Girls IHSA state champions shine in Bloomington
By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA
Seven girls’ IHSA state champions went unbeaten this year, five of whom won state titles last season. Three more state champs only lost once all year. By class, two freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors and eight seniors were state champions.
Seven girls became their school’s first-ever state champion in girls wrestling while one state champ, Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi, became the sport’s first four-time state champion in Illinois.
Cassioppi, Loyola Academy’s Harlee Hiller, Collinsville’s Taylor Dawson, Burlington Central’s Victoria Macias and Highland’s August Rottmann all became four-time medalists this year.
But numbers and career accomplishments never tell the whole story of the individual state finals, because the journey is always the thing.
Case in point: Hoffman Estates senior Sophia Ball. Ball became the first girl to win a wrestling state title in her school’s history this year, and was a three-time state medal-winner. Ball was also one of six state champions who placed second at last year’s state tournament.
The group who journeyed all the way back to this year’s state title mat and won included Loyola’s Harlee Hiller, Collinsville’s Taylor Dawson, Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont, Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker, and Lakes’ Josie Larson.
Some journeys happened quickly, as Rockford East’s Saya Hongmoungkhoune and Roxana’s Chloe Skiles dominated their way to state titles as mere freshmen this year.
Lakes’ Larson embarked on one of the most dominant journeys this season, going 29-0 with 29 pins. The journey for Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis included the grit she showed in a semifinal comeback win, while coming back from multiple surgeries was just a part of Vandalia senior Sophie Bowers’ unique journey.
The journey for Lockport’s two-time state champion, junior Claudia Heeney, has her on the path to becoming one of Illinois’ all-time greats in girls wrestling. Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr became her program’s first girl to journey to the top of the awards stand in Bloomington, while Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker and Prairie Central’s Chloe Hoselton each capped the end of their high school journeys by winning the second state titles of their careers.
The state finals tournament certainly celebrates state champions but whatever the journey — from this year’s crop of state champions and place-medal winners, to sectional qualifiers or girls brand new to the sport — the state of girls’ wrestling remains on a meteoric rise in Illinois.
Here’s a look at the best of the best of them this year.
100 – Saya Hongmoungkhoune, Rockford East
Rockford East freshman Saya Hongmoungkhoune won an IKWF state title as an eighth-grader, so the potential was already there for her to make some noise in the 100-pound weight class in high school.
She had a deafening roar of a season.
Hongmoungkhoune (28-0) was the first of seven girls to finish as unbeaten state champions when she won by fall on the title mat against Montini Catholic’s Katelyn Bell (39-6).
Hongmoungkhoune finished with three falls and a major decision win in her first state finals and became her school’s first state champion in girls wrestling.
She’s hoping her win helps bolster the program at Rockford East.
“It feels really good. It still hasn’t really clicked that I won state,” Hongmoungkhoune said. “But it means a lot and I’m hoping it inspires other girls to join the sport and see what they can do, because it’s a lot of fun. This year we only had three girls so I’m hoping next year we can build a team.
“I knew that I had worked hard and this is something that I’ve been working for not only this year, but for years before. It’s something I wanted. I wanted to be a champion.”
E-Rabs coach Madelynn Hongmoungkhoune wrestled at Rockford East with the boys’ team before girls wrestling became an IHSA sport, and is Saya’s sister. She saw the writing on the wall for Saya before she entered high school.
“I’m not at all surprised at how well she’s done this season,” she said. “She has worked extremely hard to get where she is today. Even as an eighth-grader last year she had been bumping up to the high school division to see where she contested with most of those girls, and was dominating them there as well.”
Saya’s title match began with a bit of a scare. Bell drove her off the mat early in the first period and Hongmoungkhoune landed hard on her shoulder. She stayed down while a trainer tended to her for roughly 30 seconds.
“These mats are super hard and I didn’t really prepare for it when I rolled off,” Hongmoungkhoune said. “I hit my shoulder super-hard. I knew she’d try to keep using that little push-out to take advantage of me so I just had to focus on pushing (the injury) away and just think about this match and winning this championship.”
Like it is for all the best wrestlers in the sport, her celebration period for winning a state title won’t be extended.
“I’ll take a week off,” Hongmoungkhoune said, “but then I’m back at it.”
District 230 freshman Jade Hardee (37-5) won a sudden victory match for third place over Round Lake’s fourth-place junior Riley Kongkaeow (45-5), and Batavia’s Lily Enos (45-7) took fifth by major decision over sixth-place Emma Rogers (41-7) of Edwardsville.
Hardee became the fifth girl from District 230 to place downstate, and Kongkaeow joined Ireland McCain to become the second state medalist for Round Lake. Enos now has three state finals medals to her name, while Rogers became the sixth wrestler from Edwardsville to finish in the state’s top six in girls wrestling.
105 – Chloe Skiles, Roxana
It may be a tired sports cliche but Roxana’s Chloe Skiles followed the old trope that says ‘to be the best, you have to beat the best’.
On paper, the freshman Skiles (42-5) seemed to be up against it heading into her state semifinal match against West Aurora’s Kameyah Young (42-4).
