Minooka, Granite City have two champions at IWCOA Girls Open Championships

By Curt Herron – for the IWCOA

Much as the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s Boys Freshman/Sophomore State Championships has served as a second-chance for boys who missed out on qualifying for the IHSA Individual Finals for nearly three decades, the IWCOA Girls Open Championships now has a similar role after being a catalyst for the foundation for the young sport’s IHSA Individual Finals series, which capped its third season with many significant accomplishments as well as a tremendous amount of enthusiasm due to the explosive early growth of the sport.

A total of 301 girls met to determine the 15 champions and the 120 medal winners who finished in eighth-place or better. Any individual who had competed at the eight sectional sites, Evanston Township, Granite City, Heyworth, Lake Zurich, Naperville Central, Shepard, Sterling and Thornton Township, could participate in the two-day event at Bank of Springfield Center.

Among the eight IWCOA Sectionals, Thornton Township produced the most state champions with five. They were Minooka seniors Bella Cyrkiel (145) and Abbey Boersma (155), Romeoville sophomore Daniela Santander (95), Seneca/Plainfield Central senior Courtni Chuway (110) and Homewood-Flossmoor junior Nina Hamm (120).

Other champions who also won IWCOA sectionals were Sherrard senior Brianna Bynum (135) and  Sycamore freshman Jasmine Enriquez (235) at Sterling, Dundee-Crown junior Diamond Rodriguez (100) at Lake Zurich, Centennial freshman Ava Beldo (115) at Heyworth, Proviso West freshman Tierra Hardin (125) at Evanston Township and West Aurora junior Brittney Moran (190) at Naperville Central.

Granite City’s two champions, sophomore Ma’Kayla Bonner (105) and freshman Audrey Barnes (130), did not win titles at their own sectional with Barnes and Bonner taking second. Along with Minooka’s two champions, seniors Bella Cyrkiel (145) and Abbey Boersma (155), this is the first time since the initial tournament in 2017 that two athletes from two schools won four of titles. 

Bloomington sophomore Alicia Swank (140) also didn’t win an IWCOA Sectional title, finishing second at Heyworth. And Palatine junior Sabrina Cargill (170) also went from taking second at the Lake Zurich Sectional to a title winner in Springfield. Cyrkiel and Swank won IWCOA Girls Open Championships for the second year in a row, at the same weights as they did in 2023. They join seven other individuals who have won two or more titles in the competition.

Second-place finishers in the IWCOA Girls Open were Canton freshman LT Diephuis (95), Curie Metropolitan sophomore Giselle Arambula (100), Wauconda senior Lilliana Aly (105), Edwardsville junior Gianna Linhorst (110), Neuqua Valley senior Veronika Arabova (115), Kaneland junior Dyani Torres (120), Addison Trail sophomore Brithany Mondragan (125) and Shepard senior Stacey Massey (130).

Other IWCOA Girls Open Championships runners-up were Geneseo senior Gia Ritter (135), Plainfield North freshman Viktoriia Rodnikova (140), Oswego freshman Makayla Hill (145), Oswego East junior Jessica Stover (155), Bloom Township junior Kinnidi Riley (170), Fremd junior Jazz Ocampo (190) and Palatine freshman Monika Irazoque (235).

All of the finalists but four of the second-place finishers advanced to the IHSA sectionals. The four second-place finishers who did not advance from their regional were Addison Trail’s Mondragon, Oswego East’s Stover, Palatine’s Irazoque and Bloom Township’s Riley, with the latter not being able to qualify from a boys regional.

Five of the champions and six runners-up saw their IHSA seasons conclude at the rugged Schaumburg Sectional. Six of the title winners and three second-place finishers missed out on trips to state at the Geneseo Sectional. Three champions and one runner-up were eliminated at the Richwoods Sectional while one title winner and one second-place finisher saw their hopes dashed at the Evanston Township Sectional.

The Southwest Prairie Conference prides itself as one of the top conferences in the sport and the 10-team league from the southwest suburbs dominated the field at the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s Girls Open Championships as it had five individuals who competed in the SPC Tournament who won titles and three others who took second place. 

The SPC stood out in consecutive weight classes, 145 and 155, with all four of the finalists being from the Southwest Prairie Conference. Of the conference’s eight finalists, five were SPC champions and two took second place. Santander (95), Chuway (110), Cyrkiel (145) and Moran (190) all won titles in both the IWCOA Girls Open and in their conference.

Boersma (155), who took fourth in the SPC, won the IWCOA title at 155. Rodnikova (140), who won the SPC title, took second. Hill (145) and Stover (155) took second place in both the 

IWCOA Open Championships and in the SPC meet. 

The Southwest Prairie Conference finished with 12 medal winners while the Mid-Suburban League had 10 individuals who were medalists for top-eight finishes.

Belleville West had consecutive champions in the inaugural Girls Open Championships in 2017, Kaylee Foster (146) and Brooke Holt (156). Relentless Pursuit also had two champions in 2017’s debut Open, Riverside-Brookfield’s Jelitza Cortes (96) and Amanda Martinez (136) and Relentless Pursuit also had two title winners in 2018, but they were from different schools.

