High School Wrestling: Journeymen Classic Preview - Tournament Featuring Women’s Division Loaded with Talent
2017 Pan Am champion, Wyoming Sem’s Caitlyn Walker competing this weekend at Journeymen Fall Classic. (pc. TeamUSA.org)
by Derek Levendusky, AWW staff writer
For the first time in their history, Journeymen is adding a girls’ division to their prestigious fall tournament, the Journeymen Fall Classic on September 28-29. Historically, this tournament has featured elite wrestlers from all over the U.S. in elementary school divisions right up through high school. Journeymen visionary-founder-director Frank Popolizio, who was inducted into New York’s chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018, has always had a vision to bring the best competition possible to his events, and it’s no different with the women. As of last night, this year’s event features 41 wrestlers from 10 different states and Canada. Participants include 18 USA Wrestling All-Americans, three USAW National Champions, three world team members, and three Pan-Am medalists. The groups are also full of state champions and state placers. Watch the event on FloWrestling on Saturday. Weight class preview below!
Disclaimer: These groups and their participants are subject to change. Some wrestlers may have been added after this preview was published.
101
There are currently no competitors listed at this weight.
108
This weight class looks like smooth sailing for 2017 Pan-Am champ Caitlyn Walker of Pennsylvania. She does have Fargo Cadet All-American Logan Farnsworth in her group, but this bracket looks like Walker and everybody else. Prediction: The battle with the rest will be for 2nd place in this group. Farnsworth, a junior, has two age level state champions in Brooke Tarshis (NY) and Carina Giangeruso (NJ), though her real competition might come from older state placers Emily Frost (NY) and Hannah Simoes (NY). Look for Simoes to make a run for the top 3.
116
Senior Samantha Larsen of New Jersey looks like the obvious favorite as the only All-American, but look out for New York’s Sophia Mirabella, a tough New Yorker that has had success in MMA and also won a state title this year. Mirabella was also on the NY national team in Fargo last summer, and though she didn’t make the podium, went 2-2 and pulled an upset over a nationally ranked wrestler. Watch New York’s Elleny Seda as well, who competed in the opening match of the BTS gala event in Madison Square Garden last May.
125
Sofia Macaluso is coming off a world class year, where she was a double national champion at Oklahoma Folkstyle Nationals last March, winning the 16U and Junior divisions, and then followed up with the Fargo Cadet national title in July. New York star teammate Riley Dalrymple will have something to say about who stands on the top of the podium, coming off a 4th place finish at Fargo in the Junior division. Meanwhile, the 2019 Pan-Am Junior bronze winner, Canadian world teamer Jolie Brisco, is going to be a tough out for Macaluso and Dalrymple. Look for these three hammers to battle for the crown in the compelling mini-tournament within this bracket. Draw will certainly affect what the final looks like in this one.
134
This weight class and 143 might have the most depth from top to bottom, as 5 out of 6 entries are All-Americans. Avia Bibeau (PA) was the highest placing Junior at Fargo from this group this year, taking 5th with a dominant win over Grace Pauls (NY), who took 6th. That said, anyone who follows girls’ high school wrestling knows that Pauls, with her arsenal of home run moves, can beat anyone at any time. Naomi Henry of New York, who was the Fargo runner-up in 2018, had a tough draw at Fargo this year, losing to top-ranked opponent Leila Castro 16-11, so expect her also to contend for the top spot this weekend.
143
Canadian world team member and 2017 Pan Am bronze medalist Nyla Burgess is in this group, which is also the largest group at the tournament. The cast includes a whopping seven USAW All-Americans, which means at least one won’t make the top 6. Tells you something about the quality of the competition at this event. Alexis Adams was an age-level national champ at Body Bar this year and BTS wrestler Alessandra Elliot was an age-level runner-up in Oklahoma, but expect Wyoming Sem’s All-American Veronica Whitacre and Massachusetts senior All-American Marisol Nugent to be the ones to challenge Burgess, though I believe we’ll see Burgess on top in when it’s all over in this bracket. New York’s Jade Eldridge has done well regionally, and looks to be tough against any opponent in this group.
152
This is a small group that features BTS Providence All-American Skylah Chakouian, the sole All-American in this group, though expect a challenge from BTS New York’s Jessica Kemgne, who won a few matches at Fargo last July.
172
Fargo All-American Kai Poux is currently the only wrestler in this group.
Here’s the list of national champions, world teamers & All-Americans entered in the Journeymen Fall Classic!
USA Wrestling National Champions
108 Caitlyn Walker (Wyoming Seminary, PA), 2017 world teamer, Pan-Am Champion, 5th at Worlds
125 Sofia Macaluso (Venom Girls WC, NY), 2x 2019 OK Folkstyle Champion (Cadet & Junior), 2019 Fargo Champion
143 Alexis Adams (Fisheye, CT), 2019 Body Bar 14U Champion
World Teamers
108 Caitlyn Walker (Wyoming Seminary, PA), 2017 world teamer, Pan-Am Champion, 5th at Worlds
125 Jolie Brisco (Vipers WC, ON, Canada), 2019 Pan Am bronze
143 Nyla Burgess (Team Impact WC, ON, Canada), 2017 Pan Am bronze
USA Wrestling All-Americans
108 Caitlyn Walker (Wyoming Seminary, PA), 2017 world teamer, Pan-Am Champion, 5th at Worlds
108 Logan Farnsworth (Mayo Quanchi, RI)
116 Samantha Larsen (Iron Horse, NJ)
125 Sofia Macaluso (Venom Girls WC, NY), 2x 2019 OK Folkstyle Champion (Cadet & Junior), 2019 Fargo Champion
125 Riley Dalrymple (Copenhagen, NY)
134 Avia Bibeau (East Stroudsburg North, PA)
134 Maggie Palmore (MD National Team, MD)
134 Grace Pauls (Venom Girls WC, NY)
134 Naomi Henry (BTS NYC, NY)
134 Piper Staniford (Wyoming Sem, PA)
143 Veronica Whitacre (Wyoming Sem, PA)
143 Chloe Ogden (Lake Highland, FL)
143 Marisol Nugent (Doughboy, MA)
143 Alexis Adams (Fisheye, CT), 2019 Body Bar 14U Champion
143 Alessandra Elliot (BTS NYC, NY)
143 Savana Pinset (Vipers WC, ON)
152 Skylah Chakouian (BTS Providence)
172 Kai Poux (BTS NYC, NY)