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JULY 2025
GET THE BALL ROLLING
Also:
n A teacher shares bullying prevention tips
n Girls’ wresting programs are on the rise
n Easy-to-make recipes for teens
Illinois Valley Parent
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Shannon Serpette Summer Traver
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Shannon Serpette
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Girls’ Wrestling Keeps Getting Bigger
Sport goes from girls on boys’ teams to full-fledged girls’ programs
By Brandon LaChance
A few years ago, girls’ wrestling was a rarity. There were a few females on boys’ teams, but there weren’t very many teams with more than one or two.
Now, the situation has changed as more and more Illinois high schools are adding teams every year. That includes LaSalle-Peru Township High School, which renamed its wrestling titles at its March meeting to add in a head girls’ wrestling coach and assistant girls’ wrestling coach.
At the April meeting, Nolan Keeney was named the first L-P girls’ wrestling coach after leading the Lady Cavalier grapplers in the 2024-25 season.
PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDERSON
Ottawa’s Savannah Frederickson and LaSalle-Peru’s Kalli Ware wrestle earlier this year in Sellett Gymnasium at L-P High School.
LaSalle-Peru’s Kiely Domyancich poses for a photo in the L-P wrestling room. Domyancich is the 2025 NewsTribune girls’ wrestler of the year.
Junior Kiely Domyancich, known as the first girl on the L-P wrestling team as a freshman, went to state for the second time this past season and earned a fifth-place medal.
“Wrestling is a very aggressive sport. Before I wrestled, I ran and played soccer. It was cool to be part of a hands-on sport,” Domyancich said. “I figured every wrestler is in really good shape, so it would help me get into better shape. Two friends of mine joined wrestling with me at the same time, but they both eventually decided they didn’t want to do it anymore. Having them with me gave me the confidence to wrestle at first. I knew some of the boys on the team, so I wasn’t completely clueless.
“Once I got involved, I liked the fact it’s a team sport, but it’s more independent based. If you put in the work, you see it on the mat. I like the feeling of getting my hand raised when I win a
match. I felt I was unprepared going into the state meet as a freshman. I didn’t know what I was dealing with because there was only a sectional. There weren’t a lot of girl wrestlers. I thought state was going to be more of a local experience; hard, but not as hard as it was,” Domyancich said.
“This year, as a junior, I knew what I was dealing with. Wrestling is growing at LaSalle-Peru, but it’s definitely way smaller compared to the bigger schools or areas. I realized no one cares if I’m coming from a smaller school. I just needed to show them I can compete with the bigger schools and the schools with more resources for girls’ wrestling,” Domyancich said.
Shaylynn Hartmann, a 2019 Princeton High School graduate who recently graduated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in
See WRESTLING page 6
PHOTO BY SCOTT ANDERSON
PAGE 5
law enforcement and a master’s degree in public safety, wrestled before Illinois officially sanctioned girls’ wrestling.
Hawaii was the first state to sanction the sport in 1998, and a few other states followed in the ensuing years. Illinois, for the 2020-21 sports year with the first state meet in 2022, was the 28th state to sanction girls’ wrestling out of the 46 states that have done so.
Although Illinois didn’t officialize a girls’ wrestling state meet until 2022, the Illinois Girls’ Wrestling Championship took place in March 2013 at Yorkville, according to Oak Forrest Patch. The first girls-only tournament featured 99 wrestlers from kindergarten to high school, with 78 of them in kindergarten through eighth. There was also an appearance by then one-time world champion Adeline Gray, who went on to win six world championships and competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, where she won a silver medal.
“I was at the first girlsonly wrestling tournament. They didn’t have sectionals for it until I got older, but they did eventually add them,” Hartmann said. “It was a big deal at the time,
but now it’s like nothing. There were a lot of girls there. It meant a lot to me because it was the first time I went to a tournament and wrestled three other girls rather than boys.
“I felt like I did worse against the girls. I have always had a tougher time wrestling girls. I wrestled boys at practice all the time. It was mentally tougher for me because I was so used to wrestling boys,” Hartmann said.
The Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation has
had girls’ tournaments over the years, but it didn’t host its first state tournament until March 2024 at the BMO Center in Rockford, according to the Rockford Register Star.
The IKWF State Meet featured a senior and novice division. Stephanie Hawkins, representing the LaSalle-Peru Crunching Cavs Youth Wrestling Club, won the novice division’s 87pound title.
