Hampshire sent four girls wrestlers to Schaumburg on Saturday seeking qualifying spots in the upcoming IHSA state tournament.

The Whip-Purs went 4 for 4.

Hampshire crowned two champions and will have an area-best four individuals advancing to state after a strong showing in Saturday’s sectional tournament. Samantha Diehl (190) and Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (120) won sectional titles for the Whips, who finished in second place out of 68 schools with 95.5 points. It’s the girls wrestling team’s highest sectional finish in program history.

“Our team is growing so fast and we’re so strong,” Diehl said. “I can’t wait to see what we can do and how far we can keep going.”

Diehl (36-3), a sophomore who took third at state last season, overcame a three-point deficit in her sectional title match with Schaumburg’s Nadia Razzak. Taking top position to start the third period, Diehl worked her way to a pin to clinch her sectional win. It’s the first sectional title for Diehl, who placed third last year.

“I’ve been working with our guys a lot on keeping the pressure on,” Diehl said. “Arm bars hurt, but they’re effective and working those has really helped me succeed... This is awe inspiring. I worked a lot and it’s a really good achievement to be able to get up here.”

Nidelea-Polanin (22-0), one of only two McHenry County girls still unbeaten, went to her ankle picks during her sectional title match against Glenbard West’s Karolina Konopka. A new opponent to her, Nidelea-Polanin snagged three takedowns and scored a 9-1 major decision to win the second sectional championship of her career.

“I’ve never wrestled her and she’s a really tough opponent,” said Nidelea-Polanin, a junior who took third at state last year. “I tried to do what I’ve been practicing and not get in my head... Being confident and putting whatever work we’ve done on the mat.”

Freshmen Annabelle Mueller (37-5) and Stella Piazza (25-1) will represent Hampshire at state for the first time. Mueller finished second at 105 and Piazza overcame her first defeat of the season to take third at 115. In total, 11 girls from six area teams qualified for the state meet, which is set for Feb. 27-28 in Bloomington.

Huntley, which placed fifth with 54 points on Saturday, will have two wrestlers competing at state. Janiah Slaughter (33-2) showed dominance in her title match against Batavia’s Lily Enos, turning a second-period takedown into a pin to claim the 100-pound crown. Slaughter, a senior who didn’t wrestle last season, is seeking the third state medal and the first state championship of her career.

“It means so much more,” said Slaughter, who earned the first sectional title of her career on Saturday. “I’ve always lost in the finals, but I knew this had to be my year. I have to go out there and prove it... Lily and I have been going back and forth since my freshman year. I just had to make sure I attacked first.”

Grecia Garcia (36-12) placed fourth at 135, earning a hard-fought 8-5 decision over Grant’s Abby Quirk to punch her ticket to state. At 145, McHenry’s Natalie Corona continued her perfect season with her first career sectional win. Corona (35-0) secured a pair of takedowns and defended throughout the third period to earn an 11-1 major decision over Oswego East’s Ella Cooper in the finals.

“That was my first time being in the finals,” said Corona, who took fifth at state as a sophomore. “I had nothing to lose and I really wanted to win. That was a first-time opponent and I watched her wrestle a little bit throughout the tournament. I needed to be good on my feet and I feel pretty strong in neutral, so I was just trying to my shots all day and get to my turns as soon as I could.”

McHenry, which had five wrestlers in Schaumburg, tied for 10th place with 40 points. Woodstock co-op made history on Saturday, qualifying its first two girls wrestlers ever for the state meet. With her season on the line, senior 100-pounder Eva Hermansson (39-7) snagged a third-period takedown and three back points to beat Glenbard East’s Karla Sarabia by 7-6 decision and earn a state bid.

“This is everything I’ve worked for over the last three years,” said Hermansson. “I’ve always done a good job of understanding that there are six minutes in a match and no matter what happens, you wrestle the whole six minutes. Even with 20 seconds left, nobody has won yet. Anything’s possible and you just have to have faith.”

Hermansson outlasted Lincoln-Way Central’s McKenzie Steinke by 3-0 decision to take third at 100. Brianna Crown, another senior, capitalized on four back points to secure a 6-2 decision against Hoffman Estates’ Dayanara Elias-Mena and qualify for state. Crown (40-10) pinned Schaumburg’s Maja Brzosko in the first period to record her 40th win this year and finish in third place at 170.

“I give all glory to God,” Crown said. “He gave me this opportunity and I took it... It feels so amazing because it’s just so much hard work and I’m so proud of myself. I’m proud of everybody... Girls wrestling is kind of a new sport and it’s important that we pave the way for the younger generation to see that this is a good sport.”

More history came at 155, where Crystal Lake Central’s Cait Jones pinned Hoffman Estates’ Sydnee Allen to become only the second girls wrestler from Central to qualify for state. Jones (20-4), who finished second in the regional meet at Hampshire last weekend, pinned Glenbard North’s Suzanne Stalley in the third-place bout.

“I wrestle against guys every day, so I have something these other girls don’t have,” said Jones, who overcame recent illnesses to get to the state tournament. “I had the upper hand and I knew I could win that match. I was hoping I’d be a state qualifier... My coaches started crying, everyone looked at me and I just burst into tears.”

Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth (115) rounded out the area’s state qualifying wrestlers. Aarseth (26-3), a junior who medaled in second at state last season, placed second in the sectional meet. A total of 28 girls from 12 area schools wrestled at the tournament.