The senior Young has been one of the best around for multiple seasons in Illinois. She is a four-time state qualifier, three-time state medal winner, and placed second downstate last year.
But while the veteran Young was poised to reach the finals again, Skiles had other ideas. After all, she didn’t win two IKWF state titles prior to high school by accident.
The talented freshman won a major decision over Young to cruise into the state title match, where another tall order awaited her in yet another heralded upperclassman: Glenbard East junior Nadiia Shymkiv (35-2), who placed third at 105 last season.
Skiles followed the script. Her 10-5 win against Shymkiv earned her a state title, the first in Roxana girls wrestling history.
“It feels good,” Skiles said. “I was definitely nervous and I just trained hard. I couldn’t have done this without my parents and my coaches. A shout out to Tommy Hill and Ryan King and PSF Wrestling for getting me here. (PSF Wrestling) I think it’s just getting there, wrestling live and rolling on the mats and pushing yourself to the limit against the best wrestlers in the area.”
Roxana coach Tom Blaha knew early on that he had a good one on his hands.
“Chloe won the prestigious Wonder Woman tournament at Battle High School in Missouri, and she beat the returning state champion 7-0 in the finals,” Blaha said. “I knew then we had a very special wrestler.
“Chloe had an amazing season. She was 32-0 versus girls only this year. She works hard and is very dedicated. She also studies her opponents. Winning a state championship is a very difficult feat at any age, but to do it as a freshman is almost unheard of. She had to beat three returning medalists to win that state championship. And she already has her sights set on winning next year.”
Skiles embraced the challenge at the Wonder Woman tournament, and intends to stay on a path to reach the top of the podium in Bloomington again.
And again. And again.
“They called me the unseeded freshman (at the Wonder Woman),” Skiles said. “I thought that I was going to prove everyone wrong there, and I defeated a defending state champion. I’ve been saying since my eighth grade year that I wanted to win (an Illinois state title) four times, and I knew that this was the most important one.”
Roxana wrestling has produced two other state champions, Tom Riggins in 1996 and 1997 and Rob Warren in 1982.
West Aurora’s Young (42-4) capped a fine career in Bloomington, placing third in a 6-1 decision over fourth-place Zoe Sadler (46-12) of Anna-Jonesboro. Another quality newcomer to the finals in Leyden’s Zoey Dodgers (26-3) won by fall for fifth-place over DeKalb’s sixth-place medalist Alex Gregrorio-Perez (49-6).
Young and Sadler both graduate with three state medals to their names; Dodgers won the first state medal in Leyden history, and Gregorio-Perez now has two place medals to her name.
110 – Angelina Gochis, Kaneland
Everyone who follows girls wrestling in Illinois knows that Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi became the state’s first four-time state champion this year.
Are there any other girls in position to chase that record? Well, a pair of state champs in Rockford East freshmen Saya Hongmoungkhoune and Roxana’s Chloe Skiles each took that first baby step towards becoming four-timers.
The only other girl in Illinois with a chance at matching Cassioppi wrestles at Kaneland.
Sophomore Angelina Gochis (36-0) won her second state title in Bloomington this year, after winning the title at 105 last season. But where becoming a four-timer is concerned, Gochis isn’t about to put the cart ahead of the horse.
“No,” Gochis said. “It’s one match at a time to get to where I want to be.”
Her state semifinal match against Glenbard West’s previously unbeaten freshman Khloe Perez (39-2) this year nearly derailed Gochis’ quest for a second state title but instead showed what she’s made of. Gochis went for a headlock early, Perez scored off it, and Gochis found herself in a hole against one of Illinois’ best wrestlers.
“I was down six points and knew I had to come back and get the win,” Gochis said. “I had to realize what I was doing and finish the job, so I could get to the finals.”
Kaneland coach Josh West saw his sophomore show composure against Perez.
“She hasn’t had to battle back much over these last two years, so for her to stay calm and chip away was great to see,” Kaneland coach Josh West said. “She kept applying pressure, picked her spots, and really wrestled a good second and third period.”
Gochis fought back to win a 7-6 decision over Perez and earn another state title shot.
Once there, Gochis won her second state title by posting her third tech-fall win of the day, against Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth (17-3).
“It feels really good, working hard to get to where I want to be,” Gochis said. “I was definitely more composed this year. Last year I was a lot more nervous. It was my first time down and I had to get used to what it was.”
After a close call in the semifinals, West was glad to see Gochis get back in the saddle.
“Angelina looked great in the finals, more like her usual self. She got back to her attacks,” West said. “I’m really blessed to have a wrestler like Angelina in our program. Winning is fun but the thing about her is how she carries herself when she wins. Nothing flashy, no backflips. She’s humble. She goes and shakes the opposing coaches hands and comes back to her coaches.”
West also believes that Gochis now knows fully what it will take to make a run at a third state title.
“We’re all very proud of Angelina and her accomplishment,” West said. “It’s very hard to stay at the top of the mountain. Once you get there, you are the target. Everyone looks at you, studies you, wants to beat you. Angelina can’t let up. She needs to train even harder if she wants to stay at the top and I think she understands that a little bit more now.”
