Girls Sectional roundups

By Gary Larsen

Nine returning state champions will return to the individual state finals in Bloomington this year to chase two-time IHSA glory, but there is no shortage of competition ready to de-throne them. Four Illinois girls’ sectionals took place Saturday, towards advancement to the girls’ state finals, to be held Feb. 24-25 at Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena.

Here are roundups of Saturday’s girls’ sectionals from Geneseo, Evanston, Richwoods, and Schaumburg:

GENESEO

The Joliet Co-op team led all programs with five state qualifiers in sectional champions Eliana Paramo (115) and Nydia Martinez (170) from Joliet Central, a pair of sectional runners-up in Joliet Central’s Chloe Wong (100) and Fernana Miranda (235), and a fourth-place finisher in Joliet Central’s Alexa Latham (190).
Sectional champions at Geneseo were East Aurora’s Kameyah Young (100), Lincoln-Way West’s Zoe Dempsey (105), Lincoln-Way Central’s Gracie Guarino (110), Joliet Central’s Eliana Paramo (115) and Nydia Martinez (170), Hononegah’s Angelina Cassioppi (120), Freeport’s Cadence Diduch (125), El Paso-Gridley’s Savannah Hamilton (130) and Valerie Hamilton (145), Boylan’s Netavia Wickson (135), Erie’s Jayda Rosenow (140), Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker (155), West Aurora’s Brittney Moran (190), and Ottawa’s Juliana Thrush.

Emerging from the Geneseo sectional with unbeaten records were Lincoln-Way West’s Zoe Dempsey (9-0 at 105), Lincoln-Way Central’s Gracie Guarino (10-0 at 110),Freeport’s Cadence Diduch (7-0 at 125), and El Paso-Gridley’s Valerie Hamilton (3-0 at 145).

Freeport’s Diduch and Hononegah’s Cassioppi are both returning Illinois state champions.

Joliet Central’s Fernanda Miranda (5-1 at 235) is the only once-beaten wrestler from Geneseo, and wrestlers with only two losses on their records are East Aurora’s Kemeyah Young (29-2 at 100), Lincoln-Way Central’s Emily Peyton (12-2 at 100), Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker (155), West Aurora’s Brittney Moran (26-2 at 190), and G.C.-Melvin-Sibley’s Avery Schlickman (14-2 at 130).

Sectional championship matches at Geneseo:

100: Kameyah Young (29-2) East Aurora D 8-3 Chloe Wong (29-5) Joliet Central

105: Zoe Dempsey (9-0) Lincoln-Way West F 0:29 Alex Gregorio-Perez (14-6) DeKalb

110: Gracie Guarino (10-0) Lincoln-Way Central F 5:28 Ella McDonnell (30-11) Morris

115: Eliana Paramo (34-4) Joliet Central D 4-2 Ashlyn Strenz (22-14) Sandwich

120: Angelina Cassioppi (23-6) Hononegah F 1:15 Yamilet Aguirre (34-3) Yorkville

125: Cadence Diduch (7-0) Freeport F 1:53 Bri Bynum (21-18) Sherrard

130: Savannah Hamilton (18-10) E.P-Gridley MD 10-0 Avery Schlickman (14-2) 

135: Netavia Wickson (15-5) Boylan F 0:12 Kinnley Smith (21-4) Canton

140: Jayda Rosenow (16-15) Erie SV-1 9-7 Bella Cyrkiel (28-7) Minooka

145: Valerie Hamilton (3-0) E.P.-Gridley 4:13 Dempsey Atkinson (17-11) Rochelle

155: Alicia Tucker (30-2) Plainfield Central D 3-0 Teagan Aurich (7-4) Plainfield South

170: Nydia Martinez (28-4) Joliet Central D 5-4 Ionicca Rivera (24-4) West Aurora

190: Brittney Moran (26-2) West Aurora F 1:52 Keira Enright (7-3) Plainfield South

235: Juliana Thrush (18-10) Ottawa F 1:20 Fernanda Miranda (5-1) Joliet Central

3rd-place matches at Geneseo:

100: Emily Peyton (12-2) Lincoln-Way Central D 9-3 Kiely Domyancich (10-4) LaSalle-Peru

