Girls wrestling: Huntley’s Taylor Casey ready for inaugural IHSA State Tournament

Taylor Casey didn’t predict that she’d have a chance to win a state title when she joined Huntley’s wrestling team this season.

The sophomore joined because the team needed more girls and Casey thought she’d give it a shot.

Now the Red Raider will compete in the inaugural IHSA State Tournament this weekend in Bloomington.

“I’m really excited just for the experience since it is the first girls state,” Casey said. “It’s just going to be new to everyone and it’s going to be a big learning experience and I’m just excited to improve and challenge myself.”

Casey will be joined by six fellow McHenry County-area girls wrestlers. Her teammate Alexandra Strelecki will compete at 170 pounds, while Jacobs’ Victoria Ryszawa (140), Burlington Central’s Victoria Macias (110) and Soraya Walikonis (120), Cary-Grove’s Denver Gier (170) and McHenry’s Emma Garrett (140) will all compete at Bloomington’s Grossinger Motors Arena.

There will be one tournament for each weight class featuring 16 different wrestlers in each bracket. Round one and the quarterfinals will take place Friday while the placement and championship matches will take place Saturday afternoon.

Casey is excited to not only compete in the inaugural event and see what the atmosphere is like, but she also wants to see how much she’s learned throughout her first year.

“It was all learning because it was my first year,” Casey said. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into but throughout the season, I just practiced and just learned from mistakes throughout the whole season since I didn’t know anything about wrestling.”

Casey, Strezelecki, Macias and Garrett will all try to improve upon their strong record heading into the tournament. Casey (11-5) and Macias (20-4) will face a tough test in Somonauk’s Shea Reisel (19-4) at 110 while Strzelecki (13-2) and Garrett (12-5) will try to capture their brackets.

Casey has measured her growth with each event. She spent the last couple of weeks since she won the 110-pound title at the Evanston Sectional critiquing her technique and learning from the mistakes she made in the sectional.

The sophomore knows that she can do better, and that’s all Casey’s tried to do since she started.

“I’m just hoping to improve from sectionals,” Casey said. “I know it’s going to be tough and there are going to be really good girls, but I’m just counting on myself on doing the best that I personally can and understand that I can’t always be the best. I’m just going to do the best that I can do.”