We’re at Schaumburg High School for day two of an IHSA Girls Wrestling Sectional! Naperville area competitors are looking to punch their ticket down to state, which will be held in Bloomington on February 28! This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Waubonsie’s Imani McIntosh competes at the Schaumburg IHSA Girls Wrestling Sectional
Starting with the constellation match at 170 pounds is Batavia’s Emma Abbate putting Waubonsie’s Imani McIntosh onto her back. Abbate holds down on her opponent for a pin as time runs out in the third period, resulting in a 6-0 win for the Bulldog. Huntley’s Natalie Aguirre would go on to beat Abbate in the wrestle backs with Aguirre securing 3rd place over Hoffman Estates Isabella Chiovari.
Two Metea Valley Mustangs get to work and one moves on to the IHSA State Meet
Going to the wrestle backs at 115 pounds, Metea’s Ashley Basmajian swoops in a double leg takedown on Georgia Hay from Lake Zurich. Georgia Hay sprawls on Basmajian to get the points, but the Mustang overpowers her opponent by pushing Hay onto the mat and putting the Bear on her back for the pin. Basmajian forfeits her finals match after hurting her leg, resulting in Schaumburg’s Madyson Meyer taking the 3rd place spot. Basmajian earns the fourth-place finish and a trip down to State! She the first Metea Valley girls wrestler to ever qualify for the IHSA state meet.
Wrestling at 120 pounds for wrestle backs is Metea Valley’s Janiya Moore on top of Glenbard West’s Karolina Konopka. The Hilltopper overpowers the Mustang as Konopka goes for the takedown points, she would go on to win her wrestle back against Moore. Konopka would also secure her third-place spot against Oswego’s Aaliyah Roldan. Moore was named a state alternate and will compete if any 120 pound qualifiers are unable to compete next week.
Dezi Azar becomes the second Naperville Central wrestler to qualify for state
At 125 pounds for wrestle backs, Redhawk Dezi Azar swoops down to pick up the leg of Glenbard West’s Valentina Fantoni. Azar holds onto the Hilltopper’s leg, hopping around to get the takedown points. Azar continues to overpower her opponent throughout the rest of the match as the Redhawk wins this one16-7. Azar automatically qualifies for state after third place finish due to a forfeit from Lemont’s Molly O’Connor. She joins Basmajian as the two Naperville area girls wrestler to make the 2025 IHSA State Meet! Azar is the second Redhawk to ever qualify for state after Ellen Purl last season.
The final match of the day is at 140 pounds. Metea Valley’s Alketa Rosie Picari sprawls on top of Natalie Corona of McHenry. Picari gets her takedown points, but Corona goes for the sit-out and gets the escape point. In the end, Corona gains the upper hand by rolling the Mustang onto her back and sealing the deal with the pin. Picari is also named a state alternate. Corona goes on to secure her third-place spot by forfeit over Fremd’s Llyod Kowalczyk and a trip down to state. The win for the overall sectional meet goes to Schaumburg High School with a score of 96.5.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!