105: Judith Gamboa (23-15) Reed-Custer F 2:57 Ixzayana Cruz (25-6) East Aurora

110: Tori Macias (27-7) Burlington Central Inj. Courtni Chuway (14-7) Plainfield Central

115: Daisy Gil (28-19) Beardstown D 6-4 Reese Zimmer (16-11) DeKalb

120: Brooklyn Sheaffer (32-9) Kaneland D 8-2 Michelle Naftzger (25-16) Erie

125: Amber Louderback (26-24) Central MD 9-0 Ashley Villa (9-4) Lincoln-Way Central

130: Alejandra Cornejo (15-13) Kankakee F 1:49 Sammie Greisen (22-13) Seneca

135: Kelly Ladd (29-5) Macomb MD 12-3 Makayla Jones (9-8) Kankakee

140: Annalisa Gibbons (14-14) Galesburg F 6:00 Gia Ritter (7-7) Geneseo

145: Katelyn Marvel (20-5) Canton F 4:13 Taylor Krueger (9-6) Geneseo

155: Maryam Ndiaye (16-4) Moline F 5:58 Kiernan Farmer (14-9) Peotone

170: Bailey Herr (14-15) Putnam County F 4:25 Sidney Ray (23-14) Minooka

190: Jaiden Moody (19-12) Minooka F 5:08 Alexa Latham (18-11) Joliet Central

235: Peyton Kueltzo (25-11 Minooka F 0:45 Patience Riggs (9-14) ROWVA

EVANSTON

Homewood-Flossmoor led all teams with six state qualifiers on the day, followed by Oak Forest with five. Homewood-Flossmoor got individual sectional titles from Attalia Watson-Castro (130) and Ini Odumosu (190), seconds from Alima Toheeb-Lawal (145) and Jocelyn Williams (235), a third from Basirat Sodiq (170), and a fourth-place finish from Nina Hamm (110).

Winning sectional titles were Oak Forest’s Alex Sebek (100), Loyola Academy’s Harlee Hiller (105), Grant’s Ayanne Jasinski (110) and Joanna Szelag (115), Bowen’s Monica Griffin (120), Lakes’ Ava Babbs (125), Homewood-Flossmoor’s Attalia Watson-Castro (130) and Ini Odumosu (190), Thornton’s Jalah Wilson (135), Niles West’s Al Ghala Radi (140), Stevenson’s Sajra Sulejmani (145), Phoenix Military Academy’s AJ Grant (155), Zion-Benton’s Ileen Castrejon (170), and Curie’s Aaliyah Grandberry (235).
Watson-Castro is a returning Illinois state champion.

Returning state runner-up Aaliyah Grandberry of Curie (21-0 at 235) left Evanston as the lone undefeated state qualifier from the sectional. Niles West’s Al Ghala Al Radi (27-1 at 140) qualified with a single loss on her season record, and there were three wrestlers at 130 who head downstate with one loss in Homewood-Flossmoor’s Attalia Watson-Castro (34-1), Rich Township’s Amaria Ridgner (22-1), and Mother McAuley’s Maggie Zuber (3-1).

Heading to the state finals with only two losses are Stevenson’s Sajra Sulejmani (20-2 at 145), Phoenix Military Academy’s AJ Grant (31-2 at 155), Evergreen Park’s Elliana Balderrama (13-2 at 155), Lakes’ Josie Larson (12-2 at 190), Curie’s Vanessa Torres (7-2 at 135), and Rich Township’s Courben Session (20-2 at 110).

Sectional championship matches at Evanston:

100: Alexandra Sebek (38-6) Oak Forest D 5-0 Riley Kongkaeow (19-5) Round Lake

105: Harlee Hiller (28-5) Loyola Academy F 1:02 Snow Khi (18-5) Grant

110: Ayane Jasinski (17-3) Grant D 5-0 Courben Session (20-2) Rich Township

115: Joanna Szelag (18-3) Grant D 4-3 Ireland McCain (20-7) Round Lake

120: Monica Griffin (22-3) Bowen F 0:51 Alexia Vasilopoulos (11-3) Loyola Academy

125: Ava Babbs (18-4) Lakes F 4:48 Noelani Rodriguez (26-5) Waukegan

130: Attalia Watson-Castro (34-1) Homewood-F. F 2:49 Maggie Zuber (3-1) Mother McAuley

135: Jalah Wilson (11-5) Thornton D 4-2 Clara Ugaz (17-9) Highland Park

140: Al Ghala Al Radi (27-1) Niles West F 1:22 Faith Comas (20-7) Morton

145: Sajra Sulejmani (20-2) Stevenson F 1:04 Alima Toheeb-Lawal (26-11) Homewood-F.

