Team Oklahoma Girls Claim Two National Titles, 11 All-Americans, Runner-Up Finish at Fargo

The women of Team Oklahoma turned in a masterful performance, crowning two national champions and earning nine other All-American honors at the renowned US Marine Corps 16U and Junior National Tournament. Led by national champions McKenna Wilson and Rachel Garcia, the 16U Girl’s Team finished as the national runner-up team.

The well-known tournament, better known as “Fargo” is the largest and most prestigious tournaments of the year.  Wrestling took place July 10-18, in the FargoDome in Fargo, ND.  The Boys wrestled first, competing July 10-15, with Girls Junior and 16U Freestyle Tournament taking place July 16-18.

Joining Wilson and Garcia as 16U All-American’s were Ki’Morah Cathey (2^nd), Abagail Lacy (2^nd), Chloe Medlock (5^th), Kylee Ooton (6^th), Sasha Williams (7^th), and Kyah Leyba (8^th).  Junior All-Americans were Kyrstan Perez (5^th), Emily Beckley (5^th) and Clover Williams (6^th).

With some dominant wrestling and gritty heart-stopping comebacks, Team Oklahoma continues to break records and show everyone that they can compete with anyone in the nation.  The 16U team runner-up finish was the highest finish for an Oklahoma girls’ team at Fargo.  The runner-up finish shows the consistency and upward trend for Team Oklahoma as it was their third Top Three finish in the past four years.  The eight All-Americans by the 16U team set a record for most All-Americans in one year (had seven last year) and the combined 11 All-American by both teams is an Oklahoma record (had 10 last year).

McKenna Wilson, a two-time state champion for Union, earned the 120 lb. 16U national title in dramatic fashion.  Wilson, opened the tournament with two falls and a tech fall, before picking up a tough 10-6 win over Washington’s Lucy Hornby.  Wilson advanced to the finals with a huge win, pinning number one seed, Olivia Kearns from Pennsylvania in 1:00.  In the finals, Wilson faced New Jersey’s two-time state champion, Elle Changaris.  Wilson trailed most of the match, as Changaris led 6-0 with just over a minute left in the match.  Two Wilson takedowns, put her down by two points.  Wilson continued to attack, and with the clock approaching 0:00, she hit a beautiful four point move to earn the edge-of-your-seat thriller by an 8-6 score and claim the coveted “stop sign” as Fargo national champion. 

Rachel Garcia rolled to the 130 lb. 16U title, going 7-0, with five tech falls and one fall.  Garcia barely broke a sweat in her first three matches, picking up three straight 10-0 tech fall wins in 0:30, 0:35, and 1:08.  Garcia then posted a fall in 2:40 and moved into the semifinals with a 14-4 tech fall.  Garcia advanced to the finals with an 11-0 tech fall in 2:49 over Wisconsin’s Daelin Cody.  In the finals, Garcia faced returning Fargo All-American and National Prep champion, Anastasia Rodnikova from Illinois.  Rodnikova led 1-0, before Garcia scored a critical takedown with just three seconds left in the first period.  Garcia added her second takedown early in the final period and then used strong defense to score the 4-1 win to win the 130 lb. title.

Ki’Morah Cathey wrestled an outstanding tournament, earning a runner-up finish at 140 lbs.  Cathey dominated from the beginning, opening her tournament with a tech fall in 0:36, followed by a fall in 0:19, and tech falls in 1:08, and 1:39.  Cathey advanced to the finals with a tech fall in 2:00 over Oregon’s Paisley Morrison.  Cathey fell in the finals to Maryland’s Kesi Tsarni, a 3^rd Fargo All-American last year and two-time National Preps runner-up.  

Abagail Lacy, a two-time state champion for Oologah, now wrestling for Bixby, turned in a powerful performance, including picking up a dramatic win of her own to earn her a runner-up finish at 207 lbs.  Lacy had an opening round bye, before advancing to the semifinals with two straight 7-0 wins.  The fireworks took place in the semifinals, as Lacy faced Florida’s Kenzie Barrett.  Barrett put Lacy on her back to take an 8-2 lead, but Lacy showed her grit and never say die attitude, hitting a powerful high bridge to reverse Barrett to her back.  The determined Lacy, tightened her pin hold, getting the big fall in 3:05 to advance to the finals.  Lacy battled tough in the finals, but fell to returning Fargo All-American, Lyla Hensen from Michigan by a 4-2 score.  Lacy is now a two-time Fargo All-American.  

