Lincoln-Way girls wrestling delivered a commanding performance at the IHSA Girls Wrestling Sectional, capturing the team championship and advancing multiple athletes to the state finals following a dominant showing across the two-day tournament.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the program, as seven wrestlers will represent Lincoln-Way at the upcoming state competition. The sectional tournament was held Feb. 13–14, where Lincoln-Way separated itself from the field with 140 team points, finishing well ahead of the runner-up’s 95 points to secure the title. Zoe Dempsey led the way for Lincoln-Way, earning a sectional championship to headline the team’s performance. Riley DePolo and Caleigh Nicholson each placed second to qualify for state competition, while Ella Giertuga added a third-place finish to contribute valuable team points during the tournament run, according to information provided by Lincoln-Way West.
Additional state qualifiers included McKenzie Steinke, Emmy Hoselton and Abby Kunz, giving Lincoln-Way seven wrestlers advancing to the state stage. The group’s success reflected consistent scoring across multiple weight classes and strong performances throughout both championship and consolation rounds. Lincoln-Way’s depth and experience proved to be the difference throughout the weekend, as the team maintained momentum match after match to secure one of its strongest postseason showings according to information from Lincoln-Way West.
The state qualifiers will next compete Feb. 27–28 at Grossinger Motors Arena, where Lincoln-Way will look to continue its postseason success against Illinois’ top competitors according to information from Lincoln-Way West.
