Girls sectional roundups from New Trier, Geneseo, Highland
By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA
GIRLS SECTIONALS OVERVIEW
Among girls’ sectional champions across Illinois on Saturday, there were five returning state champions who won sectional titles: Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis (110), Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi (120), Vandalia’s Sophie Bowers (125), Lockport’s Claudia Heeney (135), and Prairie Central’s Chloe Hoselton (235).
Bartlett’s Emma Engels (120) was a state champion in 2023 at 110.
Another seven girls who place second downstate last year won sectional titles Saturday, in West Aurora’s Kameyah Young (105), Loyola’s Harlee Hiller (115), Hoffman Estates’ Sophia Ball (130), Canton’s Kinnley Smith (130), Collinsville’s Taylor Dawson (140), Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker (170), and Lakes’ Josie Larson (190).
Other sectional champs from Saturday who are now aiming to repeat as state medal winners were Montini’s Katelyn Bell (100), DeKalb’s Alex Gregorio-Perez (105), Litchfield’s Rilynn Younker (110), Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (115), Burlington Central’s Tori Macias (115), Glenbrook North’s Ariella Dobin (120), Edwardsville’s Holly Zugmaier (135), Glenwood’s Jenna Tuxhorn (145), Zion-Benton’s Naomi Foote (145), Clifton Central’s Payton Temple (190), Highland’s August Rottmann (170), and Ottawa’s Juliana Thrush (235).
NEW TRIER SECTIONAL
The District 230 team made up of girls from Carl Sandburg, Andrew, and Stagg led the 50-team field with seven state qualifiers at this year’s New Trier Sectional.
District 230 was led by a pair of sectional champions in Jade Hardee (33-4 at 100) and Alyssa Keane (37-3 at 135). Coach Elizabeth Short’s squad out-pointed second-place Marist 147-80, with JS Morton (76) placing third. Marist advanced three girls downstate and Morton advanced two in sectional champions Hope Donnamario (29-7 at 105) and Violet Mayo (37-9 at 155).
Also winning individual sectional titles were Agricultural Science’s Carmen Jackson (36-3 at 110), Loyola’s Harlee Hiller (23-1 at 115), Glenbrook North’s Ariella Dobin (42-1 at 120), Grayslake Central’s Gianna Arzer (42-4 at 125), Lane’s Nyah Lovis (42-5 at 130), Hillcrest’s Christiara Finley (28-0 at 140), Zion-Benton’s Naomi Foote (37-1 at 145), Kelly’s Sara Martinez Lopera (28-0 at 170), Lakes Josie Larson (25-0 at 190) and Rickover Naval Academy’s Jasmine Mejia (35-2 at 235).
Hillcrest’s Finley (28-0), Kelly’s Martinez Lopera (28-0), and Lakes’ Larson (25-0) are all undefeated heading into the state finals, while Loyola’s Hiller (23-1), Glenbrook North’s Dobin (42-1), and Zion-Benton’s Foote (37-1) only have a single loss on their season records.
Among New Trier Sectional champions, Loyola’s Hiller (115) and Lakes’ Larson (190) were both state runners-up last year, while Glenbrook North’s Dobin (4th at 120) and Zion-Benton’s Foote (6th at 145) were also state medalists.
The day’s closest sectional title match at New Trier came at 130, with Lane’s Lovis (42-5) winning a 2-1 decision over Zion-Benton’s Emily Ortiz (35-6).
The sectional also featured two girls ranked nationally by Flowrestling. Lakes’ Larson is ranked No. 2 in the country at 190, while Glenbrook North’s Dobin is ranked No. 30 in the nation at 120.
STATE QUALIFIERS FROM THE NEW TRIER SECTIONAL
100
1st – Jade Hardee (District 230)
2nd – Riley Kongkaeow (Round Lake)
3rd – Ariel Woodfin (Thornton)
4th – Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier)
105
1st – Hope Donnamario (Morton)
2nd – Tatum De La Vega (District 230)
3rd – Sofia Guerrero (Lane)
4th – Sofia Perez (Shepard)
110
1st – Carmen Jackson (Agricultural Science)
2nd – London Gandy (Homewood-F.)
3rd – Giselle Arambula (Curie)
4th – Dakodia Kelly (Thornton Fractional South)
115
1st – Harlee Hiller (Loyola Academy)
2nd – Ireland McCain (Round Lake)
3rd – Nina Hamm (Homewood-F.)
