrestler) won by decision over Chloe Sanders (Big Game Wrestling Club) (Dec 10-6)

135 pounds

1st – Emma Chacon (Arizona Girls Wrestling) won by decision over Isabella Miller (Big Game Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-2)

3rd – Taylor Colangelo (Lions Wrestling Club) won by decision over Lyniann Gusick (Sebolt Women Wrestling Academy) (Dec 3-0)

5th – Dulce Bocanegra (Warrior Trained Wrestling) won by decision over Margaret Buurma (Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-1)

7th – Makenzee Neal (Montana) won by fall over Faith Vondy (Victory Wrestling Club – VTC) (Fall 3:37)

140 pounds

1st – Cassandra Gonzales (MN Elite Wrestling Club) won by decision over Gianna DiBenedetto (Swamp Monsters Wrestling Club) (Dec 5-0)

3rd – Harlow Skenandore (Askren Wrestling Academy) won by decision over Audrey Levendusky (Tennessee) (Dec 4-1)

5th – Alex Maday (Swamp Monsters Wrestling Club) won by fall over Hayden Bratland (Ubasa Wrestling Academy) (Fall 4:02)

7th – Kayden Sipp (2 Tuff Gym Wrestling Club) won by decision over Alyssa Keane (Natural Athlete Wrestling Club) (Dec 8-2)

145 pounds

1st – Gretchen Donally (Montana) won by decision over Mackenzie Pratt (Illinois) (Dec 7-0)

3rd – Olivia Davis (Premier Wrestling Club) won by decision over Brijatte Garcia (Spartan Mat Club) (Dec 9-2)

5th – Alyona Rik (Florida) won by fall over Cadie Percy (Colorado) (Fall 0:29)

7th – Hadyn Stine (Best Trained Wrestling) won by medical forfeit over Ciara Riner (West Virginia) (MFF)

155 pounds

1st – Eduarda Rodrigues (Team Thunder Wrestling Club) won by fall over Kaylee Davis (Prodigy Wrestling) (Fall 2:56)

3rd – Desza Munson (Betterman Elite Wrestling) won by decision over Haylee McGrew (Iowa) (Dec 4-0)

5th – Addeline Graser (Nebraska Wrestling Academy) won by fall over Emma Heaton (806 Elite Wrestling) (Fall 2:34)

7th – Grace Alagbo (Pinnacle Wrestling Club) won in sudden victory – 1 over Isabelle Olesen (Askren Wrestling Academy) (SV-1 6-4)

170 pounds

1st – Naomi Simon (Iowa City Wrestling Club) won by decision over Valerie Hamilton (SOT-C) (Dec 6-3)

3rd – KyLee Lindsley (Bozeman Wrestling Club) won by fall over Alison Evans (Betterman Elite Wrestling) (Fall 2:32)

5th – Alexandria Ray (Edmond North High School Wrestling) won by decision over Chloe Harris (Lawrence Elite Wrestling Club) (Dec 4-1)

7th – Sophia Bassino (Team Nazar Training Center) won by decision over Madison Ward (Midwest Xtreme Wrestling) (Dec 5-4)

190 pounds

1st – Libby Dix (Iowa) won by decision over Mariyah Brumley (Lebanon Yellowjacket Wrestling) (Dec 4-0)

3rd – Tirza Twoteeth (Kalispell Wrestling Club) won by fall over Juliana LeFort (Best Trained Wrestling) (Fall 3:56)

5th – Morgan Miller (Kansas) won by medical forfeit over Avey Mitchell (Texas) (MFF)

7th – Nicole Fernandez (Missouri) won by fall over Calise McCandless (Power Training Center) (Fall 3:48)

235 pounds

1st – Mia Cienega (Ascend Wrestling Academy) won by decision over Chloe Hoselton (SOT-C) (Dec 5-2)

3rd – Alexis Stinson (Victory Wrestling) won by fall over Kelbey Brewer (Darkhorse Wrestling Club) (Fall 1:36)

