Girls wrestling: 2026 Northwest Herald All-Area Team

First Team

Lower Weights

Huntley's Janiah Slaughter. (Huntley High School)

Janiah Slaughter, Huntley, sr., 100

The first state girls wrestling champion in McHenry County’s history, Slaughter went 37-2 during her senior season. She captured both regional and sectional titles in addition to placing first at the F.I.G.H.T. (Findlay Invitational Girls High School Tournament) in Ohio. She won at Maine East and Minooka and placed second at Batavia.

Woodstock co-op's Eva Hermansson. (Woodstock High School)

Eva Hermansson, Woodstock co-op, sr., 100

Hermansson became Woodstock co-op’s first-ever state qualifier when she placed third in the Schaumburg Sectional. She finished second in the Hampshire Regional and went 40-9 on the season. Hermansson won at Antioch and Dundee-Crown while finishing in second at Hoffman Estates and third at the Harvard Open.

Hampshire's Annabelle Mueller. (Hampshire High School)

Annabelle Mueller, Hampshire, fr., 105

An IKWF state champion last year, Mueller stepped right in for the Whip-Purs, who won the first team state wrestling title at the school in addition to McHenry County’s first team state girls wrestling title. Mueller went 40-7, won a regional title and placed fifth at state.

Annalee Aarseth, Crystal Lake South, jr., 115

A returning state finalist from last year, Aarseth finished 29-5 and medaled in fourth this year. Now a three-time state qualifier, Aarseth placed second at regionals and sectionals. She won tournaments at Rockford East, Antioch, Hampshire and Naperville Central.

Hampshire's Stella Piazza. (Hampshire High School)

Stella Piazza, Hampshire, fr., 115

Also an IKWF state champion last year, Piazza is one of Hampshire’s three state finalists. A regional champion, she was undefeated going into sectionals, where she took third. Piazza went 28-2 and finished first at Princeton, East Aurora, Hampshire and Columbia, Missouri.

Hampshire's Amelia Nidelea-Polanin. (Hampshire High School)

Amelia Nidelea-Polanin, Hampshire, jr., 120

After medaling in third at state last year, Nidelea-Polanin carried a perfect record into this year’s state tournament, where she placed second. She finished 25-1, earned regional and sectional titles and took first at Rockford East, Rich Township and Harvard this year.

Middle Weights

Huntley's Aubrie Rohrbacher. (Huntley High School)

Aubrie Rohrbacher, Huntley, sr., 130

While Rohrbacher fell in the blood round at sectionals, she went 38-6 and concludes her career as a two-time state medalist. Rohrbacher won her regional and finished first at both Maine East and the F.I.G.H.T in Findlay, Ohio. She also medaled in fourth at the Girls Dan Gable Donnybrook in Iowa.

Richmond-Burton's Madelyn Peterie. (Richmond-Burton Community H)

Madelyn Peterie, jr., Richmond-Burton, 130

Peterie won three tournaments this season, finishing first at Rockford East, Lakes and Hampshire. She took second at Dundee-Crown and placed third in her regional. Peterie, who also fell in the blood round at the sectional tournament, ended her season with a 33-6 record.

Huntley's Grecia Garcia. (Huntley High School)

Grecia Garcia, Huntley, jr., 135

One of three state qualifiers for the Red Raiders, Garcia made it to state for the first time after placing third at sectionals. She went 38-13 and finished on the podium at every tournament, placing first at Batavia and second at Harvard. She finished second at regionals.

Harvard's Ithandehui Rosas. (Harvard High School)

Ithandehui Rosas, Harvard, sr., 145

Rosas went 31-5 with four tournament wins during her senior season. Harvard’s first-ever state qualifier two years ago, Rosas finished first at Waukegan, Antioch, Dundee-Crown and Harvard this season. She took second at Ottawa and third at regionals to qualify for sectionals, where she went 1-1 before a medical forfeit in the wrestlebacks.

Natalie Corona, McHenry, sr., 145

Corona earned her best state tournament finish this year, taking third after finishing fifth as a sophomore. Corona compiled a 39-1 record and was undefeated going into the state tournament. She surpassed 100 career victories early in the season and earned regional and sectional titles. She also won at Hampshire and Batavia this season.

Upper Weights

Crystal Lake Central's Cait Jones. (Crystal Lake Central High School)

Cait Jones, sr., Crystal Lake Central, 155

Jones, who finished fifth at state, became the first girls wrestler at her school to bring home a medal from the state tournament. Jones went 28-8 and earned a first-place medal at Hampshire. She placed second at Rockford East, Antioch and Oswego before getting second at regionals and third at sectionals to qualify for the state meet.

Woodstock co-op's Brianna Crown. (Woodstock High School)

Brianna Crown, Woodstock co-op, sr., 170

The second state qualifier in her program’s history, Crown compiled a 42-12 record this season. Her podium finishes included second place at Hoffman Estates, third at Hampshire and Harvard and third at both regionals and sectionals. Her 42 wins were the most for any area girl this season.

McHenry's Madalynn Sima. (McHenry Community High School)

Madalynn Sima, McHenry, sr., 170

A regional champion whose season ended in the blood rounds of the sectional tournament, Sima went 34-5 this season. Her tournament finishes included first place at Batavia, third place at Waukegan and fifth place at Hampshire. She won three bouts to help McHenry take first place in the Glenbard North Winter Classic team tournament.

Hampshire's Samantha Diehl. (Hampshire High Sc)

Samantha Diehl, Hampshire, so., 190

Diehl has earned two state medals in two seasons, earning runner-up honors after taking third last year. Diehl, who went 39-4, placed first at Rockford East, East Aurora, Hampshire and Harvard before winning both her regional and sectional brackets. She medaled in second at Dundee-Crown and third at both Princeton and Columbia, Missouri.