District 230 co-op team wins title at Oak Forest Bengals Bash Girls Invite
By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA
The Oak Forest Bengals Bash Girls Invite was an interesting competition in several ways.
First of all, the 30-team competition highlighted a lot of the top talent in the south suburbs, whose schools have been among the early leaders in girls wrestling in Illinois.
Another point of interest is the co-op arrangement, which has been very beneficial for boys teams at small schools, but has also been used in girls wrestling by some larger schools.
The champion of the competition, District 230, includes athletes primarily from two of the schools in that district, Andrew and Carl Sandburg, as well as a few from the other, Stagg.
Meanwhile, Joliet Central took second and its story is noteworthy because this is the first year that the Joliet Township District has had separate teams for its Central and West high schools.
Taking third place in the Bengals Bash was the Lincoln-Way co-op, which had athletes representing Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West in previous years but now individuals from those two schools as well as those from Lincoln-Way East are together as one.
A good example of what some school districts are doing is what’s happening in the Bremen District, which Oak Forest is in. The host Bengals competed as did Hillcrest and Bremen, and while Tinley Park did not, it has its own team. Oak Forest placed ninth and Hillcrest had a champion and finished tenth.
There also was a first-year program in the tournament, Marist, a school that has enjoyed a long and successful tradition in wrestling with its program being led by 1995 IWCOA Hall of Fame inductee Mark Gervais for 25 years and by Brendan Heffernan for the last 17 years. The RedHawks finished in fifth place in the competition.
Other south suburban programs who placed in the top 10 were Oak Lawn, which tied for fifth, and Homewood-Flossmoor, who took seventh. And teams from well out of the area added to the quality of the event as Wheeling finished fourth and Grant placed eighth.
It was a hectic day at the competition since the school also hosted a Bengals Boys Bash for sophomores and freshmen. But Bengals boys coach Shawn Forst, who led his program to four IHSA Class 2A Dual Team Finals appearances from 2014 to 2018, which included thirds in 2014 and 2015, and the rest of the school’s coaches put on a quality exhibition of southside wrestling.
District 230 co-op, which is coached by Liz Short, added to titles that it won early in the season at Minooka and Fremd when it finished with 290 points, which put it well in front of second-place Joliet Central, who scored 179 points. Lincoln-Way co-op (141), Wheeling (131.5), Marist (111), Oak Lawn (111), Homewood-Flossmoor (109.5), Grant (106.5), Oak Forest (98) and Hillcrest (90.5) rounded out the top third of the field.
Winning titles for District 230 were Emma Akpan (190), Nola Oben (155), Tatum De La Vega (105) and Jade Hardee (100) while Joliet Central’s champions were Izabel Barrera (135) and Valeria Hernandez (235) and Lincoln-Way co-op got a first-place finish from Sadie Sparks (125).
Other Bengals Bash Girls Invite champions were Curie Metropolitan’s Giselle Arambula (110), Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore (115), Homewood-Flossmoor’s Nina Hamm (120), Wheeling’s Elise Burkut (130), Hillcrest’s Christiara Finley (140), Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont (145) and Marist’s Sarah Parker (170). Akpan is a two-time IHSA medalist while Beaumont took second place at 135 at the IHSA Finals last season and Hamm was a medal winner at state in 2023.
District 230 coach Liz Short is in her first season with the co-op team after leading the Joliet Township co-op program. While happy to be in her new position, she is also grateful for having had the opportunity to lead Joliet Township to a lot of success in its early years, and is quite clear that she will continue to do her best to try to help the growth of girls wrestling in Illinois.
“There’s a lot of different people from the schools and everyone is showing up for each other and it makes the team stronger when we have that good mix and people are there to help each other, and get each other stronger and to help us grow,” Short said. “I love Joliet Township and I’m so thankful for my opportunity there and to see the progress of girls wrestling. I’ll continue to offer those opportunities in freestyle and we’re trying to make the whole state stronger.”
Akpan had the most team points with 34, Hamm (33.5) and Oben (32.5) were next. Beaumont, De La Vega, Hernandez and Parker all tied with 32 points, Arambula had 31.5 and Barrera and Moore scored 31 points each. Moore edged Burkut 57-55 for the most total match points.
Joliet Central had two second-place finishers, Alisa Carter (105) and April Ortiz (130) while Wheeling also had two individuals who took second, Layah Woods (135) and Krystal Diaz (145).
