Contact: Anna Fox, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, amfox@noctrl.edu
 
ADRIAN, Mich. (Nov. 10, 2024) - The North Central College women's wrestling team completed their weekend in Adrian, Mich., in first-place with 314 points at the Adrian College Invite. After a day of matches, the Cardinals had six wrestlers finish first in their respective weight classes.
 
The third-ranked Cardinals headed into the Adrian Invite after posting a perfect 4-0 record in the dual meets on Saturday, taking down four ranked opponents. North Central finished in first place, scoring 314 points, 160 points more than the unattached team in second. First-ranked King University finished in third (127.5), No. 4 McKendree University finished in fourth (114.5), and Brock University rounded out the top five with 111 points.
 
Third-ranked Maddie Avila opened the day in the 103-pound weight class with a pin over Otterbein University's Kellie Kennedy in one minute and 16 seconds. Avila defeated Tiffany Stoshak from Sacred Heart University with a technical fall (10-0) before taking down No. 6 Avery Kibelbek (King University) in a nail-biting 2-2 decision. Avila picked up another decision win in the semifinals, this time by defeating Aurora University's seventh-ranked Genesis Ramirez. In the championship match, Avila met teammate Brianne Graves on the mat. Avila held strong against her teammate to win the match by an 8-4 decision. Avila finished first and recorded a perfect 5-0 record at the Invite.
 
In the 110-pound class, Kendra Ryan received a bye in the first round. Ryan picked up two back-to-back technical falls (10-0) by taking down Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) and Tiffin University's Grace Jones. Ryan defeated New Jersey City University's Izabella Frezzo in the semifinals by an 8-1 technical fall. Ryan took first place by defeating Samantha Romero from Brock University with a 10-0 technical fall. Ryan ended the day with a 4-0 record, with all her wins being technical falls.
 
Defending national champion and first-ranked Amani Jones (124) received a bye in the first round before defeating Adrian College's Sophia Renteria with an 11-0 technical fall. Jones picked up another 11-0 technical fall over Trinity Howard (unattached) in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Jones faced off against Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State University), defeating her with a 5-2 decision win. In the first-place match, Jones continued to show her dominance by defeating third-ranked Montana Delawder (King) with another decision win (4-0). Jones took home a first-place finish and a spotless 4-0 record.
 
Sara Sterner ruled the 131-pound weight class. In the first round, Sterner pinned King's Anna Dicugno in one minute and 53 seconds. Then, Sterner only needed 55 seconds to pin Jewlie Gonzales (unattached). Sterner continued to pin opponents in the next two rounds, pinning Kenndedy Hsu (McKendree University) in one minute and 55 seconds before pinning Natasha Markoutsis (Aurora) (5:11). In the championships, Sterner stood her ground, defeating Alexandra Szkotnicki (McKendree) with a 4-3 decision. Sterner finished in first place with a record of 5-0, including four pins on the day.
 
Bella Mir also had a pinning party in the 145 class "A" bracket. Mir received a bye in the first round before pinning West Liberty University's Grace O'Korn in one minute and 42 seconds. Then, Mir recorded her fastest pin of the day in the quarterfinals over Khadijah Sanusi (Sacred Heart) in one minute and 19 seconds. In the semifinals, Mir met teammate Riley Aamold in the center of the mat. Mir took down Aamold with a pin in one minute and 22 seconds. In the finals, Mir pinned Eduarda Batista (unattached) (2:35). Mir completed the day in first place with a 4-0 record, all from pins.
 
In the 145 class "B" bracket, Caylynn Chandler had a bye in the first round. Chandler defeated MaKayla Gowell (Alma College) with an 11-1 technical fall before pinning Rachel Hall (Brock) in two minutes and 22 seconds. In the semifinals, Chandler only needed one minute and 36 seconds to pin Siena Heights University's Alexus Shaneyfelt. In the championship match, Chandler faced off against teammate Clare Waite. Chandler defeated Waite by an 8-0 decision to take home first place.
 
Many other Cardinal wrestlers saw success on the mat in Adrian, Mich., including six second-place finished. To see more Cardinal results, click HERE.
 
North Central will have a rare weekday match-up to challenge Augustana College in a dual meet Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. in Carver Center in Rock Island, Ill.
 
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