FARGO, North Dakota — Recent Snohomish High School graduate Joessie Gonzales won her first three bouts in the 127-pound weight class at the Junior Women’s Freestyle National Championships on Tuesday at the Fargodome, but her title run ended with a quarterfinal loss via pinfall to Louisa Schwab of Illinois.
Gonzales, who capped her Panthers career with a state championship at Mat Classic XXX in February, pinned Oregon’s Trynadii Rocha in the first round, decked Savannah Vold of Minnesota in the round of 32 and ground out a tough 3-0 decision over North Dakota’s Sophia Smith in the round of 16 to reach the quarterfinals.
She will continue on in the consolation bracket Wednesday, needing four victories without a loss to finish third.
The Junior age group is for athletes born in 2000 or 2001.
Lakewood rising senior Cassidy O’Hara was also competing at 127 pounds Tuesday, going 1-2 before bowing out in the consolation round.
O’Hara lost to Mya Kretzer of Kansas by virtue of technical superiority in her opening bout, but rebounded to pin Pennsylvania’s Alanna Barberio in a consolation match.
Oregon’s Piper Staniford pinned O’Hara to end her run in the consolation round of 16.
Wednesday’s action will include the completion of the Junior freestyle portion of the tournament, and the start of Greco-Roman competition for the Cadet age group (athletes born in 2002 and 2003).