Others who finished in second place were Curie Metropolitan’s Evelin Martinez (100), Hillcrest’s Taniya Moss (110), Peotone’s Kennedy Mort (115), Homewood-Flossmoor’s Natalia Coleman (120), Grant’s Myla Reyes (125), Mother McAuley’s Maggie Zuber (140), Downers Grove North’s Jahdi’yah Hibbler (155), Lincoln-Way co-op’s Jenna Lee (170), Oak Forest’s Isabel Peralta (190) and District 230 co-op’s Gabbi Vasquez (235).
Here’s a look at the champions and their weight classes at the Oak Forest Bengals Bash Girls Invite
100 – Jade Hardee, District 230
Jade Hardee got the ball rolling for the District 230 co-op team when she became the first of its four champions at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash Girls Invite when she won by fall in 1:49 over Curie Metropolitan’s Evelin Martinez in the 100 title match.
Hardee, a freshman, was one of the five finalists for the co-op that has athletes from Andrew, Carl Sandburg and Stagg and is coached by Liz Short. Her team claimed top honors with 290 points, which was 111 points ahead of runner-up Joliet Central. Hardee won her other two matches with first-period falls, pinning Bloom Township’s Lillian O’Brian in 1:25 in the semifinals.
“They’re (her teammates) doing very good and Liz (Short) is like the perfect coach,” Hardee said. “Everyone is catching on very quickly because she’s a very good coach. I really like if someone is down, we always bring them back up. If you have a good match, they cheer you up and even if you have a bad match, they still cheer you up. They’re just overall very supportive and I’m very glad that I got to be part of Andrew (co-op). And I also look up to people that I don’t even know. I’m like, ‘I want to try this in a match because I them saw them succeed at it.’”
Martinez, who was an IHSA qualifier in 2024 and one of the two finalists for coach Yahya Muhammad’s Condors, recorded three falls to reach the 100 title mat, with the last of those pins coming in 0:58 over Joliet Central’s Ariadna Arciniega in the semifinals. For third, Wheeling’s Haydee Cruz was a winner by fall in 0:39 over O’Brian. And for fifth place, Arciniega won an 8-7 decision over Rich Township’s Saryia Maddox.
105 – Tatum De La Vega, District 230
Tatum De La Vega won her first-ever title and made it 2-for-2 in title matches for the coach Liz Short’s District 230 co-op of athletes from Andrew, Carl Sandburg and Stagg when she won the 105 title at the Bengals Bash Girls Invite with a fall in 1:27 over Joliet Central’s Alisa Carter.
De La Vega, a sophomore, recorded three other falls, with the first those requiring the most time on the mat. She earned her spot as one of the five finalists and eventually one of four champs for her co-op team, which claimed top honors in the competition by 111 points, when she got a pin in 1:13 over Downers Grove North’s Jaszmyn Dotson in the semifinals. De La Vega tied for fourth in team points with 32.
“It feels good because I’ve never gotten first before,” De La Vega said. “I went against the girl that was in my finals and I lost to her, so I was getting that in my head, but when I won, it wasn’t even that bad. I keep on practicing, even if I don’t feel like it, so you just have to push harder. I love this team, it’s pushed me to be better and I’m going to miss all of this year’s seniors. I like that they’re all there for you (her team) and they’re always there to cheer you on.”
Carter, one of four finalists for coach Marcus McCullum’s runner-up Steelwomen, also reached the 105 finals with three falls, all of which came in the opening period. In the semifinals, she won in 1:23 over Marist’s Shae Halleran. Bolingbrook’s Mikaela Najera captured third place with a pin in 2:47 over Halleran and for fifth place, Dotson won by technical fall over Bolingbrook’s Sharleen Barrera.
110 – Giselle Arambula, Curie Metropolitan
Giselle Arambula became Curie Metropolitan’s lone champion in the Bengals Bash when she captured the title at 110 with a fall in 1:02 over Hillcrest’s Taniya Moss.
Arambula, a junior who was of two finalists for coach Yahya Muhammad’s Condors, opened with a fall, followed that with a win by technical fall and then recorded a pin in 1:10 over Westinghouse’s Kimani Glasper. Last season she went 22-7 and fell one win shy of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the Evanston Township Sectional.
“I really enjoy the high school,” Arambula said of Curie. “I love my team and I love my coaches, it’s such a positive atmosphere. The coaches are amazing and they’re always helping me out and improving on what I can do. There are a bunch of newcomers on this team now but we also have some veterans. What I’ve done to try to get better is hitting the gym, doing freestyle competitions and camps throughout the summer to try to benefit myself.”
