Girls wrestling: Warren, Huntley, Batavia win regional championships
Warren led start-to-finish to claim its second major title of the season Saturday with the Blue Devils lifting the championship trophy at the Round Lake regional.
Erin Bush, the 170-pound champion, will lead eight of her teammates into the New Trier sectional in two weeks after the Blue Devils amassed 173 points — 54 more than host Round Lake who would edge third-place New Trier and its 116.5 points.
"It was plain and simple a team effort," said Blue Devils coach Nick Grujanac, whose club recently captured the Lake County Invite by a wide margin also.
"It feels good to win a regional title, and to be part of a team that won the team championship as well," said the sophomore Bush (30-7) after she pinned her way to another title which includes a Lake County Invite crown.
The hometown fans would be treated to a pair of individual titles, the first coming when Riley Kongkaeow (40-2) would kick-off the final session in style when her 19-8 major decision over Leah Stringfellow (Glenbrook North, 22-4).
"It means so much to win here at Round Lake," said the junior, who entered the weekend as the No. 5 rated 100-pounder in the state.
Teammate Brianna Perez (30-14) could not believe her day would end as it did after the Panthers junior captured the 130-pound title.
"I've finished third, fourth and fifth this season at tournaments. To finish first, and here at Round Lake, is just too hard to believe," said an ecstatic Perez.
No. 1 Josie Larsen (Lakes, 190, 22-0) continued her remarkable season when the Lakes senior registered her 22nd pin when she needed all of 54 seconds to pin Lake County invite champion Josie Blau (21-17) from Antioch.
"It's all about staying mentally and physically sharp, and just ready for your next opponent," said Larson, No. 2 in the nation currently.
No. 4 Gianna Arzer (39-4) would turn in another magnificent two days of wrestling which ended when the Grayslake Central junior crushed the competition at 125 pounds.
"(That) loss last year that ended my chances at state for a medal provided me with all the motivation needed to make me work harder than I ever have during the offseason," said Arzer, who finished at 37-11 a year ago.
Both Londyn Lloyd (Antioch, 11-10) and Grayslake North sophomore Allison Poole (235) went through some serious soul searching to convince themselves to return this season totally committed to the sport.
Lloyd and Poole, each coming off Lake County championships, would add another to their resume after they dominated their respective weight divisions on their way to the top of the podium.
"I wasn't doing very well at all this season until it all began to click," said Lloyd, after her win at 105,
Poole improved to 22-7.
"There wasn't a lot of success last year for me so I figured the only way things would get better was to totally commit myself to wrestling," said Poole, who after the season will throw the shot put and discus for the Knights.
Hampshire regional
Huntley and Wheeling would chase tournament leading Woodstock for the better part of the two days until Huntley took charge for good in the early afternoon to go on to claim the regional title here on Saturday.
The Red Raiders would celebrate just one individual title from No. 3 Aubrie Rohrbacher (130, 41-7). The champions will send seven to the Schaumburg sectional in two weeks.
The Red Raiders edged runner-up Wheeliing (150-141) while third-place Woodstock finished with 131.5 points.
Wheeling would celebrate a tourney-high three individual championships: Haydee Cruz (100, 31-8), Elise Burkut (32-3), No. 5 at 125 and Krystal Diaz (32-8) who is the No. 9 rated 145-pounder.
The host Whip-Purs, fifth overall behind Dundee-Crown, would see two of its best claim victory: No. 3 Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (115, 30-2) and No. 5 Samantha Diehl (190, 24-4).
The same can be said for No. 5 Viola Pianetto, the Prospect senior who stays perfect at 34-0 after three pins led to a title at 150.
Lillian Garrett (Maine West, 170, 28-4) is now a two-time regional champion as is Dundee-Crown senior Diamond Rodriguez (35-3) who won at 105 pounds.
No. 9 Annalee Aarseth (Crystal Lake South) pinned her way to the 110-pound crown.
Hinsdale South regional
Batavia and Lockport were engaged in a fierce battle Saturday in Darien at the Hinsdale South regional with Batavia closing out the Porters for the top prize by a mere one-half point, 150.5-150.0.
The Bulldogs would advance six into sectionals from this high profile venue, including an individual championship from Anabelle Guthke (145, 33-9).
West Aurora was third (121.0) followed by Glenbard East (112.0) and Oswego (109.5).
The final session of this two-day affair would begin in sensational fashion when No. 3 Kat Bell (Montini, 33-5) would tech-fall No. 2 Lily Enos (39-4) from Batavia in the 100-pound final, which was followed by No. 1 Nadii Shymkiv (29-0) of Glenbard East recording a 15-4 major decision victory over No. 2 Kameyah Young (34-3) from West Aurora.
Later on, Natalia Cruz (Downers Grove North, 33-5) would win at 130; No. 5 Quinn Janssens (Oswego East, 44-3) did the same at 140 pounds.
Jessica Stover (43-5) would join her teammate Janssens atop the podium at 170, with Nadine Spandiary (24-8) adding another title for Glenbard East at 190.
Hinsdale South junior Callie Carr, No. 2 in the state at 155 pounds, produced another sensational two days which would see the Hornet star squash the competition to claim her sixth major title of the season, and second straight regional title.
"Callie is just amazing. She has a goal, and creates a plan to achieve her goal, and it is all through hard work because it is all 24-7 wrestling for her," said Hornets coach Michael Uhlir.
After this weekend, Carr now has 25 pins on the season, and seven technical falls.