Key IHSA girls wrestling state storylines to watch in McHenry County

The IHSA girls individual state finals will be held Friday and Saturday at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington. Here are local storylines to watch as nearly a dozen area wrestlers gear up for the meet.

Will McHenry County have a state champion for the first time?

While the McHenry County area has landed several medalists on the podium in recent seasons, no area school has crowned a champion.

That said, a select few have come close to winning it all. Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter (100 pounds) placed third as a freshman before reaching the state finals as a sophomore. Slaughter, who fell to Kaneland’s Angelina Gochis in the finals to finish second, is back at the state meet for a third time. Slaughter (33-2) didn’t wrestle last year.

Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth, left, battles Hampshire’s Stella Piazza at 115 pounds in varsity girls IHSA Regional Championship wrestling action on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Hampshire High School in Hampshire. — Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth, left, battles Hampshire’s Stella Piazza at 115 pounds in varsity girls IHSA Regional Championship wrestling action at Hampshire High School in Hampshire. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth (115) is another returning state finalist who will compete at this year’s tournament. Aarseth, who lost to Gochis in the state finals last season, is the sister of freshman Logan Aarseth, who qualified for state on the boys side. Aarseth (26-3) is making her third straight trip to the state meet.

Hampshire will field two wrestlers who earned third-place medals at last year’s state tournament. Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (120) and Samantha Diehl (190) combined for eight wins, but both lost in the semifinals and are back seeking first-time trips to the state finals. Diehl (36-3) pinned to win all three sectional matches this year.

McHenry’s Natalie Corona (145), who medaled in fifth two seasons ago, has reached the state tournament undefeated. Corona (35-0) and Nidelea-Polanin (22-0) are the only two area girls still without a loss. Of all the area girls wrestlers competing at state this year, Corona is the only one who’s made it to state in all four seasons.

McHenry’s Natalie Corona, top, battles Ella Cooper of Oswego East at 145 pounds in the title bout of varsity girls IHSA Sectional wrestling on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Schaumburg High School in Schaumburg. — McHenry’s Natalie Corona, top, battles Ella Cooper of Oswego East at 145 pounds in the title bout of varsity girls IHSA Sectional wrestling at Schaumburg High School in Schaumburg. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

How many wrestlers will compete at state for the first time?

Of the 11 area girls who advanced to the state tournament, two are freshmen and six are first-time qualifiers. Both freshmen are from Hampshire: Stella Piazza (115) and Annabelle Mueller (105). Neither Piazza (25-1) nor Mueller (37-5) should be taken lightly, as they each won IKWF state titles in the senior division last year.

Eva Hermansson (100) and Brianna Crown (170) are both seniors who made program history last weekend as the first girls wrestlers from Woodstock co-op to reach the state tournament. Crystal Lake Central senior Cait Jones (155), a first-time qualifier, became the second state-qualifying girl in school history, joining Mailei Hudec.

Woodstock’s Eva Hermansson, top, battles Kaneland’s Amdahy Torres at 105 pounds in Whip-Pur Women’s Classic varsity girls wrestling on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Hampshire High School in Hampshire. — Woodstock’s Eva Hermansson, top, battles Kaneland’s Amdahy Torres at 105 pounds in Whip-Pur Women’s Classic varsity girls wrestling at Hampshire High School in Hampshire. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

Huntley’s Grecia Garcia (135) rounds out the first-timers from the area. Multiple wrestlers advanced to the blood round at sectionals, but fell one win short of reaching the state meet. Huntley’s Aubrie Rohrbacher (130), a two-time state medalist, Richmond-Burton’s Madelyn Peterie (130) and McHenry’s Madalynn Sima (170) all had their seasons cut short in the blood round of the sectional meet.

Which area teams have the most representation at state?

Hampshire crowned two champions at the Schaumburg sectional and leads all area teams with four state qualifiers (Diehl, Nidelea-Polanin, Mueller and Piazza). Huntley (Slaughter and Garcia) and Woodstock co-op (Hermansson and Crown) each advanced a pair.

Hampshire’s Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, left, battles Glenbard West’s Karolina Konopka at 120 pounds in the title bout of varsity girls IHSA Sectional wrestling on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at Schaumburg High School in Schaumburg. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

McHenry (Corona), Crystal Lake South (Aarseth) and Crystal Lake Central (Jones) each have one state qualifier. In total, six county teams will be represented in Bloomington. That’s the same number as each of the last three seasons, but an increase from the five area teams that qualified girls in 2022, the state’s inaugural year.

While Burlington Central didn’t have a state qualifier this season, the Rockets have earned five state medals in program history, the most of any program in the area. Huntley has earned four medals at state, while Hampshire ranks third with three medals. McHenry and Richmond-Burton have each brought home two state medals.

Hampshire is the school that’s seen the most growth in the last few years. After not qualifying a single girl two seasons ago, the Whip-Purs advanced three last year and four this year. All three (Nidelea-Polanin, Diehl and Anneliese Tavira) won medals last year.