Fargo Day 1: 16U, Junior Women's Teams in 1st

Day one in Fargo ended with the Michigan women's contingent atop the leaderboards in both the 16U and Junior divisions.  In total, 19 wrestlers advanced to the final day of competition, including eleven semifinalists across the two divisions.

In 16U, Madison Nieuwenhuis (100), Nakayla Dawson (106), Alexis Lazar (117), Rihanna Venegas (144), and Maddie Hayden (152) all advanced to the semifinals.  Of note, Hayden defeated defending champion and 5th-ranked Sarah Henckel of Connecticut in the semifinals by fall after racking up a 9-0 lead.

Isabella Cepak, Maggie Buurma, and Halle Spears are each one win away from All-American honors in the consolation bracket.  Cepak and Buurma both have 4-1 ledgers on the tournament, while Spears is 3-1.

On the Junior side, six wrestlers have semifinal matchups in the morning - Emme Hicks (100), Gigi Bragg (112), Tyler Swanigan (127), Mishell Rebisch (152), Amarisa Manuel (164), and Sabrina Nauss (180).  Wrestling back and needing a win to reach the podium is Maggie Buurma, Alissa Caltagirone, Ryen Allen, Lilliana Garcia, and Madasyn Frisbie.

Buurma and Lazar were two of just eleven wrestlers to enter both the 16U and Junior divisions.  Buurma posted a 9-2 slate across the two brackets and sits in the bloodround of both.  Lazar was the only wrestler of the eleven to advance to a semifinal.

The team races are extremely close in both divisions and should still be very much up for grabs.  In 16U, Michigan currently sits in a three-way tie for first with Oklahoma and Pennsylvania; all three teams have five semifinalists.  The Michigan Junior team leads the standings by 7 points and has the most semifinalists of any state.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

All times EST

10:00 am - 1:00 pm: 16U/Junior Girls Semifinals, Consolation, and Consolation Semifinals
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm: 16U/Junior Girls 3rd-8th Place Medal Matches
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm: 16U/Junior Girls Championship Finals

SUNDAY MORNING MATCHUPS

16U
SEMIFINALS
100 - #9 Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI) vs #23 Elizabeth Valenzuela-Smith (AZ)
106 - #11 Nakayla Dawson (MI) vs #13 Mary Manis (FL)
117 - #11 Alexis Lazar (MI) vs Raeann Craft (NY)
144 - Rihanna Venegas (MI) vs #9 Morgan Lucio (AZ)
152 - #10 Maddie Hayden (MI) vs Brynn Shepardson (NY)
BLOODROUND
122 - #18 Isabella Cepak (MI) vs Kaylan Hitchcock (KS)
132 - #14 Maggie Buurma (MI) vs #29 Lilliana Banks (WI)
180 - Halle Spears (MI) vs Laney Oliver (OH)

JUNIOR
SEMIFINALS
100 - Emme Hicks (MI) vs #29 Gabriele Tedesco (FL)
112 - #8 Gigi Bragg (MI) vs #6 Clare Booe (FL)
127 - Tyler Swanigan (MI) vs #3 Emily Sindoni (NY)
152 - #4 Mishell Rebisch (MI) vs #3 Eduarda Rodrigues (CA)
164 - #8 Amarisa Manuel (MI) vs #5 Naomi Simon (IA)
180 - #1 Sabrina Nauss (MI) vs #3 Isabella Renfro (MO)
BLOODROUND
132 - #14 Maggie Buurma (MI) vs #2 Emily Frost (NY)
138 - #15 Alissa Caltagirone (MI) vs #30 Gabriella Perez (FL)
144 - Ryen Allen (MI) vs Ariana Mercado (CA)
225 - #24 Madasyn Frisbie (MI) vs Aaliyah Grandberry (IL)
225 - #25 Lillianna Garcia (MI) vs #6 Chloe Hoselton (IL)

TEAM STANDINGS

16U
1.  Michigan - 35 (5 Semis, 3 Bloodround)
1.  Oklahoma - 35 (5, 2)
1.  Pennsylvania - 35 (5, 6)
4.  Arizona - 28 (4, 3)
5.  Indiana - 21 (3, 2)
5.  Iowa - 21 (3, 3)
5.  New York - 21 (3, 4)
5.  South Dakota - 21 (3, 1)
5.  Washington - 21 (3, 2)