4th – Sophia Figueroa (District 230)
120
1st – Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North)
2nd – Mary Minogue (Libertyville)
3rd – Illiana Heredia (De La Salle)
4th – Saja Bader (District 230)
125
1st – Gianna Arzer (Grayslake C)
2nd – Karina Lojowski (Stevenson)
3rd – Nakya Scott (Lindblom)
4th – Raynisha Sims (Lake View)
130
1st – Nyah Lovis (Lane)
2nd – Emily Ortiz (Z.-Benton)
3rd – Jalah Wilson (Thornton)
4th – Mila Rocush (Shepard)
135
1st – Alyssa Keane (District 230)
2nd – Izzy Locascio (Marist)
3rd – Quincy Onyiaorah (Thornton Fractional South)
4th – Zabby Badru (Lane)
140
1st – Christiara Finley (Hillcrest)
2nd – Maggie Zuber (Mother McAuley)
3rd – Jillian Giller (New Trier)
4th – America Cabrera (Phoenix Military Academy)
145
1st – Naomi Foote (Z.-Benton)
2nd – Kennedy Murray of Evanston (Twp.)
3rd – AJ Grant (Phoenix Military Academy)
4th – Iyobosa Odiase (Oak Forest)
155
1st – Violet Mayo (Morton)
2nd – Dana Holt (Highland Park)
3rd – Nola Oben (District 230)
4th – Charvelle Mclain (Community)
170
1st – Sara Martinez Lopera (Kelly)
2nd – Adrianna Vela (District 230)
3rd – Erin Bush of Gurnee (Warren)
4th – Elena Haugh (Agricultural Science)
190
1st – Josephine Larson (Lakes)
2nd – Isabel Peralta (Oak Forest)
3rd – N`Dyia Mahon-Godfrey (Kelly)
4th – Sam Fontaine (Marist)
235
1st – Jasmine Mejia (Rickover Naval Academy)
2nd – Esmeralda Bustamante (Noble/ITW Speer)
3rd – Abby Parker (Marist)
4th – Allison Poole of Grayslake (North)
GENESEO SECTIONAL
Host Geneseo won the team sectional title in the 57-team field, 117-98 over second-place Kaneland, with Lincoln-Way’s co-op team (93.5) a close third.
Geneseo coach Carley Rusk will bring five girls to the state finals in Bloomington, led by a trio of sectional runners-up in Molly Snyder (100), Annibelle Juarez (135) and Mady Mooney (145), plus third-place sectional winners Lydia King (120) and Sophie Bellagamba (155).
Kaneland advanced four girls downstate, led by sectional champions Angelina Gochis (32-0 at 110) and Brooklyn Sheaffer (41-2 at 125). Lincoln-Way advanced four girls to this year’s state finals, led by sectional second-placers Zoe Dempsey (110) and Sadie Sparks (120).
Also winning individual sectional titles at Geneseo were Rockford East’s Saya Hongmoundkhoune (24-0 at 100), DeKalb’s Alex Gregorio-Perez (46-3 at 105), Burlington Central’s Tori Macias (31-6 at 115), Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi (28-0 at 120), Canton’s Kinnley Smith (40-3 at 130), Hononegah’s Bella Castelli (23-4 at 135), Morton’s Karen Conchola (26-2 at 140), Rochelle’s Dempsey Atkinson (21-0 at 145), Plainfield South’s Teagan Aurich (36-0 at 155), Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker (25-1 at 170), Morris’ Morgan Congo (31-6 at 190) and Ottawa’s Juliana Thrush (33-4 at 235).
Heading into this year’s state finals with unbeaten records are Rockford East’s Hongmoungkhoune (24-0), Kaneland’s Gochis (32-0), Hononegah’s Cassioppi (28-0), Rochelle’s Atkinson (21-0), and Plainfield South’s Aurich (36-0). Plainfield Central’s Tucker (25-1) has only lost once all season.
Among Geneseo Sectional champions, Kaneland’s Gochis and Hononegah’s Cassioppi were state champions last year, while Plainfield Central’s Tucker and Canton’s Smith placed second in Illinois. DeKalb’s Gregorio-Perez (6th at 105), Burlington Central’s Macias (5th at 115), Rochelle’s Atkinson (5th at 145), and Ottawa’s Thrush (6th at 235) were all state medalists last season.
The Geneseo Sectional featured two girls nationally-ranked by Flowrestling in Hononegah’s Cassioppi (No. 8 at 120) and Ottawa’s Thrush (No. 24 at 235). Cassioppi is striving to become the first four-time individual state champion in Illinois girls wrestling history.
The Geneseo field at 170 was stacked. Three girls who won state place-medals last year in Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker (2nd), Peoria Notre Dame’s Autumne Williams (3rd) and Burlington Central’s Ryann Miller (5th).