5th – Lorelei Hartman (Wolf Pack WC) won by fall over Ariana Chavez (Borger Youth Wrestling) (Fall 3:50)

7th – Caitlyn Sohm (Nebraska) won by fall over Reese Baxter (Ubasa Wrestling Academy) (Fall 2:38)

At Huntingdon College, the Gulf South’s 1st NCAA women’s wrestling team is ready to roll

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WWNO – New Orleans Public Radio | By Joseph King

On a Saturday evening in mid-October, a standing-room-only crowd packs the James W. Wilson Jr. Gymnasium at Huntingdon College to witness history.

The wrestling team at the liberal arts school in Montgomery, Alabama, is hosting its annual Scarlet and Gray intra-squad scrimmage to kick off the season with a new addition — a women’s team.

Across 17 matches, the 11 women split into two teams and held an “intense live practice,” as sophomore Shelby Fugate described it. Fugate used the scrimmage to work on perfecting her favorite move.

“A Granby is where you roll out, and you can either roll out while grabbing something on [the opponent] or just roll out to escape something,” Fugate, a native of Fort Mitchell, Alabama, said following her match. “In folk style, I use it a lot. To get a pin, I would roll out from bottom and get on top.”

For many on the team, like Fugate, the season kickoff was the start of a dream come true.

“I’ve wanted to wrestle since I was in kindergarten or first grade,” she said. “My sister wrestled, and after she started that, my entire family started wrestling.”

Wrestlers from the Huntingdon Hawks women's wrestling team get ready to kick off the season in an intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.
Wrestlers from the Huntingdon Hawks women’s wrestling team get ready to kick off the season in an intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. The women’s team will be competing for the first time this year.

The Hawks’ fielding of the NCAA Division III team is a first for Alabama and the rest of the Gulf South, with no other programs operating in Louisiana, Mississippi or Florida. With over 150 women’s collegiate wrestling programs in North America, the National Wrestling Coaches Association says the sport is the fastest growing in the U.S. right now, but that number gets significantly smaller the deeper you go into the southern part of the country.

Huntingdon’s athletic director, Eric Levanda, said he was inspired to start the women’s wrestling program after seeing the growth of the sport at the high school level. He also said he knew that other schools would look at the women’s wrestling program at Huntingdon when thinking about starting a team of their own.

“If we are going to do it, we’re going to do it right,” he said. To be the first women’s collegiate program in the state, we want to be a magnet for girls that want to take the sport seriously.”

Freshman Myna Estrada cheers her team on during an intra-squad scrimmage to begin the 2023-2024 wrestling season for the Huntingdon Hawks women's wrestling team on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.
Freshman Myna Estrada cheers her team on during an intra-squad scrimmage to begin the 2023-2024 wrestling season for the Huntingdon Hawks women’s wrestling team on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. The Hawks have the only collegiate-level women’s wrestling team in the Gulf South.

Hawks’ coach Lillian Humphries, who leads the women’s wrestling team, knows what it’s like to be part of a trailblazing team. Before coaching, she wrestled at Presbyterian College in South Carolina where she was a member of the first Division I women’s wrestling program in NCAA history.

During her time both as a player and a coach, Humphries has witnessed the disparities between men’s and women’s programs — issues such as women having to get dressed for matches in a restroom or being the only woman wrestler on her high school team — and is appreciative of the buy-in she’s seen from Huntingdon College’s athletic department.

“I got hired on June 1 of 2022, and by June 9, they started building our women’s locker room, which is a huge investment,” she said.

Humphries spent her first year on the job without an important part of the team — wrestlers. She used that time to recruit and build relationships with her athletes.

Freshman Shonticia Taft (left) wrestles during an intra-squad scrimmage to begin the wrestling season for the Huntingdon Hawks women's wrestling team on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama.
Freshman Shonticia Taft (left) wrestles during an intra-squad scrimmage to begin the wrestling season for the Huntingdon Hawks women’s wrestling team on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. The Hawks have the only collegiate-level women’s wrestling team in the Gulf South.