Moss, one of two finalists as well as two medal winners for coach Keith Franklin’s Hawks, followed two falls with a 6-5 decision over Evergreen Park’s Riley Osborn in the semifinals to earn her spot on the 110 title mat. In the third-place match, Glasper captured an 11-1 major decision over Osborn and for fifth place, Bolingbrook’s Jordan Rodriguez was a winner by fall in 2:00 over Lincoln-Way co-op’s Zoe Zerial.
115 – Janiya Moore, Metea Valley
Janiya Moore had a very productive three-day stretch, where she captured a title at Hampshire two days before doing the same thing at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash. The sophomore was Metea Valley’s lone finalist and became the only champion for coach Kevin Garbis’ Mustangs when she won a 5-1 decision over Peotone’s Kennedy Mort in the 115 title match.
Moore, who went 17-12 last season but was unable to advance from the Shepard Regional, opened with two wins by technical fall before getting pins in her next two matches, earning her spot in the finals with a pin in 1:29 over District 230’s Sophia Figueroa, who went 28-4 last season and fell short of earning a medal at 115 in the IHSA Finals. She had the most total match points with 57, which was two more than the 130 champion, Wheeling’s Elise Burkut.
“I’m really glad that I got first,” Moore said. “I’ve just been working myself harder in practice. I just like how fun it is in general (competing for Metea Valley). I think it’s really cool that this is going well.”
Mort, the lone finalist but one of three top-four finishers among four entrants for coach Greg Goberville’s Blue Devils, advanced to the 115 title mat thanks to three falls, with the last those coming in 4:47 over Grant’s Kayden Manis in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Figueroa was a winner by technical fall over Oak Lawn’s Allison Nava and for fifth place, Bremen’s De’neasia Hawkins won by medical forfeit over Manis.
120 – Nina Hamm, Homewood-Flossmoor
Nina Hamm got the unusual opportunity to meet up with a teammate for a championship in a large tournament when she faced Natalia Coleman in an all-Homewood-Flossmoor matchup in the 120 finals. The senior, who took sixth place at 110 in the 2023 IHSA Finals, went on to win by fall in 0:38 over Coleman and they were the lone finalists for coach Scott Aronson’s Vikings.
Hamm earned her spot on the 120 title mat at the Bengals Bash after opening with a win by technical fall and then collecting three first-period pins with the third of those being in 2:00 over Grant’s America Camacho in the semifinals. She ranked second in most team points with 33.5, which was just .5 points behind the leader in that category, District 230’s Emma Akpan.
“It was kind of bad because I had to go against my teammate, but she’ll have more opportunities and this is my last year,” Hamm said of her finals match. It’s been an incredible journey and I love how we’re continuing to grow girls wrestling. Even though I won’t be here, I know that it will be in good hands. I love how just when I went to my freshman year, girls wrestling was starting, and then I joined it and I think I joined it at the perfect time. We were always surrounded by such welcoming people into the sport. The plan is that this is going to be my last year of wrestling and then I’m going to go into firefighting.”
Coleman won her first three matches by fall and all came in the first minute, which was capped by a pin in 0:53 over Peotone’s Kaylee Bordreau in the semifinals to assure the all-Vikings title match at 120. For third place, Camacho was a winner by fall in 3:59 over Bordreau and for fifth place, Marist’s Tracy Balnis got a pin in 0:52 over Curie Metropolitan’s Jasmine Quiroz.
125 – Sadie Sparks, Lincoln-Way
Sadie Sparks provided the highlight for the Lincoln-Way co-op team that includes athletes from Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way West, when she won by technical fall over Grant’s Myla Reyes in the 125 finals to become her team’s lone Bengals Bash champion.
The freshman was one of two finalists for coach Joshua Napier’s team, who took third place.
Sparks, who also got to be part of a team title when Lincoln-Way co-op easily claimed top honors at Hampshire’s Whip-Purs Women’s Classic two days earlier, opened with another win by technical fall, then won a 7-2 decision and she earned her spot in the finals with a fall in 0:29 over Oak Forest’s Brooklyn Strelow in the semifinals.
