SILVER FOR NOLI PADDOCK IN FARGO!!!
The clock finally struck midnight, and the glass slipper didn't quite fit for Noli Paddock...
But what a magical run it was.
The Chautauqua Lake standout made the entire Empire State proud, battling all the way from unseeded to a Fargo Junior National Finals appearance, ultimately finishing second in the nation at 135 pounds.
Standing opposite Paddock in the championship bout was No. 2 seed and 2026 Illinois State runner-up Rain Scott.
In a match filled with momentum swings, the difference came in the closing seconds, as Scott secured a takedown with just 18 seconds remaining to escape with a 6-4 victory.
After surrendering a pair of go-behind takedowns in the opening period and trailing 4-0 at the break, Paddock stormed back in the second. She countered with a takedown of her own before locking up a punishing arm bar that produced two exposure points and nearly ended the match, giving the New Yorker the lead on criteria.
Although the title ultimately slipped away in the final moments, Paddock's remarkable run from unseeded to national runner-up will go down as one of New York's most impressive performances of the tournament.