Girls wrestling: Seniors lead Minooka to big win on senior night over Joliet Township

MINOOKA – When Minooka’s girls wrestling program started three years ago, there were only 16 girls in the program.

On Wednesday night, two of the original 16 – Brooklyn Doti and Peyton Kueltzo – were honored along with fellow seniors Bella Cyrkiel, Abbey Boersma and Eva Beck – on senior night during a dual meet the Indians won 70-12 over Joliet Township.

After Joliet got off to a 12-0 lead on pins by Kassi Ruiz at 100 pounds and Alisa Carter at 105, Doti got Minooka on the board with a pin in only 18 seconds at 110.

“It’s crazy how much our team has grown,” Doti said. “We had 16 our first year, and we have about 50 girls this year. I get quite a few people asking me about wrestling and if they could do it. I tell them it’s fun, but you have to be totally committed. If you aren’t, then it will be too hard.

“At my size, there weren’t a lot of sports for me. I used to box, but then I decided to wrestle. Our team works hard, but we also have a lot of fun together.”

Minooka got forfeit wins at 115 and 120 and cruised from there. The Indians got pins from Sabina Charlebois (125), Addison Cailteux (130), Beck (135), Palmer Valvey (140), Cyrkiel (145), Boersma (155), Mia Lemburg (170), Kesiah Gasten (190) and a 10-0 major decision by Kueltzo at 235.

“I am so glad I got the win tonight,” Kueltzo said. “I had a lot of anxiety about it all day at school. I told myself I wasn’t allowed to lose on senior night.

“The team has grown so much, from 16 my first year to about 50 now. A lot of people ask me if I think they can do it. My answer is that anyone can do it if they are committed and work hard enough. It’s easier when you have great teammates like I do that all want to work hard. We all support each other and it’s a great team to be around.”

Minooka coach Paige Schoolman also has been impressed with the program’s growth.

“Peyton and Brooklyn are three-year starters and the only two of the original 16 left,” he said. “We have almost 50 now in just a couple of years. They are good girls, and they do a good job of getting other girls to come out and have fun.

“Our seniors have been great. Brooklyn is a super-competitive girl, but she weighs 110 pounds. She isn’t going to fit on a volleyball or basketball court, but she can wrestle and be competitive. Abbey Boersma played basketball her freshman and sophomore years but came out for wrestling as a junior having never wrestled before.”

Joliet wrestled mostly a junior varsity lineup, as several of the regular varsity wrestlers weren’t in attendance because of injury or illness. Still, it was a productive day for the Steelmen.

“It was great experience for our girls,” Joliet assistant coach Giavanna Gomez said. “We have about 80 girls in our program, so it was great to get some of the girls that never get a chance to get on the mat. It’s great that we have the numbers we do, but it’s hard to get everyone a match very often.

“The girls that wrestled tonight did a great job, and it will only help them down the road.”