Recap: McKendree, King Tops at Tornado Duals

Felicity Taylor at U23 Nationals in November 2020. Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo / WrestlersAreWarriors.com

by Derek Levendusky, AWW staff writer
Twitter: @AWWderek

BRISTOL, TENNESSEE - It went down Sunday in Bristol, Tennesee, as King University hosted the Tornado Duals—an event we’ve also referred to as the King Quad—with NCAA #1 McKendree, #2 Emmanuel, #3 King, and #6 Colorado Mesa* all in town to face off on the mats.

Returning national champs the McKendree Bearcats performed to their reputation, going 3-0 on the day, though King gave them all they could handle in the final dual, winning some big matches early before McKendree won the final four matches to seal it 27-16. Earlier in the day, McKendree defeated Emmanuel 37-5 and Colorado Mesa 37-10. #3 King pulled the upset over #2 Emmanuel with a 23-18 victory.

“It was a good day,” said McKendree head coach Sam Schmitz. “It was fun to finally be back out there wrestling.”

The day was also marked with shocking upsets and dramatic matches between top-ranked women. King’s Jaclyn McNichols won all three of her matches against the #1, #2, and #3 ranked wrestlers in the NCAA. King freshman Sophia Mirabella, ranked #18 in our AWW/FloWrestling Multi-Division Rankings** took out #4 ranked Marissa Gallegos of Colorado Mesa. At 101, McKendree freshman Lizette Rodriguez, ranked #19, dominated #3 ranked Jennesis Martinez 10-0. Rodriguez was a 2-time California state champ.

In a battle of #1’s, Emmanuel’s Kayla Marano, ranked #1 at 155, defeated McKendree’s Alara Boyd 6-3, ranked #1 at 143. Meanwhile, McKendree #1 Emma Bruntil beat King #2 Ashlynn Ortega 5-0. At 170, McKendree #1 Joye Levendusky won a decision over Colorado Mesa #2 Tristan Kelly 7-2.

*These NWCA rankings have been adjusted to reflect the exit of Simon Fraser from women’s college wrestling this season due to the pandemic.

**Except where noted, these Top 25 AWW/FloWrestling Rankings are the rankings we are using for this article.

Here’s a summary of each round.

Round 1

#1 McKendree 37, #6 Colorado Mesa 10
McKendree sent out some of their backups for this dual, though don’t let that fool you—they’re all ranked in the top 25 and several of them are returning All-Americans. The Bearcats had four pins and three tech falls. Highlights included the highly-touted McKendree freshman Cameron Guerin getting a tech fall in her college debut at 130 and Brenda Reyna getting a tech fall in her first match back after sitting out the 2019-2020 season. The Levendusky-Kelly match happened this round as an exhibition.

101 Lizette Rodriguez (McKendree University) over Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa)
109 Natalie Reyna (McKendree University) over Unknown (For.)
116 Aliyah Rollins (McKendree University) over Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa) (Fall 5:57)
123 Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa) over Payton Stroud (McKendree University) (Fall 2:42)
130 Cameron Guerin (McKendree University) over Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa) (TF 10-0 1:39)
136 Brenda Reyna (McKendree University) over Jolynn Harris (Colorado Mesa) (TF 11-0 1:20)
143 Emma Bruntil (McKendree University) over Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa) (TF 10-0 1:14)
155 Alara Boyd (McKendree University) over Asia Borisch (Colorado Mesa) (Fall 1:49)
170 Tristan Kelly (Colorado Mesa University) over Grace Kristoff (McKendree University) (Fall 4:33)
191 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) over Isabeau Shalack (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 0:40)

Exhibition: #1 Joye Levendusky (McKendree University) over #2 Tristan Kelly (Colorado Mesa) 7-2