Swank and Cyrkiel join seven others who won two or more IWCOA Girls Open Championships. El Paso-Gridley’s Gabrielle Hamilton (191 in 2017 and 2018, 180 in 2019) won three titles while Vandalia’s Morgan Dothager (101), Belvidere’s Mia Rodriguez (111) and Jacksonville’s Jocelyn Murphy (117) took firsts in 2017 and 2018. The other two-time champions in the competition are East Peoria’s Randi Robison (122 in 2017, 132 in 2019), Stevenson’s Sara Sulejmani (145 in 2019, 138 in 2021) and Lanphier’s Ella Miloncus (105 in 2022, 110 in 2023).

Geneseo and Schaumburg both had four medal winners to lead all schools. Others that had three medalists included Lincoln-Way Central, Morris, Oswego, Shepard and Wheaton North.

Schools that had the most participants included Shepard (10), Batavia (7), Schaumburg (7), Maine East (6), Oswego (6), Rickover Naval Academy (6), Geneseo (5), Kankakee (5), Larkin (5), Lincoln-Way Central (5) and Metea Valley (5).

Here’s a look at the 15 champions and the other medalists from the 2024 Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s Girls Open Championships:

95 – Daniela Santander, Romeoville

After falling one win shy of earning a trip to state from the the tough Schaumburg Sectional to conclude a 28-8 sophomore season, Romeoville’s Daniela Santander was looking for a better  way to close things out and found it at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships when she won the title at 95 by recording a fall at 4:07 over Canton’s LT Diephuis. Santander, the only medalist of the three individuals the Spartans had at the tournament, recorded two-straight falls, including one in 1:53 over New Trier’s Sunny Aitzemkour in the quarterfinals, before winning a 12-4 major decision over East Peoria’s Abella Brown in the semifinals.

Canton freshman LT Diephuis concluded a 10-16 season at the Geneseo Sectional and likely

felt much better after winning three-straight matches by fall to advance to the 95 title match at the IWCOA Girls Open. The top finisher of two medal winners and one of three Little Giants who competed in the tournament, she recorded a fall in 3:34 over Naperville Central’s Annika Hull in the semifinals to earn her spot in the finals. For third place, Triad’s Claire Crouch won by fall in 2:49 over Naperville Central’s Annika Hull. In the fifth-place match, Wheaton North’s Izzy Paz captured a 6-4 decision over East Peoria’s Abella Brown. And for seventh place, Curie Metropolitan’s Melani Martinez won with a pin in 4:25 over New Trier’s Sunny Aitzemkour.

100 – Diamond Rodriguez, Dundee-Crown

Dundee-Crown junior Diamond Rodriguez joined many other competitors who knew that they were good enough to qualify for the IHSA Individual Finals but were unable to get there as the result of competing in the Schaumburg Sectional. But she was able to get some consolation after closing out a 28-5 season by capturing top honors at 100 at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships when she won by fall in 0:41 over Curie Metropolitan’s Giselle Arambula. Rodriguez, who was eliminated in the sectional by the IWCOA’s 95 champion, Romeoville’s 

Daniela Santander, was one of two champions for the Chargers in Springfield, with Teigen Moreno winning the IWCOA Frosh/Soph Boys title at 215. Rodriguez pinned her way to the title with four falls, with three of those ending in the first period, including in 1:54 over TF South’s Dakodia Kelly in the quarterfinals. She won by fall in 4:29 over Lincoln-Way Central’s Emily Peyton in the semifinals.

“Honestly, my second match was harder, but this was exhausting,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of these girls were pretty tough so I was really glad that I was able to win this. (At the Schaumburg Sectional) I actually lost 6-7 to the girl that was the champion at 95 pounds. I feel like it was cut short for me, maybe if I was in a different sectional I probably could have gone. I’m just glad that I had the opportunity to wrestle here after not competing at state. It was kind of a second opportunity. So even though I didn’t get to state individually, I’m still glad that I got this far.”

Curie Metropolitan sophomore Giselle Arambula lost in both the semifinals and consolation semifinals at the Evanston Township Sectional to fall one win shy of a trip to the IHSA Finals and conclude a 22-7 season. The top finisher of the Condors’ two medalists, she opened with a fall, won a 13-11 decision and then got a pin in 3:43 over Canton’s Shayla Schielein in the semifinals. For third place, Sandwich’s Norah Vick captured a 7-2 decision over Dunlap’s Aerith Adams. In the fifth-place match, Lincoln-Way Central’s Emily Peyton won by fall in 1:43 over Canton’s Shayla Schielein. And Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin’s Gracie Pattison claimed seventh place by medical forfeit over Mt. Vernon’s Lilly Davis.

105 – Ma’Kayla Bonner, Granite City

Granite City’s Ma’Kayla Bonner and Audrey Barnes both came up a bit short of trips to the IHSA Finals at the Richwoods Sectional, so they decided to take part in the IWCOA Girls Open Championships to end things on a better note and they both wound up winning titles with Bonner taking first at 105 and Barnes placing first at 130 to make the Warriors and Minooka the only two schools in the competition that had two title winners. Bonner, a sophomore who went 24-15 this season, took top honors at 105 when she won 6-4 in sudden victory over  Wauconda’s Lilliana Aly. She opened with a fall and then won 10-9 over Westinghouse College Prep’s Kimani Glasper before prevailing 7-5 in sudden victory over Schaumburg’s Justice Girod in the semifinals. 

