Girls tournament recaps: Morton, Mather, Bolingbrook
By Gary Larsen for the IWCOA
Morton New Year Invite
Homewood-Flossmoor won its second team title in the span of a week for coach Scott Aronson, taking the crown at this year’s 11-team JS Morton New Year Invite on Dec. 30. The Vikings also won the title at Palatine’s 23-team Sally Berman tournament on Dec. 23.
H-F won 181-170 over second-place host Morton, followed by St. Laurence (165.5), Metea Valley (104) and Lake Park (101) to round out the top five. The Vikings won a tight race among the top three teams of the tournament.
“We are very excited about our prospects this season,” Aronson said. “We have a very solid lineup with every girl at every weight being a very strong wrestler. It leaves us with few weaknesses right now.”
The Vikings sent eight girls to the finals, getting individual titles from returning state medal-winner London Gandy (125), Madelynn McClements (130), Denise Brown (145) and Olivia Haywood (155).
1st – Homewood-Flossmoor (181)
In addition to titles from Gandy, McClements, Brown and Haywood, Aronson got seconds from Amirat Toheeb-Lawal (115), Amara Nwoye (135), Kennedy Dade (140) and Kendra Hayden (190), thirds from Taniyah Bradley (120) and Rachel Nugin (170), and a fifth from Na’imah Lamon (155)
“They’re a young team, most being juniors or sophomores, and most of them wrestled club all off season,” Aronson said. “Our tournament and dual record are beginning to reflect this. I can’t speak to state qualifiers but I am hoping these successes speak well of the upcoming post-season.”
2nd – Morton (170)
Coach Fernando Arratia sent four champions to the top of the awards stand, in Andaira Marron (100), Jordan Rodriguez (105), Karla Munoz (110) and Anali Wilson (170), plus seconds from Isis Marcano (120) and Genessi Ceballos (155), a third from Victoria Vargas (115), a fourth from Luissiana Guerrero (120), and fifths from Daniela Orozco (125), Liliana Ionescu (135) and Dionna Burks (140).
3rd – St. Laurence (165.5)
Coach Arturo Nesci got an individual title from Nina Nesci (120), seconds from Cecelia Riccordino (100) and Jenayah Velazquez (125), thirds from Claire McKeon (130), Hannah Marusarz (140) and Delia Humphrey (155), a fourth from Amelia Pazmino (105), a fifth from Evalin Campos-Cuellar (115), and a sixth from Magdalena Roa (135).
Additional champions
115 Janiya Moore (Metea Valley), 135 Ava Burns (Lake Park), 140 Alketa Picari (Metea Valley), 190 Valerie Franco (Fenwick), 235 Jessica Ahn (Niles North)
Additional runners-up
105 Sophia Almaraz (Morton Grey), 130 Hala Elhelou (Metea Valley), 145 Neriah Treadway (Hancock), 170 Leilani Brindis (Rolling Meadows), 235 Monserrath Romero-Manon (Noble/Mansueto)
Team scores
Homewood-Flossmoor 181, Morton 170, St. Laurence 165.5, Metea Valley 104, Lake Park 101, Morton Grey 59, Rolling Meadows 58, Fenwick 43, Niles North 32.5, Hancock 25, Noble/Mansueto 7
The unbeatens (10-match minimum)
120 St. Laurence’s Nina Nesci (14-0), 170 Morton’s Anali Wilson (20-0)
The once-beatens (10-match minimum)
100 Morton’s Andaira Marron (13-1)
20-plus match winners
105 Morton’s Jordan Rodriguez (20-3), 115 Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore (24-3), 135 Lake Park’s Ava Burns (23-4), 140 Alketa Picari (24-3), 170 Leilani Brindis (22-4)
Statistics
St. Laurence led all teams with 24 pins, followed by Homewood-Flossmoor with 21 and Morton with 19. Metea Valley led the tournament with six tech falls, followed by Morton with four. St. Laurence also led the way with 246 total match points, ahead of Morton’s 234.
