By Mark Maldonado
Team Indiana is rostering 32 women to compete at Fargo this year. In this preview we are looking at the girls who have seeding criteria from their prior nationals success at the 16U/Junior divisions.
We start with the Junior division. We have a few girls who have an immense amount of experience who can contend for a national title with seven girls having seeding criteria. At 106, we have two girls who have had a lot of freestyle success. Heather Crull (Northeastern) won U17 World Team Member this year and finished 2nd and 7th at Fargo the past two years. Mackenzie Smith (Heritage Hills) is also at this weight and was a 16U Fargo Champion in 2021. She finished 7th last year in the Junior division. At 122 Rose Kaplan (West Lafayette) has had quite the year and could find herself competing for a title. In the past four months, Rose won USA Folkstyle Nationals, placed in the U20 world team trials, and went undefeated at Junior Duals in Tulsa. Looking to get back on the podium, Joy Cantu (Merrillville) at 112 and Kaylie Peterson (Evansville Central) at 152 both were Fargo All-Americans in 2021. Indian Creek’s Phoebe Dowty at 122 and Hannah Seitzinger at 127 were both place-winners at USA Folkstyle Nationals.
In the 16U division, eight of our sixteen wrestlers placed at 16U Folkstyle Nationals. Kendall Moe (Hamilton Heights) at 94 pounds is a Folkstyle National Champion and the only returning Fargo All-American for the 16U women. Elly Janovsky at 144 (Lake Central) will be a top seed after placing 4th at the U17 world team trials. She was a folkstyle national runner-up in 2022. Aleksandra Bastaic at 138 (Highland) is making her Fargo debut and is another title contender. She finished 2nd at 16U Folkstyle and 2nd at U15 Pan-Am Trials in her past two national tournaments. Southport has two Folkstyle national runner-ups who could make deep runs, Kyla Johnson (122) and Ava Mosconi (180). At 112, Amelia Murphy (Wyoming Seminary) looked stellar at Junior Duals finishing 8-0 and should be high on the podium stand this year. Isabel Kaplan (West Lafayette) has had a lot of 14U national success. She placed 4th at 16U Folkstyle nationals this year. Other national placers are middle school wrestlers Maddie Marsh (Pendleton Heights) at 132 and Ava Strayer (Crown Point) at 122. Both placed at both U15 national team trials in Spokane and at 16U Folkstyle nationals.
Rounding out the roster
Juniors: Kirsten Cortez (Lake Central), Omotola Aluko (Ben Davis), AnnaMae Mosconi (Southport), Emily Anderson (Hamilton Southeastern), Sian Rogers (Jeffersonville), Katelynn Hernandez (Purdue Poly), Kera Parke (Fort Wayne North Side), Michela Clifford (Columbia City).
16U: Olivia Crull (Northeastern), Gracie Smiley (Brownsburg), Jaden Hughes (Frankton), Ella France (Northfield), Kylie Benoit (Hanover Central), Paige Cook (Boonville), Fanta Sall (Hamilton Southeastern)
WOMEN FARGO COMPETITION SCHEDULE (Central Standard Time)
Saturday, July 15th
Session I - 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
16U/Junior Girls: Championship (2 Rds) and Consolation (2 or 3 Rds)
Session II - 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
16U/Junior Girls: Championship & Quarterfinals (3 Rds) and Consolation (2 or 3 Rds)
Sunday, July 16th
Session III - 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
16U/Junior Girls: Semifinals (2 Mats); Consolation and Consolation Semifinals (5 Rds)
Session IV - 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
16U/Junior Girls: 3rd-8th Medal Matches
Session V - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
16U/Junior Girls: Parade of Champions and Finals
USA Wrestling Nationally Rankings (7/7/23)
100 - Kendall Moe #26
106- Heather Crull #5
112- Amelia Murphy #25
127- Rose Kaplan #5
138- Aleksandra Bastaic #25
138- Maddie Marsh #26
144- Elly Janovsky #10
2023 PIN Ranking in Bracket (Top 15)
JR 106- Heather Crull #1
JR 106- Mackenzie Smith #11
JR 112- Omotola Aluko #15
JR 117- Emily Anderson #7
JR 122 - Rose Kaplan #7
JR 152- Kaylie Peterson #6
16U 94- Kendall Moe #3
16U 112- Amelia Murphy #6
16U 122- Kyla Johnson #6
16U 122- Ava Strayer #9
16U 132- Maddie Marsh #8
16U 138- Aleksandra Bastaic #5
16U 144- Elly Janovsky #7
Total Female Fargo All-Americans in the past 10 years
2022 - 8 All-Americans
2021 - 7 All-Americans
2020 - No Tournament
2019 - 4 All-Americans
2018 - 1 All-American
2017 - 3 All-Americans
2016 - 1 All-American
2015 - 1 All-American
2014 - 2 All-Americans
2013 - 3 All-Americans
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