Wauconda senior Lilliana Aly joined a lot of other quality individuals who were unable to qualify from the rugged Schaumburg Sectional and closed out her final season with a 19-10 record. She opened the IWCOA Girls Open Championships with three-consecutive falls and earned her spot on the title mat by winning an 8-5 decision over Larkin’s Ashley Hammond in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Westinghouse College Prep’s Kimani Glasper claimed an 8-3 decision over Schaumburg’s Justice Girod. For fifth place, Larkin’s Ashley Hammond captured a 13-0 major decision over Rochester’s Carlly Ho. And in the seventh-place match, Morris’ Maggie Gordon recorded a fall in 2:38 over Neuqua Valley’s Sofia Gold.

110 – Courtni Chuway, Seneca

Plainfield Central senior Courtni Chuway lost in both the semifinals and consolation semifinals at the Geneseo Sectional to fall short of a trip to the IHSA Individual Finals by one win as she concluded her high school career with a 29-8 record this season. She decided to compete in the IWCOA Girls Open Championships and did so representing Seneca and that move paid off as she took first place at 110 thanks to a fall in 2:17 over Edwardsville’s Gianna Linhorst in the title match. Chuway won all five of her matches with pins, recording a fall in 2:18 over Stevenson’s Nastasia Kobets and then getting a pin in 1:32 over Burlington Central’s Ruby Vences.

Edwardsville junior Gianna Linhorst, who also came up one victory shy of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the Richwoods Sectional after losing in both the semifinals and consolation semifinals to conclude a 26-11 season, was one of two Tigers who competed in the event and they both won medals. Linhorst opened with a fall and then won decisions in her next three matches, edging Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore 3-2 in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Geneseo’s Lydia King won by fall in 4:28 over Stevenson’s Nastasia Kobets. For fifth place, Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore got a pin in 2:50 over Burlington Central’s Ruby Vences. And in the seventh-place match, Reed-Custer senior Judith Gamboa, who finished in fifth place at 105 in 2023 at the IHSA Individual Finals, recorded a fall in 0:33 over Mascoutah’s Zoey Nelson. 

115 – Ava Beldo, Centennial

Like so many others who competed in the IWCOA Girls state series, Ava Beldo lost in both the semifinals and consolation semifinals of a sectional to miss out on advancing to the IHSA Individual Finals in Bloomington by one win. Centennial freshman Beldo concluded a successful 32-12 debut season when she was unable to qualify from the Richwoods Sectional. Beldo, the Chargers’ lone competitor in the IWCOA Girls Open, recorded falls in all four of her matches. She won the 115 championship with a pin in 1:40 over Neuqua Valley’s Veronika Arabova after reaching the title mat with a fall in 1:35 over Edwardsville’s Alexandra Chong in the semifinals and another pin in 2:34 in the quarterfinals over Mt. Vernon’s Deziare Jones.

“It was very hard to get to state,” Beldo said. “I got a bad pool in the bracket, but everything happens for a reason. And with God, you can do anything. I stumbled down, but coming back to state, I pulled myself back up and won the title and I’m proud of what I’ve done. I am very happy with how I did as a freshman. There’s a lot of good wrestlers at Centennial, and there’s a lot of good seniors that are leaving us like Trevor Schoonover and Ando Beldo, they were really good leaders. It was such a blessing to be able to win this state title as a freshman.”

Neuqua Valley senior Veronika Arabova went 16-4 in her final season but came up one win shy of advancing from the Schaumburg Sectional. One of two medal winners and four individuals in the IWCOA Girls Open for the Wildcats, Arabova recorded four falls to reach the 115 title mat, getting a pin in the semifinals in 0:41 over Kankakee’s Taniyah Sherman, who went on to finish in third place after winning by fall in 3:53 over Edwardsville’s Alexandra Chong. For fifth place, West Aurora’s Lailonie Molina captured a 9-5 decision over Naperville Central’s Gracie Meluch. And in the seventh-place match, Civic Memorial’s Kendall Smith recorded a fall in 1:26 over Morris’ Makensi Martin.

120 – Nina Hamm, Homewood-Flossmoor

One real good indicator of just how difficult it was for girls to advance to the IHSA Individual Finals this season was the fact that two state placewinners from a year ago won titles at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships in Springfield. One of those was Homewood-Flossmoor junior Nina Hamm, who took sixth place at 110 last season at the second IHSA Finals to cap a 31-14 season. Hamm lost in the consolation semifinals in sudden victory at the Evanston Township Sectional to fall one win shy of a trip to state and closed out this season with a 27-11 record. One of four Vikings qualifiers and their lone medalist, Hamm won the 120 title after capturing a 14-4 major decision over Kaneland’s Dyani Torres in the championship match. She opened with two falls, including one in 4:12 in the quarterfinals over Rock Falls’ Ryleigh Eriks before earning her spot on the title mat with a 9-7 win by sudden victory over J. Sterling Morton’s Monica Garcia in the semifinals.