Putnam City West state champion, Chloe Medlock earned All-American honors with a 5^th place finish at 110 lbs.  Medlock advanced to the semifinals with falls in 1:01, 0:28, 0:54, 1:58 and a 12-2 tech fall.  After dropping her next two matches, Medlock won by medical forfeit over Charlotte Nold from Illinois to claim the 5^th place finish.

Tuttle junior high state champion, Kylee Ooton won five matches to earn a 6^th place All-American finish at 100 lbs.  Ooton opened with three straight wins, including a fall in 0:59 and a 12-0 tech fall.  In the consolations, Ooton trailed South Carolina’s Carson Ava Robertson early, but scored the last seven points to earn All-American status with the 7-4 win over Robertson.  Ooton followed that win with a 14-1 tech fall over Wisconsin’s Mya Beckett.

Sasha Williams opened her tournament with two tech fall wins and then had to battle through three tough consolation matches to earn her 7^th place All-American finish.  Facing elimination, Williams first won 10-4, before facing teammate and state champion, Corey Harris.  A four-point move by Williams with 15 seconds left was the difference in the 7-5 win.  Williams then earned All-American status with a 6-4 win over Missouri’s Ariel Biggs.  Williams wrapped up her tournament with aN 11-8 win over Utah’s Avery Colvin to place 7^th at 140 lbs. 

Broken Arrow state champion, Kyah Leyba was the eight All-American for the 16U team, earning an 8^th place All-American finish at 130 lbs.  Leyba opened with falls in 1:40 and 0:53.  Facing the long road in the consolations, Leyba showed her toughness with a tech fall and fall in 1:38.  In the “blood round” match to determine if she was going to be an All-American, Leyba broke open a close match, scoring three times midway through the final period, to take the 10-4 win over Wisconsin’s Ramsey Brandenburg.

Westmoore’s two-time state champion Kyrstan Perez earned a 5^th place All-American finish at 105 lbs. in the Junior division. Perez opened with a tech fall, before picking up a tough 11-9 win.  Perez advanced to the seminfinals with two straight tech fall wins before falling to World Bronze medalist, Jaclyn Bouzakis from Pennsylvania.  In her 5^th place match, Perez faced California’s Kiana Lien.  Perez trailed by two points entering the final period, but dominated from there, scoring eight straight points to take the 13-7 win and the 5^th place All-American finish.

Broken Arrow two-time state champion Emily Beckley earned her second Fargo All-American finish with a 5^th place finish at 145 lbs. Beckley opened the tournament with falls in 1:17, 1:17, and 1:15.  In the quarterfinals, Beckley showed her toughness, pulling out her own miracle finish to advance to the semifinals.  Facing California’s Cassandra Gonzales, Beckley trailed by two with time running out.  A strong four-point move with only three seconds left on the clock gave her the win.  Beckley won by medical forfeit over Iowa’s Hayden Bratland in the 5^th place match.

Clover Williams was another Team Oklahoma wrestler that showed the never give up attitude as she battled her way to a 6^th place All-American finish at 140 lbs.  Williams started the tournament with a 6-1 win and a fall in 1:18.  Following a loss in the quarterfinals, Williams responded with four straight falls to earn her second Fargo All-American finish.  In her final win, Williams was in a tough battle with Washington’s Saige McCleery, when Williams took McCleery down to her back and locking up the win with a fall in 3:43.