“It’s crazy how big girls’ wrestling is now, with schools having
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Shaylynn Hartmann, a 2019 Princeton High School graduate, wrestled before Illinois officially sanctioned girls’ wrestling.
teams of 5 to 10 girls. It’s still good to work with boys, but for girls to have camaraderie is awesome,” Hartmann said. “Wrestling is a hard sport, and it’s harder when you’re the only girl. Princeton has five or more girls’ wrestlers and that forms a special bond.
“Even Tiger Town, my younger sister, Rayelynn, wrestles, and she is making friends with other girl wrestlers. They can relate on a different level. It’s nice to have that,” Hartmann added.
Brittney Domyancich, Kiely’s mother, agrees with Hartmann.
“The friendships we’ve formed with all of these families from different towns involved in Illinois Cornstars Wrestling (which Kiely has been involved in shortly after she joined the Cavaliers) has been such a wonderful environment,” Brittney said. “When she was at the IHSA State Meet, all of those people from those other towns, the Cornstars people, were cheering her on. I thought, ‘Wow, Kiely said she wanted something like that as a freshman, and now she has it.’ It was surreal. It’s such a healthy outlet every high school athlete should encounter.”
With the pioneering out of the way, Kiely is ready to make it to the IHSA State Meet for a third time as a senior to conclude the 202526 season.
This time, she gets to compete with an official team.
“I’m proud of how far the program has come. Wrestling is an intimidating sport, especially when there are not a lot of girls,” Kiely said. “I’m proud of the girls who have come out for wrestling to help form a team. I’m excited to be part of the team and to have girls at tournaments who are actually my teammates. Before, I had to hang out with the Ottawa or Seneca team because there wasn’t an L-P team.
“I’m excited to have a team I can call my own. And now we can hang out with Ottawa and Seneca wrestlers together. It’s one big community. I’m glad it now has the official label of being called the LaSalle-Peru girls’ wrestling team,” Kiely said.
RIGHT UP THEIR ALLEY
Children of all ages can enjoy bowling
Story & Photos by Shannon Serpette
In the 1900s, bowling was a highly popular activity, with bowling alleys located in many small towns and big cities across the United States. But, so far in this century, bowling hasn’t been able to recapture the same popularity it once enjoyed, and as a result, many former bowling alleys have closed.
A trip to the Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru, however, shows that bowling still has a dedicated fan base in the Illinois Valley – and that children are among its biggest supporters.
During a recent night of league bowling, the Illinois Valley Super Bowl was packed with bowlers of all ages, including 14-year-old Jackson Layhew of Peru, who has been bowling for about four years.
Brothers Truman Layhew (left) and Jackson Layhew (right) of Peru love bowling and said it is an activity their family enjoys doing together.
“My dad was in a league. I had never watched him in the league,” Jackson said.
Jackson decided he wanted to try bowling and see if he enjoyed it. After experiencing bowling for himself, Jackson understood why some people are so dedicated to the sport.
“I thought it was cool. I fell in love with the sport,” he said.
Jackson’s dad, Brian Layhew, had never forced the idea of getting Jackson into bowling -- Jackson was the one who brought up wanting to start bowling.
“He had some friends doing it,” Brian said.
Now a frequent bowler
who has his own ball, Jackson, a recent Trinity Catholic Academy graduate, hopes to join the bowling team when he attends LaSalle-Peru High School this fall.
Part of the broad appeal of bowling is that it is accessible to everyone, regardless of their athletic ability, age, or body type.
“Everybody can bowl,” Brian said. “We come here once, maybe twice, a week if we can.”
Families who bowl together will often find that it’s a great bonding activity – as the Layhews have learned. Jackson’s younger brother, Truman, who is 12 years old, also enjoys bowling.
“Whenever they go bowling to practice, I usually tag along,” Truman said.
Currently, Jackson and Brian are on a two-person team in their bowling league, so Truman can’t join them in every game. However, he said he finds it entertaining to go with them even when he isn’t bowling.
“I just really like the sport,” Truman said.
Both boys have made friends through bowling, and Jackson, who said his highest score to date is 169, loves how unpredictable the game can be, adding that there are frequent emotional
See BOWLING page 10
Kamryn Oscepinski of Peru (left) and Kaitlyn Miller of Tonica are both on the bowling team at LaSalle-Peru High School and often bowl at Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru.
Bowling
FROM PAGE 9
highs and lows.
“There’s no middle,” he said. “Whether you’re just a beginner or an expert, you never know what’s going to happen.”
Two other students who were at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl on the same night as the Layhews were Kamryn Oscepinski of Peru, who will be a high school senior this fall, and Kaitlyn Miller of Tonica, who will be a high school junior in the fall. Both girls attend LaSalle-Peru High School, where they are members of the bowling team.
