With Six Champions, Wyoming Seminary Denies Blair a Fourth Title at National Preps Girls Tournament

Alexis Penley’s statement win over three-time champion Sarah Henckel caps a dominant Blue Knights performance as Jaclyn Bouzakis and Taina Fernandez set up a historic 2027 chase.

Wyoming Seminary crowned six champions and rolled to the 2026 National Prep Girls Wrestling Tournament title. / Wyoming Seminary Girls Wrestling

The Girls’ Division of the National Prep Wrestling Tournament kicked off on Friday afternoon and concluded on Saturday morning while the boys were contesting their semifinals. History being made at Lehigh University’s Stabler Arena will have to wait one more year as defending three-time champ Sarah Henckel of New Jersey’s Blair Academy was denied entry into the still non-existent girls’ version of the four-time National Prep Champion Club. 

Wyoming Seminary's Alexis Penley Denied History for Sarah Henckel

Henckel came in ranked fourth in the country by High School on SI and powered her way to the finals where she would face a freshman from Illinois in Wyoming Seminary’s No. 13 Alexis Penley in the 165-pound final. Henckel registered two pins on the way to see Penley, who put up one pin and a technical fall.

The records we keep only go back a little over a year and in that time, Henckel and Penley have not met, but they do share a common opponent in Seminary’s Remington LaFlamme. Henckel beat LaFlamme here a year ago. Penley beat LaFlamme at Fargo over the summer when she placed fifth in 16U at 170 pounds. LaFlamme bested Penley in the fifth-place match of the Journeymen Fall Classic before the season.

Henckel started out well with Penley, holding an early lead. But Penley closed strongly, almost pinning Henckel at one point before closing it with a 9-4 decision. Blair taking a hit like this was in line with how their day went. The semis were a disaster for the boys, who were 2-8 in that round, tumbling from title contention. Henckel could have provided a sorely needed bright spot. 

Jaclyn Bouzakis and Taina Fernandez Will Carry the 4x Champion Quest Into Next Year

Instead, we will have to wait until next year to see if either, or both, Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) and Taina Fernandez (Archbishop Spalding, MD) can take the final step and create the four-timer club. The Girls’ Division was created in 2020, so it’s not as if there are years of denied history. 

The Blue Knights Dominated the Top of the Podium

Penley’s performance was part of the Blue Knights’ title winning efforts that included five other champions, No. 1 Madison Healey (100 pounds), No. 1 Bouzakis (107), No. 12 Anastasis Rodnikova (132 pounds), No. 3 Ciyanna Okocha (152), and LaFlamme.

Healey and Bouzakis defended titles in differing manners, Healey, a sophomore, went the distance with No. 22 Serra Akyali (Phillips Academy, MA) before gaining a 15-5 major decision. Healey was uber aggressive which created a scoring opportunity for Akyali late in the match.

Bouzakis dropped No. 5 Summer Mutschler (Archbishop Spalding) in the opening round, 1:37. Rodnikova used a pin for her crown to complete a comeback versus Blair’s No. 10 Corynne McNulty, 4:47. Okocha had her way with Amillyiona Green (Abington Friends), putting up a 15-2 major decision. Rodnikova is a sophomore who was an Illinois state champ in 2025. Okocha captured a Virginia crown as a sophomore in 2025. 

LaFlamme got it done after being second to Henckel in 2025 at 185 pounds when she decked Toni Elliott (Phillips Academy), 2:59, into their final. The Blue Knights were six-for-six in the finals and had two other ladies place third, No. 16 Riley Karwowski (114 pounds) and Alexis Foscone (120). 

As alluded to earlier, all eyes will be on Bouzakis and Fernandez next year with the expectation of history unfolding after the two-time World Champion secured her third prep title over fellow Marylander, No. 8 Kesi Tsarni (Bullis School, MD), who is the brother of Blair’s prep champ Salah. Fernandez also stuck Tsarni for last year’s 132-pound glory in 57 seconds. 

Kayla Batres Breaks Through for Greens Farms Academy

Greens Farms Academy’s No. 1 Kayla Batres improved on consecutive runner-up finishes by winning one of the most loaded brackets of the affair. All four girls who claimed 114-pound hardware are nationally ranked, the only such weight where that happened. 

Batres authored a 10-0 major decision in her final versus No. 15 Lily Runez (Choate Rosemary Hall, CT). To gain entry to the finals, Batres pulled out another major, 9-1, against No. 20 Kirra Mitchell (Mount de Sales, GA). Runez beat Karwowski 7-3, in the semis. Karwowski won the bronze bout with a 47 second fall of Mitchell. 