Individually, Lake Park’s Ameinah Hill had the most pins in the least time with three in 1:09, while Homewood-Flossmoor’s Kennedy Dade posted the fastest fall in 0:09. Metea Valley’s Alketa Picari had the most tech falls in the least time with three in 11:06, and scored the most total match points in the tournament with 61. Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore had the fastest tech fall in 1:48.
Lake Park’s Ava Burns and St. Laurence’s Nina Nesci tied for the most team points scored with 26, and Morton’s Genessi Ceballos scored the most single-match points with 24. St. Laurence’s Evalin Campos-Cuellar provided the largest seed-place difference as the No. 10 seed placed fifth at 115 pounds.
Championship match results
100 Andaira Marron (Morton) F 3:51 Cecelia Riccordino (St. Laurence)
105 Jordan Rodriguez (Morton) F 5:36 Sophia Almaraz (Morton Grey)
110 Karla Munoz (Morton) F 3:05 Stephanie Rosado (St. Laurence)
115 Janiya Moore (Metea) MD 16-5 Amirat Toheeb-Lawal (H-F)
120 Nina Nesci (St. Laurence) F 1:08 Isis Marcano (Morton)
125 London Gandy (H-F) TF 3:07 Jenayah Velazquez (St. Laurence)
130 Madelynn McClements (H-F) F 1:28 Hala Elhelou (Metea)
135 Ava Burns (Lake Park) F 2:15 Amara Nwoye (H-F)
140 Alketa Picari (Metea) D 4-2 Kennedy Dade (H-F)
145 Denise Brown (H-F) F 1:52 Neriah Treadway (Hancock)
155 Olivia Haywood (H-F) F 3:55 Genessi Ceballos (Morton)
170 Anali Wilson (Morton) F 3:38 Leilani Brindis (Rolling M)
190 Valerie Franco (Fenwick) F 4:59 Kendra Hayden (H-F)
235 Jessica Ahn (Niles N) fft. Monserrath Romero-Manon (Noble/Mansueto)
Third-place match results
100 Sonya Amin (Metea) F 3:27 Arantza Garcia (Morton)
105 Guadalupe Nava Perez (Rolling M) F 2:31 Amelia Pazmino (St. Laurence)
110 Olivia DiCosola-Hernandez (Lake Park) D 8-4 Amaia Lepe (Morton Grey)
115 Victoria Vargas (Morton) F 4:45 Dasia Dantzler (Rolling Meadows)
120 Taniyah Bradley (H-F) D 9-3 Luissiana Guerrero (Morton)
125 Elida Garcia Torres (Lake Park) F 3:04 Zoe McLaughlin (Morton Grey)
130 Claire McKeon (St. Laurence) F 4:50 Silvia Sayadian (Lake Park)
135 Cecilia Andino (Fenwick) SV-1 13-10 Emily Sugano (Metea)
140 Hannah Marusarz (St. Laurence) MD 11-0 Heaven Rodriguez (Hancock)
145 Janet Brindis (Rolling M) F 3:33 Dariia Dzhumasheva (Metea)
155 Delia Humphrey (St. Laurence) F 1:24 Liya Sandor (Niles N)
170 Rachel Nugin (H-F) F 0:36 Sophia Castillo (Rolling M)
190 Aimee Escalante-Papp (Lake Park) F 0:59 Daisy Fitzgerald (Lake Park)
235 Ameinah Hill (Lake Park) F 0:39 Elise Brown (St. Laurence)
Mather Lady Ranger 2026 Tournament
St. Laurence snared the team title at Mather’s 21-team Lady Ranger Tournament, edging Warren 212-202 in a heated battle for the crown. Lincoln-Way’s District 210 girls (132) placed third followed by Buffalo Grove (95) and Noble/ITW Speer (89) to round out the top five team finishes.
St. Laurence coach Arturo Nesci’s girls placed third less than a week earlier at Morton’s New Year Invite.
