14U Women’s National Duals Freestyle Recap

Tournament Overview and Strategic Dynamics

Entering the tournament as the #6 seed, Team Wisconsin utilized a lineup characterized by an aggressive, pin-seeking style. In freestyle dual formats, bonus points dictate the outcome of close matchups. Wisconsin’s strategy focused on maximizing scoring by securing falls and technical falls in their victories. This bonus-point efficiency allowed them to go toe-to-toe with the nation’s absolute elite throughout the event.

The Preliminary Pool Ascendancy

Wisconsin spent the morning sessions showcasing their immense depth.

• New York (76-2): A near-flawless opening round where the team reeled off 16 straight victories. The active wrestlers set a dominant tone with pins from Paisley Ritschard (100 lbs), Farrah Rathje of New London (105 lbs), Ella Schachtner of New Richmond (130 lbs), and Anastasia Spurgeon of Lancaster (165 lbs).
• Pennsylvania Red (62-15): Wisconsin systematically dismantled Pennsylvania’s Red squad, claiming 14 of the 17 bouts. This round was highlighted by back-to-back technical falls from New London’s Bree Schmidt and Milton’s Hadley Vold, alongside lightning-fast first-period pins from Rathje (0:40) and Kylie Williams of Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood (0:43).

The Turning Point: California Gold

The Pool C Final against #3 California Gold was a structural chess match. California gained an early advantage by sweeping the 110-125 lbs stretch. Wisconsin mounted a furious comeback in the heavier classes, ignited by New Richmond’s Ella Schachtner’s 14-3 technical fall and capped by pins from Kylie Williams and Anastasia Spurgeon. Ultimately, California’s strength in the lower-middle weights allowed them to hold on for a 43-36 win, sending Wisconsin to the Gold/Silver consolation bracket.

Faced with a brutal three-dual stretch against #5 Pennsylvania Blue, #1 Colorado, and #7 Minnesota, Wisconsin proved they belonged in the top-tier national conversation.

Resiliency Through Close Losses

Against eventual Champ Pennsylvania Blue (43-36) and eventual third place Colorado (41-36), Wisconsin lost by a combined total of just 12 team points.

• A critical medical forfeit at 135 lbs against PA Blue forced Germantown’s Sophie Stiebs out of the match, surrendering 5 team points which proved to be the mathematical difference in the dual.
• Against Colorado, Wisconsin’s lower weights showed immense fight. Burlington’s Lilly Culverhouse (75 lbs) and Milton’s Gwen Gross (80 lbs) secured back-to-back technical falls to give Wisconsin an early lead before Colorado’s middle-weight hammers surged back.

Wisconsin channeled their frustration into their final round-robin dual against rival Minnesota (49-26). Wisconsin dominated the dual by winning 10 of the 17 weight classes. The upper weights completely locked down the victory, stringing together six consecutive wins from New Richmond’s Ella Schachtner down to Milton’s Gwen Gross (due to the rolling weight order) to put the dual completely out of reach.

Anatomy of the 5th-Place Dual vs. #2 Texas

The 5th-place match was a battle of contrasting strengths that ultimately ended in a 40-40 deadlock at the final whistle.  Texas secured the official dual victory by winning the very first tiebreaker tier: Criteria A (Most individual matches won). Texas claimed 9 individual bouts on the mat compared to Wisconsin’s 8, drawing a hard line at the top of the tiebreaker hierarchy.

Critical Moments in the Texas Dual:

• The 4-4 Battle at 150 lbs: Kylie Williams of Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood dropped a razor-thin 4-4 criteria decision to Texas’s Kaeli Forrester, marking one of the pivotal individual match victories that built Texas’s lead in the match count.
• Hadley Vold’s Clutch Performance: At 120 lbs, Milton’s Vold wrestled a highly disciplined match to edge out Kenzie Sutton 3-2, picking up a hard-earned decision for the Badgers.
• Aggressive Offense on Top: Wisconsin relied heavily on explosive offense to stay even on the scoreboard, picking up rapid falls from Suring/Gillett’s Marissa Zeitler (0:38), Lancaster’s Anastasia Spurgeon (0:30), Menomonee Falls’ Julianna LaSavage (0:25), New London’s Farrah Rathje (1:16), and New Richmond’s Ella Schachtner (0:18).

