Plainfield Central’s Alicia Tucker, Lockport’s Claudia Heeney win state wrestling titles

BLOOMINGTON – With so many sports to choose from, Plainfield Central senior Alicia Tucker said she likes wrestling because it’s hard.

On Saturday, she made it look easy.

Tucker earned her second state title in three years Saturday at the IHSA Girls Wrestling State Finals at Grossinger Motors Arena.

“Why do I stick with wrestling? Because it’s hard, it’s really hard,” Tucker said. “But I love winning and not to be arrogant, but I’m pretty good at this. There have been days when I’ve walked out of our wrestling room thinking ‘I’m not coming back tomorrow.’ But the wanting to get better, to win, has always made me come back that next day to practice. I feel the keys are hard work, patience and composure.”

Tucker ended her Wildcats' career with a 5-0 decision over Highland’s August Rottman to win the championship at 170 pounds and finish her season 29-1 and career at 103-5. Tucker had defeated Hampshire’s Anneliese Tavira 8-4 in the morning semifinals.

Tucker won a state title two years ago at 155 and finished runner-up last season at 170.

Tucker used an escape from Rottman 15 seconds into the second period to break a scoreless tie before adding a third-period takedown.

“That was really the key to the match,” Tucker said of the escape. “You always want to be wrestling ahead, because, especially here at state, wrestling from behind isn’t going to work most of the time. The girls here are too good for that. Once I was able to get that takedown in the third period I was in a pretty comfortable spot.”

Lockport junior Claudia Heeney, who finished second at 125 as a freshman and won state at 125 last season, added another title to her resume with a 6-0 win over Prospect’s Viola Pianetto at 135.

“This weekend just showed me again that it’s worth all the hard work and dedication I put into this since last season,“ said Heeney, who finished the season 46-2. ”It means a lot to me to be here in this moment, a lot of pretty good wrestlers don’t make it out of sectionals to be here. To be able to say I’ve been a state qualifier for three straight years, well, it’s just super cool.”

Henney topped Hononegah’s Bella Castelli 12-6 in the semifinals.

“I tried a lot of sports growing up, but something just clicked with wrestling,” Henney said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but once you get your hand raised after a win, it just makes all of that worth it. It’s the greatest feeling ever, especially when it’s for first place at the state finals. I’m addicted to wanting to have my hand raised.”

Joliet Catholic senior Grace Laird (24-6), a three-time state qualifier, dropped her 130-pound semifinal match 18-8 to eventual state champion Sophia Ball of Hoffman Estates, but bounced back for a consolation semifinal win over Erie’s Michelle Naftzger (10-2) and then a third-place victory over Chicago Lane’s Nyah Lovis (14-5) to earn her first state medal.

“My semifinal this morning was a very tough match and a tough loss,” Laird said. “I wanted to be a state champion. But I had to switch goals, and that goal was to finish today as strong as I could.

“I felt like I had nothing to lose after the semifinals and this being my senior year just wanted to wrestle my last two matches as tough as I could and have fun. I did that and I feel like finished my high school wrestling career on a high note.”

Lincoln-Way Central junior Zoe Dempsey (47-4) fell in her morning 110-pound semifinal to Crystal Lake South’s Annalee Aarseth, but defeated Homewood’s London Gandy (18-0, technical fall) in the consolation semifinals, then pinned Glenbard West’s Khloe Perez in 3:37 to claim third place.

Plainfield South senior Teagan Aurich (40-1) lost her 155-pound semifinal match to Oswego’s Kiyah Chavez (4-1), then bounced back for a win over Oak Lawn’s Charvelle McLain (11-8) and then a third-place match triumph over Andrew’s Nola Oben (7-4).

Bolingbrook junior Alejandra Flores (115) and Dwight freshman Avery Crouch (135) both took home fourth-place medals.

Joliet West senior Chloe Wong (105), Lincoln-Way Central freshman Sadie Sparks (120), Lockport sophomore Veronica Skibicki (110), Morris senior Morgan Congo (190), Romeoville junior Daniela Santander (100), and Seneca juniors Sammie Greisen (135) and Catalina Pacheco (130) had their season end with losses in the blood round.