#3 King 23, #2 Emmanuel 18
This dual was loaded with matches featuring top-ranked women. King’s #5 McNichols began her magic day with a win over #3 Gomez 3-2. At 109, King’s #7 Alleah Gould beat out #4 ranked Maria Vidales with a takedown in the final seconds. Gould attacked all day with a swagger like someone who believed she was going to win. At 116, King freshman, the #9 ranked Melanie Mendoza won 10-8 over #8 Kasey Baynon, showing she’s for real at this weight. Cheyenne Sisenstein looked like the #1 that she is at 123 while #3 Petix handled #4 Se at 130, and #5 Ana Luciano defeated 2019 WCWA finalist Felicity Bryant at 136. Luciano has always been good, but this event presented a leveled-up version of her. She was tough all day. King #2 Ortega smashed #17 Padilla at 143. Emmanuel’s #1 Marano controlled upcoming freshman Torres at 155, while Emmanuel 191-pound Santoyo, ranked #8, handed Crosdale a fall, who’s ranked #8 at 170.

101 Jaclyn McNichols (King University) over Angelina Gomez (Emmanuel College) (Dec 3-2)
109 Aleeah Gould (King University) over Maria Vidales (Emmanuel College) (Dec 7-6)
116 Melanie Mendoza (King University) over Kasey Baynon (Emmanuel College) (Dec 10-8)
123 Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University) over Alexandra Herle (Emmanuel College) (TF 10-0 2:08)
130 Allison Petix (King University) over Emily Se (Emmanuel College) (Dec 4-0)
136 Ana Luciano (King University) over Felicity Bryant (Emmanuel College) (Dec 6-2)
143 Ashlynn Ortega (King University) over Julia Padilla (Emmanuel College) (TF 10-0 1:09)
155 Kayla Marano (Emmanuel College) over Viktorya Torres (King University) (Dec 6-0)
170 Heaven Byrd (Emmanuel College) over Unknown (For.)
191 Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) over Nia Crosdale (King University) (Fall 3:49)

Round 2

#1 McKendree 37, #2 Emmanuel 5
The only match Emmanuel won was the Marano match at 155 against Boyd, but it was a good one. Marano got her points with her signature 2-on-1, at one point throwing Boyd for a 4-pointer with her go-to trip. Boyd certainly made it a fight, but Marano won the battle of #1’s 6-3. Otherwise, it was all McKendree who collectively racked up 6 falls and a tech fall. Dominant performance. #10 Reyna, the oldest wrestler on the mats at 28, got a big win at 109 over #4 Vidales.

101 Pauline Granados (McKendree University) over Angelina Gomez (Emmanuel College) (Dec 6-0)
109 Natalie Reyna (McKendree University) over Maria Vidales (Emmanuel College) (Dec 3-2)
116 Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) over Kasey Baynon (Emmanuel College) (Fall 0:49)
123 Shainia Murray (McKendree University) over Alexandra Herle (Emmanuel College) (Fall 5:00)
130 Cameron Guerin (McKendree University) over Emily Se (Emmanuel College) (Fall 2:55)
136 Brenda Reyna (McKendree University) over Julia Padilla (Emmanuel College) (Fall 1:07)
143 Emma Bruntil (McKendree University) over Felicity Bryant (Emmanuel College) (Fall 2:45)
155 Kayla Marano (Emmanuel College) over Alara Boyd (McKendree University) (Dec. 6-3)
170 Joye Levendusky (McKendree University) over Heaven Byrd (Emmanuel College) (Tech Fall 2:03)
191 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) over Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) (Fall 2:20)

Exhibition: #8 Kasey Baynon (Emmanuel College) over #11 Aliyah Rollins (McKendree University) (Fall 2:45)

#3 King 33, #6 Colorado Mesa 12
Freshmen Mendoza and Mirabella went big in this one, both with victories over All-Americans. Petix (130), Luciano (136), and Ortega (143) are proving to be a firing squad for King from 130-143, as again they not only won, but went tech fall, tech fall, fall. Add normal starter Sisenstein into the lineup, and you can start that at 123, though backup Mirabella is proving she ain’t half-bad either. As an aside, both she and Sisenstein are from New York.

