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Kalispell’s Tilynne Vasquez takes 3rd at Fargo national championships; Billings’ Glory Konecny loses in quarterfinals

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Kalispell Flathead’s Tilynne Vasquez finished third at the U.S. Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota (MTN Sports photo).

FARGO, N.D. – Kalispell’s Tilynne Vasquez has proven she can compete with the top boys in Montana and the top girls from around the country. The Flathead High rising junior finished third in her weight class at the 2018 Cadet & Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota.

Recent Billings West graduate Glory Konecny also had a strong showing, losing in the quarterfinals at 117 pounds.

Vasquez rolled through the opening rounds in the junior 106-pound division. She pinned Hawaii’s Brianna Funakoshi in 45 seconds, took out Pennsylvania’s Tatyana Ortiz 15-4, shutout Washington’s Marissa Riojas 10-0, and then finished off Nichole Moore of Kansas with a pin in the final seconds of the quarterfinals.

The Flathead Brave met her match in the semifinals, falling to eventual national champion Mia Pulumbo of Illinois 12-2. But Vasquez responded in the consolation bracket, defeating Hawaii’s Alejandra Corral with a second-round pin and crushing Georgia’s Amani Jones 10-0 to finish in third place.

Vasquez captured the prestigious Flo Reno Worlds title in April. She took fourth-place honors in the Class AA 103-pound bracket, the best finish ever for a girl at the Class AA state tournament in February.

Konecny started her tournament in Fargo with three straight pins, taking down Emily Fergeson of Texas in the second round, North Dakota’s Naelly Andrade in less than a minute, and California’s Aleena Gomez in 2:21.

The former West High Golden Bear then lost to eventual third-place finisher Gabrielle Skidmore of Wisconsin, 10-0. Konecny’s run then ended one win short of a top-eight finish, when she lost 8-0 to California’s Alisha Narvaez in the consolation bracket.