Detailed Roster Performance & Technical Analysis

The Undefeated Hammers

• Anastasia Spurgeon (Lancaster | 165 lbs) | 7-0 Overall: Spurgeon was the undisputed team MVP. She wrestled a flawless tournament, pinning every single opponent she faced to rack up 7 total falls. Her total mat time across the weekend was incredibly brief, consistently ending her matches in the first period to anchor the upper weights.
• Julianna LaSavage (Menomonee Falls | 90/95 lbs) | 6-0 Overall: LaSavage was a technical force. She moved between 90 and 95 lbs seamlessly, racking up two pins and four technical falls. She consistently dictated the pace and never allowed her opponents to establish an offense.
• Marissa Zeitler (Suring/Gillett | 140 lbs) | 5-0 Overall: Zeitler provided invaluable consistency in the middle of the lineup, finishing with a perfect unblemished record that included two pins, a technical fall, and two tough decisions.
• Arley Vaughan (Wautoma/Wild Rose | 140 lbs) | 2-0 Overall: Vaughan stepped up in her limited action on the mat, executing a clean performance to finish undefeated with a critical decision victory.

The Bonus Point Machines

• Kylie Williams (Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood | 150 lbs) | 6-1 Overall: Williams provided a massive physical presence at 150 lbs. With five pins on the weekend, she was highly efficient on top, turning opponents quickly once establishing control.
• Ella Schachtner (New Richmond | 130 lbs) | 6-1 Overall: Schachtner’s aggressive hand-fighting and leg attacks made her a nightmare for opposing states, picking up two pins and four technical falls.
• Avalyn Hady (North Crawford/Seneca | 125 lbs) | 5-2 Overall: Hady showed great tactical flexibility throughout the tournament, capable of winning high-scoring shootouts, technical shutouts, or logging heavy bonus points.
• Lilly Culverhouse (Burlington | 75 lbs) | 5-2 Overall: Culverhouse anchored the absolute bottom of the lineup with incredible poise, pacing the team early in duals with a pin, a tech fall, and two decisions.
• Hadley Vold (Milton | 120 lbs) | 4-2 Overall: Vold proved to be a reliable tactician in the middle weights, logging a pin, a tech fall, and two smart decision victories.
• Sophie Stiebs (Germantown | 135 lbs) | 4-2 Overall: Stiebs put together an outstanding run on the mats, securing a pin, a tech fall, and a decision, with both of her losses coming strictly via medical forfeits in highly competitive matches.
• Farrah Rathje (New London | 105 lbs) | 4-3 Overall: Rathje was the definition of high-impact wrestling. Her four victories were all via dominant pins, maximizing Wisconsin’s team score when it mattered most.
• Gwen Gross (Milton | 80 lbs) | 4-3 Overall: Gross kept the momentum moving for the lower weights, showing great offensive utility with a pin and two technical falls.
• Azaleah Ferg (Manawa | 180 lbs) | 4-3 Overall: Ferg locked down the heavy-weight class for Wisconsin, battling through a tough bracket to secure a pin and two technical falls.

Lineup Contributors

• Bree Schmidt (New London | 115 lbs) | 3-3 Overall: Schmidt wrestled to a even record, displaying great technical efficiency by capturing two technical falls.
• Reagan Lancaster (Holmen | 85 lbs) | 3-4 Overall: Lancaster fought hard in a loaded weight class, picking up a technical fall and a decision victory for the squad.
• Jocelyn Lau (St. Croix Central | 90 lbs) | 2-2 Overall: Lau kept Wisconsin balanced in the lower weights, finishing with an even record highlighted by a hard-fought decision.
• Autumn-Rose Schmel (New London | 110 lbs) | 2-5 Overall: Schmel went up against top-tier national talent, capturing a technical fall and a decision.
• Paisley Ritschard (100 lbs) | 2-5 Overall: Ritschard proved her ability to score quickly, securing both of her wins via bonus points (one pin, one technical fall).
• Kennedy Howard (Lakeland | 95 lbs) | 1-3 Overall: Howard showed immense grit on the mat, picking up a gritty decision win for the team.
• Raegan Risler (Mondovi/Eleva-Strum | 115 lbs) | 0-2 Overall: Risler faced highly experienced opponents in her matches, providing critical depth to the middle of the Wisconsin roster.