In placing third, Lincoln-Way junior Zoe Dempsey (47-4) became the second wrestler to win a downstate medal for her program, joining former teammate Gracie Guarino. Fourth-place freshman Perez of Glenbard West joins former Hilltopper Khatija Ahmed and Perez’s sister Alicia to become Glenbard West’s third all-state wrestler. Alicia Perez won the state title at 110 last year.
Litchfield sophomore Rilynn Younker (43-12) won the second state medal of her young career in placing fifth by fall over sixth-place junior London Gandy (43-10) of Homewood-Flossmoor, who became the fifth girl in program history to become an all-stater.
115 – Harlee Hiller, Loyola Academy
Senior Harlee Hiller is now the lone two-time state champion in wrestling history at Loyola Academy — one state title win ahead of boys’ single-state title winners Massey Odiotti and Kai Calcutt.
Hiller (27-1) is also the lone girls state medal winner thus far for Loyola in the brief history of the girls’ sport in Illinois.
“She finishes as a two-time state champ, three-time state finalist, and four-time state medalist,” Loyola coach Matt Collum said. “She did everything right this year and her performances proved that.”
Hiller was over the moon after winning her second title.
“It was really great and I’m so excited,” Hiller said. “And I’m so grateful for all of my coaches and teammates who have helped me get here. It’s just so amazing and I’m so happy.
“It’s been great. I started my freshman year (at Loyola) and it’s just been amazing. I’ve had amazing coaches, great training partners and I’m just so lucky.”
Hiller won by fall, a disqualification, and then a major decision in her semifinal to reach the title mat, where she won a 12-0 major against Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (13-1). The junior Cannon has now won three state medals, having finished third at 110, fourth at 115, and second this year.
Hiller (27-1) placed third in Illinois as a freshman, and won a state title at 105 as a sophomore before an injury-plagued junior year that still saw her finish second at state to three-time state champion Gabby Gomez of Glenbard North.
Returning to the top of the podium in Bloomington capped a fine high school career.
“She battled through injuries last season just to have a shot at winning another state title,” Collum said. “Harlee is an extremely hard worker, doesn’t take days off, and is very deserving of another state title.”
Hiller was happy to put last year’s runner-up finish behind her.
“I was disappointed in last year and I feel like this year I had no regrets and I put everything out there. I feel like I did a lot better and I wrestled really hard,” Hiller said.
“It’s so amazing how many girls are here and all of the opportunities that we get now and it’s just really great how fast it’s growing. I’m definitely getting a lot of good matches and there’s just so many more girls at all of these tournaments, it’s so cool.”
Hampshire sophomore Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (37-3) finished third over fourth-place junior Alejandra Flores (33-6) of Bolingbrook, while LaSalle-Peru junior Kiely Domyancich (33-4) won 6-3 for fifth place against Burlington Central senior Tori Macias (34-9).
Nidelea-Polanin joined 2025 teammates Samantha Diehl and Anneliese Tavira as Hampshire’s first three state medal winners in program history. Domyancich is LaSalle-Peru’s first state medal-winner, and Macias became a four-time all-stater in her senior year.
120 – Angelina Cassioppi, Hononegah
The Cassioppi family is arguably the First Family of Illinois high school wrestling, with five brothers and sisters who have all won individual state medals, and four of whom have been state champions. But twenty years from now, when the Cassioppis gather together for the holidays, one of them will have bragging rights that no other can match.
Angelina Cassioppi’s journey was one for the ages where Illinois high school wrestling is concerned. Her 32-0 rampage through the 120-pound weight class this year ended with a fall on the title mat against Glenbrook North’s Ariela Dobin, making her the first four-time state champion in Illinois girls’ wrestling history.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “I’m super happy. I just worked on my mentality, and tried not to get too nervous because I was going for a fourth (state title).”
Cassioppi departs Illinois high school wrestling with a career record of 99-13. She went 23-6 and won the title at 100 pounds in 2022. She went 27-6 in winning the title at 120 in 2023 and went 17-1 in winning the title at 120 last year.
She has now won by fall twice on the title mat in Bloomington. As a freshman, she won a 6-2 decision to win the title in 2022 against Thornton-Fractional South’s Dutchess King. This year’s champion at 130, Hoffman Estates’ Sophia Ball, gave Cassioppi her toughest downstate test last year in the finals, with Cassioppi winning a 4-3 decision.
That didn’t exactly sit well with Cassioppi.
“She was upset last year how close the finals match was and really wanted to prove a point this year,” Hononegah coach Tyler DeMoss said.
Point taken. Cassioppi didn’t give up a single takedown in 32 matches this season.
“I got more confident on my feet since last year,” Cassioppi said. (DeMoss) has been with me pretty much since I started wrestling, helping me to develop year-round. Definitely my parents and the coaches we’ve had have helped me get here.”
Older brother Tony Cassioppi was a two-time heavyweight state champion in Illinois, sister Rose won a girls state title in 2022, brother Rocco won a state title this year, and brother Bruno placed third in Champaign last year.
Angelina held out for a while before her wrestling genes got the better of her.
“I started when I was eleven,” Cassioppi said. “I was the last sibling to start wrestling in my family.”
Cassioppi won a prestigious Ironman Tournament title in December in Ohio, and proved untouchable in Illinois all season.