“There’s a lot of work to put in because this is such a physically exhausting sport,” Hamm said. “We didn’t really have consistent practices and also the girls that didn’t make it along the way kind of stopped coming to practice, which left me without a partner. And the part about making weight was huge, too, because with the whole week off, it was so hard to maintain your weight.”

Kaneland junior Dyani Torres, who lost in the semifinals of the Geneseo Sectional to eventual IHSA 120 champion Angelina Cassioppi and again the consolation semifinals to fall short of advancing to the IHSA Finals to end a 39-10 season, was one of two IWCOA medalists for the Knights, who made history this season by getting their first IHSA champion, freshman Angelina Gochis at 105. Torres got a fall in her first match, won a 4-2 decision over Fenton’s Giselle Castillo in the quarterfinals and earned her spot on the 120 title mat by getting a pin in 2:19 over Morris’ Danica Martin in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Fenton’s Giselle Castillo recorded a fall in 2:22 over Morris’ Danica Martin, For fifth place, Wheaton North’s Ryan Mark was a winner by medical forfeit over J. Sterling Morton’s Monica Garcia. And Rock Falls’ Ryleigh Eriks captured a 6-2 decision over Marion’s Alauni Muex to finish in seventh place.

125 – Tierra Hardin, Proviso West

Like so many others who had the misfortune of trying to claim one of the four qualifying spots at the rugged Schaumburg Sectional, Proviso West freshman Tierra Hardin bounced back from the disappointment of not being able to advance to the IHSA Individual Finals in an otherwise successful 25-5 season by winning the 125 title at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships when she captured a 9-5 decision over Addison Trail’s Brithany Mondragon. One of two individuals who competed for the Panthers and their lone medal winner, Hardin recorded falls in her first three matches, including one in 1:55 over Wilmington’s Ava Cupples in the quarterfinals before she captured a 10-2 major decision over Shepard’s Mila Rocush in the semifinals.

Addison Trail sophomore Brithany Mondragon went 20-10 this season but was unable to even compete in the Schaumburg Sectional after failing to advance from the Conant Regional. So finishing in second place in the IWCOA Girls Open was obviously a great way to see her season conclude. She opened with a fall before capturing a 4-2 decision in the quarterfinals over J. Sterling Morton’s Sofia Petronijevic and earned her spot on the 125 title mat with a 2-0 decision over Durand’s Evie Anderson in the semifinals. For third place, Somonauk’s Rylie Donahue won a 9-4 decision over Shepard’s Mila Rocush. In the fifth-place match, J. Sterling Morton’s Sofia Petronijevic was a 6-1 victor over Durand’s Evie Anderson. And for seventh, Stevenson’s Karina Lojowski won by fall in 0:42 over Charleston’s Morgan Krone-Smallhorn.

130 – Audrey Barnes, Granite City

Audrey Barnesmade it 2-for-2 for Granite City as it became one of two teams with two title winners in the IWCOA Girls Open Championships, with Minooka the other, when Barnes won the 130 title by recording a fall in 3:42 over Shepard’s Stacey Massey to add to the earlier championship at 105 that was claimed by teammate Ma’Kayla Bonner. Barnes, a freshman who went 22-13 this season and fell one victory short of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the Richwoods Sectional, was one of three qualifiers and two champs for the Warriors. She got falls in her other three matches, including in 2:53 over Schaumburg’s Sharon Olorunfemi in the quarterfinals and in 2:41 over Glenwood’s Isabella Resendez in the semifinals.

Shepard senior Stacey Massey was the top finisher of her team’s 10 participants and three medalists with her second-place showing. She concluded her final season with a 19-8 record after being unable to advance to the IHSA Finals from the challenging Schaumburg Sectional. Massey opened with a 9-2 win before recording falls in her next two matches, winning in 1:36 over Batavia’s Anabelle Guthke in the quarterfinals and in 0:56 over O’Fallon’s Scarlett Gentille in the semifinals. In the third-place match, O’Fallon’s Scarlett Gentille won by fall in 0:40 over Glenwood’s Isabella Resendez. For fifth place, Ottawa Township’s Ava Weatherford got a pin in 2:57 over Schaumburg’s Sharon Olorunfemi. And in the seventh-place match, Glenbard East’s Maria Green captured a 7-6 decision over Lincoln-Way Central’s Eleanor Giertuga.

135 – Brianna Bynum, Sherrard

Brianna Bynum made history in 2022 when she finished sixth at 125 to become Sherrard’s first all-stater at the inaugural IHSA Individual Finals to highlight her sophomore season. As a senior, she was hoping to close her career with another state medal this season but came up one win shy of advancing from the Geneseo Sectional after falling in both the semifinals and consolation semifinals to finish with a 21-13 record. But the lone qualifier for the Tigers hoped to end things on a more positive note and she did just that by winning the 135 title at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships when she captured a 12-0 major decision over Geneseo’s Gia Ritter. Bynum won her other three matches by fall, getting a pin in 0:39 over Oswego’s Ameera Murphy in the quarterfinals and a win by fall in 1:43 over Buffalo Grove’s Christina Marogy in the semifinals.