The Vikings’ Nina Nesci (120) won her second individual title in a week and St. Laurence got individual titles from Delia Humphrey (155) and Elise Brown (235) in the win at Mather.
1st- St. Laurence (212)
In addition to titles from Nesci, Humphrey and Brown, the Vikings got seconds from Amelia Pazmino (105) and Stephanie Rosado (110), thirds from Cecelia Riccordino (100), Evalin Campos-Cuellar (115), Magdalena Roa (135) and Hannah Marusarz (140), and sixths from Jenayah Velazquez (125), Jocelyn Gonzalez-Ruiz (145), Avery Evans (170), and Natalie Davalos (190).
2nd- Warren (202)
Coach Nick Grujanac got individual titles from Aaliyah Vazquez (115), Jane Kelly (135), Tyanna Jackson (140) and Ellery Brown (145), a second from Haley Fugelseth (155), thirds from Emma Silvetti (120) and Makaylee Welch (155), and a fourth from Mya Castillo (125).
3rd- District 210 (132)
Second-place finishes came from Aubrey Barnes (120) and Kate Bohms (145) for District 210, which also got thirds from Georgia Erhardt (110) and Page Cronin (170), fourths from Genesis Guerrero (110) and Brianna Palomares (190), fifths from Amelia Galarza (105) and Dani Schedin (125), and a sixth from Leeya Kruizenga (100).
Additional champions
100 Harlem’s Mya Olejiniczak, 105 Lake View’s J Colbert, 110 Glenbard South’s Lashuna York, 125 Evanston’s Samantha Gipson, 130 Madison Heneks, 190 Mather’s Julissa Az
Additional runners-up
100 Speer’s Adali Cruz, 115 Buffalo Grove’s Aaliyah Sullivan, 125 Buffalo Grove’s Caroline Marogy, 130 Evanston’s Aileen Trejo, 135 Deerfield’s Jenny Garcia, 140 Barrington’s Nicole Dziura, 170 Speer’s Oliyah McKay, 190 Back of the Yards’ Nyomi Ascencio, 235 Mother McAuley’s Madilyn Gonzalez
Team scores
St. Laurence 212, Warren 202, District 210 132, Buffalo Grove 95, Noble/ITW Speer 89, Harlem 85, Evanston 82.5, Deerfield 80.5, Mather 76, Mother McAuley 74.5, Back of the Yards 49, Glenbard South 38, Lake View 33.5, Barrington 24, Little Village 16, Lake Forest 16, Horizon/Southwest Chicago 13, Lindblom 10, Elk Grove 10, Amundsen 3, Rockford East 0
Close calls
In the closest finals match of the day, Warren’s Ellery Brown won a 5-4 decision over District 210’s Kate Bohms at 145 pounds. Also at 145 on the third-place mat, Evanston’s Isabella Vernon won a 3-0 decision against Lindblom’s Laila Yunusa.
Statistics
Warren led all teams present with 33 pins, followed by St. Laurence with 26 and St. Laurence with 21. Warren also had the most tech falls in the least time with two in 6:55, followed by Harlem with two techs in 7:23. Warren also led the field with 259 total match points, followed by St. Laurence with 217 and Glenbard South with 188.
Individually, Warren’s Hanna Bairstow had the most pins in the least time with four in 5:10, and District 210’s Sydney Kettering posted the fastest pin at 11 seconds. Warren’s Aaliyah Vazquez had the fastest tech fall in 2:00. Warren’s Bairstow and teammate Tyanna Jackson tied for the most team points scored with 30, Glenbard South’s Isabel Carrera scored the most single-match points with 22, and Warren’s Vazquez also finished with the most total match points with 39.
