It’s only Year 2 for the Lincoln-Way co-op girls wrestling program, but at the rate it’s going, the three schools may be starting up their own individual programs soon.

Despite carrying many girls on the roster with little experience and despite losing a chunk of lower-weight wrestlers to graduation last year, the Lincoln-Way program began its season with a bang on Wednesday. A bang, and more than a few championship belts.

Lincoln-Way dominated its way through the Minooka Thanksgiving Throwdown, finishing with 282 total points as a squad. That was 120 more points than second-place Aurora East as Lincoln-Way placed seven wrestlers in six first-place matches with four champions.

“We had our JV scramble on Monday and none of the (varsity) girls really got to participate so that got them excited for this,” coach Joshua Napier said. “Tuesday’s practice was high energy. They were motivated by their teammates and it showed because they wrestled really well across the board. I’m very proud of them.”

After Aurora East’s 162, Lockport took home third place as a group with 156 points. DeKalb (149) and Minooka (144) rounded out the top five.

The gym at Minooka was packed from 9:30 a.m. to shortly after 3 p.m., when the final matches wrapped up. The early stage of girls wrestling season was underway and the energy was infectious as each team gave its all.

And while Lincoln-Way stood out, it was far from the only group to finish with champions.

In the 100-pound finals, Alex Gregorio-Perez of DeKalb battled with Lincoln-Way’s Mckenzie Steinke, with Gregorio-Perez pulling ahead 18-1 and winning by technical fall.

Huntley’s Janiah Slaughter took on West Aurora’s Ruby Bolanos-Carbajal in the 105-pound match, with Slaughter achieving victory via fall after 3:04. Huntley was the sixth-place team with 134.5 points, while West Aurora finished tied with Yorkville for 10th place at 112.

Larisza Gomez-Guevara of DeKalb gave the Barbs their second champion of the day. She bested Minooka’s Marian Nordsell in the 110 finals by fall after going up 9-1.

Lincoln-Way got its first champion of the day in the 115-pound finals. Zoe Zerial defeated Minooka’s Angela Morales via fall in 2:26. Zoe Dempsey made it back-to-back champions as she downed Geneoso’s Lydia King in the 120-pound championship via fall in 2:51.

“I felt like any position I got into I was able to come out on top of her,” Dempsey said. “I just felt like I was able to get to myself. It happened pretty fast.”

Geneoso finished eighth at 121 points.

West Aurora got a champion in Aiyanah Sylvester as she took down Morris’ Zara Lugo in just over a minute at 125. Morris finished 14th as a team with 74 points.

Huntley earned a championship at 130 with Aubrie Rohrbacher besting Minooka’s Sabina Charlebois by fall after 5:05.

“Last year I had a shot to win this tournament in the finals and I ended up losing,” Rohrbacher said. “I was pretty sick about it, but this time I was well prepared and ready.”

Lockport’s Claudia Heeney competed at 135. The two-time state champion beat Joliet West’s Veronica Klobnak by fall in just 38 seconds.

“I just wanted to have a quick pace today,” Heeney said. “I had a few shots that I liked. I’ve been working a lot on my turns so I just got the right pinning combinations today.”

Joliet West ended up 13th with 102 points.

Lincoln-Way was guaranteed a champion at 140 as it sent two wrestlers to the finals. Liv Clumpner took down Abby Kunz by major decision, 16-4. Lincoln-Way added another champ at 145 with Ella Giertuga winning by a 5-2 decision over Joliet West’s Vanessa O’Connor.

Hoffman Estates claimed a winner with 155-pounder Sydnee Allen, besting Bolingbrook’s Savannah Burns by fall in 1:14. Burns had led 3-2 before the defeat. Hoffman Estates finished seventh with 126.5 points, while Bolingbrook was ninth with 117.5.

Layla Spann gave Plainfield South a first-place finish when she took down Lincoln-Way’s Riley Depolo by fall in 1:44. Plainfield South finished with 106.5 points, putting it in 12th place.

Despite that final placement, the Cougars got a second champion on the day in Kimyra Patrick. She won the 190-pound match via a 7-4 decision over Sophie Kelner of Lockport.

“The biggest key was staying on top of what I needed to do,” Patrick said. “I knew the moves I needed to make. I practice every day and worked hard for this.”

Finally, Aariana Boyd of DeKalb won the 235-pound title with a 10-3 decision over Romeoville’s Henessis Villagrana. Romeoville finished 15th with 69.5 points.

Oswego finished 16th with 60 points to round out the action.