Shonticia Taft, a freshman from Marietta, Georgia, sees her time on the team as a chance to be a trailblazer, just like her coach.

As one of only two Black women on the team, she feels an added sense of pressure to prove herself more, but also to encourage other young Black women who are interested in getting on the mat but find themselves wrestling with the idea.

Humphries’ relationship-building also impressed eventual team members like Tristin Robinson.

“I had the chance to visit some other colleges, too, and seeing those colleges made me realize how much I really do love Huntingdon,” Robinson, a freshman from Dothan, Alabama, said. “I love how the staff really cares about you.”

Robinson is relatively new to the sport — she started wrestling in 10th grade when her high school’s women’s program formed — but loves the feeling of exhaustion and reward after a match or training session.

“I love competing, I love working hard, and I like feeling like I’m dying sometimes and then being able to — at the end of it — be like I just did that and I’m proud of myself for that,” Robinson said.

Robinson said her love for wrestling was cultivated by her father, Travis Robinson, who was present at the scrimmage. He is excited to cheer his daughter on and see how the Hawks stack up against the other teams they face, but he also wants to see the sport continue to grow regionally.

“I want everybody to get onboard just like they would for Alabama football,” he said.

The Huntingdon Hawks’ next time on the mat, and their first official match, will be on Nov. 11 in Georgia against the Life University Eagles.

USA Wrestling and Wrestle Like A Girl release Coaching Girl and Women Wrestlers Teal Course

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BY USA WRESTLING AND WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO/WASHINGTON, DC) – USA Wrestling and Wrestle Like A Girl have partnered to develop the latest course available through USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program (NCEP). The course, entitled, Coaching Girl and Women Wrestlers Teal Certification Course, is geared towards coaching female wrestlers, providing coaches with anecdotal and evidence-based material that will elevate not only novice coaches, but also those who have been coaching for decades.

Mike Clayton, USA Wrestling’s Manager of Coaches Education, said:

“We’re excited to announce a new course in partnership with Wrestle Like A Girl called, Coaching Girls and Women’s Wrestling. We know that girls’ wrestling numbers are skyrocketing, and we all want to support our coaches with the best possible resources to help keep our athletes safe and feeling welcome.”

This course is designed to provide all coaches with the key skills and knowledge they need to train and develop female wrestlers of all ages and shares ideas and research that will help any coach create a safe, positive, and growth minded program for our athletes.

Through September 30, the course will be available for free through USA Wrestling’s membership system, with the only requirement to complete is that the individual must have an account and profile at www.joinusawrestling.com.

Tela Bacher of Wrestle Like A Girl states:

“We are proud of the collaborative effort that went into the Coaching Girls and Women Teal Course. Content was developed by Dr. Amanda Stanec, leading international curriculum writer for legends such as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and the International Olympic Committee. The curriculum’s evidence-based research is grounded in wrestling, with information and resources from seasoned girl’s wrestling coaches, US national team coaches, the NWCA, the NWHOF, D1WW and the NFHS. With topics such as “Safeguarding Athletes and Coaches” and “Female Specific Technique,” this course has something for everyone who wants to support their female athletes on and off the mat.”

The course takes approximately 2 hours to complete, and the content remains available to refresh upon completion.

Not only is the course geared toward Wrestling Leader members of USA Wrestling, but it is available to girls high school coaches nationwide as well at www.joinusawrestling.com. Completion of the course will be noted in one’s profile in USA Wrestling’s membership system.

About Wrestle Like A Girl

Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to empower girls and women using the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. More information is available at WrestleLikeAGirl.Org.

About USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling is the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, a member of the international wrestling federation United World Wrestling and is a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. More information is available at TheMat.com

Rockets Girls Wrestlers Shine at County Championships

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RM Rockets wrestlers Nadia Estrada (145) and Cielo Prieto (125) win their respective divisions at the MCPS County Championships on Saturday February 18th held at Gaithersburg HS.  Overall, they led the girls team to a third place finish overall in the county.  On the co-ed side, freshman Isisiah Womack finished 3rd in his division.

Congratulations to first year coaches Sid Caesar and Nick Coates as well as all the wrestlers who competed at a high level throughout the season. On to regionals!!

RM’s Nadia Estrada Comes Back From Torn Meniscus and MCL to Win State Championship

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The Moco Show

Richard Montgomery High School’s Nadia Estrada won the 135 lb weight class 2022 Girls’ State Championship at the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro– her 2nd state title.

She won it all at 122 lbs in 2020, one week before everything shut down due to Covid-19 restrictions and was unable to defend her championship last year due to continued restrictions.

Nadia recovered from a surgically repaired meniscus in July of 2021. She tore the MCL in the same knee in September while training, but that injury did not require surgery.

The surgeon told her that her wrestling season was done and that she’d have to wait until next year. She was cleared to train on February 1st, so she decided to make a come back attempt and trained for the entire month leading up to the tournament.

She beat Brooke Bickers out of Boonsboro High School in the finals by decision,12-7.

Hannah Gladden to Pursue MMA Dreams

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Few days ago I posted that I have decided to purse my dream in MMA. I have a Wrestling background of 9 year. And few things in my arsenal that will help me in the sport. 

I am looking for a spot to train to prepare myself and in the next 4 to 5 month I want to be able to have a fight lined up if possible. 

I am a very humble Athlete that works hard. If you know anyone that would love to help sponsor me while I chase my dream please let me know. I do believe that I could be on the UFC before you know it. 

Here is my Credentials and its not all of it. 

HANNAH LASHAE GLADDEN

2019-20 Team USA Ranking: No. 3 at 76 kg/167.5 lbs.

Years on Team USA: 2 (2018-2020)

Residence: Gadsden, Ala.

Club: Lion WC

College: Emmanuel College (2018-2019), Univ. of the Cumberlands (2016-2018), Campbellsville Univ. (2014-2016)

High School: Ohatchee, Ala.

Born: August 13, 1996 in Gadsden, Ala.

Height: 5-4

Career Highlights

2018 Pan American Championships bronze medalist

Second in 2018 and 2019 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Second in 2019 U.S. Open

Third in 2018 U.S. Open

2018 SFU International champion (Canada)

Second in 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International

Three-time WCWA All-American (2015, 2017, 2019)

2019: Fourth at Bill Farrell Memorial International… Eighth in UWW Test Event (Japan)… Fifth at Canada Cup… Seventh in Poland Open… Second in World Team Trials Challenge Tournament… Seventh at U23 World Team Trials… Second at U.S. Open…

2018: SFU International champion (Canada)… Second in World Team Trials Challenge Tournament… Third at U.S. Open… Third in Pan American Championships… Fourth at Bill Farrell Memorial International … Third at U23 World Team Trials

2017:  Sixth at U.S. World Team Trials… Dave Schultz Memorial International silver medalist…

2016:  Second in Last Chance Trials Qualifier…

2015: Seventh in UWW Junior Nationals… Sixth in University Nationals…

2014: Sixth at UWW Junior Nationals…

2013: Pan American Cadet champion…

College: Fourth in 2019 WCWA Nationals for Emmanuel College… Coached by Kristie Davis… Sixth at 2017 WCWA College Nationals for the Univ. of the Cumberlands… Coached by Donnie Stephens there… Sixth at 2015 WCWA College Nationals for Campbellsville Univ… Previously coached by Lee Miracle… Majors in Criminal Justice with a minor in Kinesiology…

High School: Two-time Boys AHSAA Alabama State qualifier… first girl to qualify in Alabama history…

Age-Group Achievements: Fifth at 2014 Folkstyle Junior Nationals… Fourth at 2013 Junior Nationals… Third at 2013 Folkstyle Junior Nationals… Sixth at 2012 Junior Nationals… Third in 2012 Cadet Nationals… Third in 2012 UWW Cadet Nationals…  

Hobbies: training for MMA… 

Instagram: hannahlashaejohnson44

Amit Elor, 18, becomes youngest American to win world wrestling title

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By: Cody Goodwin | USA Today

Amit Elor, at just 18 years old, became the youngest American wrestler ever to win a Senior world title this week.