“I fell short (at the Geneseo Sectional) and I wasn’t going to come here, but my coach convinced me and I’m really happy that I did,” Bynum said. “I worked with the other girl that was on my team (Nadia Anderson), who went to IHSA State. I definitely made history for Sherrard and I’m very happy that I did. I first started wrestling when the first IHSA (tournament) came out, so the difference between then and now is huge. And everyone loves each other and they’re supportive and I really like the community.”

Geneseo senior Gia Ritter also fell a bit short of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the sectional that her school hosted to close out her career with a 30-11 season. She was the best finisher among four medalists for the Maple Leafs, who tied Schaumburg for the most placewinners. Ritter earned her spot in the IWCOA Girls Open 135 title match with a 9-3 win over Batavia’s Amelia Howell in the semifinals. She opened with a fall and claimed a 9-0 major decision over Freeburg’s Aubrey Raban in the quarterfinals. In the third-place match, Buffalo Grove’s Christina Marogy prevailed 2-0 in sudden victory over Batavia’s Amelia Howell. For fifth place, Hillcrest’s Christiara Finley won by fall in 3:32 over East Aurora’s Britany Chavarria. And St. Joseph-Ogden’s Maddie Wells took seventh by claiming a 6-3 win over Oswego’s Ameera Murphy.

140 – Alicia Swank, Bloomington

Alicia Swank enjoyed winning the 140 title at the 2023 IWCOA Girls Open Championships in Springfield so the Bloomington sophomore decided to give it another try after falling a bit short of advancing to the IHSA Finals from the Geneseo Sectional when she lost in her final match to the eventual IWCOA 145 champion, Minooka’s Bella Cyrkiel, to conclude a 19-10 sophomore season. Swank, one of two qualifiers and the lone medalist for the Purple Raiders, won her second-straight title in the competition when she captured a 6-3 decision over Plainfield North’s Viktoriia Rodnikova in the 140 championship match. She won all of her other three matches by fall, getting a pin in 4:40 over St. Charles East’s Addison Wolf in the quarterfinals and winning by fall in 1:49 over Oak Park and River Forest’s Isabella Miller in the semifinals.

“The sectional was really fun but my sectional was also really hard,” Swank said. “The two weeks gave us more time to get ready for it but it also had us in and out of it and I know that some girls had trouble making the weight. I remember last year when there were maybe six girls in my bracket and there’s 18 of us this year. I’ve seen girls for the past year or two, and then there are a bunch of freshmen who are coming up to high school and getting into it or some of the juniors and seniors who want to do something in their last years in high school.”  

Plainfield North freshman Viktoriia Rodnikova came up a bit short of qualifying for the IHSA Finals from the rugged Schaumburg Sectional to conclude a 21-4 debut season. The Tigers’ lone qualifier for the IWCOA Girls Open Championship, she recorded falls in her first three matches, winning in 1:50 in the quarterfinals over Hoffman Estates’ Liriana Rakoci before getting a pin in 4:14 in the semifinals over Normal West’s Vivian Guither. For third place, Vandalia’s Brynn Swyers captured a 17-5 major decision over Lincoln-Way Centrral’s Bailey Mitchell. In the fifth-place match, Normal West’s Vivian Guither recorded a fall in 3:44 over Oak Park and River Forest’s Isabella Miller. And for seventh place, St. Charles East’s Addison Wolf claimed an 8-6 decision over Hoffman Estates’ Liriana Rakoci.

145 – Bella Cyrkiel, Minooka

Minooka’s Bella Cyrkiel and Oswego’s Makayla Hill were well aware of each other since they 

met for the Southwest Prairie Conference championship with senior Cyrkiel winning a 5-0 decision over freshman Hill in the 145 finals. The two faced off again at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships for the 145 title and Cyrkiel won another decision by five points, this time by a 6-1 score, to give the Indians two champions in the competition as Abbey Boersma, the Indians’ other qualifier, followed with a first-place finish at 155 in another matchup of SPC competitors. Cyrkiel, who also won the the 145 title at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships in 2023, went 36-6 this season after falling one win shy of a trip to the IHSA Finals from the Geneseo Sectional, was one of five individuals from her conference who won IWCOA titles as well as one of eight finalists and 12 medalists. She opened with three falls, winning in 0:57 over Hoffman Estates’ Nikki Hubbard in the quarterfinals before getting a pin in 1:57 over Lake Park’s Joscelin Ritthamel. With Granite City also having two champions, this was the first time since the initial Girls Open in 2017 that a school had two title winners and that two teams pulled off that feat.

“I had a tough loss there, so this is part of my redemption coming back,” Cyrkiel said of her loss in the Geneseo Sectional. “We have great coaches and a great program and it keeps getting better and better. We have a lot of good competition and that helps us get better.”

Oswego freshman Makayla Hill came up a bit short of qualifying for a trip to the IHSA Finals at the Schaumburg Sectional as she closed out a 31-8 season. One of six qualifiers and the top-finisher of three medalists for the Panthers, Hill followed a pin with a 5-0 decision over Jersey Community’s Rory Speidel in the quarterfinals and then captured a 16-2 major decision over Unity’s Anna Vasey in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Metea Valley’s Alketa Picari won 4-2 by sudden victory over Lake Park’s Joscelin Ritthamel. For fifth place, Unity’s Anna Vasey won by fall in 4:07 over Woodstock’s Brianna Crown. And in the seventh-place match, Jersey Community’s Rory Speidel claimed a 2-1 decision over Chicago Marshall’s Cecilia Colon.

