Five Storylines from the Last Chance Qualifier

Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club’s Michaela Beck won the 62 kg weight class at the Last Chance Qualifier, earning a spot in next week’s Olympic Team Trials. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

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by Emma Bruntil, AWW freelance writer
Twitter & IG: @Emaaabruntil

The Last Chance Olympic Qualifier was the final opportunity for the remaining unqualified Olympic hopefuls in women’s freestyle to punch their ticket to Olympic Trials next weekend. The one-day tournament was contested on Friday at Texas Wesleyan University, and it did not disappoint. From the young guns who made a splash in their Senior level debuts, to the veterans who proved they still have what it takes, it was an action-packed extravaganza that was sure to excite any women’s wrestling fan. Here’s a look at the top five storylines from this past weekend.

Kennedy Blades is the Truth
Kennedy Blades has been utterly dominant on the Cadet and Junior levels in her young wrestling career. The Wyoming Seminary junior first grabbed women’s wrestling fans’ attention with her close battles with 2018 Cadet world champion Macey Kilty back in 2018. Blades followed up those performances by making a Cadet world team in 2019, and then snagging a 2020 72 kg junior national title with an impressive win over 2020 NCWWC runner-up Joye Levendusky. This weekend, Kennedy Blades more than proved she has what it takes to be a serious threat on the Senior level. The young star started off her tournament with a 10-0 tech-fall over Andrea Jones, followed by a 10-0 tech over Senior national team member Hannah Gladden in the quarterfinals. Facing an always tough Skylar Grote in the semi-finals (who just came off an impressive performance at Captain’s Cup), Blades once again secured the tech-fall with a dominant 12-1 win. In the finals, fellow high school star Kylie Welker gave Kennedy Blades a run for her money, but ultimately it was Blades who came away with the 16-6 win. Overall, Kennedy kick-started her Senior level career by outscoring her opponents 48-7 on the way to the title. The question now is, can she hold up against the likes of Forrest Molinari, and 2019 world champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock?

Jackie Cataline Proved She Still Has What it Takes
Jackie Cataline has been a familiar name in the women’s wrestling world for a long time. The former Senior national team member has been consistently in the mix on the Senior level, even making the World Team Trials finals against world champion Adeline Gray in 2015. Cataline appeared to be done wrestling after the 2016 Olympic Trials before her return to competition at the 2019 Senior Nationals. Cataline was down a weight at 68 kg, where she did not place in the bracket. Cataline appeared to be in top form this time, though, as she dominated her way to the 76 kg title. In the five-man round-robin, Cataline started off her day with an 11-1 win over Kamilla Montenegro, followed by a 11-0 win over NCWWC All-American Tristian Kelly, and a 10-0 tech-fall over Augsburg’s Marlynne Deede. It will be interesting to see how Cataline stacks up with the 76 kg field at Olympic Trials, which includes two-time world team member Victoria Francis, two-time U.S Open champion Precious Bell, and junior world teamer Dymond Guliford.

62kg Was One for the Books
Apart from 68kg, 62kg was arguably one of the deepest weight classes of the tournament. In the mix you had Cadet world bronze Gracie Figueroa, NCWWC 3rd placer Autumn Flanigan, NCWWC runner-up Ana Luciano, multiple time All-American Megan Black, Cadet and Junior world teamer Alex Liles, and to top it off, 2019 Junior world team member Michaela Beck. The top seed, Michaela Beck, cruised to the semi-finals with a 12-0 win over Tatum Pine and a 12-1 win over NAIA All-American Destiny Lyng. Beck met WCAP athlete Megan Black in the semi-finals, and gutted out a gritty 3-2 win. On the bottom side of the bracket, Gracie Figueroa upset NCWWC runner-up Ana Luciano 3-1, but was then taken out by WCAP athlete and former Junior world teamer Alex Liles 5-3, which set up a final between Michaela Beck and Alex Liles. In the finals, it was all Beck, though, as she dominated her way to a 11-0 win. On the backside of the bracket, Ana Luciano went on a tear, beating young stars Emmily Patneaud and Kendall Bostelman with two consecutive tech-falls. Luciano then scored the fall over Megan Black to set up a rematch with Figueroa, where she came away with the 5-0 win and the opportunity to square off with Alex Liles for True 2nd. Luciano was dominating the match 4-0 before pancaking Liles to her back in the second period, making it 8-0 before securing the fall and the spot at the Olympic Trials next week.

Sage Mortimer is a Savage
Sage Mortimer made history a few years back when she became the first female wrestler to earn All-American honors in the men’s Cadet Greco division at Fargo. Since then, she secured a Junior Fargo title and made the Cadet world team in 2019. Mortimer proved that she’s the real deal this weekend, as she captured the 50 kg crown and upset four college All-Americans on her way to the title. In her first match, Mortimer bested 2020 NCWWC champion Pauline Granados of McKendree with an exciting 18-7 technical fall. She then handled 2021 NCWWC All-American Jennesis Martinez of Colorado Mesa, before upsetting McKendree’s Natalie Reyna in a close 10-9 barn burner. In the finals, Mortimer was utterly dominant, knocking off 2021 NAIA runner-up Charlotte Fowler of Campbellsville 10-0. Fowler won her True 2nd match against Emmanuel’s Kasey Baynon to join Mortimer at Olympic Trials next weekend.

The Young Guns Showed Out
The focal point of this tournament was how incredibly good the next generation of women’s freestylers are. Mortimer and Blades, who are both still in high school, walked away with titles at 50 kg and 68 kg, respectively. Not to be forgotten is high school junior Kylie Welker, who upset NCWWC runner-up Kayla Marano in the quarterfinals, and then scored a convincing 10-0 tech-fall in the semi-finals over Senior National Team member and multiple-time college All-American Alyvia Fiske. Although Welker fell to Blades 16-6 in the finals, she still proved she’s a serious threat on the Senior level moving forward. At 57 kg, Xochitl Mota-Pettis (who graduated high school in 2019), cruised to the finals with three straight 10-0 technical falls. In the 57 kg finals, Mota-Pettis avenged her 2020 Senior Nationals loss to Final X runner-up Lauren Louive by a score of 14-2. At 53 kg, King University freshman Melanie Mendoza announced her arrival onto the Senior level when she took out 2021 NCWWC runner-up Marissa Gallegos of Colorado Mesa in a tight 7-6 match in the finals. Gallegos had a lead late into the match before Mendoza put the Colorado Mesa junior to her back on a failed throw attempt. After multiple challenges from both corners, Mendoza was declared the winner. One thing is for sure: After this weekend, the future of women’s wrestling in America is very, very bright.