Girls wrestling regional tournaments begin this weekend, with sectionals and state to follow.

Compared to the boys postseason, which began a week earlier, girls wrestling’s statewide tournament works a tad differently. The two sports are similar in that they have the same process at regionals. The top three finishers in each weight class advance from regional to sectionals.

The process at sectionals is also the same. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to state. For girls wrestling – a rapidly growing but still young sport in Illinois – there is only one class and one state tournament.

Herald-News area girls teams are heading to two different regionals in two separate sectionals; most go to the East Aurora regional taking place this weekend. The qualifiers from that regional will move on to the Schaumburg Sectional.

Bolingbrook, Joliet Central, Joliet West, Lemont, Lockport, Lincoln-Way [Coop], Peotone [Coop], Plainfield (Central), Plainfield (East), Plainfield (North), Plainfield (South) and Romeoville will be wrestling at the East Aurora Regional.

Last year, seven area wrestlers finished in the top six at state, and four of them are back. Anyone who has followed girls wrestling the past few years knows who the headliner of that group is.

Lockport’s Claudia Heeney is the area’s lone returning state champion and probably the most successful girls wrestler in Herald-News area history. A state champion as a sophomore and again as a junior, she’s continued to dominate the circuit all winter.

Heeney’s been leading the way for the Porters, who are in their first year under coach Amier Khamis, and she should be a favorite for a potential threepeat at 135 pounds.

Earlier this season, however, she pointed out that nothing is given, and she’s just taking it one match at a time.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into a season,” Heeney said in November. “There are a whole lot of matches to get through before state, so I’m just focusing on what’s right in front of me right now.”

Heeney said that at the Minooka Thanksgiving Throwdown, a tournament that belonged to the Lincoln-Way co-op, which has been having an outstanding season as well.

Zoe Dempsey is one of the four returning state placers. She came in third last year at 110 pounds and will look to make the finals this season, now wrestling at 120.

Dempsey was one of four Lincoln-Way champions at Minooka to open the season and one of three members of the co-op to qualify for state last year [with Sadie Sparks and Ella Giertuga]. The group has come a long way in just its second year.

“A majority of our team were first-year wrestlers last year,” coach Joshua Napier said entering the season. “We have experience now. We have only one or two wrestlers I would consider elite. The rest have worked very hard to learn the sport and get better.”

Bolingbrook’s Alejandra Flores finished fourth at state at 115 last season. A senior, she’s the most successful girls wrestler in Bolingbrook history and will look to close her career on top.

Keep an eye on Joliet West and Joliet Central, they’ve fielded competitive squads this season.

The Normal West Regional, which feeds into the DeKalb Sectional, features area teams Reed-Custer, Coal City, Dwight [Coop], Minooka, Morris and Seneca.

Seneca has had a standout season, led by three-time state qualifier Sammie Greisen. Dwight carries the final remaining state qualifier from last year, Avery Crouch, who finished fourth at 135.

The state tournament will take place in Bloomington.