“I’m really thankful for the Lincoln-Way program,” Sparks said. “Not only do our coaches have a lot of experience and knowledge, but they also care a lot. He (Joshua Napier) was the freshman coach and he’s doing a beautiful job in my opinion. I don’t want to get too cocky, but we’re starting off our year good. I like our work ethic. I took as many opportunities as I could since there’s a lot of preseason and summer stuff that Lincoln-Way wants to keep all year around. And always perform better in school when I’m involved in something.”
Reyes, the lone finalist for coach Mark Jolcover’s Lady Bulldogs, recorded falls in her first three matches and advanced to the title mat with a pin in 5:00 over Riverside-Brookfield’s Frankie Abasta in the semifinals. District 230’s Hala Salem took third place after winning a 6-1 decision against a teammate, Piper Booe. And for fifth place, Strelow won by fall in 1:50 over Abasta.
130 – Elise Burkut, Wheeling
Elise Burkut captured her second major tournament title in three days when she added to her championship at Hampshire two days earlier with a first-place finish at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash after getting a win by technical fall over Joliet Central’s April Ortiz in the 130 finals.
Burkut, a junior who went 29-11 last season and qualified for the IHSA Finals, was the lone champion and one of three finalists for coach Anthony Piltaver’s Wildcats. She opened with two first-period falls before winning a major decision in the quarterfinals and then getting a bye in the semifinals to advance to the 130 title match. Burkut finished with 55 total match points, which ranked her second to the 115 title winner, Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore, who had 57 points.
“This feels more like a family than any other sport to me,” Burkut said. “I came here from a swimming background, so I already had the mental strength and some strength and some endurance, so I just needed the technique to work on. So I took the time in my summers, falls and springs, I’ve just been going to practice and getting better. I mostly came to the sport because of my brother, Eugene. I was dragged to a practice once just to try it out and here we are. He’s a sophomore and I’m a junior but he’s been wrestling longer. Knowing how the competition has changed over the years, it really gets me super hyped-up. With all of the schools teaching different things, it’s really fun figuring out what makes these wrestlers tick, and just using that to my advantage.”
Ortiz, one of four finalists for coach Marcus McCullum’s runner-up Steelwomen, followed two pins with an 11-1 major decision in the semifinals over District 230 co-op’s Mackenzie Conry to reach the 130 title mat. Downers Grove North’s Natalia Cruz claimed third place after winning by fall in 1:29 over Peotone’s Annie Bergeron and Conry finished fifth after receiving a bye.
135 – Izabel Barrera, Joliet Central
Izabel Barrera enjoyed a successful 2023-2024 season where she finished 24-9 and joined three-time medalist and two-time runner-up Eliana Paramo as one of Joliet Township co-op’s two IHSA state qualifiers. Now the junior, competing for Joliet Central, hopes to not only get back to the IHSA Finals but become the fourth individual from JT schools to win a state medal.
Barrera was one of two champions and four finalists for coach Marcus McCullum’s runner-up Steelwomen at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash after winning an 11-2 decision over Wheeling’s Layah Woods in the 135 title match. She opened with two falls and then added another pin in 2:25 in the semifinals over Bremen’s Amelia Quinlan to secure her spot in the finals.
“It feels weird, it’s definitely different, but it’s a good change,” Barrera said of the two Joliet Township teams. “I like this new coach a lot because it’s slower steps to get better. It’s teaching me not to be so fast-paced but getting it down first and then doing it. I wrestled freestyle during the offseason. So I went to a lot of developments and practices. There’s a lot of newcomers so it’s good to know that the sport of wrestling is growing more and more every day.”
Woods, one of three finalists for coach Anthony Piltaver’s Wildcats, followed a fall with a 12-1 major decision before getting a pin in 5:00 in the semifinals over Homewood-Flossmoor’s Amara Nwoye, who went to claim third place with a fall in 0:15 over Wauconda’s Jatziry Godoy. And for fifth place, District 230’s Anastasia Dvorak recorded a pin in 1:28 over Quinlan.
140 – Christiara Finley, Hillcrest
Christiara Finley provided the highlight for Hillcrest as it competed in a tournament at another school in the Bremen District, Oak Forest, when the senior captured top honors at 140 in the Bengals Bash Girls Invite after claiming a 12-5 decision over Mother McAuley’s Maggie Zuber.
Finley, one of two finalists and the lone title winner for coach Keith Franklin’s Hawks, opened with a win by technical fall and followed with two falls, with the second of those coming in the semifinals when she needed just 0:39 to pin District 230 co-op’s Isabella De La Vega. She earlier won tournaments at Eisenhower and at Beat the Streets.
