Fast growth secures Benton Central's first IHSAA girls wrestling sectional title

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LAFAYETTE - Benton Central girls wrestling has numbers that were almost too small to count just two seasons ago.

Three wrestlers came out in 2023-24 and the number doubled to a modest six girls the season after.

Now the wrestling room is buzzling with a team that walked in looking to prove it could hang with the traditional powerhouses of Lafayette Jeff, McCutcheon and Harrison.

And it left the IHSAA sectional girls wrestling championships with hardware and history.

Benton Central captured the program's first IHSAA sectional girls wrestling title with 166.5 points anchored by three sectional champions junior Laurana Dillon (105), senior Izzy Sayre (125) and freshman Sydney Groves (145).

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Benton Central girls wrestling hoists its first IHSAA sectional title on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 in Lafayette.

"I wouldn't want to do it with any other team," Sayre said. "I'm so proud of all these girls. We've all worked so hard for this. Coming from having only a few girls my freshman year, I couldn't be more proud."

For Dillon, it was a day of redemption after coming to Lafayette last season only to place second in sectionals last season.

A year of work and more athletes to train with gave Dillon the confidence to blank Lafayette Jeff junior Guisele Doroteo in the 105-pound final.

"It feels good to have another year to come back and place," Dillon said. "Last year we had such a small team and my love for the sport has grown because of these girls. I'm definitely more committed because of my team. It means more, the fact that it's a team win and not just an individual one."

Benton Central's growth can be attributed to the experienced group of wrestlers like Dillon and Sayre along with third year coach Cole Lukaszka.

Lukaszka wrestled at Benton Central and graduated in 2016.

Now the moment has come full circle for Lukaszka whose wrestling room has blossomed and created a sectional championship program.

"It's a lot of hard work," Lukaszka said. "We started working early, put in the hard work that it takes, believed in the process and we came out on top. We wrestled the way we were supposed to."

Here's a look at the key storylines from the second IHSAA girls wrestling sectional championships and a list of all 56 wrestlers that qualified for the IHSAA regional championship next week in Kokomo.

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Rossville sophomore Mimi Nicolas (right) and McCutcheon senior Aaliyah McLean (left) circle during the 120-pound title match during the IHSAA sectional championships in Lafayette on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.

Friendship collides into rivalry for Nicolas and McLean

Rossville sophomore Mimi Nicolas and McCutcheon senior Aaliyah McLean shared hugs and photos both before and after their 120-pound sectional title matchup.

The constant repping in practice during the summer and stoic mindset the two share and created a bond that extends beyond any competition the two have.

"We grew up together through wrestling and our families know each other as well," Nicolas said. "I love wrestling her. I wouldn't want it any other way. We had a great finals match, and it helps me to move on and keep going."

A match won by Nicolas 11-2. Nicolas has won in all four appearances against McLean after they both finished as IHSAA state runner-ups in 2025.

Nicolas has moved up a weight class and the two could face off at least once more ― possibly in the state championship in Indianapolis.

Both Nicolas and McLean know even though they're friends, one could have to get through the other to achieve their dreams.

Nicolas credits her father Corey with wrestling with the same mindset that's aggressive, whether her opponent is a friend or a stranger.

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She's also learning to enjoy the sport more and reduce the pressure after getting pinned in the IHSAA state finals by Ysabelle Ocampo of New Haven.

"I loved it but I'm not trying as hard as I am this year," Nicolas said. "At state I wrestled (Ocampo) as lasted longer. At state I didn't last as along. It really fueled my fire, and I knew I needed to train."

Harrison sophomore Averie Brooks has her hand raised after capturing the 170-pound crown at the IHSAA sectional championships in Lafayette on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.

Redemption for Brooks at sectionals

McCutcheon sophomore Peyton Sainer has once again taken the back of Harrison 170-pounder Averie Brooks.

It was Brooks' third match against Sainer this season.

Sainer seemingly had gotten the better of Brooks and was leading 6-0 and nearly scoring a pinfall during the sectional finals.

But this time was different for Brooks. She stayed in control, weathered the pressure and in the third period took the back of Sainer to capture the 170 crown.

"In practice we were pushing to our limits until we couldn't anymore," Brooks said. "That was in my mind. I couldn't give up in that moment and that was my mindset. Your mind is just rushing like you need to finish and I wasn't thinking. It was just go."

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Brooks credited her senior teammate and wrestling partner Erin Cauble for helping her endure after trailing Sainer in the first two periods. Cauble is the No. 1 ranked 190-pounder in the state.

"I want to show I can fight with her," Brooks said. "She is my biggest role model. She helps me."

Cauble reflects on her first IHSAA sectional title

Hard to believe that Cauble hadn't won a sectional title until Friday.

After wrestling at 235 for the last two seasons, Cauble made the effort to move down a weight class.

New dieting habits, a summer full of tournaments and dedication in the weight room has allowed Cauble to wrestle with the same explosiveness that helped her reach the 235-pound state title last year.

Cauble cruised through the 190 bracket and earned a pinfall victory in 54 seconds over Frankfort junior Jordyn Garcia.

