Girls wrestling: Sammie Greisen, Ashlyn Strenz, Juliana Thrush advance to final day at IHSA state finals

At Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena, the opening day of the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Finals took place Friday, with three Illinois Valley area wrestlers advancing to the final day. That includes Seneca sophomore Sammie Greisen and Sandwich senior Ashlyn Strenz who started 2-0 and will wrestle in Saturday morning’s championship semifinals, guaranteed at least a sixth-place finish.

Greisen (130 pounds) is in the championship semifinals after a 2-0 opening day, pinning Morton’s Karen Canchola in 3:39 in the opening round and scoring a pinfall in 1:19 against Harvey Thornton’s Jalah Wilson in the quarterfinals.

The Seneca state qualifier will wrestle Lockport’s Claudia Heeney on Saturday morning in the semifinals.

Strenz (110) also went 2-0 Friday, surviving a pair of close calls. Strenz first came out on top of a 6-4 decision over East Peoria’s Kennedy McMenimen in her opener before winning a sudden-victory overtime decision 5-3 over Grant’s Ayane Jasinski.

Strenz will wrestle undefeated Lockport sophomore Morgan Turner in Saturday’s semifinals.

Ottawa sophomore Juliana Thrush (235) went 2-1 Friday to advance to Saturday’s wrestlebacks. Thrush started with a second-period pinfall of Romeoville’s Henessis Villagrana, then lost a 4-2 decision in the quarterfinals before bouncing back with a second-period pinfall win over Oak Forest’s Jessica Komolafe in 3:50.

Thrush will wrestle Minooka’s Peyton Kuetizo to open her Saturday.

Princeton sophomore Isabella Gibson (140) posted a 1-2 mark at state, losing via pinfall in her opener before scoring a third-period pin of Thornton Fractional South’s Akayla Coopwood. Gibson’s season ended with a pinfall loss in 1:31.

Streator’s Lily Gwaltney (105) also scored a victory before being eliminated at state, the freshman Bulldog losing her opener 11-4, winning a 6-1 decision over Homewood-Flossmoor’s London Gandy, but then suffering a first-period pin in the second round of wrestlebacks.

Putnam County junior Bailey Herr (190) was defeated in her opening two matches, both by decision – 9-3 in the opener and 7-4 in wrestlebacks.