South Elgin’s Allison Garbacz spent time pondering everything she could have done differently.
Heading into her sophomore year, Garbacz couldn’t help but think about having a 32-0 record last season before dropping a 4-1 decision to Cumberland’s Natalie Beaumont in the state semifinals.
“Last year, I was really focused on the outcome and worrying about how I was going to perform,” Garbacz said. “What I learned is that none of the work happens on the day of the tournament.
“The work happens in the weeks and months leading up to it, so I just focused on getting better every day at practice.”
With that fresh memory of a fourth-place finish at 145 pounds, Garbacz returned to Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington as a sophomore with a vengeance.
She captured the state title at 155 with a pin in the second period over Freeburg’s Grace Stratton, punctuating a perfect 42-0 season and becoming the school’s first individual state champ.
That historic milestone underscored the complete dominance this winter of the unbeaten Garbacz, the 2025-26 Beacon-News/Courier-News Girls Wrestler of the Year.
Junior 140-pounder Jackie Martinez, one of her teammates, described Garbacz as unselfish and giving and never one to gloat or fixate on herself.
“She cares not only about her success but those around her,” Martinez said. “She’s very dependable, always shows up and always gives 100% no matter what.
“She’s relentless, always thinking, always one step ahead when it comes to being either on the mat or off. She sets an amazing example for the rest of the team.”
Senior 100-pounder Kathy Pallares, another teammate, was a first-year wrestler unsure about when to turn or what to do when the season began.
“I wouldn’t have gotten through it without her,” Pallares said. “My core memory, being around her between matches or outside of wrestling, is how calm she stays in the most stressful situations.
“She genuinely lights up a room.”
Garbacz, who has compiled a 76-2 record in two seasons, provided a state preview at the Schaumburg Sectional with a dramatic pin in the third period of Hinsdale South’s Callie Carr.
Garbacz ended the 74-match winning streak of Carr, the defending state champion.
“She won state the year before and had always seemed unbeatable in my mind,” Garbacz said. “Winning that match made me realize how far I’d come and that I could compete with anyone.”
Garbacz never panicked during adversity, either. Both Carr and Stratton held the early advantage against her, with Stratton scoring a quick takedown in the state championship match.
“A match is six minutes long,” Garbacz said. “You can’t judge it by the first two minutes. That’s something I learned. Even last summer at a national tournament at Fargo, I had matches where I was losing and had to come back.
“You just can’t let one moment define the whole match.”
Growing up, Garbacz also swam and played soccer. Her older brother, Austin, was a standout wrestler at Bartlett and the sport quickly appealed to her.
She quickly immersed herself in the sport’s technical details.
“My brother is nine years older, so I used to watch him practice and I’d play around on the mat,” Garbacz said. “I started when I was 4. I just decided I wanted to do it.
“At first, it was mostly about having fun. As I got older, I realized there were opportunities to compete at a higher level, and since I loved the sport so much, I decided to really pursue it.”
The hardest part can be fighting off nerves, but for Garbacz, perfection was the result and not the end goal. She also stayed open to every possibility.
“I go to practice every day remembering how much I love the sport,” she said. “There are always going to be tough days, but I’m really grateful for the opportunities women’s wrestling has now.
“I just want to make the most of it and keep enjoying it.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
