Here are key 2025 IHSA wrestling postseason storylines to watch in McHenry County

Illinois high school wrestling has entered its most exciting month of the season. The girls' push to the state tournament started this past weekend, and the boys will begin Saturday.

Here are some of the key postseason storylines to watch for McHenry County-area teams this month.

How many individual state champions will McHenry County have?

McHenry County has become synonymous with wrestling success over the past few decades. Primarily, championship success.

The area has produced at least one state champion every year since 2008. Marian Central’s Dylan Connell won a championship in the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state tournament in 2021 when the IHSA didn’t hold one because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are plenty of candidates who can contend for a title. Marian’s Brayden Teunissen (120 pounds) and Jimmy Mastny (190) will try to repeat as state champions in the Class 1A tournament. If either wins another title, they’d become the area’s first wrestler to win a state title in consecutive seasons since 2021, when Connell won his fourth.

Crystal Lake Central’s Cayden Parks (190 2A) and Marian’s Vance Williams (150 1A) will try to get over the hump after runner-up finishes at last season’s state tournament. Richmond-Burton’s Emmett Nelson (144 2A) also is a two-time state runner-up who placed at state all three years.

Meanwhile, McHenry County could have its first IHSA girls state champion this postseason. Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter, who finished runner-up last season and earned the Northwest Herald’s inaugural Girls Wrestler of the Year honor, has not wrestled this season for unspecified reasons and won’t get a chance to build upon her impressive career.

There are still plenty of contenders left. Huntley’s Aubrie Rohrbacher (130) took third last year and won a regional title Saturday, while McHenry’s Natalie Corona (140) and Burlington Central’s Victoria Macias (115) each placed last season.

Who can make a jump to contend?

Although there are plenty of wrestlers who’ve won a championship or come up a match short, there are many in the area who can make a jump to contend for a title.

Marian’s Austin Hagevold (113 1A) placed at last season’s state tournament and is ranked No. 2 by Illinois Matmen ahead of the postseason. The Hurricanes’ Andrew Alvarado (138 1A) and Dan French (215 1A), Huntley’s Radic Dvroak (157 3A), Crystal Lake Central’s Tommy McNeil (215 2A), Cary-Grove’s Lucas Burton (285 2A) and Noah Pechotta (165 2A) and Prairie Ridge’s Jake Lowitzki (120 2A) and Mikey Meade (126 2A), who each qualified for state last season, are ranked in the top 10.

Some newcomers could make a push, too. Huntley’s Colin Abordo (113 3A), Crystal Lake Central’s Jackson Marlett (113 2A), Crystal Lake South’s Nathan Randle (132 2A), R-B’s Lelan Nelson (106 1A), Adam Glauser (120 1A), Clay Madula (126 1A), Blake Livdahl (175 1A) and Colin Kraus (285 1A) and Johnsburg’s Landon Johnson (138 1A) are each ranked in the top 10 and could earn a trip to state.

In the girls’ state push, South’s Annalee Aarseth (110) and Burlington Central’s Ryann Miller (170) each qualified for state last season and should compete for a title after winning a regional to start the postseason.

Dundee-Crown’s Diamond Rodriguez (105), Hampshire’s Amelia Nidelea-Polanin (115) and Samantha Diehl (190) and Crystal Lake Central’s Cait Jones (155) each won regionals and could make a state push, as well.

Can Marian make it back-to-back dual team titles?

Marian’s boys team made history last season when it won the Class 1A dual team state championship. Not only did the Hurricanes win their first IHSA team state title, but they also won the area’s first team state crown since 1992.

The program will try to make more history this year. If Marian wins another state championship, it’ll become the first area school to capture back-to-back state titles since the IHSA started keeping track in 1936.

Teams qualify for a dual team sectional after winning their respective regionals and then compete in the sectional a few days after the individual state tournament. Marian has won two straight regional titles and got over the hump to qualify for state last year.

The Hurricanes head into the postseason ranked No. 2 in 1A behind Vandalia, which they lost to 35-27 this season. After going through another grueling schedule competing against some of the Midwest’s top teams, Hurricanes co-coach Jordan Blanton felt Marian is ready to defend its title.

“We put ourselves in a position where there’s stress and adversity attached to all of those things we’re going to have to push through, fight and grind,” Blanton said. “Who we become through that process is where we’re going to be at our best. So keeping our foot on the gas pedal and continuing to train all the way through the end.”

Fun regional matchups

Saturday’s start of the boys tournament will pin some of the best against each other.

In the Class 1A Marengo Regional, Marian and R-B will renew their rivalry, and some of the top wrestlers in the state could face each other. No. 1 Teunissen and No. 4 Glauser could meet for the 120 title, while No. 4 Lelan Nelson could wrestle Marian’s Camden Spinolas, who received honorable mention votes, at 106.

“We put ourselves in a position where there’s stress and adversity attached to all of those things we’re going to have to push through, fight and grind. Who we become through that process is where we’re going to be at our best. So keeping our foot on the gas pedal and continuing to train all the way through the end.”

—  Jordan Blanton, Marian Central co-coach

R-B coach Tony Nelson liked the Rockets' chances to make noise in Saturday’s regional.

“We got guys in the lineup that they may not make that final, but I think we got our entire lineup I can see advancing,” Tony Nelson said. “That’s a lot of points, right? We’ll see what happens.”

No. 6 Alvarado and No. 8 Johnson also could have a top-10 battle at 138 between Marian and Johnsburg.

The Class 2A Antioch Regional also will have some fun matchups. No. 6 Pechotta could see No. 8 Marcus Macias of Antioch at 165, No. 8 Meade could see No. 9 Gavin Hanrahan of Antioch at 126, and No. 4 McNeil could face No. 9 Owen Shea of Antioch at 215.