155: AJ Grant (31-2) Phoenix Military Academy F 0:33 Julia Landmesser (12-9) Grayslake N.

170: ILeen Castrejon (13-7) Zion-Benton F 4:50 Trinity White (24-5) OPRF

190: Ini Odumosu (32-4) Homewood-F. F 3:51 Isabel Peralta (22-11) Oak Forest

235: Aaliyah Grandberry (21-0) Curie Inj. Jocelyn Williams (28-3) Homewood-F.

3rd-place matches at Evanston:

100: Mia Vazquez (15-3) Rickover Naval Academy F 2:18 Paris Flores (16-7) Morton

105: Annika Cottam (16-5) Lake Forest F 0:47 Diana Lopez (29-5) Phoenix Military Academy

110: Ariana Flores (20-9) Evanston D 8-4 Nina Hamm (28-11) Homewood-F.
115: Marisol Castro-Duran (20-11) Phoenix F 2:42 Carmela Woods (12-7) Evergreen Park

120: Quincy Onyiaorah (20-3) Thornton Fractional South F 4:32 Nyah Lovis (29-11) Lane

125: Destiny Bright (17-5) Thornton D 3-2 Justyce Sieber (13-4) Warren

130: Amaria Ridgner (22-1) Rich Township D 11-6 Rose Craig (16-5) Elmwood Park

135: Adrianna Ketchum (10-8) Zion-Benton F 4:36 Vanessa Torres (7-2) Curie

140: Sabrina Sifuentez (27-7) Oak Forest F 1:23 Jillian Giller (24-7) New Trier

145: Bekah Monciviaz (21-8) Grayslake North F 4:57 Maya Corea- Funes (23-9) Oak Forest

155: Elliana Balderrama (13-2) Evergreen Park F 2:54 Ryann Reeves (22-15) Oak Forest

170: Basirat Sodiq (16-14) Homewood-F. F 3:49 Yaxaira Russildi (12-8) Grant

190: Josie Larson (12-2) Lakes D 7-0 Ashland Henson (23-9) Evanston

235: Sarah Epshtein (30-4) OPRF D 4-2 Jasmine Mejia (11-3) Rickover Naval Academy

RICHWOODS

Host Richwoods led all programs with six state qualifiers, followed by Belleville East and Edwardsville with five each. Richwoods got sectional titles from Isabella Motteler (120) and Kalia Williams (135), second-place finishes from Kyley Bair (110) and Jadia Johnson (170), and fourths from Indhira Moore (125) and Nakiza Williams (140).

Individual sectional champions were Edwardsville’s Olivia Coll (100), Anna-Jonesboro’s Zoee Sadler (105), Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (110), Red Bud’s Avery Smith (115), Richwoods’ Isabella Motteler (120), Charleston’s Alaynia Bryant (125), Collinsville’s Taylor Dawson (130), Richwoods’ Kalia Williams (135), Edwardsville’s Mackenzie Pratt (140), Alton’s Antonia Phillips (145), Unity’s Lexi Ritchie (155), Highland’s August Rottman (170), Belleville East’s Keely Rulo (190), and Belleville East’s Kiara Ganey (235).

Belleville East’s Ganey is a returning Illinois state champion. Alton’s Phillips and Unity’s Ritchie are returning Illinois state champions.

Four state qualifiers from the Richwoods sectional will enter the state finals with a single loss on their records, in Edwardsville’s Mackenzie Pratt (26-1 at 140), Unity’s Lexi Ritchie (18-1 at 155), Highland’s August Rottmann (17-1 at 170), and Belleville East’s Kiara Ganey (14-1 at 235). Pratt is a returning Illinois state runner-up.

Another four wrestlers advanced downstate with only two losses on their season records, in Mt. Zion’s Sydney Cannon (41-2 at 110), Normal West’s Angel Bateson (18-2 at 105), Paris’ Gabbie Collins (4-2 at 155), and RIchwoods’ Jadia Johnson (25-2 at 170).

