Degenhardt second at USGWA Nationals

Spartan senior Margo Degenhardt finished second in the 146-pound weight class at the United States Girls Wrestling Association national championships to become the highest finishing Spartan at any national high school tournament.  Degenhardt went 9-1 on the weekend and advanced to the championship match before falling 10-3 to Doylestown, Ohi’s Hannah Hall in the championship match.  Hall was a national runner-up in 2011 losing in overtime at 142 pounds to Durand, Michigan’s Crystal Borrow.

Degenhardt’s finish was the second highest of any wrestler from Wisconsin.  Only Racine’s Jamie Reif, the national champion at 128 pounds, finished ahead of Degenhardt.  Here is how the final standings played out for Degenhardt’s bracket…

1st – Hanna Hall (Doylestown, OH) dec. Margo Degenhardt (Cashton, WI) 10-3.
2nd – Margo Degenhardt (Cashton, WI) dec. Alyssa Boyer (Braidwood, IL) 5-4.
3rd – Alyssa Boyer (Braidwood, IL) dec. Devan Burke (Fife Lake, MI) 5-0.
4th – Devan Burke (Fife Lake, MI) pinned Brandi Dale (Dayton, OH) 0:43.
5th – Brandi Dale (Dayton, OH) maj.dec. Tamara Cushman (Monmouth, ME) 15-6.
6th – Tamara Cushman (Monmouth, ME) dec. Josie Markham (Whitewater, WI) 6-3.
7th – Josie Markham (Whitewater, WI) pinned Kadiyah Muhammad (Hampton, VA) 0:53.
8th – Kadiyah Muhammad (Hampton, VA) pinned Ariana Oliva (Bonner Springs, KS) 1:11.
9th – Ariana Oliva (Bonner Springs, KS).

And here’s how Margo did in her 10 matches…

• Round 1  –  Defeated Alyssa Boyer of Illinois 5-4
• Round 2  –  Pinned Josie Markem of Whitewater, WI
• Round 3  –  Pinned Deven Burke of Michigan
• Round 4  –  Pinned Brandi Dale of Ohio
• Round 5  –  Pinned Ariana Oliva of Kansas
• Round 6  —  Pinned Virginia’s Kadiyah Muhammad
• Round 7  —  Pinned Maine’s Tamara Cushman
• Round 8  —  Lost 10-3 to Ohio’s Hannah Hall
• Round 9  —  BYE

Margo’s second place finish is an improvement from last year when she placed 4th at 152 pounds.  Congrats Margo on your second place finish!