Five Highlights from the Consolation Rounds at Junior Nationals
We’re a week removed from UWW Junior and U23 Nationals. Most of the attention has been geared toward the finalists. So, here’s a look at five outstanding backside matchups.
53 kg Alleida Martinez and Marissa Gallegos
Two high-level wrestlers were knocked to the consolation side of the bracket after the 53 kg semifinal. On the top half, Tiare Ikei—the 2019 US Open champion and eventual Junior champion—outwrestled Alisha Howk, a two-time age-group World team member. On the bottom half, Felicity Taylor—a 2019 U23 World team member and two-time college national finalist—outwrestled NCAA All-American and No. 3 Marissa Gallegos (Co. Mesa). But before we even got to those outstanding semifinals Gallegos had defeated Alleida Martinez (Titan Mercury WC) in the quarters, which set the stage for Martinez to show her resilience by wrestling all the way back to place third.
Martinez, a two-time Junior World team member, WCWA and NAIA national champion, went 5-1 in the Junior division and recouped her only loss of the day in the third-place match—splitting wins 1-1 with Gallegos. Martinez had to win four consecutive matches on the backside. That’s gritty and impressive. The two wrestlers were separated by divisions and weight classes in the 2019-20 college season—Martinez wrestled at 109 pounds and Gallegos 123.
3rd place: Alleida Martinez (TMWC) vpo Marissa Gallegos (Co. Mesa), 3-2.
57 kg Emily Se and Mia Macaluso
Emily Se and Mia Macaluso are first and second-year college wrestlers. Se, a No. 3 ranked NCAA All-American for Emmanuel College lost in the semis to Junior finalist and U23 Champ Xochitl Mota-Petis (Rise Wrestling). Macaluso, a New York native, is a freshman at East Stroudsburg University. She dropped a match with eventual Junior division champion and multiple-time age-level World team member Cam Guerin (TMWC/McKendree). Both competitors returned to the mat to win their consolation semis and advanced to wrestle for third.
Their placement match was greatly a battle from the over-under and double underhook position. Both wrestlers scored points from an inside trip in the first period and Se went into the break with an 8-6 lead. Right away in the second period, Se caught Macaluso with her underhooks and brought her to her back to secure the fall.
3rd place: Emily Se (Emmanuel) vfa Mia Macaluso (East Stroudsburg), 3:19
59 kg Tiera Jimerson and Jordan Suarez
California senior Tiera Jimerson (No. 4 at 132) made some waves last weekend. Starting out the day strong, Jimerson defeated Oklahoma City’s Sophia Smith and Texas senior Devin Patton (nationally-ranked No. 3, and 2020 Super 32 finalist) before dropping a semifinal bout to 2019 Junior World Team Member Michaela Beck (Sunkist Kids WC). On the consolation side, Jimerson defeated three-time Hawaii State Champ Paige Respicio (Midland) in the consolation semis before a third-place match with Jordan Suarez.
Suarez, another Texas native in this bracket, is a freshman wrestler at Wayland Baptist. She dropped a match to Gracie Figueroa—the 59 kg Junior champion—in the round of 16, so her consolation battle started in match two. Suarez won five consecutive matches to place third. And that included wins over Jerzie Estrada, Devin Patton, Amor Tuttle and King’s All-American Phoenix Dubose (clip above).
3rd place: Jordan Suarez vpo Tiera Jimerson, 5-0.
62 kg: Chloe Ogden and Kendall Bostelman
What makes the Junior division outstanding is that it’s a fusion of the best high school wrestlers and college-age underclassmen in the country. We get to see an entire group of young talent moving up.
The 62 kg bracket was first and foremost dominated by Wisconsin Natives Macey Kilty and Kylie Welker. But beyond those two, it was high school senior Chloe Ogden (No. 2 at 138) and junior Kendall Bostelman (No. 5 at 127). Ogden, a 2020 Super 32 champ, won the third place match 13-4 after defeating McKendree’s Emmily Patneaud 12-4 in the consolation semis. Botselman, a junior at Wyoming Seminary, defeated Liana Souza in the consolation semis. Bostelman doubled-down as an All-American placing 4th in the U23 division as well.
3rd place: Chloe Ogden vpo Kendall Bostelman, 13-4.
65 kg: Bri Csontos and Viktorya Torres
2018 Junior Pan Am Gold Medalist Bri Csontos (Titan Mercury WC / Columbia WC) had a tough loss in the opening round to Junior finalist Katerina Lange (Twin Cities RTC). But she recouped immediately and won four matches on the consolation side of the bracket to place third. Her opponent for third, Viktorya Torres, was a 2020 Washington state finalist and 2019 Fargo finalist. Torres (King University) made it to the Junior division semifinal where eventual Champion Marisol Nugent (Lehigh Valley WC) edged her out 6-5. Both wrestlers were back for day 2 where Torres was a finalist in the U23 division and Csontos placed 4th.
3rd place: Bri Csontos (TMWC) vfa Viktorya Torres (King), 2:16.
Visit our UWW Junior and U23 Nationals hub for complete coverage of the weekend in Omaha.
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