Four wrestlers from Baldwin County recently traveled to Fargo, North Dakota to compete in the USA Wrestling 16U and Junior Nationals.

Two-time state champion Kalyse Hill represented Daphne in the Junior Women’s 122-pound division, Leah Guthrie from Gulf Shores competed in the 16U 132-pound division and Abigail Pendergrass from Spanish Fort was in the 16U 152-pound bracket. Also from Daphne, Colton Rainer represented the Trojans in the 220-pound Junior Men’s freestyle competition and will take on the Greco-Roman circuit starting on Friday.

The three female wrestlers from Baldwin County were among 11 athletes that made up Team Alabama which marked the largest roster from the state to compete at the nationwide event according to coach Lillian Humphries from Huntingdon College.

Guthrie made the longest run of the local wrestlers after she advanced to the Round of 16 in the consolation bracket but finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.

She lost in Round of 64 to Margaret Buurma from Michigan, 8-2, but bounced back with an 8-1 win in the first consolation Round of 32 over Kamora Merchant from Missouri with a 2:29 fall. In the second consolation Round of 32, Guthrie recorded a 12-2 technical win over Koti Best from Kansas to advance to the Sweet 16 where she then fell to Savanna Franklin from Missouri.

In the 152-pound division of the 16U Women’s bracket, Pendergrass lost in the Round of 64, 11-5, to Rosalynn Diaz from California and again in the consolation Round of 32 to Natalin Hout from California by fall.

In the Junior Women’s 122-pound division, Hill lost her opening match in the Round of 64 to Mackenzie Armagost from Minnesota then beat Kelsey Watts from Missouri with a 3:26 fall. Hill found the end of her road in the second consolation Round of 32 with a 13-8 loss to Madelyn Strohmayer from Minnesota.

With the Greco-Roman competition set to start on Friday, July 21, Rainer wrestled in the freestyle bracket on Monday, July 17, but fell in straight matches first to Zachary Evans from Pennsylvania in the Round of 128 then to Brogan Hardy from Oklahoma in the consolation Round of 64.