California’s Alexia Moreno scores a takedown in the Junior Nationals Women’s Duals win over Texas on Wednesday night. John Sachs photo.

FARGO, N.D. – Marcie Van Dusen experienced her share of success as an Olympian and World Team member in women’s freestyle wrestling.

Now she’s shifting her focus to developing wrestlers as a top young coach.

Van Dusen’s impact is being seen already as she led a strong team from California to the championship at the Junior Nationals Women’s Duals on Wednesday night at the FargoDome.

California earned the title after earning a 29-26 win over a tough Texas team in the final dual.

"It was a tough day for us,” said Van Dusen, the head coach at Menlo (Calif.) College. “We lost two wrestlers (because of injuries) in the early rounds. All our girls had to bump up a weight class. But we talked to them and they were committed to do it and wanted to win. They bumped it up and really came together as a team."

California standout Amanda Hendey, second in the U.S. Senior Open this year, led the way by pinning a pair of Junior Nationals champions.

Hendey won a Junior Nationals title at 130 pounds on Tuesday. She pinned fellow Junior Nationals champions Rosemary Flores of New York and Hannah Moon of Washington in the dual-meet competition.

Flores moved up to 130 to face Hendey after winning the 125 Junior Nationals title. Hendey moved up a weight class to battle Moon, who won Junior Nationals at 139.

“Every time we dual, we pull together and we support each other,” Hendey said. “We do chants together. It really pumps us up to go out there and win. Our team is young this year and we did really well considering that. I was very proud of them.”

California has now won this event in four of the six years it has been contested. Texas won the other two titles.

California A defeated Washington 29-26 in the second dual of the championship round. Texas A downed Washington 29-22 in the first dual of the championship round.

Texas led 24-22 over Washington entering the final match at 198 pounds. Junior Nationals champion Miriam Moreno recorded a pin at 198 to clinch the win.

Texas received a key win in the dual when Ana McAleavey knocked off Moon 1-1, 0-2, 2-2 at 139. McAleavey placed fifth in the Junior Nationals competition at 130 on Tuesday before moving up a class to upset Moon on Wednesday.

The Junior Women’s Duals returned to Fargo this year after a one-year absence.

CALIFORNIA A 29, TEXAS A 26
97 – Lilian Salinas (California A) dec. Michelle Guerrero (Texas A), 8-0, 6-3
105 – Cheyenne Kemp (Texas A) dec. Jonna Rose Palma (California A), 4-0, 4-0
112 – Jasmine Yanez (California A) pinned Haley Moreno (Texas A), 8-0, 0:35
117 – Alex Gomez (California A) pinned Miranda Bennett-England (Texas A), 5-0, 0:33
121 – Michelle Lomas (Texas A) pinned Siobhan Esquerra (California A), 3-0, 0:22
125 – Brazel Marquez (California A) dec. Christina Machado (Texas A), 0-4, 6-0, 3-1
130 – Alexia Moreno (California A) dec. Ana McAleavey (Texas A), 2-1, 3-0
139 – Amanda Hendey (California A) pinned Allison Alvarez (Texas A), 0:32
148 – Natalia Hinojo (Texas A) pinned Monica Ramirez (California A), 1:47
159 – Haley Kinney (California A) pinned Valerie Rosales (Texas A), 3-0, 1:58
172 – Ashley Miles (Texas A) pinned Juiliana Triplet (California A), 0-7, 0:56
198 – Kierra Boyce (Texas A) won by forfeit

CALIFORNIA A 29, WASHINGTON 26
97 – Lilian Salinas (California A) dec. Sabrina Handlon (Washington), 5-1, 2-0
105 - Lauren Richardson (Washington) dec. Jasmine Yanez (California A), 8-0, 6-0
112 – Rachel Archer (Washington) pinned Jonna Rose Palma (California A), 5-4, 1-1, 0:44
117 – Alex Gomez (California A) pinned Taylor Graham (Washington), 3-1, 1:23
121 – Chelsea Reynosa (Washington) pinned Siobhan Esquerra (California A), 2-0, 0:44
125 – Brazel Marquez (California A) pinned Sadie Boyle (Washington), 1:31
130 – Alexia Moreno (California A) dec. Jennifer Anderson (Washington), 5-0, 5-4
139 – Amanda Hendey (California A) pinned Hannah Moon (Washington), 6-0, 1:43
148 – Stephanie Simon (Washington) pinned Monica Ramirez (California A), 3-0, 0:27
159 – Haley Kinney (California A) dec. Brandae Grein (Washington), 3-0, 2-0
172 – Juiliana Triplet (California A) pinned Alanna Alegria (Washington), 0:42
198 - Jessie Vitartas (Washington) won by forfeit

TEXAS A 29, WASHINGTON 22
97 – Michelle Guerrero (Texas A) pinned Sabrina Handlon (Washington), 7-3, 1:56
105 – Lauren Richardson (Washington) dec. Cheyenne Kemp (Texas A), 10-0, 7-0
112 – Rachel Archer (Washington) pinned Haley Moreno (Texas A), 1-7, 7-4, 0:37
117 – Miranda Bennett-England (Texas A) dec. Taylor Graham (Washington), 5-0,1-0
121 – Chelsea Reynosa (Washington) dec. Michelle Lomas (Texas A), 5-0, 5-2
125 – Jennifer Anderson (Washington) pinned Christina Machado (Texas A), 4-3, 0:23
130 – Allison Alvarez (Texas A) pinned Sadie Boyle (Washington), 1:18
139 – Ana McAleavey (Texas A) dec. Hannah Moon (Washington), 1-1, 0-2, 2-2
148 – Stephanie Simon (Washington) dec. Natalia Hinojo (Texas A), 1-4, 1-0, 1-0
159 – Valerie Rosales (Texas A) dec. Brandae Grein (Washington), 3-0, 1-0
172 – Ashley Miles (Texas A) dec. Alanna Alegria (Washington), 6-0, 2-0
198 – Miriam Moreno (Texas A) pinned Jessie Vitartas (Washington), 7-0, 0:32

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

105 POUNDS
Hanna Grisewood (New York), 5-0
Lauren Richardson (Washington), 4-0

112 POUNDS
Anna Divins (California), 5-0
Rachel Archer (Washington), 4-0
Alex Gomez (California), 5-0

121 POUNDS
Samantha Ortiz (California), 5-0
Brazel Marquez (California), 5-0
Chelsea Reynosa (Washington), 4-0

125 POUNDS
Alexia Moreno (California), 5-0

130 POUNDS
Amanda Hendey (California), 5-0

139 POUNDS
Cheyenne Youngblood (California), 5-0

148 POUNDS
Mary Westman (New York), 5-0
Kuuleilani Lankford (Hawaii), 5-0
Demi Strub (Indiana), 4-0
Hanna Hall (Michigan), 4-0

159 POUNDS
Haley Kinney (California), 5-0
Julia Salata (Michigan), 4-0

198 POUNDS
Libby Petrie (Hawaii), 5-0