By Mike Clark

Monica Griffin started wrestling as a fifth-grader as a stress reliever during a difficult time when she was being bullied.

Those days are far behind the Bowen senior, but her wrestling career continues to reach new heights.

On Sunday at De La Salle, Griffin was one of 14 athletes to win titles in the inaugural Chicago Public League girls tournament. It was a nice milestone, but Griffin has her eyes on bigger prizes.

After finishing third at 115 pounds in the first IHSA girls state finals last season, Griffin is ranked No. 2 at 120 by Illinois Matwomen. She won’t be satisfied with anything less than a place atop the podium this year.

“I want to win and I’m working to win,” Griffin said.

As she has in the past, Griffin spent most of the season competing against boys in an attempt to sharpen her skills. She was a placer in the Public League boys meet as a junior, but appreciates that girls have a tournament of their own now.

“It’s amazing that I have a chance in the city,” she said. “It’s my last year so I want to go out with a boom.”

It’s also the final season for veteran Boilermakers coach Ron Wilson, who is retiring after a career that included multiple state placers and a pair of Public League team titles.

Leaving along with Wilson is special, Griffin said, “because he trained me. He’s part of my journey.”

With one final state series ahead, Griffin believes she’s in a good place.

“I’m stronger, I’m at a weight where I don’t have to cut weight,” she said. “And I’m moving faster. I’m working on myself and I’m not worrying about the opponents.”

Griffin also doesn’t have to worry about what comes next. She’s heading to Augustana to compete for the Division III Vikings on a full academic scholarship. She wants to study education with the goal of becoming a teacher and coach, and paying it forward to kids like herself.

“It feels good,” Griffin said of being able to have an opportunity that didn’t exist even a decade ago in a rapidly growing sport.

“I wasn’t outside like everybody else,” she said. “I was on the mat training the whole entire time. So all that training that I did actually paid off. Instead of being outside, going to the movies, you know, being a teenager — I was training and getting ready for this day.”

Curie junior Aaliyah Grandberry, who won the 235 title on Sunday, came to the sport later than Griffin. She was a manager for the Condors when coach Yahya Muhammad persuaded her to come off the sidelines and compete. 

Grandberry had some success in the pandemic-delayed 2021 season and finished second in the state at 235 last season. She’s 18-0 and ranked No. 2 by Illinois Matwomen this season.

Like Griffin, Grandberry loves the fact that girls have their own Public League tournament.

“It means a lot,” she said. “It means we’ve gotten so much farther than we (thought we could). It’s amazing.”

Grandberry can see her growth as a wrestler, though it wasn’t always apparent.

“At the beginning of the year, I really felt like I wasn’t any better (than last season),” she said. “When I got into my first girls tournament, I said, ‘Oh yeah, I’m stronger than I was last year.’ I’m doing all sorts of different moves. But I can’t share my secrets.”

Her horizons have expanded because of wrestling. She hopes to compete in college and study nursing.

“This is something I’m really excited about,” Grandberry said. “I’ve been working my butt off just to get here.”

Rickover won the first Public League girls team title on the strength of three champs and 13 medalists, outdistancing runner-up Back of the Yards 192-105.

Winning titles for the Sea Dragons were sophomore Mia Vazquez (15-4) at 100, junior Anabella Guzman (5-5) at 130 and junior Clara Biela (12-5) at 170.

Back of the Yards had titles from Hida Thomas at 110 and Gisell Patino at 145, while third-place Curie’s winners were Vanessa Torres at 135 and Grandberry.

Also winning individual championships were Phoenix’s Diana Lopez (23-3) at 105 and AJ Grant (26-3) at 155, Kelly’s Jaqueline Dimas at 115, Lindblom’s Nykya Scott (6-5) at 125, Washington’s Itzel Jimenez at 140 and South Shore’s Krystal Thomas at 190.