Wrestler of Week: Unseeded Bibla makes mark in Fargo
BY BRANT PARSONS — For Kendall Bibla, her first trip to Fargo was a chance to prove something in her final high school competition.
The two-time Florida state champion was unseeded in the junior 170-pound weight class at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in North Dakota in a bracket filled with national-ranked wrestlers.
Bibla was ready for the challenge, defeating four nationally-ranked wrestlers to finish in third place in the hardest tournament in the country and also to earn the honor of Kabra Wrestling’s Reader’s Choice Wrestler of the Week.
“I really feel like I made a history-making statement at Fargo this past weekend because coming into the tournament, I wasn’t even seeded and it was my first time going to Fargo,” Bibla said.
The road to third place
After opening up with a win over Kenlee Fish (MO), Bibla faced her first nationally-ranked wrestler in her path in No. 29 Emily Novak (MN).
Bibla, who was ranked No. 30 in the final season rankings, scored three four-point moves and advanced by technical fall.
Bibla then faced Kiley Dillow (KS), the No. 10 ranked wrestler in the country and the #4 seed in the bracket.
Bibla, who will wrestle at Lindsey Wilson College this season, dominated the match, going up 6-0 in the first period before winning by fall just over two minutes into the match.
The Flagler Palm Coast graduate followed that win with a tech fall win over Texas’ Annalisa Afrifa and then beat her third ranked-wrestler, pinning No. 28, and fifth seed, Maddie Hayden (MI).
In the semifinals, Bibla faced the second-ranked wrestler in the country Jael Miller. Bibla would lose the match but scored the most points on the eventual national champion Miller than anybody else in Fargo.
Two more ranked wrestlers waiting in Bibla’s path as the future Blue Raider wrestler defeated Novak for the second time, pinning the Minnesota wrestler after building an 8-0 lead
The second Top 10 victory for Bibla came in the third place match where she won a thrilling 18-12 match against the No. 6 ranked wrestler in the country, Makayla Vasser.
“To end my high school career with a third place finish at Fargo is such a surreal feeling that I get to finish it by standing on the podium,” Bibla said. “I feel very lucky and blessed to have such a great opportunity.”
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Bibla was one of eight All-Americans for Team Florida in the girls freestyle competition.
Abigail Gonzalez, Ailee Briggs, Kendal Haynie, Makayla Ocean, TorRina Rushing, Kiera Partello and Mariah Mills also finished on the podium to earn All-American status for Team Florida.
“I’m super glad that me and Team Florida can make such a huge impact at a national tournament,” Bibla said.
Brant Parsons is the founder and executive editor of Kabra Wrestling. He has been covering high school wrestling in Florida since 2004. He can be reached at brant@kabrawrestling.com.