Tucker (25-1) won a 5-3 decision over Williams (14-3) to win Saturday’s Geneseo sectional crown at 170, while Miller (37-2) placed third.
The day’s tightest finish on the title mat came when Kaneland’s Brooklyn Sheaffer won a 1-0 decision over Jacksonville’s Alexis Seymour.
STATE QUALIFIERS FROM THE GENESEO SECTIONAL
100
1st – Saya Hongmoungkhoune of Rockford (East)
2nd – Molly Snyder of Geneseo
3rd – Jade Weiss of DeKalb
4th – Abella Brown of Canton
105
1st – Alex Gregorio-Perez of DeKalb
2nd – Blair Grennan of Sterling (Newman Central Catholic)
3rd – Alisa Carter of Joliet (Central)
4th – Chloe Wong of Joliet (West)
110
1st – Angelina Gochis of Maple Park (Kaneland)
2nd – Zoe Dempsey of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central)
3rd – Lily Gwaltney of Streator (Twp.)
4th – Tessa Donaldson of Pekin
115
1st – Victoria Macias of Burlington (Central)
2nd – Chloe Hedges of Canton
3rd – Kiely Domyancich of LaSalle (L.-Peru)
4th – Eliana Juarez of Galesburg (H.S.)
120
1st – Gina Cassioppi of Rockton (Hononegah)
2nd – Sadie Sparks of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central)
3rd – Lydia King of Geneseo
4th – Daisy Gil of Beardstown
125
1st – Brooklyn Sheaffer of Maple Park (Kaneland)
2nd – Alexis Seymour of Jacksonville (H.S.)
3rd – Isabella Mottler of Peoria (Richwoods)
4th – Riley Cooney of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central)
130
1st – Kinnley Smith of Canton
2nd – Grace Laird of Joliet (Catholic Academy)
3rd – Catalina Pacheco of Seneca
4th – Michelle Naftzger of Erie
135
1st – Bella Castelli of Rockton (Hononegah)
2nd – Annibelle Juarez of Geneseo
3rd – Sammie Greisen of Seneca
4th – Nadia Anderson of Sherrard
140
1st – Karen Canchola of Morton
2nd – Ema Durst of Sycamore (H.S.)
3rd – Kelly Ladd of Macomb
4th – Ella Giertuga of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central)
145
1st – Dempsey Atkinson of Rochelle
2nd – Mady Mooney of Geneseo
3rd – Mikaela Mwangong of Macomb
4th – Katelyn Marvel of Canton
155
1st – Teagan Aurich of Plainfield (South)
2nd – Akira Schick of Rock Falls
3rd – Sophie Bellagamba of Geneseo
4th – Caitlyn Manier of Maple Park (Kaneland)
170
1st – Alicia Tucker of Plainfield (Central)
2nd – Autumne Williams of Peoria (Notre Dame)
3rd – Ryann Miller of Burlington (Central)
4th – Layla Spann of Plainfield (South)
190
1st – Morgan Congo of Morris
2nd – Sadie Kinsella of Maple Park (Kaneland)
3rd – Anjanne Haywood of Rockford (Guilford)
4th – Kylie Eilken of Rockford (Jefferson)
235
1st – Juliana Thrush of Ottawa (Twp.)
2nd – Kirsten Kpoto of Moline (H.S.)
3rd – Aarianna Bloyd of DeKalb
4th – Jasmine Enriquez of Sycamore (H.S.)
HIGHLAND SECTIONAL
Edwardsville snared the team sectional crown, 152-105 over second-place Collinsville, with Glenwood (63) placing third. Tigers coach Jon Wagner saw six of his girls advance downstate, led by individual sectional champions Emma Rogers (38-4 at 100) and Holly Zugmaier (38-5 at 135).
Collinsville advanced four girls downstate and had a trio of sectional champions in Londyn Long (35-5 at 120), Addyson Bailey (30-10 at 130) and Taylor Dawson (32-3 at 140). Glenwood advanced two girls, led by sectional champion Jenna Tuxhorn (31-2 at 145).
Also leaving Highland as sectional champions were Roxana’s Chloe Skiles (38-5 at 105), Litchfield’s Rilynn Younker (39-10 at 110), Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (10-0 at 115), Vandalia’s Sophie Bowers (38-0 at 125), Unity’s Anna Vasey (32-4 at 155), Highland’s August Rottmann (32-1 at 170), Clifton Central’s Payton Temple (24-1 at 190) and Prairie Central’s Chloe Hoselton (23-0 at 235).