“I was very proud of how Gina wrestled, she trained this season to dominate and thats exactly what she did,” DeMoss said. “She won the Ironman in December and kept it rolling all season. We couldn’t be more proud of her.”
With her second-place finish, Dobin (45-2) became the first state finalist and first state-place medal winner in Glenbrook North history.
Bartlett senior Emma Engels (44-4) placed third by decision over fourth-place medalist Lydia King (50-8) of Geneseo, and Leyden’s Sabrina Bono (30-7) won by fall four fifth place over fifth-place medalist Mary Minogue (15-5) of Libertyville.
The senior Engels won the third state medal of her Bartlett career, having won a state title at 100 in 2023 and placed sixth at 110 last year. King became Geneseo’s first all-state wrestler in girls’ program history, while Bono became the second medalist in Leyden history after Zoey Dodgers medaled at 105 earlier in the day. Minogue also became Libertyville’s first-ever all-state girl in program history.
125 – Sophie Bowers, Vandalia
Sophie Bowers’ history in Illinois wrestling is unique among this year’s crop of girls state champions.
After winning her second individual state title in girls’ wrestling in the afternoon in Bloomington, Bowers was part of the 1A dual team state title that Vandalia’s boys’ team competed for that night.
Bowers is thus the first state champion to also be a member of a dual team that competed for a state title later in the day. Vandalia had three champions this season, and only won four IHSA titles before this year, including her first title from last season.
“About everyone on the team probably started when they were seven, if not even younger,” Bowers said. “When you’re with the sport for eight, ten years, you get pretty good at it, and I think that’s how Vandalia has become such a good program. We have a good youth program and we have amazing high school coaches and it just leads up to the same thing.”
As a freshman, Bowers became only the fifth girl in IHSA history to qualify for the boys’ state tournament, and only the second to win a match in Champaign. Bowers high school path was derailed by ACL surgery in her sophomore year, plus surgery on both of her shoulders.
She returned to form last year, going 27-7 to win her first girls state title. This year, she showed wire-to-wire dominance.
Bowers capped a perfect 42-0 season with her second state championship. She had a unique backdrop during her final match, with an entire row of shirtless male classmates in the stands, with a single letter painted on each of their chests to spell out her name.
Bowers gave her fans what they wanted, winning by major decision for the title against Wheeling’s Elise Burkut (38-4).
The junior Burkut (38-4) became the first state finalist and second state medalist in Wheeling program history, joining two-time medalist and teammate Jasmine Rene.
Grayslake Central junior Gianna Arzer (46-5) placed third by major decision over fourth-place senior Brooklyn Sheaffer (44-4) of Kaneland. Jacksonville senior Alexis Seymour (29-6) took fifth by fall over Naperville Central sophomore Dezi Azar (39-9).
Arzer is Grayslake Central’s first state medalist while Sheaffer won the second state medal of her career. The senior Seymour departs the Jacksonville program as a three-time state medalist, and Azar became the first state medalist in Naperville Central girls program history.
But it was Bowers who stood on the podium above them all.
“It was awesome to see Sophie win her second state title last weekend,” Vandalia coach Jason Clay said. “She has been a great wrestler for a long time. I’m proud of her perseverance battling through (injuries) to achieve what she has. She is a great kid that loves the sport and has already started giving back as an official at the youth level. She’s a special kid that we will truly miss.”
Bowers sees good things ahead for the continued growth of girls wrestling in Illinois.
“It’s definitely an amazing thing,” she said. “I bet in the next five years that we’re going to have classes and I just can’t wait to see how the sport progresses, especially when I’m an adult and my kids are hopefully wrestling.”
130 – Sophia Ball, Hoffman Estates
Five minutes after she won her state title, the adrenaline was still coarsing through Sophia Ball. She shifted her weight quickly from one foot to the other and simply couldn’t stand still as the realization of what she’d just accomplished sank in.
What Ball (43-1) accomplished was four-fold, so there was a lot to take in. First, the four-time state medal winner won the first state title of her career; second, she became the first girls wrestling state champion in Hoffman Estates history; and third, she avenged her only loss this season on the state title mat.
But the day of firsts didn’t stop there for Ball.
“There are no girls state champions (in any sport) on the wall of state champions at school,” Ball said. “There are only boys.”
Ball’s photo will soon hang on that wall, finally giving it a female touch. “Sophia is an outstanding young lady,” Hoffman Estates coach Leo Clark said. “Her work ethic is unmatched and reminds you of those old school wrestlers who just grind, inside and outside the wrestling room.”
The last coaching instruction Clark gave Ball in her career came when Ball got Canton’s Kinnley Smith on her back near the edge, with plenty of time remaining in the second period on the title mat. Clark urged her from the corner to take her time towards getting the fall but Ball had other ideas.
“I just caught it and squeezed it,” Ball said. “I was not taking my time.”
Ball’s fall at 3:29 gave her the title. She was asked how she intended to celebrate becoming a state champion.
“I have no idea. It’s never happened before,” she said. “I’ll find out later.”
And any girls aiming for the top spot on the podium in Bloomington next year better listen up, because Ball offers up the best of advice.