The tournament continues to set records for participation as a record 2,294 girls competed in the tournament (old record, 2,245 in 2025).  The Junior Tournament had a record 1,270 wrestlers (old record, 1,216 in 205).  In the Junior division, 13 of the 16 brackets had 63 or more wrestlers.  The 120 lb. bracket had 106 wrestlers, followed by 130 lbs. (104 entries), 125 lbs. (101 entries), 115 and 155 lbs (97 entries), and 140 lbs. (92 entries). In the 16U Tournament, 14 of the 16 weights had brackets with 48 or more wrestlers.  The 125 lb. bracket had 90 wrestlers, followed by 110 lbs. (89 entries), 115 lbs. (88 entries), and 130 lbs. (86 entries).  Combined with the boys, 8,404 wrestlers competed at Fargo.

Team Oklahoma added to the record total, with a total of 71 wrestlers competed in the tournament (33 Juniors and 38 16U).  Coaches for the girls teams included Nik Turner, Ki’Ounta Cathey, Gerald Harris, Tori Liles, Shelby Morrison, Andrew DeArmond, Linlee Asbill, Forrest Myers, Charles Chatman, Draven Pierce, Izack Wilson, Archie Randall, and Andrew McCune.  Officials were John Noel, RJ Walker, and Cooper Cox.

JUNIOR GIRL’S FREESTYLE ALL-AMERICANS

105 Kyrstan Perez (Westmoore) – 5^th (5-2, 3 tech falls)

145 Emily Beckley (Broken Arrow) – 5^th (5-2, 3 falls)

140 Clover Williams (Edmond North) – 6^th (6-3, 5 falls)

16U GIRL’S FREESTYLE ALL-AMERICANS

120 McKenna Wilson – 1^st (Union) (6-0, 3 falls, 1 tech fall)

130 Rachel Garcia – 1^st (7-0, 1 fall, 5 tech falls, outscored opponents 55-4 in tech fall wins)

140 Ki’Morah Cathey (Union) – 2^nd (5-1, 2 falls, 3 tech falls)

207 Abagail Lacy (Bixby) – 2^nd (3-1, 1 fall)

110 Chloe Medlock (Putnam City West) – 5^th (6-2, 4 falls, 1 tech fall)

100 Kylee Ooton (Tuttle) – 6^th (5-3, 1 fall, 2 tech falls)

140 Sasha Williams (Edmond North) – 7^th (6-2, 2 tech falls)

130 Kyah Leyba (Broken Arrow) – 8^th (5-3, 3 falls, 1 tech fall)

TEAM PLACINGS

Junior Girl’s Freestyle – 23^rd (Three All-Americans)

16U Girl’s Freestyle – 2^nd (Eight All-American including two national champions)

1. Pennsylvania – 172 points

2. Oklahoma – 113 points

3. Kansas – 110 points

4. Illinois – 105 points

5. California – 104 points 

TOURNAMENT ENTRY NUMBERS

Junior Girl’s – 1,270 entries – New Record (Old Record – 1,216 in 2025)

16U Girl’s – 1,024 entries (Record – 1,029 in 2025)

Total Girl’s – 2,294 entries New Record (Old Record – 2,245 in 2025)

Junior Boy’s Freestyle – 1,818 entries (Record – 1,887 in 2025)

16U Boy’s Freestyle – 1,740 entries (Record – 1,786 in 2025)

Total Boy’s Freestyle – 3,558 entries (Record – 3,673 in 2025)

Junior Boy’s Greco – 1,294 entries (Record – 1,339 in 2025)

16U Boy’s Greco – 1,258 entries (Record – 1,274 in 2025)

Total Boy’s Greco – 2,552 entries (Record – 2,613 in 2025)

TOTAL ENTRIES (Boys and Girls) – 8,404 (Record – 8,531 in 2025)

NUMBER OF OKLAHOMA WRESTLERS

Junior Women –33 (27 in 2025, 30 in 2024 and 26 in 2023)

16U Women – 38 (44 in 2025, 39 in 2024 and 36 in 2023)

Junior Freestyle – 66 (75 in 2025, 75 in 2024 and 63 in 2023)

Junior Greco – 41 (54 in 2025, 48 in 2024 and 38 in 2023)

16U Freestyle – 60 (65 in 2025, 58 in 2024 and 58 in 2023)

16U Greco – 47 (45 in 2025, 46 in 2024 and 51 in 2023) 

16U TEAM MEMBERS

JUNIORS TEAM MEMBERS