Girls wrestling: Schaumburg ties for sectional title

A year ago, Downers Grove North wrestler Kayleigh Loo had a different vantage point at the Schaumburg Sectional.

Unable to participate in the first regional tournament in IHSA girls wrestling history last year due to an injury, Loo camped out at the upstairs balcony to watch the historic meet unfold.

“I tore my ACL, so I wasn’t able to wrestle last year about halfway in the season,” Loo said. “I was here last year. I sat at the top because there’s always a great view. I felt I could’ve taken half of these girls (last year). I was watching what they were doing, and how I could do it better. It was hard watching because I wanted to be out there.”

Now a senior, Loo had a better view on Saturday at the Schaumburg sectional. Loo (21-0) pinned Maine West’s Lillian Garrett in the second period to capture the 170-pound championship to advance to the state tournament in two weeks.

Even several minutes after her title victory, Loo couldn’t stop smiling at her accomplishment.

“I tried not to go on bottom, try and get her on top of me,” Loo said of her game plan against Garrett. “I kept my head up and took my shots with my arms in. This feels fantastic, all the hours of physical therapy I put in. I put in 100s of hours. It was physically hard. It feels great to be back.”

The top four wrestlers from each of the 14 weight classes advanced to the state tournament. Although there is no team state, host Schaumburg and Lockport tied for first place with 92 points. Hoffman Estates (91) and Andrew (85) rounded out the top four. Batavia placed sixth with 61 points and Downers Grove North ended in ninth with 51.

Glenbard West senior Alycia Perez kicked off the championship round with an impressive 4-2 win over Batavia’s Lily Enos in the 100-pound finals. Perez (31-0) said she started believing she could make state at the start of the season due to her hard work in the offseason.

“I was just focused on my offense, tried to take my shots because that’s how you win,” Perez said. “Last year I didn’t make state, so this is a really big moment for me. I had some really good competition today, so I’m surprised I made it through. I definitely could’ve taken more shots today, and be more offensive.”

Glenbard East sophomore Nadia Shymkiv (18-0) had a stunning reversal in her match, turning a slim deficit around by pinning Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter in the second period to win at 105.

“I was scared when I got put on my back, but I fought hard to get off,” Shymkiv said. “My coaches inspired me because they believed in me. I knew I needed to be aggressive and try to pin her. I was relieved when I heard the referee call the pin.”

Batavia senior Sydney Perry (37-0) entered the sectional as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the country. She made a big statement on the mat, impressing the large crowd by handling Fenton’s Yamile Penaloza (34-1) her first defeat of the season via first-period pin at 145 pounds.

“I just practiced my shots and learning positions and tried to stay into it,” Perez said. “I have the same mindset as last year, excited to be done with the high school season and get ready for world team trials and all the great national tournaments that are coming up.”

Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr (25-3) placed second at 155 pounds to punch her ticket to the state tournament. Montini’s Kat Bell (23-6) placed fourth (100) to advance, while Riverside-Brookfield’s Eleanor Aphay also is headed to state at 125. Wheaton Warrenville South’s Star Duncan won her third-place match to seal her state trip at 115.

Glenbard North junior Gabby Gomez leaped up and down and screamed with delight after the 120-pound championship match.

But Gomez had wrestled and won her own 115 match moments earlier. Her joy was for her training partner, Hoffman Estates junior Sophia Ball, who also just won her title by a pin.

The two trained together over the summer and neither has lost a match this season. Both will be top seeds at the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Tournament Friday, Feb. 23 and Saturday, Feb. 24 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

Gomez (35-0) pinned Andrew’s Sophia Figueroa in 4:52 after spending the first two periods taking her down and letting her up.

Panthers coach Chris Edwards said Gomez already shattered North’s school record for takedowns, which was her own.

“She’s real focused, she’s an energetic wrestler,” Edwards said. “She’s in better shape than anybody, she can just keep going like the Energizer Bunny. One of the things you hear coaches talk about in wrestling is breaking your opponent. She’s good at it.”

Gomez will defend her 115 state title in two weeks.

“I knew (Figueroa) was going to be a tough competitor,” Gomez said. “I wanted to keep my composure and try new things. Right now I really wanted to practice my top work. I think it’s getting a little bit better. Not letting the crowd rile me up too much.”

Ball (24-0) had a rough start to her season when she suffered a concussion in the first practice and missed a month-and-a-half. She pinned West Aurora’s Aiyanah Sylvester in 1:44 for the title.

“It’s been pretty weird. I was really mad and I was also sad because I just wanted to wrestle,” Ball said. “I just rested and worked out in the gym and then started to get back on the mat. After five or six matches, my conditioning started to build back up

“Last year I took fifth at 120. I feel like I’m definitely a lot better this year. I was training all summer with Gabby and her dad. It helped me a lot. She really helped me, she always showed me technique when I didn’t get it. Warming up with her today was really nice.”

Schaumburg’s Madeline Zerafa-Lazarevic (140) and Val Rodriguez (155) won titles.

Rodriguez’s main goal is making Saxons’ school history.

“It’s my senior year I’m giving it everything I have,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t want to leave Schaumburg High School without winning state. I want to leave something behind for my girls and my coach.

“I’m more zoned in and focused on my goal, focused on what I want to do. I want to clear my head and zone in and make sure I’m ready.”

She celebrated with Zerafa-Lazarevic, who had won a few minutes earlier.

“She’s hard-working, she’s one of the best people I know. On our team she’s done so much for us,” Rodriguez said.

Fenton’s Yamile Penaloza (34-1) suffered her first loss to Batavia’s Sydney Perry (37-0) in a battle of unbeaten wrestlers for the 145 title.

“It was a really good tournament, it was pretty tough,” Penaloza said. “I’ve been putting the work in so hopefully at state I can do so much better.

“It was tough (to take a loss), but I feel like it’s going to motivate me to do much better in practice and work harder.”

Other sectional championships went to Bartlett’s Lilly White (125), Downers Grove North’s Kayleigh Loo (170), Wheeling’s Jasmine Rene (190) and Oak Park-River Forest’s Sarah Epshtein (235).

Hoffman Estates qualified Abigail Ji (125), Emmylina O’Brien (135) and Anjali Gonzalez (235).

Huntley is sending Janiah Slaughter (105) and Aubrie Rohrbacher (130) to state.

Along with White at 125, Bartlett qualified Emma Engels (110) and Angie Carpintero (115).

Other state qualifiers were as follows: Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth (110), Wheaton-Warrenville South’s Star Duncan (115), Addison Trail’s Nina Matthews (120), Naperville Central’s Ellen Purl (120), Schaumburg’s Madyson Meyer (125), Conant’s Jasmine Zavaleta (135), Riverside-Brookfield’s Eleanor Aphay (125), Prospect’s Viola Pianetto (130), Wheeling’s

Elise Burkut (130), Elmwood Park’s Rose Craig (135), Downers Grove North’s Natalia Cruz (145), Maine West’s Lillian Garrett (170), Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr (155), Fenton’s Sophia Sosa (155), West Chicago’s Jayden Huesca (190) and OPRF’s Trinity White (190)