Sectional championship matches at Richwoods:

100: Olivia Coll (18-9) Edwardsville D 4-2 Sammy Lehr (13-4) Normal West

105: Zoee Sadler (38-5) Anna-Jonesboro F 2:35 Alexcia Hardin (18-11) Belleville East

110: Sydney Cannon (41-2) Mt. Zion F 0:50 Kyley Bair (29-6) Richwoods

115: Avery Smith (17-7) Red Bud F 1:30 Jasmine Brown (23-20) Auburn

120: Isabella Motteler (29-5) Richwoods F 2:31 Alexis Seymour (28-16) Jacksonville

125: Alaynia Bryant (11-9) Charleston F 5:06 Holly Zugmaier (20-10) Edwardsville

130: Taylor Dawson (30-4) Collinsville D 5-4 Karen Canchola (22-5) Morton

135: Kalia Williams (30-5) Richwoods D 4-3 Lauren Dothager (11-6) Vandalia

140: Mackenzie Pratt (26-1) Edwardsville F 2:57 Alivia Ming (33-12) Goreville

145: Antonia Phillips (30-6) Alton MD 9-1 Mikah Merrill (30-15) Goreville 

155: Lexi Ritchie (18-1) Unity F 3:02 Haylie Nappier-Feth (13-6) Marion 

170: August Rottmann (17-1) Highland F 4:11 Jadia Johnson (25-2) Richwoods

190: Keely Rulo (19-6) Belleville East F 5:02 Alexandria Godinez (10-6) Washington

235: Kiara Ganey (14-1) Belleville East Inj. Tayla Phillips (10-4) Edwardsville

3rd-place matches at Richwoods:

100: Alexis Bernal (11-9) Belleville East MD 15-3 Hannah Younger (9-4) Mt. Vernon

105: Bailey Lusch (13-4) East Peoria F 5:20 Angel Bateson (18-2) Normal West

110: Gigi Linhorst (17-9) Edwardsville F 1:55 Ella Miloncus (20-19) Lanphier

115: Jaelyn Brumfield (11-9) LeRoy D 11-4 Allison Kroesch (11-5) University

120: Oregan Dover (22-7) Anna-Jonesboro F 3:57 Mia Balota (28-10) Benton

125: Faith Loyd (17-4) Carbondale D 7-0 Indhira Moore (14-6) Richwoods

130: Natalie Beaumont (13-12) Cumberland D 6-0 Jaylah Dalton (19-15) Pekin

135: Taylor Owens (17-16) Oakwood F 4:47 Jadyn Perry (13-13) Auburn

140: Ava Vasey (17-5) Unity D 6-1 Nakiza Williams (23-8) Richwoods

145: Jordan Bicknell (14-12) Olympia F 0:53 Mackensie Williams (11-22) Charleston

155: Elanna Hickman (14-11) Alton D 2-0 Gabbie Collins (4-2) Paris

170: Faith Barrett (15-5) Mt. Vernon D 8-4 Kami Ratcliff (18-3) Belleville East

190: Abbrey Dewerff (4-3) Roxana F 1:54 Krista McBride (16-14) Goreville

235: Phoenix Molina (16-3) Unity D 2-0 Jurdan Tyler (10-7) Urbana

SCHAUMBURG

Hoffman Estates led all teams with five individual state qualifiers, led by sectional champion Sophia Ball (120) and four fourth-place finishers in Emmylina O’Brien (115), Eunice Ji (125), Abby Ji (130), and Anjali Gonzalez (190).

Individual sectional champions in Schaumburg were Bartlett’s Emma Engels (100), Glenbard North’s Nadia Shymkiv (105) and Gabriella Gomez (115), Addison Trail’s Nina Matthews (110), Hoffman Estates’ Sophia Ball (120), Lockport’s Claudia Heeney (125), Glenbard West’s Khatija Ahmed (130), Conant’s Mannie Anderson (135), Schaumburg’s Valeria Rodriguez (140), Batavia’s Sydney Perry (145) and Sue Sue Paw (235), Palatine’s Jasmine Hernandez (155) and Sabrina Cargill (170), and West Chicago’s Jayden Huesca-Rodriguez (190). 