Junior
1.  Michigan - 42 (6 Semis, 5 Bloodround)
2.  Illinois - 35 (5, 6)
3.  California - 28 (4, 13)
3.  Colorado - 28 (4, 3)
3.  Missouri - 28 (4, 7)
6.  Iowa - 21 (3, 3)
6.  Pennsylvania - 21 (3, 8)
6.  Wisconsin - 21 (3, 2)

RANKED WINS

16U
100 - #9 Madison Nieuwenhuis (MI) fall #27 Bianca Eide (MN)
106 - #11 Nakayla Dawson (MI) def. #25 Teegan Sibble (NY) 6-2
144 - Rihanna Venegas (MI) def. #13 Madison Westerberg (NY) 9-2
152 - #10 Maddie Hayden (MI) fall #5 Sarah Henckel (CT)

JUNIOR
100 - Mackenzie Burger (MI) def. #18 Zoey Haney (MO) 6-4
112 - #8 Gigi Bragg (MI) tech. #3 Lorianna Piestewa (NM) 11-0
112 - #8 Gigi Bragg (MI) def. #26 Avy Perez (CA) 17-9
127 - Caylynn Chandler (MI) tech. #23 Nicole Redmond (KS) 18-7
127 - Tyler Swanigan (MI) fall #16 Karianne Baldwin (WA)
138 - #15 Alissa Caltagirone (MI) tech. #12 Morgan Edwards (PA) 10-0
138 - #15 Alissa Caltagirone (MI) fall #11 Kryssceah Ravenelle (RI)
144 - Ryen Allen (MI) def. #29 Katherine Stewart (FL) 9-2
152 - #4 Mishell Rebisch (MI) fall #27 Adriana Palumbo (NY)
164 - #8 Amarisa Manuel (MI) fall #26 Ugochi Anunobi (MD)
164 - #8 Amarisa Manuel (MI) def. #11 Jael Miller (PA) 11-9
180 - #1 Sabrina Nauss (MI) tech. #8 Maria Aiono (NV) 10-0
225 - #25 Lillianna Garcia (MI) fall #20 Dayla Brown (TX)
225 - #24 Madasyn Frisbie (MI) tech. #8 Ariana Chavez (TX) 10-0

.500 OR BETTER PERFORMANCES

16U
100 - Madison Nieuwenhuis, 4-0 Semifinals
106 - Nakayla Dawson, 4-0 Semifinals
106 - Cheyenne Frank, 2-2
106 - Tomasin Mair, 2-2
117 - Alexis Lazar, 4-0 Semifinals
122 - Hannah Blyveis, 2-2
122 - Isabella Cepak, 4-1 Bloodround
132 - Maggie Buurma, 4-1 Bloodround
144 - Rihanna Venegas, 3-0 Semifinals
152 - Maddie Hayden, 3-0 Semifinals
152 - Shawna Sundholm 2-2
180 - Halle Spears, 3-1 Bloodround

JUNIOR
100 - Emme Hicks, 3-0 Semifinals
100 - Mackenzie Burger, 3-2
112 - Gigi Bragg, 5-0 Semifinals
117 - Alexis Lazar, 3-2
127 - Caylynn Chandler, 3-2
127 - Sydney Thompson, 2-2
127 - Tyler Swanigan, 4-0 Semifinals
132 - Angelina Pena, 3-2
132 - Maggie Buurma, 5-1 Bloodround
138 - Alissa Caltagirone, 4-1 Bloodround
138 - Emily Medford, 2-2
138 - Sienna Tovar, 2-2
144 - Danni Swihart, 2-2
144 - Ryen Allen, 4-1 Bloodround
152 - Madison Ward, 3-2
152 - Mishell Rebisch, 4-0 Semifinals
164 - Amarisa Manuel, 4-0 Semifinals
164 - Makayla Gowell, 2-2
180 - Sabrina Nauss, 3-0 Semifinals
225 - Lillianna Garcia, 2-1 Bloodround
225 - Madasyn Frisbie, 2-1 Bloodround

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