Two Champions Propel Choate Rosemary to a Second Place Finish

Choate Rosemary Hall finished in second place after Wyoming Seminary (191.5-157.5) and crowned two champions, No. 30 Tatianna Irizarry (120 pounds) and No. 23 Sara McLaughlin (126). Both got it done with first period falls.

Irizarry was third a year ago and only had to wait 55 seconds to improve that standing with her fall over Cailtin O’Reilly (St. Paul’s School, NH). McLaughlin was second as a freshman and third in 2025. The junior reached the top in 1:33 against Blair’s Sela Rozov.

Another New England girl took a title home in round robin action at 235 pounds when Noble’s Kate Osakwe stuck second place finishing Rhema Woolcock (Choate Rosemary Hall) in 1:31. Mount de Sales carried a crown to the south with Anberlin Hardy’s 9-6 decision of Cindy Phillips (Phillips Academy) at 138 pounds. 

Team Scores (Top 10)

1-Wyoming Seminary (PA) 191.5

2-Choate Rosemary Hall 157.5

3-Phillips Academy (MA) 111

4-Blair Academy (NJ) 62

5-Archbishop Spalding (MD) 46

6-St. Paul’s School (NH) 44

7-Mount de Sales Academy (GA) 41

8-Bullis School (MD) 37

9-Northfield Mount Hermon (MA) 33

10-All Saints Episcopal School (TX) 30

Individual Results

100-Pounds

1st Madison Healey (Wyoming Seminary) MD Serra Akyali (Phillips Academy), 15-5

3rd Olivia Mancha (Choate Rosemary Hall) F Sophia Chen (Phillips Exeter Academy), 0:15

107-Pounds

1st Jaclyn Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary) F Summer Mutschler (Archbishop Spalding), 1:37

3rd Janie Gerarde (All saints episcopal school) F Olivia Polansky (Choate Rosemary Hall), 2:06

114-Pounds

1st Kayla Batres (Greens Farms Academy) MD Lily Runez (Choate Rosemary Hall), 10-0

3rd Riley Karwowski (Wyoming Seminary) F Kirra Mitchell (Mount de Sales Academy), 0:47

120-Pounds

1st Tatianna Irizarry (Choate Rosemary Hall) F Caitlin O'reilly (St. Paul's School), 0:55

3rd Alexis Foscone (Wyoming Seminary) F Esperanza Greer (Bishop Lynch High School), 2:17

126-Pounds

1st Sara Mclaughlin (Choate Rosemary Hall) F Sela Rozov (Blair Academy), 1:33

3rd Autumn Smith (Norfolk Christian) DEC Kate Hayes (Providence Day School), 4-1

132-Pounds

1st Anastasia Rodnikova (Wyoming Seminary) F Corynne Mcnulty (Blair Academy), 4:47

3rd Tasha Bohorad (Phillips Academy) F Izzy Steinbcock (William Penn Charter), 2:52

138-Pounds

1st Anberlin Hardy (Mount de Sales Academy) DEC Cindy Zhou (Phillips Academy), 9-6

3rd Sarah Spencer (St. Paul's School) F Leanne La (Choate Rosemary Hall), 2:40

145-Pounds

1st Taina Fernandez (Archbishop Spalding) F Kesi Tsarni (Bullis), 2:28

3rd Chloe Ross (Choate Rosemary Hall) TF Anna Ivanova (Hopkins School), 16-0 2:04

152-Pounds

1st Ciyanna Okocha (Wyoming Seminary) MD Amillyiona Green (Abington Friends School), 15-2

3rd Grace Rogers (St. Anne-Pacelli) F Melissa Soep (The Governor's Academy), 2:03

165-Pounds

1st Alexis Penley (Wyoming Seminary) DEC Sarah Henckel (Blair Academy), 9-4

3rd Bella Shmuylovich (Phillips Academy) F Niayla Curley (Nmh), 3:18

185-Pounds

1st Remington Laflamme (Wyoming Seminary) F Toni Elliott (Phillips Academy), 2:59

3rd Blake Baker (All saints episcopal school) F Mya Starks (Choate Rosemary Hall), 0:35

235-Pounds

1-Kate Osakwe (Noble)

2-Rhema Woolcock (Choate Rosemary Hall)

3-Gabriah Dowdell (Germantown Friends)

4-Avni Murarka (Phillips Exeter Academy)