155 – Abbey Boersma, Minooka

On a day where individuals from Southwest Prairie Conference schools captured five of the 15 titles, senior Abbey Boersma followed in the footsteps of her teammate and 145 champion Bella Cyrkiel to give Minooka two title winners in the IWCOA Girls Open Championships, which made it and Granite City the only schools in the competition with two champions. Boersma, who went 35-13 after falling one win shy of a trip to state from the Geneseo Sectional, which featured the two IHSA Finalists at her weight, was the only one of the five title winners from the SPC who didn’t also win conference. Like Cyrkiel, she faced an SPC opponent in the finals, where she won a 12-6 decision over Oswego East’s Jessica Stover. Boersma opened with a victory by technical fall before getting a pin in 0:55 over Wheeling’s Nikol Orendarchuk in the quarterfinals. She earned her spot on the 155 title mat with a 4-0 decision over Geneseo’s Madelyn Mooney.

“I don’t like how our postseason was spread out with two weeks in between,” Boersma said. “I am so grateful for everything that I’ve gained from wrestling at Minooka. We have the best coaches and Paige Schoolman is the best.The sport has gotten so much tougher.  I think it’s so cool seeing the little girls that are wrestling and I know that by the time that they’re my age, they’re going to be great because I only wrestled for two years.”

Oswego East junior Jessica Stover failed to advance from the Shepard Regional and finished with a 21-7 record. One of two participants in the IWCOA Girls Open and the lone medalist for the Wolves, Stover recorded falls in her first three matches, which included one in 4:21 in the quarterfinals against another individual from her conference, Plainfield East’s Kaitlyn Bucholz, before earning her spot on the 155 title match with a 6-2 decision over Larkin’s Zamaya Taylor, who lost by fall in 3:39 in the third-place match to Geneseo’s Madelyn Mooney. For fifth place, Oak Park and River Forest’s Caliyah Campbell got a pin in 2:30 over Mt. Vernon’s Derika Gradford and in the seventh-place match, two more SPC competitors squared off with Oswego’s Kyiah Chavez getting a fall in 1:30 over Joliet Township’s Noelie Perez-Bedolla.

170 – Sabrina Cargill, Palatine

Sabrina Cargill advanced to the challenging Schaumburg Sectional but was unable to compete in it and finished her junior season with a 24-5 record. So it’s understandable that her title win at 170 in the IWCOA Girls Open Championships was a good way to close things out and she took top honors in impressive fashion, winning all four of her matches by fall, recording a pin in 1:45 over Bloom Township’s Kinnidi Riley for the championship. One of five IWCOA individuals from her team who competed and one of two finalists for the Pirates, Cargill recorded a pin in 1:38 in the quarterfinals over Richwoods’ Sydney Johnson and then earned her spot on the 170 title match after getting a fall in 0:39 over Lake Park’s Paige Washburn in the semifinals.

“I think that I really improved from last year,” Cargill said. “I qualified for IHSA state last year but I didn’t place. The sport is growing so big now and there’s a lot of experience so you really have to buckle up. It’s really surprising that there are a lot of girls that are joining the sport because boys dominated, so it’s good since it shows that women can do any sport that they want. What I like the most about girls wrestling is win or lose, we’re all there for each other. No matter if we’re on a different team, we’re always cheering each other on and saying hi to each other and giving hugs. I see that most boys don’t do that, they’re all too serious. We kind of have a twist to it that makes it serious, but fun at the same time.”

Bloom Township junior Kinnidi Riley didn’t take part in the IHSA girls state series, instead she competed with the boys co-op team for Bloom and Bloom Trail in the Class 3A Rich Township Regional. So it was a big deal that a member of the Blazing Trojans was able to compete for an IWCOA Girls Open Championships title at 170. One of three qualifiers and the lone medalist for Bloom Township, Riley opened with a fall and then won two close decisions, claiming a 9-7 win over Schaumburg’s Alya Razzak in the quarterfinals and edging Urbana’s Franciana Kalanga 1-0 in the semifinals. In the third-place match, Schaumburg’s Alya Razzak got past Richwoods’ Sydney Johnson 2-1 and for fifth, Lake Park’s Paige Washburn claimed a 6-1 decision over Urbana’s Franciana Kalanga. In the seventh-place match, Conant’s Anaelise Aberman won by fall in 4:16 over Batavia’s Caoimhe Mitchell, whose Bulldogs placed third at the IHSA Finals.

190 – Brittney Moran, West Aurora

After placing sixth the past two seasons at 190 in the IHSA Individual Finals, West Aurora’s Brittney Moran was sick while competing in the Schaumburg Sectional, which thwarted her attempt to try to get back to state for the third time and also become one of the 20 individuals who were the first three-time medalists in the tournament. So the junior, who went 28-3 this season with two of her losses coming at the sectional, decided to close out her season on a more positive note and she did that by winning the IWCOA Girls Open Championships at 190 when she recorded a fall in 1:42 over Fremd’s Jazz Ocampo. One of three individuals who competed in the event and the best finisher among two medalists for the Blackhawks, Moran won all three of her matches with pins, needing 0:56 to beat Highland’s Sophia Elkins in the quarterfinals and won in 2:45 in the semifinals over Schaumburg’s Nadia Razzak, who ended her season at the Schaumburg Sectional and denied her of a third trip to the IHSA Finals.

