2020 WCWA Nationals Day 1 Recap: Semis Set, Laurent & Nette on Track for Back-to-Back

2019 WCWA National Champion Jayden Laurent is back in the semis at this year’s 2020 WCWA National Championships. Photo courtesy of The Sheyboygan Press.

by Derek Levendusky, AWW staff writer

MARIETTA, GA - The All-Americans at this year’s WCWA Nationals have been determined. Everyone wrestling tomorrow is assured a spot in the top 8. Campbellsville has 11 wrestlers in the semis, and 12 total in the All-American rounds.

2019 WCWA Champions Abby Nette (Campbellsville) and Jayden Laurent (Lakeland) are both in the semis in their weight classes, seeking to go back-to-back.

Some freshmen are making their mark, especially Augsburg, as 109 pound Emily Shilson, 123 pound Vayle Baker, and 130 pound Gabby Skidmore are all in the semis.

101 pounds got blown up when both the #1 and #2 seeds went down. Unseeded McKenzie Bacich of Campbellsville edged #1 seed Ira Navarro of Southwest Oregon Community College 10-9 in the first round. Bacich went on to make the semis and assure herself an All-American spot on the podium. On the other side of the bracket, unseeded Cecilia Saavedra (Gray’s Harbor) knocked off #2 seed Faye Cherrier (Life) in a 5-5 criteria score. In the next consolation round, Navarro defeated Cherrier by 11-1 tech fall to eliminate her from the tournament.

At 155, #7 seed Taylor Hites of Tiffin took out #2 seed Myranda Velazquez of Jamestown 6-4.

Action continues tomorrow, beginning with the prelim rounds of the Team USA Senior level wrestle-offs for the Pan-Am Games.

Here’s all the semis that will take place tomorrow & all the 2020 WCWA All Americans (Top 8) per weight class:

101 pounds
McKenzie Bacich (Campbellsville) vs. #4 Esther Walker (Midland)
#3 Esthela Trevino (Umpqua) vs. Cecilia Saavedra (Grays Harbor)

Consi of 4:
Ira Navarro (Southwestern Oregon CC)
Kayla Rogers (Big Bend)
Chrystal Raine (Gannon)
Madison Brown (Texas Wesleyan)
109 pounds
#1 Emily Shilson (Augsburg) vs. #4 Sugey Ceja (Tiffin)
#3 Jessica DeHart (Eastern Oregon) vs. #1 McKayla Campbell (Campbellsville)

Consi of 4:
Kory Phillips (Southwestern Oregon CC)
Samantha Weeks (Jamestown)
Cassandra Lopez (Presbyterian)
Aylen Bivar (Texas Wesleyan)

116
#1 Jaslynn Gallegos (Presbyterian) vs. Charlotte Fowler (Campbellsville)
#3 Ashley Gooman (Midland) vs. #2 Katlyn Pizzo (Campbellsville)

Consi of 4:
Alexandra Magana (Texas Wesleyan)
Jamayia Blackston (Jamestown)
Aliyah Rollins (Missouri Baptist)
Jazlyn Ruelas (Schreiner)

123
#1 Vayle-Rae Baker (Augsburg) vs. #5 Adrianna Lopez (Campbellsville)
#6 Savannah Stacks (Tiffin) vs. #2 Julia Vidallon (Life)

Consi of 4:
Isabella Badon (Presbyterian)
Kassidy Block (Adrian)
Allie Mahoe (Schreiner)
Kamille Beagel (Schreiner)

130
#1 Abby Nette (Campbellsville) vs. #4 Aysia Cortez
#3 Alex Enriquez (Life) vs. #2 Gabby Skidmore (Augsburg)

Consi of 4:
Serena Cervantes (Schreiner)
Mattison Parker (OKC)
Clarissa Archuleta (Texas Wesleyan)
Tanalei Louis (Midland)

136
#1 Jacqueline Parks (Jamestown) vs. #4 Aliyah Yates (Big Bend)
#3 Zoe Nowicki (Adrian) vs. #2 Destiny Lyng (OKC)

Consi of 4:
Jacqueline Parks (Jamestown)
Aliyah Yates (Big Bend)
Zoe Nowicki (Adrian)
Destiny Lyng (OKC)

143
#1 Erica Sotelo (Life) vs. Gabby Garcia (Campbellsville)
#5 Sydney Freund (OKC) vs. #2 Morgan Norris (Presbyterian)

Consi of 4:
Adriana Orozco (Southwestern Oregon CC)
Grace Miller (Umpqua)
Erin Redford (Eastern Oregon)
Mhina Oseitutu (Campbellsville)

155
#1 Jayden Laurent (Lakeland) vs. #4 Alexia Foca (Campbellsville)
#3 Rachel Watters (OKC) vs. #7 Taylor Hites (Tiffin)

Consi of 4:
Emma Justo (Grays Harbor)
Annabelle Helm (Gannon)
Myranda Velazquez (Jamestown)
Dempsi Talkington (Eastern Oregon)

170
#1 Kenya Sloan (Campbellsville) vs. #5 Jade Piper (Umpqua)
#3 Jordan Nelson (Life) vs. #2 Mariah Harris (Campbellsville)

Consi of 4:
Ashley Molina (Texas Wesleyan)
Amara Devericks (Gannon)
Alyssa Schrull (Jamestown)
Sienna Lejeune (Umpqua)

191
#1 Chi Chi Nwankwo (OKC) vs. #5 Agatha Andrews (Jamestown)
#3 Gabby Hamilton (Life) vs. #2 Alexandra Castillo (Campbellsville)

Consi of 4:
Madlyen Narravo (Central Methodist)
Jessie Lee (Tiffin)
Leilani Camargo-Naone (Midland)
Kendall McGarity (Gannon)