Plainfield, Romeoville Girls Named All-American Wrestling Champs

Article submitted by Matthew Janiak:

Over Easter weekend, 8-year-olds Alexis Janiak of Plainfield and Alina Schlageter of Romeoville competed in the USAW Girls Folkstyle National Championships at the University of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma City. Both young ladies wrestle for Force Wrestling Club out of the Plainfield/Naperville area and represented the State of Illinois on Team Illinois. The girls faced off against wrestlers from Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and Texas.

Alexis, a third-grader at Wesmere Elementary School in Plainfield, was the USAW Girls Folkstyle Wrestling All-American National Champion in Division I (60 pound weight division).

Alina, a second-grader at Hermansen Elementary in Romeoville, was the Division I (55 pounds) champion.

Both girls had a very successful season wrestling in CO-ED competitions all over Illinois.

Alexis Janiak (30 wins-7 losses) completed her regular season taking the 58-pound Weight Division Consolation Championship at the 2013 All Illinois Bantam State Championship. She also placed second at the 62-pound Weight Division in the 2013 IKWF Girls State Championships.

Alina Schlageter (25 wins–8 losses) completed her regular season taking third Place in the 55-pound Weight Division at the 2013 All Illinois Bantam State Championship. She was also state champion at the 55-pound Weight Division in the 2013 IKWF Girls State Championships

These girls are very familiar with competing in co-ed competition while raising the bar for academic achievements.

Alexis plays football for Plainfield Junior Cats (PJC), softball for Plainfield Athletic Commision (PAC), soccer for Plainfield Soccer Association (PSA) and is an active member in the Girl Scouts.

Alina plays flag football for Romeoville Youth Football (RYFC), baseball for Edge Sports Performance Academy and basketball for Romeoville Recreation Department Youth Athletics.

When asked how they felt after winning their finals match, Alexis said her trip to the Oklahoma City Federal Building Memorial a day earlier gave her the ultimate inspiration needed to compete at her very best. She wrestled for the 19 children who lost their lives on that fateful day in April 1995. She said she wrestled in their honor and that her championship achievement was in their honor, "because they never had the chance to compete and maybe this will bring them happiness."