Highland Sectional champs who won state place-medals last year were a pair of state champions in Vandalia’s Bowers (125) and Plainfield Centrals’ Hoselton (235), and a state runner-up in Collinsville’s Dawson (130). Other sectional champs also placing downstate last year were Litchfield’s Younker (4th at 110), Mt. Zion’s Cannon (4th at 115), Glenwood’s Tuxhorn (4th at 135), Edwardsville’s Zugmaier (6th at 125), Highland’s Rottman (6th at 170), and Clifton Central’s Temple (5th at 155).
Cannon (10-0), Bowers (38-0), and Hoselton (23-0) are all unbeaten heading into this year’s state finals. Bowers and Hoselton were state champions last year while Cannon placed fourth in Illinois at 115.
Highland’s field led all sectionals in nationally-ranked wrestlers per Flowrestling’s rankings in Skiles (10th at 105), Dawson (17th at 140), Rottmann (13th at 170), Hoselton (5th at 235) and Unity’s Phoenix Molina (25th at 235).
Hoselton and Molina were at it again on a Highland Sectional title mat this year, one year after squaring off in last year’s state title match at 235, when Hoselton won a 4-3 ultimate tie-break decision for the title. The two nationally-ranked wrestlers gave the crowd their money’s worth at Highland, as Hoselton (23-0) won another ultimate tie-break against Molina (28-5), this time in a 3-2 decision.
Highland’s other nail-biter on the sectional title mat came when Glenwood’s Tuxhorn (31-2) won a 2-1 ultimate tie-break decision at 145 against Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont (26-3).
STATE QUALIFIERS FROM THE HIGHLAND SECTIONAL
100
1st – Emma Rogers of Edwardsville (H.S.)
2nd – Madelyn Murphy of Roxana
3rd – Claire Crouch of Troy (Triad)
4th – Nikolette Ronketto of West Frankfort (Frankfort)
105
1st – Chloe Skiles of Roxana
2nd – Zoee Sadler of Anna (A.-Jonesboro)
3rd – Kadi Wilbern of Chatham (Glenwood)
4th – Phoenix Criss of Springfield [Coop]
110
1st – Rilynn Younker of Litchfield
2nd – Jala Singleton of Belleville (West)
3rd – Genevieve Dykstra of Edwardsville (H.S.)
4th – Carlly Ho of Rochester
115
1st – Sydney Cannon of Mt. Zion
2nd – Delaney Measimer of Carbondale (H.S.)
3rd – Delaney Ledbetter of Lawrenceville
4th – Kendall Moss-Smith of Bethalto (Civic Memorial)
120
1st – Londyn Long of Collinsville
2nd – Allie Chong of Edwardsville (H.S.)
3rd – Sophia Bechelli of West Frankfort (Frankfort)
4th – Yurithdzy Vilchis of Fairbury (Prairie Central)
125
1st – Sophie Bowers of Vandalia
2nd – Jocelyn Cobix of Pontiac
3rd – Leonie Dubson of Mattoon
4th – Brooklyn Alldredge of Edwardsville (H.S.)
130
1st – Addyson Bailey of Collinsville
2nd – Ava Beldo of Champaign (Centennial)
3rd – Te`Aja Young of Cahokia (H.S.)
4th – Alicia Dominguez of Bethalto (Civic Memorial)
135
1st – Holly Zugmaier of Edwardsville (H.S.)
2nd – Audrey Barnes of Granite City
3rd – Avery Crouch of Dwight
4th – Scarlett Gentille of O`Fallon (H.S.)
140
1st – Taylor Dawson of Collinsville
2nd – Rickasia Ivy of Urbana (H.S.)
3rd – Maddie Wells of St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden)
4th – Lillien Roughton of Decatur (Unity Christian)
145
1st – Jenna Tuxhorn of Chatham (Glenwood)
2nd – Natalie Beaumont of Toledo (Cumberland)
3rd – Tashieya Taylor of Collinsville
4th – Avery Schlickman of Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley)
155
1st – Anna Vasey of Tolono (Unity)
2nd – Kira Thompson of O`Fallon (H.S.)
3rd – Grace Stratton of Freeburg
4th – Alix Robinson of Pontiac
170
1st – August Rottmann of Highland
2nd – Demi Barnes of Granite City
3rd – Janylah Holman of Cahokia (H.S.)
4th – Summer Nichols of Toledo (Cumberland)
190
1st – Payton Temple of Clifton (Central)
2nd – Vickie White of Edwardsville (H.S.)
3rd – Krista McBride of Goreville
4th – Jaycee Weitekamp of Mahomet (M.-Seymour)
235
1st – Chloe Hoselton of Fairbury (Prairie Central)
2nd – Phoenix Molina of Tolono (Unity)
3rd – Cadence Duvall of Normal (Community West)
4th – Lillian Disanto of Urbana (H.S.)