“It was difficult,” Moran said. “I got sick and everything and I didn’t wrestle my best (at the sectional). This actually kind of helps me a little because I beat one of the girls that beat me. This year was difficult, for sure, but I honestly feel like that’s a good thing because the sport is growing.  I just wish that they would separate from the guys’ teams to just the girls and they should add classes, too.”

Fremd junior Jazz Ocampo went 24-12 this season and finished one win shy of a state trip from the Schaumburg Sectional. Ocampo, the only qualifier for the Vikings, won narrow decisions in her first two matches, prevailing 5-2 over Robinson’s Shyiema Poole in the quarterfinals and edging Kaneland’s Sadie Kinsella 2-1 in the semifinals to earn her spot on the 190 title mat. Schaumburg’s Nadia Razzak took third place after winning by fall in 2:08 over Kaneland’s Sadie Kinsella. For fifth place, Robinson’s Khyiema Poole recorded a pin in 1:19 over Maine East’s Angelica Wszolek. And for seventh place, Rickover Naval Academy’s Julia Augello won by fall in 2:16 over Highland’s Sophia Elkins. 

235 – Jasmine Enriquez, Sycamore

After falling just short against the eventual IHSA 235 champion, Prairie Central’s Chloe Hoselton, in the consolation semifinals of the Geneseo Sectional, Sycamore’s Jasmine Enriquez wanted to show that she could also finish on top of the awards stand when she was able to compete again at the IWCOA Girls Open Championships, and that’s just what she did by winning the 235 title by fall in 1:55 over Palatine’s Monika Irazoque. Enriquez, a freshman who went 6-5 this season and was the lone entrant for the Spartans, won her other two matches with pins, recording one in 1:26 over Shepard’s Kassandra Lee in the quarterfinals and earning her spot on the 235 title mat with a fall in 3:56 over Fenton’s Ariana Solideo.

Palatine freshman Monika Irazoque, who failed to advance from the Conant Regional in the IHSA series, was a real success story for the IWCOA Girls Open Championships since she won twice in Springfield, which was how many wins she had after going 0-2 in the regional. She recorded a fall in 2:08 over Geneseo’s Aislan Leetch in the quarterfinals and joined 170 champion Sabrina Cargill as a finalist for the Pirates after getting a pin in 0:27 over Maine East’s Lyric Walton, who went on to finish in third place following her win by fall in 1:49 over Glenbard North’s Asreilla Wallace. In the fifth place match, Fenton’s Ariana Solideo recorded a pin in 2:35 over Wheaton North’s Iana Victory. And for seventh place, Geneseo’s Aislan Leetch was a winner by fall in 1:51 over Shepard’s Kassandra Lee.

Championship matches
 95 – Daniela Santander (Romeoville) won by fall over LT Diephuis (Canton) Fall 4:07
100 – Diamond Rodriguez (Dundee-Crown) won by fall over Giselle Arambula (Curie Metropolitan) Fall 0:41
105 – Ma`Kayla Bonner (Granite City) won in sudden victory over Lilliana Aly (Wauconda) SV 6-4
110 – Courtni Chuway (Seneca) won by fall over Gianna Linhorst (Edwardsville) Fall 2:17
115 – Ava Beldo (Centennial) won by fall over Veronika Arabova (Neuqua Valley) Fall 1:40
120 – Nina Hamm (Homewood-Flossmoor) won by major decision over Dyani Torres (Kaneland) Maj 14-4
125 – Tierra Hardin (Proviso West) won by decision over Brithany Mondragon (Addison Trail) Dec 9-5
130 – Audrey Barnes (Granite City) won by fall over Stacey Massey (Shepard) Fall 3:42
135 – Brianna Bynum (Sherrard) won by major decision over Gia Ritter (Geneseo) Maj 12-0
140 – Alicia Swank (Bloomington) won by decision over Viktoriia Rodnikova (Plainfield North) Dec 6-3
145 – Bella Cyrkiel (Minooka) won by decision over Makayla Hill (Oswego) Dec 6-1
155 – Abbey Boersma (Minooka) won by decision over Jessica Stover (Oswego East) Dec 12-6
170 – Sabrina Cargill (Palatine) won by fall over Kinnidi Riley (Bloom Township) Fall 1:45
190 – Brittney Moran (West Aurora) won by fall over Jazz Ocampo (Fremd) Fall 1:42
235 – Jasmine Enriquez (Sycamore) won by fall over Monika Irazoque (Palatine) Fall 1:55