“I’ve won every one I’ve wrestled in, I’m undefeated,” Finley said. “It’s definitely been my coaches. My coaches push me really further than I could push myself. And just having my teammates on the side and them cheering for me definitely helps. I’ve been working over the summer. I’ve only been wrestling for two years, but I’m seeing the progress in everything.”
Zuber, the lone finalist and medal winner for coach Samantha Barrientos’ Mighty Macs, got a pin in her initial match, followed up with a win by technical fall and secured her spot on the 140 title mat with a fall in 0:40 over Joliet Central’s Amaya Crowder in the semifinals. For third place, Metea Valley’s Rosie Picari recorded a fall in 0:22 over Lincoln-Way co-op’s Liv Clumpner and in the fifth-place match, De La Vega won by medical forfeit over Crowder.
145 – Natalie Beaumont, Cumberland
Natalie Beaumont took second place at 135 last season at the IHSA Finals, falling by a 10-1 major decision to one of the four three-time state champions, Freeport’s Cadence Diduch, to finish with a 19-3 record. The Cumberland junior not only looks to get back to the title mat at state but wants to claim a title this time. She made the long trek from Cumberland County to Oak Forest to compete in a big tournament and her trip paid off as she won the 145 title of the Bengals Bash Girls Invite with a fall in 2:39 over Wheeling’s Krystal Diaz.
Beaumont, the only competitor in the field for the Pirates, whose program is led by coach Ash Edmonds, won her first three matches with falls in the opening period, assuring her spot in the finals with a pin in 0:31 over Homewood-Flossmoor’s Madelynn McClements in the semifinals. She tied for fourth place for the most team points with 32.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Beaumont said. “I compete against some of these girls over the summer and go to tournaments with them, and it’s pretty cool getting a small school’s name out there, because most people don’t know where Cumberland is. A lot of these schools up here have two or three times the amount of kids that we do, so it’s pretty cool. I still wrestle boys in practice and it definitely gives you more energy in matches because you’re a lot stronger. This is my seventh year. During high school, I’ve definitely got to see more girls tournaments and the state tournament is always one of the fun ones, obviously. When I started in fifth grade, there were one or two other girls in the gym for a tournament and now there’s huge tournaments of just girls. It’s crazy seeing all of these teams have girls teams bigger than our boys teams back home.”
Diaz, one of three finalists for coach Anthony Piltaver’s Wildcats, went 15-7 last season but was unable to advance to the Schaumburg Sectional. She won all of her initial three matches with falls in the opening period, earning her spot in the 145 finals with a pin in 1:23 over District 230 co-op’s Ahlam Mehyar. In the third-place match, Grant’s Annabelle Melton won by fall in 0:42 over McClements and for fifth place, Mehyar got a pin in 1:39 over Grant’s Cassidy Graham.
155 – Nola Oben, District 230
Nola Oben continues to impress during her return to the sport after taking last season off as the District 230 senior won her second title of year and made her third finals appearance to help her co-op team that includes athletes from Carl Sandburg, Andrew and Stagg, add to first-place team finishes at Minooka and Fremd when she won the the 155 title at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash by recording a fall in 3:37 over Downers Grove North’s Jahdi’yaj Hibbler.
Oben, one of four champions and five finalists for coach Liz Short’s co-op team that defeated runner-up Joliet Central by a 290-179 margin for top honors, followed two quick falls with an 18-6 major decision before earning her spot on the title mat with a win by technical fall over Oak Lawn’s Charvelle McLain in the semifinals. She ranked third in most team points with 32.5.
“Actually I prefer it being a district team rather than being split into individual schools, since it’s more girls and you have more partners,” Oben said. “Everyone is working hard at practice and I feel that just by showing up that they’re going to get better,. So even if you don’t do good, if you show up and try, you’ll get better, for sure.”
Hibbler, the lone finalist for coach Marcos Rico’s Trojans, recorded pins in her other three matches, advancing to the 155 finals with a fall in 3:11 over Homewood-Flossmoor’s Rachel Nugin in the semifinals. McLain, who advanced to state last season, claimed third place with a pin in 22 seconds over Nugin. And for fifth, Wauconda’s Gesselle Vazquez won by fall in 3:49 over Marist’s Lilly Lara.