“You have to have confidence,” Ball said. “If you doubt yourself at all, you’re not going to win here.”
Smith leaves the Canton program as its most-decorated girls wrestler, a three-time state medalist who reached the state title mat three times in a fantastic career.
Joliet Catholic Academy senior Grace Laird (24-6) placed third in state by major decision over fourth-place senior Nyah Lovis (46-7) of Lane. Erie junior Michelle Naftzger (33-14) placed fifth and Huntley junior Aubrie Rohrbacher (45-10) finished sixth.
With her third-place finish, Laird became the first state medalist in Joliet Catholic history. Lovis joined Lane graduate Noemi Marchan as only the second medalist thus far in program history, and Naftzger is Erie’s first-ever state medalist. Rohrbacher won the second state medal of her Huntley career, having placed third at 130 last season, joining Janiah Slaughter as a two-time all-stater for the Red Raiders.
135 – Claudia Heeney, Lockport
Prospect senior Viola Pianetto became her program’s first-ever all-stater in girls wrestling this year, going 39-2 in the process.
Unfortunately for Pianetto — and everyone else in the 135-pound weight class — Lockport’s Claudia Heeney is still around. Heeney was queen of the hill at 135 this year and won her second consecutive state title.
And she’s not done yet.
The junior Heeney finished a 46-2 season with a 6-0 decision in this year’s finals over Pianetto, handing the Prospect senior both of her losses this year.
Heeney is now a two-time state champ and three-time state finalist for Lockport. She opened with a fall and a major decision before punching her ticket to the title mat with a fall in the semifinals against Hononegah’s Bella Castelli. Heeney won her first state title last year at 130 pounds and placed second at 125 as a freshman.
Her impact on the girls’ program at Lockport is unprecedented.
“Claudia has elevated this program beyond any expectations that I had when it started four years ago,” Lockport coach Nate Roth said. “It has been amazing to have an athlete as talented and dedicated as Claudia on the team. She has been great to have as an athlete, obviously, but she has also helped everyone around her. She works with other girls and helps them take their skill to the next level. She has even helped me be a better coach. Her wealth of knowledge is expansive and I am humbled to be lucky enough to have an athlete like her be on the team.”
Winning a second consecutive state title for Heeney brought a different dynamic than winning the first one did.
“I’d say it’s kind of a surreal feeling,” Heeney said. “Last year, it was super cool and I wanted it to happen but I didn’t know if it was going to. This year, it was kind of the same thing but there was a little bit more pressure because I won it last year. I’m so excited about this and It’s super fun to be out here and to do it with your friends.
“Now I feel like when people wrestle me, there’s a lot more nerves going into it. I don’t think I’m much different from the rest of the competition because anything can happen in a match. So I think that people come out there and want to beat me and I think it’s fun and it’s challenging.”
District 230 senior Alyssa Keane (42-4) placed third via 11-4 decision over Dwight’s fourth-place freshman medalist Avery Crouch (11-3), and finishes her career as a two-time all-stater. Hononegah freshman Bella Castelli (26-5) won by fall for fifth against Edwardsville senior Holly Zugmaier (40-8), who also departs her program as a two-time all-stater in Illinois.
Heeney is one of seven individuals who have won two or more titles and been in three finals. Beside four-time champion Angelina Cassioppi and three-time title winners Cadence Diduch, Gabby Gomez and Sydney Perry the only others to do that are Boylan Catholic’s Netavia Wickson, Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker and Heeney.
She’s already thinking about chasing a third state title next year.
“I’m just going to put in the work in the offseason and I go to practice every day, sometimes three hours a day, just keep pushing and keep grinding,” Heeney said. “I love Freestyle, too, so I’m pushing toward that and placing at Fargo maybe this year, that’s kind of one of my goals and that’s kind of what’s keeping me going.”
Her coach is glad to be along for the ride as Heeney chases a third state title and Lockport history. Brad Johnson is the only other Lockport wrestler with two state titles, having won in 2011 and 2012.
“This year when she won her state championship, it was very exciting,” Roth said. “To have any state champion on a team is surreal enough, but to have a two-time champion and a three-time finalist that is still only a junior is beyond awesome. and I can’t wait to see her and the rest of the team dominate the mats in the future.”
140 – Taylor Dawson, Collinsville
45 seconds — that was all the time Collinsville senior Taylor Dawson needed on the state title mat at 140, but those 45 seconds represented much more time than that.
Dawson’s journey to her first state title spanned four years, during which she placed second twice and third once for the Kahoks’ girls program.
Her quick takedown off the opening whistle of her title match against Mother McAuley’s Maggie Zuber (30-5) was an exclamation point for Dawson (36-3) in Bloomington.
“That’s what I told my coaches,” Dawson said. “Right off the whistle, that was the plan. A lot of time I go into a match with an idea of what I want to do, and I’ve usually been able to do them. This feels great.”
Dawson went 47-1 last year and finished second at 130. She placed third at 130 as a sophomore and went 34-5. She leaves Collinsville with a career record of 136-32, with 23 of those losses coming in her freshman season when she went 19-23 but still managed to reach the state title mat, placing second.
