TLDR: 16U women’s freestyle wrestled through the semifinals. Carley Ceshker (122) and Faith Bartoszek (138) are in the finals. Two more, Dealya Collins and Rachel Schauer (164), secured All-American status and will wrestle to determine placement tomorrow. Eight advanced to the quarterfinals in the 16U men’s freestyle division: Caleb Noble (88), Haakon Peterson (94), Aeoden Sinclair (182), Chase Matthias (195), Daniel Heiser (132), Jake Stoffel (152), Kellen Wolbert (113) and Lucas Peters (126). Six are wrestling in the consolations: Caleb Cady (145), Declan Koch (113), Evan Gratz (285), Liam Neitzel (106), Owen Wasley (160) and Tristan Steldt (160). Wrestling resumes tomorrow at 8AM.

Fargo is the place to be right now. USA Wrestling’s Junior & 16U Nationals is the largest tournament on earth, with over 7,000 wrestlers competing from Saturday through next week Friday.

Wrestling on Saturday were the 16U men’s and women’s freestyle divisions. Today is the only day of the event that won’t end with a championship finale.

Session I started at 8AM. By 130PM, women’s freestyle wrestled through the quarters, and we finished session II around 8PM which determined the finalists and All-Americans in the women's division, and quarterfinalists for the boys.

Leading the way for the Wisconsin women are finalists Carley Ceshker and Faith Bartoszek.

Ceshker, a first-year cadet, is currently 5-0 with victories over opponents from Georgia, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and two from California. Her 7-4 decision in the semifinals was over nationally ranked opponent Alejandra Valdiviezo (Ceshker came in ranked No. 8 at 117), and she defeated No. 3 Savannah Witt in the quarters. Ceshker will face Everest Leydecker of Arizona in the 122-pound finals.

Bartoszek, who will face Connecticut's Sarah Henckel in the finals, also secured five consecutive wins today. This included a 6-1 decision in the semifinals over California’s Gianna DiBenedetto, who is ranked No. 11 at 132 pounds. Bartoszek placed 5th last year in the 16U and Junior divisions.

Two more secured All-American honors, Dealya Collins and Rachel Schauer. Collins (127-pounds) turned heads today with a 4-1 performance. She battled her way to the semifinals where she wrestled last year’s 16U champion, Skylar Little Soldier. Collins scored a takedown late in the match, but it wasn’t enough to take out the returning champ. She’ll start in the consolation semis tomorrow.

Schauer wrestled into the 164-pound quarterfinals before running up against another returning champ from Minnesota, Ella Pagel. She finished the day by securing All-American status with a 55-second pin in the blood round. She will wrestle Montana’s Kylee Lindsley in the consolation semis tomorrow.

It’s been a great day of wrestling for this young women's team. Of the eleven competing today, eight are experiencing the fight of this tournament for the first time. Falling in the blood round were Taylor Whiting (4-2) and Natalie Klavetter (4-2). Angie Bianchi and Sophia Bassino went 3-2. Mya Delleree, Cailyn Wittier, and Brooke Corrigan battled on the first day of competition.

The 16U men’s freestyle brackets were so large that today’s sessions were devoted just to the preliminary and consolation rounds.

Eight wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals, including the trio that came in as the No. 1 seeds: Caleb Noble (88), Haakon Peterson (94) and Aeoden Sinclair (182). Joining them are Chase Matthias (195), Daniel Heiser (132), Jake Stoffel (152), Kellen Wolbert (113) and Lucas Peters (126).

Six are wrestling in the consolations: Caleb Cady (145), Declan Koch (113), Evan Gratz (285), Liam Neitzel (106), Owen Wasley (160) and Tristan Steldt (160).

The Junior men’s freestyle team weighed in this evening and will start right away during session III in the morning. Back in River Falls, the junior women are fine-tuning their skills at camp for one more day. 

Wrestling resumes at 8AM Sunday. Select here for an updated schedule by USAW.