170 – Sarah Parker, Marist
Sarah Parker and her teammates at Marist are enjoying a successful debut for their program as is evidenced by their fifth-place finish at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash. The lone champion and finalist for coach Kelly Sullivan’s RedHawks, she captured the championship at 170 by recording a fall in 1:04 over Lincoln-Way co-op’s Jenna Lee.
Parker collected pins in all four of her matches and the last three of those concluded in the first period, which included a fall in 0:41 against another Lincoln-Way co-op competitor in the semifinals, Sara Damirbek. She finished with 32 team points, which tied her for fourth place.
“It feels great, but it’s weird because we’re the first girl wrestlers, ” Parker said of being at Marist. “Marist has one of the better and more expansive programs on the south side, so it feels great to know that I’m a part of it. It’s a growing sport, so we all get to grow into it together. I just went into it thinking that I just had to try my best and then I just kept doing it, so I’ve stuck with it. We’re like a family and that’s amazing. We all try our best and we get to all work together.”
Lee was one of two finalists for coach Joshua Napier’s third-place Lincoln-Way co-op team, which includes individuals from Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way West. She followed two quick pins with a fall in 3:16 over District 230’s Avery Santiago to earn her spot in the 170 finals. Damirbek claimed third with a 13-6 decision over District 230’s Adriana Vela. For fifth, Santiago won an 11-3 major decision over Downers Grove North’s Alyssa Andreen.
190 – Emma Akpan, District 230
Emma Akpan continues to roll along, capturing her third title of the season and helping District 230 to add Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash to earlier team championships won at Minooka and Fremd when she took top honors at 190 with a fall in 2:00 over Oak Forest’s Isabel Peralta to become one of the four first-place finishers for her co-op team, that consists of athletes from Andrew, Carl Sandburg and Stagg. The District 230 co-op team, which is coached by Liz Short, won the title with 290 points while Joliet Central was next with 179.
Akpan, a senior who went 34-8 last season and finished fourth at 190 in the IHSA Finals after taking sixth place at state at 235 in 2023, led all competitors with 34 team points after becoming one of the five individuals to record five falls and four of her pins came in the opening period, including in 49 seconds in the semifinals when she beat Oak Lawn’s Nataly Romero to become one of her team’s five finalists.
“We have a lot of new people, more than ever, but they’re all growing really quickly and they’re getting a lot of new skills every single day,” Akpan said. “Usually we would have 10 new people join, but this time it was around 20 new people and it added a lot to the team. I got to teach so many people so many things. I couldn’t be prouder of them. Some of these people, it’s their first-time placing or the first time doing moves that we taught them. It’s just great seeing everyone progress. It’s been a bunch of firsts for me and I’m so glad that I get to be a part of it.”
Peralta, a senior who went 39-6 last season and qualified for the IHSA Finals, was the lone finalist for the host Bengals, who are coached by Jamie Hubbard. She followed two first-period falls with a pin in 2:27 over Lincoln-Way co-op’s Maryanna Quezada in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Joliet Central’s Evelyn Perez-Bedolla won by fall in 27 seconds over Romero and for fifth place, Quezada captured a 1-0 decision over Evergreen Park’s Lili Meierkort.
235 – Valeria Hernandez, Joliet Central
Valeria Hernandez assured Joliet Central of a second title and denied District 230 of a fifth first-place effort when she recorded a fall in 4:52 over Gabbi Vasquez in the 235 championship match at Oak Forest’s Bengals Bash. With Izabel Barrera joining her as a title winner at 135 to lead the way, coach Marcus McCullum’s Steelwomen took second place in the 30-team competition with 179 points, which was 38 points ahead of third-place Lincoln-Way co-op.
Hernandez, a senior who was of four finalists for her team, won all four of her matches by fall, which included one in 4:47 over Oak Lawn’s Nathalia Vega to assure herself of a spot in the 235 finals. She tied three others for fourth place in most team points with 32.
“Everybody is getting more opportunities now,” Hernandez said of the two JT teams. “Our teams are both strong so at every weight we’re getting more opportunities to wrestle in tournaments. Our coach has been working us hard. It was pretty exciting because I had to go up a weight class today, but I still performed well and overall our team did good and we placed second.”
Vasquez, one of five finalists for coach Liz Short’s champion District 230 co-op team, opened with two falls before claiming an 8-1 decision in the semifinals over Rich Township’s Amaya McClain. In the third-place match, Lincoln-Way co-op’s Jalyssa Venegas won by fall in 3:39 over McClain. And for fifth, Vega won by medical default over Shepard’s Karrine Jenkins.