Elor won gold at the 2022 Senior women’s freestyle world championships in Belgrade, Serbia. She went 4-0 and took first at 72 kilograms (158 pounds), securing a 10-0 technical fall win in Thursday’s final over Kazakhstan’s Zhamila Bakbergenova.

“I’m still in shock,” Elor told USA Wrestling afterward. “It’s unbelievable. It’s setting the new standard for girls younger than me. It’s about being an inspiration for others.”

The California native and New York resident turned 18 on Jan. 1 of this year, and she supplants Kyle Snyder as the youngest American wrestler, man or woman, to become a world champion. Snyder was previously the youngest when he won in 2015.

Japan's Masako Furuichi, left, and Amit Elor, of the United States, compete in their women's freestyle 72 kg wrestling match during the Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

Elor was dominant this week. She outscored her four opponents 27-2, and registered wins over three past world medalists:

  • 3-2 over Japan’s Masako Furuichi, the 2021 world champ;
  • a 39-second pin over Turkey’s Buse Tosun, a 2021 world bronze medalist;
  • and her 10-0 win over Bakbergenova, the 2021 world silver medalist.

“All the training I’m doing, it’s good and it’s working,” Elor told USA Wrestling. “This has been my dream since I was a little girl. This is what I want more than anything in the whole world. I think about it every single day.”

“I just stuck to my style and what I believe in. If I do that, I can beat anybody in the world. I still have so much to work on. But I believe in my style and I believe in my coaches, and it worked out.”

Elor’s gold-medal finish was the lead highlight for the U.S. women’s freestyle world team this week in Serbia.

The American women took second in the team race for the second straight year, totaling 157 points behind seven medalists. They finished behind Japan, who scored 190 thanks to nine total medalists, including five individual champs. China took third with 84 points.

Elor was one of three American women to win gold, tying the 2019 team for the most by a U.S. women’s freestyle team. The seven medalists also ties a USA Wrestling record, matching the totals from 2003 in New York City and 2021 in Oslo, Norway.

Dominique Parrish won gold at 53 kilos (116) in her first trip to the world championships. At 68 kilos (150), Tamyra Mensah-Stock, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, won her second world title, outscoring her four opponents 34-0. She recorded a first-period pin in her finals match on Thursday, and is now a five-time world and Olympic medalist.

Behind them:

  • Helen Maroulis finished second at 57 kilos (125), and is now an eight-time world and Olympic medalist;
  • Kayla Miracle also took second, at 62 kilos (136), for the second consecutive year;
  • Sarah Hildebrandt won bronze at 50 kilos (110) to become a four-time world and Olympic medalist;
  • and Mallory Velte secured her second Senior-level world medal with a bronze-medal finish at 65 kilos (143).

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In the last 14 months, Elor has won a 2021 Cadet world title, a 2021 Junior world title, a 2022 Junior world title, and now 2022 Senior world gold. Across all four competitions, she’s 14-0 and has outscored her opponents 131-3.

And, again, she’s just 18. She said she plans to stick around for a long, long time.

“There’s still so much more to accomplish,” she continued. “My number one dream is to be an Olympic champion, but there’s world championships every single year, and each year is a new year and a chance to prove that you’re number one. I love that.

“There were a lot of nerves, but every time I felt nerves, I just reminded myself why I’m wrestling, and that I love this sport. So just go out there and enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy the moment, it’s not worth it.”

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

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