FOR THE ANTIGO TIMES

Alexandra Hofrichter of the Antigo Wrestling Club put on another amazing display of wrestling at the 2022 USMC US Open in Las Vegas, Nevada. Competing in the Girls High School National Recruiting Showcase division, Hofrichter was able to finish in 5^th place. The US Open is one of the largest wrestling events annually in the United States, and the level of talent on the mats was impressive.

Thanks to strong previous results, Hofrichter was able to earn a bye into the quarterfinals, where she matched up with Kendal Tucker of Montana. Tucker entered the tournament with an impressive number of accomplishments, including a Montana state championship and an honorable mention national ranking.

Hofrichter, who entered with a national ranking of 11^th herself, looked forward to testing her skills against the best in the nation, and immediately took the fight to Tucker, using a left-handed overhook to get Tucker to her knees, and then executed a belly to back suplex to earn the 4-point takedown/exposure 30 seconds into the match.  Hofrichter would then add a pair of points with a gutwrench to increase her lead to 6-0.

At the one-minute mark, Hofrichter used an arm drag to set up an outside single shot attempt to Tucker’s right leg. Hofrichter then switched to a double leg, but Tucker was able to stop the momentum and create a stalemate and prevent any scoring.

Once again on the feet, Hofrichter was able to counter an armspin attempt by Tucker, earning a takedown by locking up a cradle from the top position off of the throw attempt.

With 24 seconds remaining in the first period, Hofrichter was able to counter a head throw attempt for a takedown, earning the 10-0 technical fall victory at 2:36 of the first round.

The victory set up a semifinal match between Hofrichter and Piper Fowler of Tennessee. Fowler is a Tennessee state champion, a Folkstyle national champion at the U16 level and most recently took 3^rd at the Folkstyle junior national championships.

Hofrichter did not allow the accomplishments Fowler entered with phase her, and 17 seconds into the match, Hofrichter hit a collar crusher and threw Fowler to her back, earning 4 points. Fowler would spend the next half minute fighting off of her back, and eventually Fowler earned 2 points when Hofrichter briefly locked her legs around the body from the top position.

Fowler was able to secure a double leg takedown with exposure to take a 6-4 lead at the midpoint of the first round, and added 2 exposure points with a bow and arrow attack.

Restarting on the feet, Fowler was able to drive through on a double leg attack, earning a takedown and extending her lead to 10-4. With 20 seconds remaining, Fowler was able to score on a leg attack, taking a 12-4 lead into the intermission.

The start of the second period saw Fowler execute a head outside double leg for a takedown and the 14-4 technical fall victory at 3:15.

In the consolation semifinals, Hofrichter faced Kaiulani Garcia of California. Garcia was a Super 32 champion in the fall of last year, and entered ranked 21^st at 164 pounds in the nation. Garcia also finished third at this event in 2021.

Garcia was able to start the scoring, using head position and an underhook to set up a single leg takedown 45 seconds in to the match. Garcia was then able to earn exposure points using a gutwrench, increasing her lead to 4-0.

At the midpoint of the first round, Garcia was able to create a scramble off of a single leg attempt, and earned another takedown. Hofrichter was able to get in deep on a single leg off the next restart, but Garcia did a fantastic job of countering, and was eventually able to break Hofrichter’s grip of the leg to earn a takedown.

Hofrichter attempted a lateral drop with 17 seconds remaining in the first period, but Garcia was able to counter for the takedown. The match ended at the end of the first period, with Garcia earning a 10-0 technical fall.

The fifth-place match saw Hofrichter face Anya Hatch. Hatch also has quite the list of accomplishments, with a 2022 Utah state championship, a 2021 state championship, multiple regional championships, and a current ranking of 19^th at 152 pounds.

Hofrichter was able to counter a Hatch headthrow attempt for the first point 20 seconds into the match, and added 2 additional points with a turn for exposure. Hatch cut the lead down to 4-1 with a reversal.

Back on the feet, Hofrichter was able to get in deep on a single leg attempt, then transition to a double leg attempt, and earned the takedown 90 seconds into the first round, giving Hofrichter a 6-1 lead.

Nearing the two-minute mark of the first round, Hofrichter was able to set up and hit a collar crusher, leading to 4 points, and more importantly, earning the victory by pinfall at 1:58.

Destiny Rodriguez, the 2^nd ranked wrestler in the nation, was able to win in the finals against Piper Folwer to take 1^st place. Kaiulani Garcia finished in 3^rd, defeating Aynslee Hester.

Next week is a big week for the Antigo Wrestling Club. Hofrichter will be traveling down to Texas for the U20 World Team Trials, and the remaining members in the Greco and Freestyle season will be heading to the state tournament in Wisconsin Dells.

Note: USA Wrestling, FloWrestling, and the National High School Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum release rankings together. All national rankings mentioned are from March 2022. Full rankings can be found here: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2022/March/25/Girls-HS-rankings

Full US Open results can be found at: https://www.flowrestling.org/events/7320384-2022-usmc-us-open-wrestling-championships/event-results?filter=32870