Oscepinski, who was named the 2024-2025 NewsTribune Girls Bowler of the Year, has been bowling since she was 12 years old. Her parents are bowlers, and she wanted to try the sport as well.
“I was interested,” Oscepinski said.
That initial interest has resulted in quite a journey. She placed eighth in the state as an individual during her junior year, and her team placed fifth in the state.
Both girls want to be on a bowling team in college and said they have made friendships they wouldn’t have had if it weren’t for bowling.
“A lot of my friends are bowling,” Oscepinski said. “The bowling alley (Illinois Valley Super Bowl) has a good camaraderie.”
Miller has been bowling for years and comes from a
family that also enjoys the sport. Bowling has brought them closer together as a family, she said.
Kaitlyn’s dad, Jeff Miller of Tonica, is the assistant bowling coach at LaSalle-Peru High School. He became hooked on bowling 20 years ago, when his boss bowled and got him involved in a league.
Jeff passed his love of
bowling to his children, and his son was able to earn a bowling scholarship in college. He said bowlers welcome other bowlers of all ages – you’ll see younger children hanging out with teenagers at the Illinois Valley Super Bowl and children interacting with and learning from adults.
“It’s just fun and friendly,” Jeff said.
Jackson Layhew, who is 14 and a recent graduate from Trinity Catholic Academy, hopes to join a bowling team in high school
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Tips for raising a child who won’t bully others
Story by Summer Traver
Editor’s Note: Bullying continues to be a serious problem in schools – one that worries many students and parents in every school district. To offer tips on how to raise compassionate children who won’t bully other children, we reached out to longtime teacher and parent Summer Traver of Lacon for her advice.
First, I want to say that I am not trying to tell you what to do when I share these tips with you. I am only sharing what has worked with my family. I have 28 years of experience as a teacher and 21 years of experience as a parent. My children have graduated successfully from high school, and I have learned during that time that, as a parent, it is important to model expected behaviors. Here are some of my best tips for raising a child who doesn’t bully other children.
MANNERS
Manners are essential as soon as your child is able to communicate. The basic manners of kids, such as using the words “please” and “thank you,” will go a long way in life. As an educator, a lot of time is spent on reminding students to use basic manners.
I also think it is important for children to know how to give and receive an apology. It is crucial to not only be respected but to give respect as well. Sometimes, you need to have those difficult discussions with your child about rules and expectations. It is important not to lower your expectations because you do not want to lose their respect.
STRUCTURE
Structure can be challenging in a household because of all the activities going on. It is essential for families to eat together and engage in conversations at the dinner table about their day or upcoming plans. You should be a good listener and may even offer advice about situations that are described to you.
EMPATHY
It is essential to have conversations at a young age about how we are all different –some people are
all-star athletes while some excel academically, have a learning disability, or may be handicapped. Often, a child will just stare and not understand the differences they see. This is a great time to explain to your child about the fact that not everybody is the same.
I can remember receiving a call one day from my child’s school and thinking, “What did my child do?” It was the principal calling to let me know my child stuck up for an autistic student at lunch who was being made fun of by another student. I had a proud parent moment that day.
OBSERVATION
You are not a spy but a parent observing your child’s interactions with other kids at a young age. You are pulling your child aside to correct behaviors that may be aggressive, such as name-calling, throwing a toy, or taking a toy from another child.
I do not recommend embarrassing your child in front of the student. Instead, have a private conversation so your child will understand what happened and how to deal with emotions and choices. It is also important for your child to apologize.
If your young child is in daycare, check with the provider on your child’s interactions with other kids. If there are some problems, you should intervene. Don’t forget to check in with your child’s teacher. Ask if your child has friends and how they get along with others. This is a conversation you should have at parent-teacher conferences as soon as your child starts school.
MODELING
As a parent, you have an important role in modeling appropriate behavior throughout your child’s life. You should always use good manners and be respectful at home and in the workplace. The conversations you have with friends, whether on the phone or in person, should be polite and respectful.
Your child is always listening and observing while around you. Your actions should encourage your child to be a leader both in and out of the classroom. I would also recommend
not paying attention to your phone or device to let them know the conversations you have with them are important.
FRIENDSHIP
Do you pick your child’s friends? No, because your child will need to learn what qualities make a good friend. Playdates and daycare are the first steps in your child’s life when it comes to meeting friends. You are providing opportunities for your child to meet other kids and build relationships.