Collinsville coach Jordan May has watched Collins go from that upstart freshman to a dominant senior state champion, who will wrestle at Missouri’s Lindenwood University next year.
“She is definitely one of the most talented wrestlers I’ve ever seen,” May said. “She’s been through a crazy journey. She injured her ankle three days ago so she had to overcome some adversity, but she came out and made a statement.
“She came in as a freshman and only had a few moves, but she’s so tough and as time has gone on, her technique got so much better, and she lives wrestling. Her skill level and her confidence have really grown.”
The ingredients Dawson mixed together to win her state title are part of an ancient recipe for success. “I lifted weights, wrestled, and competed all summer,” Dawson said. “And I went to the best tournaments I can. That’s the only way to get better.”
Dawson pinned all four of her downstate opponents to win her title and on her way out of the Illinois high school wrestling scene, she offered solid advice on how to approach the high-pressure event of the state finals.
“Not to be nervous, wrestle your match, and that anything can happen,” Dawson said.
Zuber became Mother McAuley’s first-ever state medalist in girls wrestling in her senior year.
Morton’s Karen Conchola (31-3) became a two-time state medalist with her win by fall for third-place against Sycamore sophomore Ema Durst (140). Conchola and Durst are their programs’ lone all-state wrestlers thus far in the four-year history of IHSA girls wrestling.
New Trier senior Jillian Giller (48-4) placed fifth with a fall against sixth-place senior Christiara Finley (30-30) of Hillcrest. Both became their respective programs’ first-ever all-staters.
145 – Natalie Beaumont, Cumberland
One year after placing second last year to Freeport’s three-time state champion Cadence Diduch, Cumberland junior Natalie Beaumont reached the summit of the podium in Bloomington this year.
Beaumont (30-3) won a 5-0 decision over Schaumburg senior Hope Zerafa-Lazarevic (47-3) in the finals at 145 to claim her first individual state title.
“I’ve always been told for state, just take it all in, and don’t take it for granted, and I definitely tried, but the nerves get the best of you sometimes,” Beaumont said. “So I think this year, I just focused on wrestling like I can wrestle, get into my moves and doing my stuff, and in the end, it definitely worked out. I’m where I want to be right now, and I’m just ecstatic to be there.”
Cumberland coach Ashley Edmonds likes the path her junior is walking for the Pirates.
“Natalie is now a two-time finalist for us, and next year could become our first three-time medalist, girls or boys,” Edmonds said. “She works a ton in the off-season with her clubs that she attends and she was very motivated after losing the title last year. She had a good tournament and did a lot of stuff that we had worked on throughout the past few weeks.”
Beaumont credits her training all season with the boys’ team at Cumberland for helping her this year. Staying committed to the sport year-round has also been key.
“I’ve put in a ton of work over the offseason, extra practices, extra meets, just doing everything I can,” Beaumont said. “It’s been a long season with a lot of ups and downs, definitely, but I came out on top and I got what I wanted.”
With her title win, Beaumont became Cumberland’s first state champion in wrestling. Two boys from Cumberland competed for state titles, but both took second. Jess McMechan was second at 112 in Class A in 1998 and 1999 and Nathan Day was second at 113 in 1A in 2012.
Glenwood junior Jenna Tuxhorn (35-3) placed third in Bloomington in a 5-3 decision over fourth-place freshman Allison Garbacz (33-2) from South Elgin, and Phoenix Military Academy senior AJ Grant (45-5) placed fifth via tech fall over Rochelle senior Dempsey Atkinson (24-3).
Tuxhorn became Glenwood’s first two-time all-stater, while Garbacz became South Elgin’s first all-state wrestler. As their respective programs’ lone all-staters, Grant and Atkinson both became two-time medal winners in Bloomington.
155 – Callie Carr, Hinsdale South
Sometimes a wrestler is the last to know.
Junior Callie Carr etched her name in the Hinsdale South record book, finishing a perfect 39-0 season by becoming the first state champion and the first state medalist in her program’s history.
After failing to place downstate last year, Carr was one of the clear favorites to win a state title this year. But it took some convincing for Carr to think of herself in that way.
Carr became even more dedicated to the sport since last year, training with the boys’ team, putting in extra sessions, staying late after practice — but still, a state championship?
“I honestly didn’t see it coming,” she said. “I would have been happy just to place. But all my practice partners in the room — like the boys would be like ‘I’m taking down the state champ’. But I’m like ‘guys, I’m not there yet’.”
She got there. Carr won 6-0 on a state title mat against someone she wrestled four times this season, Oswego senior Kiyah Chavez (41-10). Carr went into the final with a few butterflies.
“I was so nervous and my brother (former South wrestler Griffin Carr) just said, ‘why are you nervous? You’ve trained so hard.’ But I wrestled her four times and I knew she was going to come out hard, and she did.”
Chavez made Carr earn it. At one point in the second period, Chavez had one of Carr’s legs and was in hot pursuit of a takedown. But it was a brief pursuit, as Carr fought it off.
“That was my closest match,” Carr said. “Props to her but I just didn’t want to get taken down. I really, really wanted more this year and I went and got it. And I still want more.”
Hinsdale South coach Andy Mangiaguerra watched Carr embrace the habits of a state champion this year.