Four wrestlers advanced through the Schaumburg sectional with their unbeaten records intact, in Glenbard North’s Gabriella Gomez (29-0 at 115), Lockport’s Claudia Heeney (39-0 at 125), Batavia’s Sydney Perry (30-0 at 145), and West Chicago’s Jayden Huesca-Rodriguez (15-0 at 190). Heeney is a freshman, while Gomez, Perry, and Huesca-Rodriguez are all returning state champions.

Another seven wrestlers head downstate with a single loss on their season records in Bartlett’s Emma Engels (14-1 at 100), Glenbard North’s Nadia Shymkiv (26-1 at 105), Bolingbrook’s Katie Ramirez-Quintero (16-1 at 130), Schaumburg’s Valeria Rodriguez (33-1 at 140), Palatine’s Jasmine Hernandez (32-1 at 155), Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr (12-1 at 155), and Richmond-Burton’s Jasmine McCaskel (13-1 at 140). Headed downstate from the Schaumburg sectional with only two losses is Maine South’s Angela Lee (24-2 at 115).

Sectional championship matches at Schaumburg:
100: Emma Engels (14-1) Bartlett F 4:52 Janiah Slaughter (23-4) Huntley

105: Nadiia Shymkiv (26-1) Glenbard North F 3:41 Veronica Cosio (25-8) Addison Trail

110: Nina Matthews (21-3) Addison Trail F 1:30 Taylor Casey (22-7) Huntley

115: Gabriella Gomez (29-0) Glenbard North D 8-1 Angela Lee (24-2) Maine South

120: Sophia Ball (39-4) Hoffman Estates F 2:19 Eleanor Aphay (20-5) Riverside-Brookfield

125: Claudia Heeney (39-0) Lockport F 3:26 Madeline Zerafa-Lazarevic (28-5) Schaumburg

130: Khatija Ahmed (22-8) Glenbard West F 2:42 Miriam Lupu (15-3) Maine East

135: Mannie Anderson (32-4) Conant MD 14-2 Alyssa Keane (28-4) Andrew

140: Valeria Rodriguez (33-1) Schaumburg D 11-7 Jasmine McCaskel (13-1) Richmond-Burton

145: Sydney Perry (30-0) Batavia MD 14-4 Kaia Fernandez (14-3) Barrington

155: Jasmine Hernandez (32-1) Palatine F 0:39 Maria Ferrer (27-5) Larkin

170: Sabrina Cargill (26-3) Palatine D 11-6 Mickaela Keane (29-5) Andrew

190: Jayden Huesca-Rodriguez (15-0) West Chicago F 1:25 Jasmine Rene (14-8) Wheeling

235: Sue Sue Paw (26-14) Batavia F 5:13 Emma Akpan (18-5) Andrew

3rd-place matches at Schaumburg:

100: Lily Enos (40-11) Batavia D 11-7 Kat Bell (14-8) Lombard Montini

105: Michelle Kioltyka (11-4) Argo MD 18-6 Mali Patino (18-10) Elgin

110: Marya Mondavi (22-8) Wheaton North F 5:05 Angela Carpintero (13-4) Bartlett

115: Liz Ramirez (32-8) Lockport M. For. Emmylina O`Brien (29-7) Hoffman Estates

120: Zuri Sarmiento (22-9) Fremd D 1-0 Valeria Malinowski (17-12) Lake Park

125: Aubrie Rohrbacher (28-5) Huntley F 3:26 Eunice Ji (37-8) Hoffman Estates

130: Katie Ramirez-Quintero (16-1) Bolingbrook D 6-0 Abigail Ji (31-6) Hoffman Estates

135: Danely Villagomez (24-7) Riverside-Brookfield F 2:15 Allison Garcia (22-12) DG South

140: Suzie Knutte (26-3) Lemont F 5:58 Perla Lomeli (22-9) Dundee-Crown

145: Natalie Corona (29-11) McHenry F 0:50 Anika Navarro (31-6) Glenbard West

155: Callie Carr (12-1) Hinsdale South D 3-0 Yamile Penaloza (17-5) Fenton

170: Haley Arechiga (12-3) Proviso East F 1:27 Mailei Hudec (12-3) Crystal Lake Central

190: Nadia Razzak (27-11) Schaumburg F 3:24 Anjali Gonzalez (25-9) Hoffman Estates

235: Andrea Gordillo (18-6) Elgin D 7-0 Rye Reyes (22-13) Conant