Champaign Central, Oakwood, St. Joseph-Ogden, Unity and Urbana will all be represented at the state meet. Several wrestlers captured titles or placed high to secure advancement.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Urbana's Lily Disanto pins Lockport's Rebekah Ramirez during their first-round 235-pound match on Friday, February 28, 2025, on her way to a fourth-place finish at state her junior year. The senior returns to Grossinger Motors Arena for another shot at a state title.
VIRDEN - Nine area wrestlers are headed to the state stage after qualifying at sectional competition, earning berths in the Illinois High School Association Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals set for Feb. 27-28 in Bloomington at Grossinger Motors Arena. The group represents programs from Champaign Central High School, Oakwood High School, St. Joseph-Ogden High School, Unity High School and Urbana High School, with each wrestler navigating a deep postseason bracket to extend her season. At Champaign Central, sophomore Iy'Jah Grant advanced at 170 pounds after battling through the consolation side of the bracket. Grant rebounded from a loss to Granite City’s Demi Barnes, pinning Mahomet-Seymour’s Weitekamp at 4:37 to secure her state berth. She later defaulted due to injury during her bid for third place, but her earlier win guaranteed a spot in Bloomington. Oakwood will be represented by two qualifiers. Freshman Kate Wochner earned a state bid at 115 pounds, while senior Taylor Owens captured the 155-pound sectional title. Owens, the No. 3 seed, defeated Addison Mabry of Benton and Nahima Mateo of Murphysboro before her opponent could not continue in the championship match’s second period.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Spartans' Maddie Wells, wrestles Mother Mcauley's Maggie Zuber at last year's state championships. Wells is another area grappler hoping to medal at this year's state tournament.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Urbana's Rickasia Ivy wrestles Lincoln-Way Central's Ella Giertuga in their state first-round consolation match 2025. Ivy, who recently earned her 100th win, qualified for her third trip to state after earning the 155 pound title at the North Mac sectional tournament on Saturday. Stronger and better technically, Ivy is heavily favored to finish in the top three.
Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks
Phoenix Molina is declared winner after pinning Moline's Kirsten Kpoto in their 235 pound match in 2025. Molina qualified for her fourth state appearance on Saturday, celebrating the win with the sectional champion title.