Third-Place Matches
 95 – Claire Crouch (Triad) won by fall over Annika Hull (Naperville Central) Fall 2:49
100 – Norah Vick (Sandwich) won by decision over Aerith Adams (Dunlap) Dec 7-2
105 – Kimani Glasper (Westinghouse) won by decision over Justice Girod (Schaumburg) Dec 8-3
110 – Lydia King (Geneseo) won by fall over Nastasia Kobets (Stevenson) Fall 4:28
115 – Taniyah Sherman (Kankakee) won by fall over Alexandra Chong (Edwardsville) Fall 3:53
120 – Giselle Castillo (Fenton) won by fall over Danica Martin (Morris) Fall 2:22
125 – Rylie Donahue (Somonauk) won by decision over Mila Rocush (Shepard) Dec 9-4
130 – Scarlett Gentille (O`Fallon) won by fall over Isabella `Izzy` Resendez (Glenwood) Fall 0:40
135 – Christina Marogy (Buffalo Grove) won in sudden victory over Amelia Howell (Batavia) SV 2-0
140 – Brynn Swyers (Vandalia) won by major decision over Bailey Mitchell (Lincoln-Way Central) Maj 17-5
145 – Alketa Picari (Metea Valley) won in sudden victory over Joscelin Ritthamel (Lake Park) SV 4-2
155 – Madelyn Mooney (Geneseo) won by fall over Zamaya Taylor (Larkin) Fall 3:39
170 – Alya Razzak (Schaumburg) won by decision over Sydney Johnson (Richwoods) Dec 2-1
190 – Nadia Razzak (Schaumburg) won by fall over Sadie Kinsella (Kaneland) Fall 2:08
235 – Lyric Walton (Maine East) won by fall over Asreilla Wallace (Glenbard North) Fall 1:49

Fifth-Place Matches
 95 – Izzy Paz (Wheaton North) won by decision over Abella Brown (East Peoria) Dec 6-4
100 – Emily Peyton (Lincoln-Way Central) won by fall over Shayla Schielein (Canton) Fall 1:43
105 – Ashley Hammond (Larkin) won by major decision over Carlly Ho (Rochester) Maj 13-0
110 – Janiya Moore (Metea Valley) won by fall over Ruby Vences (Burlington Central) Fall 2:50
115 – Lailonie Molina (West Aurora) won by decision over Gracie Meluch (Naperville Central) Dec 9-5
120 – Ryan Mark (Wheaton North) won by medical forfeit over Monica Garcia (J. Sterling Morton) MFF
125 – Sofia Petronijevic (J. Sterling Morton) won by decision over Evie Anderson (Durand) Dec 6-1
130 – Ava Weatherford (Ottawa Township) won by fall over Sharon Olorunfemi (Schaumburg) Fall 2:57
135 – Christiara Finley (Hillcrest) won by fall over Britany Chavarria (East Aurora) Fall 3:32
140 – Vivian Guither (Normal West) won by fall over Isabella Miller (Oak Park and River Forest) Fall 3:44
145 – Anna Vasey (Unity) won by fall over Brianna Crown (Woodstock) Fall 4:07
155 – Caliyah Campbell (Oak Park and River Forest) won by fall over Derika Gradford (Mt. Vernon) Fall 2:30
170 – Paige Washburn (Lake Park) won by decision over Franciana Kalanga (Urbana) Dec 6-1
190 – Khyiema Poole (Robinson) won by fall over Angelica Wszolek (Maine East) Fall 1:19
235 – Ariana Solideo (Fenton) won by fall over Iana Victory (Wheaton North) Fall 2:35

Seventh-Place Matches
 95 – Melani Martinez (Curie Metropolitan) won by fall over Sunny Aitzemkour (New Trier) Fall 4:25
100 – Gracie Pattison (Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin) won by medical forfeit over Lilly Davis (Mt. Vernon) MFF
105 – Maggie Gordon (Morris) won by fall over Sofia Gold (Neuqua Valley) Fall 2:38
110 – Judith Gamboa (Reed-Custer) won by fall over Zoey Nelson (Mascoutah) Fall 0:33
115 – Kendall Smith (Civic Memorial) won by fall over Makensi Martin (Morris) Fall 1:26
120 – Ryleigh Eriks (Rock Falls) won by decision over Alauni Muex (Marion) Dec 6-2
125 – Karina Lojowski (Stevenson) won by fall over Morgan Krone-Smallhorn (Charleston) Fall 0:42
130 – Maria Green (Glenbard East) won by decision over Eleanor Giertuga (Lincoln-Way Central) Dec 7-6
135 – Maddie Wells (St. Joseph-Ogden) won by decision over Ameera Murphy (Oswego) Dec 6-3
140 – Addison Wolf (St. Charles East) won by decision over Liriana Rakoci (Hoffman Estates) Dec 8-6
145 – Rory Speidel (Jersey Community) won by decision over Cecilia Colon (Chicago Marshall) Dec 2-1
155 – Kyiah Chavez (Oswego) won by fall over Noelie Perez-Bedolla (Joliet Township) Fall 1:30
170 – Anaelise Aberman (Conant) won by fall over Caoimhe Mitchell (Batavia) Fall 4:16
190 – Julia Augello (Rickover Naval Academy) won by fall over Sophia Elkins (Highland) Fall 2:16
235 – Aislan Leetch (Geneseo) won by fall over Kassandra Lee (Shepard) Fall 1:51