Oak Forest Bengals Bash Girls Invite place matches
100
1st Place Match
Jade Hardee (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Evelin Martinez (Curie Metropolitan) (Fall 1:49)
3rd Place Match
Haydee Cruz (Wheeling) won by fall over Lillian O`Brian (Bloom Township) (Fall 0:39)
5th Place Match
Ariadna Arciniega (Joliet Central) won by decision over Saryia Maddox (Rich Township) (Dec 8-7)
Consolation 1st
Kassandra Ruiz (Joliet Central) won by fall over Ella Quigley (Mother McAuley) (Fall 2:30)
105
1st Place Match
Tatum De La Vega (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Alisa Carter (Joliet Central) (Fall 1:27)
3rd Place Match
Mikaela Najera (Bolingbrook) won by fall over Shae Halleran (Marist) (Fall 2:47)
5th Place Match
Jaszmyn Dotson (Downers Grove North) won by tech fall over Sharleen Barrera (Bolingbrook) (TF 16-0)
Consolation 1st
Grace Spangler (Lincoln-Way co-op) won by fall over Iris Cardenas (Evergreen Park) (Fall 1:48)
110
1st Place Match
Giselle Arambula (Curie Metropolitan) won by fall over Taniya Moss (Hillcrest) (Fall 1:02)
3rd Place Match
Kimani Glasper (Westinghouse) won by major decision over Riley Osborn (Evergreen Park) (Maj 11-1)
5th Place Match
Jordan Rodriguez (Bolingbrook) won by fall over Zoe Zerial (Lincoln-Way co-op) (Fall 2:00)
Consolation 1st
Anusha Nagar (Metea Valley) won by decision over Sophia Orcasitas (Oak Forest) (Dec 3-2)
115
1st Place Match
Janiya Moore (Metea Valley) won by decision over Kennedy Mort (Peotone) (Dec 5-1)
3rd Place Match
Sophia Figueroa (District 230) won by tech fall over Allison Nava (Oak Lawn) (TF 16-0)
5th Place Match
De`neasia Hawkins (Bremen) won by injury default over Kayden Manis (Grant) (Inj. 0:00)
Consolation 1st
Jaiydyn Hoffman (Grant) won by decision over Mayali Suarez (Wheeling) (Dec 8-1)
120
1st Place Match
Nina Hamm (Homewood-Flossmoor) won by fall over Natalia Coleman (Homewood-Flossmoor) (Fall 0:38)
3rd Place Match
America Camacho (Grant) won by fall over Kaylee Bordreau (Peotone) (Fall 3:59)
5th Place Match
Tracy Balnis (Marist) won by fall over Jasmine Quiroz (Curie Metropolitan) (Fall 0:52)
Consolation 1st
Brynnley Krauchun (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Abby Lizak (Lincoln-Way co-op) (Fall 1:32)
125
1st Place Match
Sadie Sparks (Lincoln-Way co-op) won by tech fall over Myla Reyes (Grant) (TF 20-3)
3rd Place Match
Hala Salem (District 230 co-op) won by decision over Piper Booe (District 230 co-op) (Dec 6-1)
5th Place Match
Brooklyn Strelow (Oak Forest) won by fall over Frankie Abasta (Riverside-Brookfield) (Fall 1:50)
Consolation 1st
Zoe Kamper (Marist) won by fall over Valentina Gonzalez (Downers Grove North) (Fall 1:43)
130
1st Place Match
Elise Burkut (Wheeling) won by tech fall over April Ortiz (Joliet Central) (TF 18-3)
3rd Place Match
Natalia Cruz (Downers Grove North) won by fall over Annie Bergeron (Peotone) (Fall 1:29)
5th Place Match
Mackenzie Conry (District 230 co-op) received a bye
Consolation 1st
Sam Durbin (Marist) won by decision over Riona Jurik (Oak Forest) (Dec 8-5)
135
1st Place Match
Izabel Barrera (Joliet Central) won by major decision over Layah Woods (Wheeling) (Maj 11-2)
3rd Place Match
Amara Nwoye (Homewood-Flossmoor) won by fall over Jatziry Godoy (Wauconda) (Fall 0:15)
5th Place Match
Anastasia Dvorak (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Amelia Quinlan (Bremen) (Fall 1:28)
Consolation 1st