Championship match results
100 Mya Olejiniczak (Harlem) MD 17-4 Adali Cruz (Speer)
105 J Colbert (Lake View) F 0:47 Amelia Pazmino (St. Laurence)
110 Lashuna York (Glenbard S) F 3:59 Stephanie Rosado (St. Laurence)
115 Aaliyah Vazquez (Warren) TF Aaliyah Sullivan (Buffalo Grove)
120 Nina Nesci (St. Laurence) F 2:32 Aubrey Barnes (D 210)
125 Samantha Gipson (Evanston) F 0:040 Caroline Marogy (Buffalo Grove)
130 Madison Heneks (Harlem) TF Aileen Trejo (Evanston)
135 Jane Kelly (Warren) F 0:18 Jenny Garcia (Deerfield)
140 Tyanna Jackson (Warren) F 4:57 Nicole Dziura (Barrington)
145 Ellery Brown (Warren) D 5-4 Kate Bohms (D 210)
155 Delia Humphrey (St. Laurence) F 0:22 Haley Fugelseth (Warren)
170 Hanna Bairstow (Warren) F 2:28 Oliyah McKay (Speer)
190 Julissa Az (Mather) F 1:39 Nyomi Ascencio (BOTY)
235 Elise Brown (St. Laurence) F 2:12 Madilyn Gonzalez (Mother Mc)
Third-place match results
100 Cecelia Riccordino (St. Laurence) F 0:41 Ashley Lopez (BOTY)
105 Bella Garcia (Speer) F 1:23 Camila Ramirez (Little Village)
110 Georgia Erhardt (D 210) F 1:43 Genesis Guerrero (D 210)
115 Evalin Campos-Cuellar (St. Laurence) F 4:33 Mylee Turnmire (Harlem)
120 Emma Silvetti (Warren) F 0:49 Marianna Perez (Mother Mc)
125 Holly Rowan (Mother Mc) F 2:56 Mya Castillo (Warren)
130 Bree Hirsch (Lake Forest) F 1:58 Uliana Persky (Deerfield)
135 Magdalena Roa (St. Laurence) F 1:09 Erza Kelani (Mather)
140 Hannah Marusarz (St. Laurence) F 3:59 Kerr Serrette (Buffalo Grove)
145 Isabella Vernon (Evanston) D 3-0 Laila Yunusa (Lindblom)
155 Makaylee Welch (Warren) F 1:57 Esther Kim (Deerfield)
170 Paige Cronin (D 210) F 1:43 Krishna Garfias (Mather)
190 Phoenix Boyson (Mother Mc) F 1:39 Brianna Palomares (D 210)
235 Esmerelda Bustamante (Speer) F 1:04 Leilany Ramirez-Chavez (Buffalo Grove)
Bolingbrook’s Donna Jahn Invitational
There was no team scoring at Bolingbrook’s Donna Jahn Invitational, but plenty of stars were present among the 16 teams present.
Glenbard West sophomore Khloe Perez placed fourth in state at 110, District 230’s Jade Hardee was third at 100, and the two squared off in the finals at 155 in Bolingbrook, with Perez winning a 7-0 decision.
Winning the title at 120 was host Bolingbrook’s Alejandra Flores, who placed fourth in state at 115 last year. And a state runner-up last year at 120 pounds, Glenbrook North’s Ariella Dobin won the title at 125 in Bolingbrook.
Individual champions
100 Melissa Melgar (W Aurora)
105 Alisa Carter (Joliet Central)
110 Norah Cwik (Bartlett)
115 Khloe Perez (Glenbard West)
120 Alejandra Flores (Bolingbrook)
125 Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook North)
130 Catherine Diehl (Wheaton Academy)
135 Isabella De La Vega (D 230)
140 Batula Nasib (West Chicago)
145 Jaylin Ingram (Joliet Central)
155 Melissa Nance (Hillcrest)
170 Payton Temple (Clifton Central)
190 Irma Villa (Palatine)
235 Cynthia Rios (Bolingbrook)
Runners-up
100 Paola Patino (Bartlett)
105 Brissia Bucio (West Chicago)
110 Mikaela Najera (Bolingbrook)
115 Jade Hardee (D 230)
120 Keily Centeno (Joliet Central)
125 Sophie Crescenzo (Lisle)
130 Lilly White (Bartlett)
135 Gia Cozzani (Glenbard West)
140 Emma Guethle (Joliet Central)
145 Lilyana Barraza (Joliet Central)
155 Savannah Burns (Bolingbrook)
170 Aiva Wikar (Palatine)
190 Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest)
235 Aniaah Garcia (Palatine)
Statistics
Joliet Central led all teams with 29 pins at day’s end, followed by District 230 with 26, West Chicago with 23, and Bolingbrook with 21. Glenbard West and Joliet Central tied for the most tech falls with two apiece. Joliet Central also led all teams with 304 total match points, followed by Bolingbrook with 221 and West Aurora with 202.
