Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant,
mreaker@noctrl.edu
Team Scores
Brackets
Results
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (Dec. 30, 2022) - Competing for the final time in 2022, the North Central College women's wrestling team dominated the competition on their way to the first ever Midlands Championship while they saw 14 wrestlers place within the top-four while four wrestlers claimed a title in their respective weight classes.
In the 58 year history of the Midlands Championships, this is the first time a women's division has been held and the Cardinals were crowned the champions of this prestigious tournament after scoring 107.5 points. Augsburg University followed in second with 54 points while Presbyterian College (45) was third, McKendree University (31.5) was fourth and Lock Haven University (15.5) rounded out the top-five.
In the 101-pound bracket, Maddie Avila kicked off the tournament by upsetting No. 4 Samantha Miller of Presbyterian College to advance to the Championship bout against Rianna Murphy. In the finals, Avila would go down 6-0 before climbing her way back to four but her comeback efforts weren't enough as she fell to Murphy by an 8-4 decision, taking home second place. Amber Turner competed at 101-pounds, taking home fourth after falling in both of her matches.
Kendra Ryan, the fifth-ranked wrestler in 109-pounds, started the tournament with a 10-0 technical fall win over Cassy Lopez of Presbyterian before falling to No. 6 Kaelani Shufeldt of Lock Haven University in the semifinals. In the consolation semifinals, Ryan would defeat No. 8 Pauline Granados of McKendree University by a 12-1 technical fall to advance to the third place match against Lopez. Ryan would defeat Lopez for the second time this tournament, to claim third place. Sydney Petzinger, the top-ranked wrestler in 109-pounds, received a bye in the quarterfinals before defeating Clare Booe (Wyoming Seminary) by a 13-2 technical fall to advance to the championship match against No. 6 Shufeldt. In the finals, Petzinger would dominate Shufedlt, defeating her by an 11-0 technical fall on her way to the 109-pound crown.
In the 116-pound weight class, No. 8 Amaya Yoshizumi received a bye in the quarterfinals before falling to teammate Jaslynn Gallegos in the semifinals to put her in the consolation side of the bracket. In the consolation semifinals, Yoshizumi would defeat Elvie Villa of McKendree to put her in the third place match. Yoshizumi would fall to No. 4 Ainslie Lane of Presbyterian to take home fourth place. No. 1 Gallegos kicked off the tournament with a 10-0 technical fall win over Tatum Park of Augsburg University to advance to the semifinals where she would defeat Yoshizumi. Gallegos would square off with Chole Ayres in the championship match and Gallegos would pin Ayres to claim the 116-pound title.
In the 123-pound weight class, No. 6 Amani Jones would receive a bye in the first round before defeating Victoria Smith of Lock Haven by a 7-3 decision to move into the semifinals. Jones would fall by a narrow 7-6 decision to Carly Ceshker (Unattached) before pinning teammate Dakota Drew in the consolation semifinals to advance to the third place bout. Jones would claim third place with a 10-0 technical fall win over Catherine Bertrand of Presbyterian.
Sara Sterner received a bye in the first round of the 130-pound bracket before advancing to the semifinals by an Injury default win. In the semifinals, Sterner pinned No. 3 Sierra Marie Miller of Presbyterian to move into the 130-pound finals against Alexis Janiak of Aurora University. In the finals, Sterner was down 7-1 but with 40 seconds left in the first period, she connected with a throw and pinned Janiak to claim the 130-pound title.
Yele Aycock, the second-ranked wrestler in 136-pounds, received a bye in the first round before defeating No. 3 Paige Wehrmeister of Presbyterian to advance to the championship bout against No. 1 Nina Makem of Augsburg. This is the fourth meeting between the top-two wrestlers and Aycock would fall to Makem, taking home second place.
In the 143-pound weight class, Riley Aamold fell in the first round by an 8-6 decision to No. 3 Katie Lang of Augsburg before bouncing back with an 8-4 decision win over teammate Salome Walker. In the consolation semifinals, Aamold would pin teammate Kendall Bostelman before falling in the third place match to Grace Stem of Lock Haven, taking home fourth place.
London Houston received a first round bye in the 155-pound weight class before defeating No. 8 Brooklyn Hays by a 10-0 technical fall to move into the semifinals match. Houston would fall in the semifinals to teammate Tiera Jimerson to put her in the consolation semifinals. Houston would bounce back and defeat Love Daley of Wyoming Seminary by a 12-0 technical fall before pinning teammate Malea Palahniuk to claim third place. Palahniuk, the sixth-ranked wrestler in 155-pounds, also received a bye in the first round before defeating Daley by a 10-0 technical fall. Palahniuk would fall in the semifinals to top-ranked Marlynne Deede of Augsburg, putting her in the consolation semifinals. Palahniuk would pin No. 8 Hays before falling to Houston, taking home fourth place.
Tiera Jimerson, received a bye in the first round of the 155-pound bracket before defeating Kahlea Jolly of Augsburg by a 10-0 technical fall to put her into the semifinals against Houston. Jimerson would defeat Houston by a 6-3 decision to advance to the championship bout against No. 1 Deede. In the finals, Deede held a 4-2 lead with 20 seconds remaining but a late takedown by Jimerson secured the win over the top-ranked wrestler.
In the 191-pound weight class, No. 5 Traeh Haynes defeated Maia Foster of Augsburg University by a 10-0 technical fall to advance to the championship match against the top-ranked wrestler, Sydnee Kimber of McKendree. In the finals, Haynes established a 2-0 lead in the first period but would fall in the second period, taking home second place.
Sterner was honored following the tournament as the leading scorer in team points (19) while being named the Champion of Champions which is voted by each champion at each weight class.
The second-ranked Cardinals head to Louisville, Ky. to compete in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals on Jan. 6 & 7. The action is set to start at 10 am on Friday inside the Kentucky Exposition Center.
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