Stella Harris (Marist) won by fall over Veronica Vera (Grant) (Fall 1:36)
140
1st Place Match
Christiara Finley (Hillcrest) won by decision over Maggie Zuber (Mother McAuley) (Dec 12-5)
3rd Place Match
Rosie Picari (Metea Valley) won by fall over Liv Clumpner (Lincoln-Way co-op) (Fall 0:22)
5th Place Match
Isabella De La Vega (District 230 co-op) won by medical forfeit over Amaya Crowder (Joliet Central) (MFFL)
Consolation 1st
Emily Anaya (Riverside-Brookfield) won by fall over Diana Vargas (Joliet Central) (Fall 3:31)
145
1st Place Match
Natalie Beaumont (Cumberland) won by fall over Krystal Diaz (Wheeling) (Fall 2:39)
3rd Place Match
Annabelle Melton (Grant) won by fall over Madelynn McClements (Homewood-Flossmoor) (Fall 0:42)
5th Place Match
Ahlam Mehyar (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Cassidy Graham (Grant) (Fall 1:39)
Consolation 1st
Savannah Burns (Bolingbrook) won by decision over Lyobosa Odiase (Oak Forest) (Dec 8-2)
155
1st Place Match
Nola Oben (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Jahdi`yah Hibbler (Downers Grove North) (Fall 3:37)
3rd Place Match
Charvelle McLain (Oak Lawn) won by fall over Rachel Nugin (Homewood-Flossmoor) (Fall 0:22)
5th Place Match
Gesselle Vazquez (Wauconda) won by fall over Lilly Lara (Marist) (Fall 3:49)
Consolation 1st
Nikol Orendarchuk (Wheeling) won by decision over Adr Bille (Oak Forest) (Dec 1-0)
170
1st Place Match
Sarah Parker (Marist) won by fall over Jenna Lee (Lincoln-Way co-op) (Fall 1:04)
3rd Place Match
Sara Damirbek (New Lenox (Lincoln-Way co-op) won by decision over Adriana Vela (District 230 co-op) (Dec 13-6)
5th Place Match
Avery Santiago (District 230 co-op) won by major decision over Alyssa Andreen (Downers Grove North) (Maj 11-3)
Consolation 1st
Sydney West (Hillcrest) won by fall over Estefany Bejarano (Riverside-Brookfield) (Fall 1:26)
190
1st Place Match
Emma Akpan (District 230 co-op) won by fall over Isabel Peralta (Oak Forest) (Fall 2:00)
3rd Place Match
Evelyn Perez-Bedolla (Joliet Central) won by fall over Nataly Romero (Oak Lawn) (Fall 0:27)
5th Place Match
Maryanna Quezada (Lincoln-Way co-op) won by decision over Lili Meierikort (Evergreen Park) (Dec 1-0)
Consolation 1st
Cai Triplett (Homewood-Flossmoor) won by fall over Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest) (Fall 1:44)
235
1st Place Match
Valeria Hernandez (Joliet Central) won by fall over Gabbi Vasquez (District 230 co-op) (Fall 4:52)
3rd Place Match
Jalyssa Venegas (Lincoln-Way co-op) won by fall over Amaya McClain (Rich Township) (Fall 3:39)
5th Place Match
Nathalia Vega (Oak Lawn) won by injury default over Karrine Jenkins (Shepard) (Inj. 0:00)
Consolation 1st
Tamera Gibbs (Hillcrest) won by decision over Nancy Herrera (District 230 co-op) (Dec 1-0)
Team scores
1. District 230 co-op (Andrew/Carl Sandburg/Stagg) 290, 2. Joliet Central 179, 3. Lincoln-Way co-op (Lincoln-Way Central/Lincoln-Way East/Lincoln-Way West) 141, 4. Wheeling 131.5, 5. Marist 111, 5. Oak Lawn 111, 7. Homewood-Flossmoor 109.5, 8. Grant 106.5, 9. Oak Forest 98, 10. Hillcrest 90.5, 11. Downers Grove North 88, 12. Curie Metropolitan 84.5, 13. Bolingbrook 79, 14. Peotone 71, 15. Metea Valley 66, 16. Rich Township 51, 17. Bremen 49, 18. Evergreen Park 46, 19. Mother McAuley 41.5, 20. Wauconda 36.5, 21. Riverside-Brookfield 35, 22. Cumberland 32, 23. Westinghouse 29, 24. Bloom Township 27, 25. Eisenhower 22, 26. Shepard 16, 27. Thornton Fractional North 6, 28. Crete-Monee 4.