No. 2 McKendree and #3 North Central didn’t have their best line-ups, but the Bearcats downed the Cardinals, 24-18, at the Adrian Duals. And there was plenty of firepower on both sides. 

McKendree has one of the best lightweight trios in the country, with Heather Crull (103), Gabby Tedesco (110), and Yu Sakamoto (117) setting the tone early. 

Crull, a true freshman, downed Avila, a 2023 national champion and three-time All-American, 12-3. 

Tedesco reached the 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship finals at 103 but took on 2024 NCWWC finalist Kaelani Shufeldt, who transferred from Lock Haven, at her new weight. The Bearcat star won 10-8, giving her team a 6-2 lead after two matches.

Sakamoto, a 2024 U23 World champion from Japan who transferred from Northern Michigan, pinned Mikayla Garcia. North Central’s national finalist Sara Sterner returned the favor at 124 with a fall over Gabriella Gomez. 

At 131, McKendree’s Shelby Moore downed Yele Aycock, 3-1, in a battle of returning national finalists.

At 138, McKendree’s Haylie Jaffe, another returning national finalist, teched Grace Stem, 11-0, a two-time All-American (4th-4th), who transferred from Lock Haven to North Central. 

Bella Mir, fresh off her win over Life’s Latifah McBryde at the NWCA All-Star Classic, got North Central back on the board at 145 with a 10-0 over Alexis Gomez. Mir finished second at nationals earlier this year after finishing fifth for Iowa in 2024. 

McKendree pulled away with wins by Savanna Gomez (160) and Destiny Rodriguez (180), before North Central’s Dasia Yearby ended the dual with a 31-second fall. 

Below is the box score, along with links to the matches.

McKendree 24, North Central 18
103: Heather Crull (M) over Maddie Avila (NCC), 12-3 (3-1)
110: Gabby Tedesco (M) over Kaelani Shufeldt (NCC), 10-8 (6-2)
117: Yu Sakamoto (M) over Mikayla Garcia (NCC), Fall 3:33 (11-2)
124: Sara Sterner (NCC) over Gabriella Gomez (M), Fall 4:55 (11-7)
131: Shelby Moore (M) over Yele Aycock (NCC), 3-1 (14-8)
138: Haylie Jaffe (M) over Grace Stem (NCC), 11-0 (18-8)
145: Bella Mir (NCC) over Alexis Gomez (M), 10-0 (18-12)
160: Savanna Gomez (M) over Taylor Graveman (NCC), 11-4 (21-13)
180: Destiny Rodriguez (M) over Shenita Lawson (NCC), 6-0 (24-13)
207: Dasia Yearby (NCC) over Alison Evans (M), Fall :31 (24-18)