“We made a pact at the beginning of the year that we’d get extra workouts in, stay after practice, and just do everything extra we could do,” Mangiaguerra said. “Callie’s got dedication. When her mind is set on something she just goes with it. She’ so driven and she just knows how to keep working, harder and harder.
“This is amazing for our program — a 39-0, undefeated season. You can’t beat that. And now more girls are going to come out. She’s been a great role model for the girls and the boys in our program.”
Chavez also became the first medalist in her program’s history. In the process, she beat previously unbeaten senior Teagan Aurich (40-1) of Plainfield South by sudden victory in a state semifinal match.
Aurich went on to place third via 7-4 decision over fourth-place senior medalist Nola Oben (41-6) of District 230. Oak Lawn senior Charvelle Mclain (36-10) placed fifth by fall over Rock Falls freshman Akira Schick (18-6).
Their state medals were the first won by Aurich, Oben, McLain, and Schick. Aurich became the third girl in Plainfield South history to place downstate, while Mclain and Schick are their programs’ first all-staters.
Oben is now one of five District 230 all-staters in program history.
170 – Alicia Tucker, Plainfield Central
Senior Alicia Tucker (29-1) became a two-time state champion and a three-time state-placer for Plainfield Central this year, and on her way out the door she took some time to smell the roses.
“It’s really so much fun being able to do this every day,” Tucker said. “I love this sport so much and I appreciate everybody who’s helped me get here. At my school, I’m the first-ever two-time state champion, boys and girls.
“I think that this is super important. It shows that really anybody can get here, no matter where they came from. They just need to work hard, and maybe they’ll be able to do what I can do, too.”
Plainfield Central coach Kyle Hildebrandt has watched Tucker travel a great distance for his program.
“Her state championship title was a great way to put an end to her fantastic high school wrestling career,” Hildebrandt said. “We are very proud of her and all of her accomplishments. She has done an excellent job representing our program and school.”
Tucker opened with a pair of falls in Bloomington before winning an 8-4 semifinal decision over Hampshire’s Annaliese Tavira (36-7). Waiting for Tucker in the finals was one of Illinois’ best in Highland senior August Rottman (35-2). Rottman was a state champion two years ago at 170.
Tucker was spotless in the final, winning a 5-0 decision to claim her second state crown. She hopes her two state titles don’t stand as the program standard for long.
“It’s a record I made to be broken,” Tucker said. “I really hope that I don’t stay as the only two-time state champion at that school. I hope somebody else, maybe another girl, comes along and breaks every single record that I set there.”
Tucker went 34-2 as a sophomore two years ago to win her first state title, and placed second in state last season, going 36-2. She went 3-2 as a freshman, putting her career record for Plainfield Central at an impressive 102-7.
At one point along the way this year, Hildebrandt saw a light switch go on for his senior stud.
“After the Oswego East tournament, we saw a shift in Alicia’s mentality,” he said. “After she won the Hawk Tournament in Hoffman Estates, we talked with her about never being satisfied, and if you want to be successful, you can not be satisfied, there is always more you can do. Her training began to reflect this. She dominated the regional and sectional tournaments, in each tournament, we had close finals matches, but we maintained control. Her finals match demonstrated the dominant mentality she had going into the last match.
Tucker leaves as the first Wildcat girls athlete to be a state champion in two seasons and only the fourth athlete at the school to achieve that feat. The others were Ben Bates in boys swimming (1984-1985), Luke Winder in boys track and field (2013-2014) and Kahmari Montgomery in boys track and field (2014-2015).
She’s only the second girl, the third wrestler and one of six total athletes who earned all-state honors at a state tournament three straight years. The other wrestlers were Ryan Prater (2005-2007) and Nick Nasenbeny (2011-2013).
Peoria Notre Dame senior Autumne Williams (18-4) won by fall to place third at 170 in Bloomington, against fourth-place medalist and sophomore Sara Martinez-Lopera (32-2) of Kelly. Maine West senior Lillian Garrett (34-7) and Hampshire senior Tavira (36-7) locked horns in a doozy for fifth-place, with Garrett ekeing out the 1-0 decision win.
As the lone state medal-winner in Highland history, Rottman will graduate as a four-time all-stater, having placed third, first, sixth and second in Bloomington.
Williams placed third at twice at 170 and leaves as her program’s only state medal-winner in the short history of Illinois girls wrestling. Martinez-Lopera became Kelly’s first all-stater this year, Garrett was Maine West’s first all-stater, and Tavira was one of three Hampshire wrestlers this season to become the program’s first-ever medal winners.
190 – Josie Larson, Lakes
This was Josie Larson’s year.
After placing second in state at 190 last season, the Lakes senior went on a rampage through the division this year. She finished 29-0 with 29 pins, won a state title, and until Saturday no girl in Illinois survived into the second period with Larson.
That’s about as dominant a season’s performance as Illinois has ever seen, on the boys’ or girls’ side of the sport.
“I remember about ten matches into the season I asked her to look at her long-term goal of being a state champ and going undefeated,” Lakes coach Mark Stave said. “I asked her if I could add a goal… her original goal, but all pins. She said ‘yep I can do that, coach. No problem’.”
