2/1/2025
Naperville Central sent eight girls to the IHSA Girls Regional
Tournament and finished in 8th place out of 29 teams. The tournament was held at Hinsdale South
High School. Two Redhawks placed in the
top four and therefore advance to the IHSA Girls Sectional meet to be hosted by
Schaumburg. Those were Dezi Azar, second
place at 125 pounds and Arianna Rico, fourth place at 140 pounds. Central girls finished with a record of 20-15
as a team and sent five wrestlers to the consolation semifinals, otherwise known
as the “blood round.” All eight
wrestlers won at least one match.
Sophomore Dezi Azar made her way to the finals with three consecutive pins including a fall against Lenart of Batavia in the semifinals. Azar, now 32-5 at 125 pounds, battled O’Connor of Lemont in the championship match and took a 6-0 lead into the third period. O’Connor took advantage of her opportunity in the top position and scored a late fall over Azar. With her first win of the tournament, Azar becomes the first girl in Naperville Central history to become a 30-match winner for the season. Fellow Sophomore Arianna Rico, who is 29-15 at 140 pounds, punched her ticket to sectionals with a 10-3 decision over Galvan of Glenbrook in the consolation semifinals, a wrestler she defeated twice in the same day. Rico finished with a 3-2 record and a fourth-place finish.
Four Redhawk Seniors made it all the way to the blood round
in the tournament. Annika Hull, 100, lost
in the quarterfinals, but came back with two falls. Hull took a 5-0 lead into the third period against
Satander of Romeoville but was defeated by fall. Hull finishes her season with a record of
28-12. Ellen Purl, 120, won her first
match in the tournament but was defeated in the quarterfinals. Purl fought back in the wrestle-backs with
two tough wins. In the blood round, Purl
faced top seeded Moore of Metea Valley. Down
1-4, Purl scored the tying takedown late in the match, only to give up an escape
in the final seconds. Purl’s three
victories in the tournament makes her a 30-match winner in the season, finishing
30-11. Three year starter and senior Bianca
Arrendondo wrestled in the tournament at 130 and also finished 3-2 on the
day. Arredondo scored victories in the
wrestle-backs over Harried of Batavia by technical fall 17-1 and Fukah of
Downers Grove South by fall before losing to Crescenzo of Lisle by fall in the
consolation semifinals. Arrendondo finishes
a workmanlike season with a record of 26-16 with 22 falls. First year senior Brenna Berkowitz finished
1-2 in the tournament with her victory over Contreras of Waubonsie Valley. Berkowitz avenged a loss from just last week against
Contreras. Fellow senior Bella Lopez won
two matches by fall and finished the tournament at 2-2.
Gracie Meluch, 115, battled back after a first-round loss to
win three matches by fall in a row in the wrestle backs including a pin against
Thornton of Lemont that advanced Meluch to the blood round. In that consolation semifinal, Meluch, down 0-6,
threw a headlock to move up 7-6, but was reversed in the final seconds to fall 6-7
to Molina of West Aurora. Meluch finished
3-2 in the tournament and a 25-11 record.
Sectionals will be competed at Schaumburg High School February 14-15. Azar and Rico will be battling for a chance to qualify for the IHSA Girls State Tournament.