"You just got to work for it," Cauble said. "In the room we do so much conditioning. Making sure your gas tank is bigger than theirs is really important. Getting the weight room helps a lot. If you're stronger than your opponent, nine times out of 10 you're going to beat them."

Faith Christian sophomore Emily Welborn (right) attempts to escape the grasp of Twin Lakes sophomore Alivia Sheppard during the IHSAA sectional 140-pound title match in Lafayette on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.

Soccer star Welborn becomes powerful wrestler at Faith Christian

Faith Christian wrestling coach Justin Kuhn knew there was potential in Welborn, a strong yet lanky 5-foot-7 athlete who was known for scoring goals during the Eagles state championship run in 2024.

Welborn's love for basketball has fallen and thought there were other sports she could try to continually grow an endurance that was already a strength.

A summer of training at Red Hawk Wrestling Academy and Welborn quickly fell in love with the sport.

"It's a whole family both girls and guys," Welborn said. "The coaches are so sweet and encouraging. And we were all starting new. It was something we could all work together to get better at."

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Welborn used counters and double legs to work opponents and capture the 140-pound sectional title with relative ease with two pins and a 9-0 majority decision win during the tournament.

"I wanted to be a part of something, I wanted to set goals and I told myself the only way I could accomplish them was by putting in the extra work," Welborn said.

West Lafayette sophomore Macy Fordyce (left) pins the shoulders of Benton Central senior Madeline Peterson (right) during the 120-pound championship match at the IHSAA sectional finals in Lafayette on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026.

Fordyce and her discipleship with the Kaplan sisters

West Lafayette sophomore Macy Fordyce has come into her own as a wrestler after joining 2024 West Lafayette state champion Rose Kaplan and younger sister Isabel who wrestles against boys.

Fordyce's quickness and ability to work double leg takedowns were similar to how the Kaplan sisters operate.

She even has their signature ponytail as well.

"Every time I'm down (Isabel and Rose) bring me back up," Fordyce said. "I train with them every day. They are great partners to have."

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Fordyce is one of the few undefeated wrestlers in the state and won all three matches by pinfall and earned the 115-pound sectional title.

"I owe it all to my coaches who trained me during the offseason and my parents," Fordyce said. "They drive me everywhere and they support me in everything I do."

IHSAA Lafayette regional qualifiers

100: 1st - Kerris Funkhouser (Twin Lakes), 2nd - Avilyn Martin (Attica) 3rd - Grace Hardesty (Frontier) 4th - Kirsten Kight (Seeger). 105: 1st - Laurana Dillon (Benton Central) 2nd - Guiselle Doroteo (Lafayette Jeff) 3rd - Emma Hendryx (Fronter) 4th - Abby Emond (Twin Lakes). 110: 1st - Jocelyn Cruz-Rojas (Frankfort), 2nd - Kaidence Lyons (Seeger) 3rd - Addy Andrews (Central Catholic) 4th - Cecilia Fisher (Benton Central). 115: 1st - Macy Fordyce (West Lafayette) 2nd - Madeline Peterson (Benton Central) 3rd - Lucy Hendryx (Frontier) 4th - Erika Amezcua (Delphi). 120: 1st - Mimi Nicolas (Rossville) 2nd - Aaliyah McLean (McCutcheon) 3rd - Sienna Holscher (Benton Central) 4th - Morgan O'Brien (Harrison). 125: 1st - Izzy Sayre (Benton Central) 2nd - Nuriah Harvey (Clinton Central) 3rd - Lilly Baker (Twin Lakes) 4th - Anna Mott (Harrison). 130: 1st - Brooklyn Bates (Clinton Prairie) 2nd - Maddilyn Nicholson (McCutcheon) 3rd - Julianna Sibray (Benton Central) 4th - Adalaya Valencia (Seeger). 135: 1st - Aubrey Bates (Seeger) 2nd - Aubrielle Dallinger (McCutcheon) 3rd - Anna Huebl (Harrison) 4th - Jayden Martin (Tri-County). 140: Emily Welborn - 1st (Faith Christian) 2nd - Alivia Sheppard (Twin Lakes) 3rd - Hadleigh Row (Harrison) 4th - Emma Winder (Seeger). 145: 1st - Sydney Groves (Benton Central), 2nd - Kohlee Kleist (Tri-County) 3rd - Emily Greene (Seeger) 4th - Na'Caiya Reeves (Lafayette Jeff) 155: 1st - Evelyn Fahler (Harrison) 2nd - Miakoda Cole (McCutcheon) 3rd - Allson Wiener (Lafayette Jeff) 4th - Maylie Perez (Frankfort). 170: 1st - Averie Brooks (Harrison) 2nd - Peyton Sainer (McCutcheon) 3rd - Ryeanne Fink (Seeger) 4th - Kylee Kleist (Tri-County) 190: 1st - Erin Cauble (Harrison) 2nd - Jordyn Garcia (Frankfort) 3rd - Hope Wheeler (Clinton Prairie) 4th - Jentry Sargent (McCutcheon). 235: 1st - Aubrey Bartkowiak (Attica), 2nd - Sophia Zarate (Benton Central) 3rd - Karmen Mcilrath (Delphi) 4th - Adi Wert (Twin Lakes).

Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: First IHSAA girls wrestling sectional final won by Benton Central

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