Larson’s first-period pin of Clifton Central sophomore Payton Temple (27-2) earned her the state crown and added to her fifth- and second-place finishes downstate. Temple earned her second state medal after placing sixth at 155 last season.
It was Larson’s semifinal match that got her ready for the state title mat. Schaumburg’s Nadia Razzak (47-5) battled Larson well for nearly three periods, before Larson won by fall with only three seconds remaining in the match.
“That was my most difficult match and that really, really helped me to prepare for (the final),” Larson said.
That final lasted 41 seconds, when Larson stuck Temple to complete her state title journey in her senior year. Was she as nervous as she was heading into last year’s state title match?
“A little bit more just because it’s my final run, so I was really nervous,” Larson said.
“We watched a little bit of film and this morning we went over a few of the things that (Temple) does. My goal was just to get everything over and done with. Logically, I knew that I could beat her. But I also don’t really like crowds. They kind of freak me out. So I was nervous. I’m still a little bit in shock because I can’t believe I did it.”
Stave is just happy she did.
“I am so proud of the work this young lady put in to achieve her goal of going undefeated and winning the state championship,” Stave said. “She is such a natural leader on and off the mat.”
Larson will wrestle for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut next year.
Hampshire freshman Samantha Diehl (31-6) placed third with a 4-0 decision against Streamwood’s Jasmine Rene (25-4), and Schaumburg junior Razzak finished fifth in state with her 8-3 decision against the sixth-place medalist, Oak Forest senior Isabel Peralta (40-10).
Diehl was one of three girls from Hampshire at this year’s finals to become their program’s first state medalists, and helped Hampshire to a third-place IHSA team finish.
Rene is now a two-time state medalist, while Razzak won her first medal and became Schaumburg’s fourth all-state wrestler in program history. Peralta placed downstate for her first time and became Oak Lawn’s third all-stater.
235 — Chloe Hoselton, Prairie Central
Now a two-time state champion, Prairie Central senior Chloe Hoselton went a perfect 27-0 this year and leaves as a pioneer for Prairie Central in girls wrestling in Illinois.
What she’s leaving behind for coach Scott Ziller is unquantifiable.
“The best things about Chloe are wrapped up in the example she sets on and off of the mat,” Ziller said. “She’s a leader, a good teammate, a successful student, and a kind human. What Chloe leaves behind for our program is as much to be proud of as her individual accomplishments.”
Those accomplishments are unprecedented for the Hawks’ program. Hoselton won two state titles and is the only state medal winner thus far in the brief history of IHSA girls wrestling in Illinois.
Hoselton’s 8-0 major decision win on this year’s title mat against Rickover Academy’s Jasmine Mejia gave her a second state crown, to go with the one she won in an ultimate tie-break match over Unity’s Phoenix Molina in last year’s finals.
“Being able to win a championship again is amazing and I can’t put it into words,” Hoselton said. “Knowing that I won it with my Prairie Central team and having my teammates and the support of my family and my club all means so much to me.
“The Prairie Central community is very supportive. There’s so many people that wanted to see me succeed and do what I do best. And I had some people from Prairie Central who came out to support me.”
Hoselton’s 4-0 weekend in Bloomington this year featured two falls, a tech fall, and a major decision win.
“She trains like a champion, but more than that she has a great mentality on the mat,” Ziller said. “She doesn’t get rattled and stays on the hunt to score no matter what.”
Hoselton is hoping that more Prairie Central girls scale the state finals podium, sooner than later.
“We had new girls this year and I was the captain and I was kind of their leader,” Hoselton said. “I wanted to let them know after winning this championship that if you keep training in the offseason and trying hard during the season that anything is possible. One of our girls, Yuri Vilchis, went from not even qualifying from regionals to being a state qualifier. She put in the work in the offseason and she trained and lifted, so it meant so much for her to be here.”
Hoselton is only the third wrestler at Prairie Central to be a two-time champion. Her brother Brandon (2018-2019) and Logan Deacetis (2019-2020) were the others. Her brother Drew was a champion in 2018 and her cousin Andy was a champion in 2011. Brandon was a three-time finalist and Drew and Andy were two-time finalists.
“We have six state titles in the Hoselton family and hopefully more to come soon,” Hoselton said.
Like Hoselton at Prairie Central, Mejia is the poster child for girls wrestling at Rickover. Mejia followed last year’s fifth-place downstate finish by going 38-3 and reaching the state title mat in her senior season. Also like Hoselton, she is the first and only wrestler to medal thus far for her girls’ wrestling program.
Unity’s Phoenix Molina (33-6), last year’s state runner-up at 235, finished third via 6-0 decision against Urbana junior Lillian DiSanto (38-11). Moline senior Kirsten Kpoto (8-3) placed fifth while Ottawa junior Juliana Thrush (35-7) placed sixth.
Molina joins former state champion Lexi Ritchie as a two-time all-stater for Unity, DiSanto became Urbana’s second all-stater, Kpoto joins former state champ Maryam Ndiaye as a two-time medal-winner for Moline, and Thrush is one of two all-staters for Ottawa and its first two-time state placer.