Paying attention to structure and routine and having conversations at the home dinner table can also help guide your child in selecting a good friend and learning to be a good friend. There should be a lot of listening and commenting going on during your conversations.
CONFIDENCE
A child needs to have confidence. As a parent, you should be complimenting your child on their good decisions and successes. When they take extra initiative, you should compliment them. You will build up their self-esteem. The goal is for your child to use their confidence to make good decisions when conflicts arise. Hopefully, with your child’s confidence and ability to make good decisions, other children will notice, and your child will become a compassionate leader.
DO YOUR BEST
The tips I’ve provided are guidelines to help you raise your child to avoid becoming a bully. I personally have had success at home by using these tips.
Begin working with your child as soon as they can communicate. Spend quality time with your child, engaging in conversations that are meaningful. Try not to interrupt your child, and be a good listener. This can be challenging because you will want to jump in and provide immediate solutions, but remember that ideally you want your child to come up with their own solutions and you are simply there offering guidance.
Remember, you are still parenting and may need to encourage your child toward the right direction if needed.
Traver
Easy Recipes for TEENAGERS
By Shannon Serpette
Summer is the ideal time to teach your teenager how to make some basic recipes. When finding recipes for teenagers to try, it’s best to keep it fairly simple by starting with dishes that don’t require too many ingredients.
It’s also smart to stay away from complicated cooking techniques your teen may not be ready for – they can work their way up to that after mastering the easier recipes. Here are some simple recipes for your teens to start with in the kitchen.
Breakfast Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS
Six eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 green pepper
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 medium soft tortilla shells
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add green peppers, stir together, and set the mixture aside.
In a big skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, add the egg mixture, and cook until it’s not runny. Put the cooked eggs on a plate.
In the same skillet, add two more tablespoons of butter and put a tortilla shell in the middle of the skillet. Top it with 1/4 cup cheese and place some of the eggs in an even layer on top of the cheese. Add some of the precooked bacon on top.
Put a second tortilla shell on top of the fillings and lightly press down. Heat for a couple of minutes on each side, flipping the tortilla carefully and cooking it until it is golden brown on each side.
Repeat the process with the remaining tortilla shells.
Easy Chicken Quesadillas
INGREDIENTS
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 can (10 ounces) Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup
3/4 cup medium heat salsa
10 flour tortillas (8 inch)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add soup and salsa to the cooked chicken in a medium-sized skillet or pan. Heat on medium heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Put tortillas on a baking sheet – you may need two baking sheets if yours isn’t big enough. Put about 1/3 cup of the soup mixture on each tortilla, spreading it near the edges of each one. Then moisten the edges of the tortillas with water, fold them over, and press the edges to seal. Bake 5 minutes or until heated through.
Chili Mac
INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
1 pound ground beef
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (15 ounces each) chili with beans
1 can (11 ounces) corn, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
Cook macaroni according to the directions on the package and drain. Meanwhile, in a big skillet, cook and crumble the beef with the pepper and onion over medium heat. Cook until the meat is no longer pink.
Stir in the chili, corn, and macaroni, and heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.
Tater Tot Grilled Cheese
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 hash brown patties
3 slices American cheese
2 bacon strips, cooked until crispy
This will make one tater tot grilled cheese sandwich, so if you’re making this for more than one person, make sure to adjust the quantities.
Pour the oil into a frying pan and place it on medium heat. When the oil heats up, add two hash brown patties and cook on one side until lightly browned, which should take 4 or 5 minutes. Flip the hash browns using a spatula, and cook on the other side for about 5 minutes.
Turn the heat down to low. Top one of the hash browns with two slices of cheese and then the bacon.
Then put the last slice of cheese over the top of the bacon. Put the second hash brown on top of that and press down gently with the spatula.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 1 minute. Then, flip the sandwich over and cook for an additional minute on the other side, until the cheese has melted. Remove the sandwich from the heat and serve right away.
Tuna Melt
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
2 six-ounce cans tuna
2 dill pickles, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper
8 slices of bread
4 tablespoons butter
1 tomato, sliced
8 slices cheddar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a big bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes (if using).
Drain tuna, then add to mayonnaise mixture. Use a fork to break the tuna into flakes. Add the celery, red onion, pickles, and parsley. Gently stir to combine. Season, as desired, with salt and pepper.
Butter each bread slice on one side. Top the unbuttered side with about 1/2 cup of tuna salad, one or two slices of tomato, and two slices of cheese. Top with another slice of bread, with the buttered side facing up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and put them on a baking sheet. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 to 7 minutes.
