Senior Nationals Day 2 Recap: Lampe Still On Top, Young Stars Shine in Texas

Alyssa Lampe (here with Clarissa Chun & US Marine) showed she’s still got it, taking the 50 kg title. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky, AWW staff writer

FORT WORTH, TX - Another day of drama, disappointment and glory on the mats at the 2019 U.S. Open Senior Nationals.

50 kg
If anyone was wondering if 2x world bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe can still wrestle, the answer is yes. Lampe continued her dominant performance in the finals, getting the shocking fall over Victoria Anthony for the 50 kg title. The match was 6-2 with Anthony in the lead when Lampe tossed her for the pin at the 3:44 mark. Though Lampe competed at the Poland Open this summer, this was the first time since 2016 that she was on the mat at a USAW event. Lampe vs. Anthony is not a new rivalry, but a rekindling of an old one, as this match up dates back to the 2013-2016 quad, when the two battled almost annually for world team spots. On the backside, veteran Amy Fearnside snuck by up-and-comer Emily Shilson in the 3rd place match 6-4. Both qualify for Olympic Trials. Alleida Martinez won the 5th place match over Natalie Reyna 11-1 to get the last spot.

1st Alyssa Lampe
2nd Victoria Anthony
3rd Amy Fearnside
4th Emily Shilson
5th Alleida Martinez
6th Natalie Reyna-Rodriguez
7th Brooke Thurber
8th Alleah Gould

53 kg
Dominique Parrish was her sharp, technical self, putting points up on the board with clean shots and good defense to get by Areana Villaescusa 6-2. In the consis, Katherine Shai handled the group to take 3rd. Shai, Alisha Howk, and Ronna Heaton all qualify for the Olympic Trials by placing in the top 5. Heaton got a tech fall in the 5th place match over McKendree star Felicity Taylor. This bracket went chalk with the top 6 seeds. Rare.

1st Dominique Parrish
2nd Areana Villaescusa
3rd Katherine Shai
4th Alisha Howk
5th Ronna Heaton
6th Felicity Taylor
7th Jaslyn Gallegos
8th Nicole Nastri

57 kg
Abby Nette staved off the late surge by surprise finalist #9 seed Tiana Jackson to win the 2019 Senior Nationals title. She was ahead until Jackson got a late takedown to get the 6-6 criteria lead, but Nette battled through the position to get a reversal and a turn and win it 9-6 in the final moments. In the 3rd place match, young star Cameron Guerin got the 6-1 win over veteran Shauna Kemp in 3rd place match. Guerin, Kemp & Alexandra Hedrick all qualify for Olympic Trials. The magic ended for Day 1 upset Cinderella Marissa Gallegos as she took 6th with 10-6 loss to Hedrick.

1st Abby Nette
2nd Tiana Jackson
3rd Cameron Guerin
4th Shauna Kemp
5th Alexandra Hedrick
6th Marissa Gallegos
8th Kelsey Campbell
8th Grace Figueroa

62 kg
As the #1 seed Maya Nelson handled her business, with wins over 2014 U.S. Open champ Jennifer Page 5-3 & 2018 U.S. Open champ Julia Salata 6-1. But the story here (again) is Emma Bruntil, a freshman at McKendree University, who has been on a tear since she returned to the mats this fall, coming off of an injury. After pinning 2016 U.S. Open winner Teshya Alo, she beat fellow rising star, phenom & #2 seed Macey Kilty 6-4. At one point she was down 4-0 and hit a 4-pointer to take the lead. A late failed Hail Mary by Kilty made the final 6-4 Bruntil. She’ll face the experienced Maya Nelson in the finals tomorrow. On the backside, Alara Boyd, Michaela Beck, Desiree Zavala, Jennifer Page, Kilty & Salata are still in the hunt for the qualifying spots.

68 kg
This group might have the most depth in the tournament, with two world teamers from non-Olympic weights entering the class. #1 seed Forrest Molinari came up from 65 kg after taking 5th at Worlds a few months ago, and #2 seed Victoria Francis came down from 72 kg after also taking 5th at Worlds. They set the stage for a gauntlet on both sides of the bracket. Molinari seemed in control, with a workwoman-like performance to the finals, getting 3 falls and a tech fall, only giving up 1 point, while Francis squeaked by U23 bronze medalist #3 seed 3-2 in the semis. Three of the four blood round matches were decided by 1-2 points. Deep weight class. Myranda Velazquez beat Rachel Watters 14-12, Nahiela Magee edged 2x U.S. Open winner Jackie Surber-Cataline 10-9 & Iman Kazem got a last second takedown to nick Joye Levendusky 11-9. Magee, Velazquez, Kazem, Skylar Grote, Ashlynn Ortega and Alexandria Glaude are all still on the backside battling for qualifying spots. Glaude is already qualified.

76 kg
Unseeded college freshman Yelena Makoyed was the Cinderella story here, pulling the comeback upset over #5 seed, 2019 Final X Finalist Alyvia Fiske, getting a tech fall over 2x U.S. Open placer Anna Naylor & downing U23 bronze medalist Kori Bullock of McKendree 6-3. Then she took #1 seed Precious Bell right to the final whistle, falling in a tight 5-4 match. Bell advances to the finals against #2 seed Dymond Guilford, who was tested by unseeded Emily Cue in the Round of 16 with a 9-8 win. Still alive in consis for the qualifying spots are Alyvia Fiske, Randi Beltz, Kori Bullock, Andrea Sennett, Yelena Makoyed and Jessika Rottier.

Back at it tomorrow at 11am EST.