Outlaws on the Mat: 2025 USMC Women’s Nationals

April 4-6th, 2025, Spokane, WA- Like Outlaws of the past, seeking treasures robbing wagon trains, 3 young lady Outlaws crossed the mountains, from University Place, to Spokane, hoping to take home precious “medals” of their own. The journey would be tough, treacherous, and come with some pain and heartache, but would also be filled with effort, silver-linings, and hope. Nezel Peapealalo, and Lacey & Kira Givani, had dreams of gold, but would have to wrestle those treasures away from the best female wrestler’s from across the country. The place, USMC Women’s Nationals. The goal and location, The Podium. 

10U 80lbs – Kira Givani

One of the original Outlaw crew, Kira took a little bit of a break from the team last year. Since coming back, she has had a hard time getting untracked. Not this April weekend. While her record was 0-2 for the weekend, she was the aggressor in both matches. Coach Jeff says this is the most aggressive he has seen her since her very 1stmatch 2+ seasons ago. While takedowns were awarded against her, she initiated contact and was only taken down 1 time total, and was never turned in her biggest Freestyle tournament to date. The effort was not lacking on her part, and you could tell she was proud of her effort too.

6th Place - 14U 180lbs – Lacey Givani

This is by far the most locked in this 13year old has been for a tournament. She was focused, did all the right things leading up to the tournament, and had her eyes set on the top prize, the Championship Belt. While she lost in her opening bout to the eventual tournament runner up, when the 2nd round came around she was even more determined. 1st the pain and heartache…. Lacey got put into a tough position in the match and went to bridge out of a pin, and unfortunately her toe got stuck in the mat…. The doctors believe she may have torn her ACL. She could not continue that match and was brought to the medical bay. After the exam by medical staff, Lacey wanted to continue, asking the doctor if he could “tape it up” for the next round. She was heartbroken when Coach Jeff and the doctor decided it was not in her best interest to continue. She had to medical forfeit into 6th place. The silver-lining is that she becomes Outlaw Wrestling Clubs 1st All-American, and she is determined to do what it takes to get healed up and return to the mats!

3rd Place – 8U 62-68lbs – Nezel Peapealalo

Probably the most confident of all of Outlaw’s young ladies going into Sunday, Nezel wrestled her heart out. In her 1st round match up, while the aggressor, she would fall to the eventual tournament champion, out of Maryland. Nezel probably had the biggest highlight of the Outlaw’s tournament with a pin by armbar in approximately 45 seconds during her 2nd round match. Falling in the next round she would finish her day in 3rd place, being the smallest Outlaw with the largest medal, and becoming Outlaw Wrestling Club’s 2nd All-American.

What a great weekend for women’s wrestling, and an amazing opportunity for our young lady Outlaws. They put it all on the line and had the guts to go out there against the best girls in the country. Coach Jeff said he was so proud of all 3 young lady’s, and they were golden in his eyes. All 3 did not steal the prizes they set out to, but as the old saying goes “if you shoot for the moon, you’ll end up in the stars”, and all 3 are stars in the making in our books. Time to get back in the wrestling room, get back to work, and start chasing that gold again…… On a side note while speaking of gold…. All 3 girls had the opportunity to meet and get a picture taken with Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Hildebrandt!