101 Jaclyn McNichols (King University) over Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University) (Dec 5-2)
109 Aleeah Gould (King University) over Unknown (For.)
116 Melanie Mendoza (King University) over Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 5:21)
123 Sophia Mirabella (King University) over Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) (Dec 5-2)
130 Allison Petix (King University) over Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 11-0 3:56)
136 Ana Luciano (King University) over Jolynn Harris (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 10-0 2:06)
143 Ashlynn Ortega (King University) over Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 1:04)
155 Viktorya Torres (King University) over Zoe Gress (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 10-0 4:43)
170 Tristan Kelly (Colorado Mesa University) over Unknown (For.)
191 Isabeau Shalack (Colorado Mesa University) over Nia Crosdale (King University) (Fall 5:47)

Round 3

#1 McKendree 27, #3 King 16
Even without fans, the atmosphere was charged as the teams screamed with every ebb and flow of the dual. Early on it was King, who scored big wins at 101, with McNichols taking out the returning NCAA national champion Pauline Granados, Gould at 109 over Reyna, Sisenstein getting the fall over All-American Payton Stroud, and Luciano with the shocking win over Brenda Reyna—not shocking that she won, but shocking in the dominating manner of the win. Even with all that excitement, in the end it was McKendree as the final four matches went to the Bearcats, who had #1 ranked women at every weight class who all got the job done. King gave a forfeit at 170. At 136, Bruntil got the better of Ortega in a battle of elite competitors, both of whom are qualified for the Olympic Team Trials.

101 Jaclyn McNichols (King University) over Pauline Granados (McKendree University) (Dec 4-1)
109 Aleeah Gould (King University) over Natalie Reyna (McKendree University) (Dec 5-0)
116 Felicity Taylor (McKendree University) over Melanie Mendoza (King University) (Dec 6-2)
123 Cheyenne Sisenstein (King University) over Payton Stroud (McKendree University) (Fall 4:17)
130 Cameron Guerin (McKendree University) over Phoenix Dubose (King University) (Fall 2:53)
136 Ana Luciano (King University) over Brenda Reyna (McKendree University) (TF 12-2 4:00)
143 Emma Bruntil (McKendree University) over Ashlynn Ortega (King University) (Dec 5-0)
155 Alara Boyd (McKendree University) over Viktorya Torres (King University) (TF 11-0 5:11)
170 Joye Levendusky (McKendree University) over Unknown (For.)
191 Sydnee Kimber (McKendree University) over Nia Crosdale (King University) (Fall 0:14)

#2 Emmanuel 31, #6 Colorado Mesa 16
The Emmanuel Lions got past up and coming program Colorado Mesa. It was a tough day for the Mavericks, but Mesa head coach Travis Mercado has never been afraid to put his team up against the toughest competition. That’s probably the mentality that has made his squad one of the top new programs in the NCAA. Marano finished her impressive day with a fall, finishing 3-0 for her team.

101 Angelina Gomez (Emmanuel College) over Jennesis Martinez (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 12-1 2:39)
109 Maria Vidales (Emmanuel College) over Unknown (For.)
116 Kasey Baynon (Emmanuel College) over Anja Tschohl (Colorado Mesa University) (Dec 13-10)
123 Marissa Gallegos (Colorado Mesa University) over Alexandra Herle (Emmanuel College) (TF 10-0 4:19)
130 Emily Se (Emmanuel College) over Holly Beaudoin (Colorado Mesa University) (TF 12-2 4:46)
136 Felicity Bryant (Emmanuel College) over Jolynn Harris (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 1:44)
143 Kaylee Lacy (Colorado Mesa University) over Julia Padilla (Emmanuel College) (Fall 5:48)
155 Kayla Marano (Emmanuel College) over Zoe Gress (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 0:28)
170 Tristan Kelly (Colorado Mesa University) over Heaven Byrd (Emmanuel College) (TF 10-0 1:36)
191 Cristina Santoyo (Emmanuel College) over Isabeau Shalack (Colorado Mesa University) (Fall 1:19)