Individually, West Aurora’s Aaliyah Walker had the most pins in the least time, with four falls in 5:56, and Glenbard West’s Khloe Perez had the fastest tech fall in 1:14. Hillcrest’s Melissa Nance posted the fastest fall in 0:12, one second faster than the 13-second fall posted by West Chicago’s Olivia Halminiak.
West Aurora’s Melissa Melgar scored the most team points in the tournament with 29, West Aurora’s Raysa Castaneda scored the most single-match points with 23, and Bartlett’s Liliana Chavez scored the most total match points with 49.
Championship match results
100 Melissa Melgar (W Aurora) F 0:59 Paola Patino (Bartlett)
105 Alisa Carter (Joliet C) D 6-2 Brissia Bucio (WEGO)
110 Norah Cwik (Bartlett) F 0:38 Mikaela Najera (Bolingbrook)
115 Khloe Perez (Glenbard W) D 7-0 Jade Hardee (D 230)
120 Alejandra Flores (Bolingbrook) F 1:37 Keily Centeno (Joliet C)
125 Ariella Dobin (Glenbrook N) F 2:13 Sophie Crescenzo (Lisle)
130 Catherine Diehl (W Academy) D 9-5 Lilly White (Bartlett)
135 Isabella De La Vega (D 230) F 1:10 Gia Cozzani (Glenbard W)
140 Batula Nasib (WEGO) F 5:53 Emma Guethle (Joliet C)
145 Jaylin Ingram (Joliet C) F 4:53 Lilyana Barraza (Joliet C)
155 Melissa Nance (Hillcrest) F 0:54 Savannah Burns (Bolingbrook)
170 Payton Temple (Clifton C) F 1:02 Aiva Wikar (Palatine)
190 Irma Villa (Palatine) F 0:26 Jordyn Coleman-Harrison (Hillcrest)
235 Cynthia Rios (Bolingbrook) F 0:20 Aniaah Garcia (Palatine)
Third-place match results
100 Lillyana Iman (Glenbard W) F 3:47 Kahlynn Spurgeon (Bartlett)
105 Taniyah Moss (Hillcrest) TF Ivette Quintana (Bolingbrook)
110 Shaila Aguirre (Joliet C) MD 9-1 Monica Sanchez (WEGO)
115 Lainey Ehler (Oakwood/Salt Fork) F 5:03 Sherylin Garcia (Palatine)
120 Yurithdzy Vilchis (Prairie C) F 0:42 Kate Wochner (Oakwood/Salt Fork)
125 Karolina Konopka (Glenbard W) MD 13-0 Anaya Campbell (Bolingbrook)
130 Izabel Barrera (Joliet C) MD 15-1 Hala Salem (D 230)
135 Talah Hamed (D 230) F 0:31 Maelyn Chromcak (Bolingbrook)
140 Rylee Hernandez (Tinley Park) F 3:29 Amanda Lezama (Bolingbrook)
145 Maren Minarcik (W Aurora) F 2:26 Diamond Schield (Bartlett)
155 Leilani Robles (Joliet C) F 3:13 Evelyn Castro (Palatine)
170 Olivia Halminiak (WEGO) F 3:07 Tiffany Manungu (W Aurora)
190 Weni Koudi (WEGO) F 2:08 Aliyah Mendoza (D 230)
235 Brianna McCormick (Lisle) D 4-0 Milan Aldana (Joliet C)