Oak Forest’s Alex Sebek, who admired Mia Palumbo, becomes role model for next generation of girls. ‘That was me.’

Oak Forest’s Alex Sebek is just a freshman, but she’s already a hero for young female wrestlers.

Sebek takes pride in being that role model, knowing exactly what it’s like to be one of those little girls.

She long admired Richards’ Mia Palumbo, who was the first female to win a match at the Illinois High School Association’s state meet.

“Girls will come up to talk to me and hug me and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s so cute,’” Sebek said. “That was me. When I was their age, there weren’t many girls wrestling. Mia Palumbo was my biggest influence, and I was the little girl coming up to her and asking for her autograph.

“Now, little girls come to watch me wrestle, so it’s cool to know I’m being an influence to younger girls who are just like me when I was starting.”

Sebek, who has been wrestling since second grade, is hoping to make a big run at the IHSA girls wrestling state finals Friday and Saturday at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

Sebek (38-6) is a top contender at 100 pounds after winning the Evanston Sectional title at that weight.

“I do all the offseason work, and seeing how I’ve been doing this year, especially at sectionals, I feel like I can make some noise at state,” Sebek said. “I’m just trying to wrestle smart and not do stupid things that I normally wouldn’t do because I get excited in the moment and try to rush things.”

Sebek began wrestling after her brother, Jacob, joined the sport. Jacob is in eighth grade and plans to wrestle for Oak Forest next season.

Their father, John, has coached girls wrestling club teams. He is the girls coach for Oak Forest.

“My son started first and she was tired of sitting in the bleachers watching,” John Sebek said of Alex. “It’s been really cool within the family watching them compete and grow in the sport.”

Not only is Alex making her mark on the girls side, she cracked the starting lineup for the boys and had some huge wins at 106 pounds, including a pin in the dual against Lemont that lifted the Bengals to the South Suburban Blue title.

“Boys give me good competition and so do the girls,” Alex said. “It’s like two different families all put together. I like wrestling with the boys because when I’m the only girl with them, they give me a lot of support. Then when I’m with the girls, it’s like a sisterhood and we’re all on the same journey.

“A lot of the guys are always like, ‘Wrestling is for boys.’ But then to see some girls dominate in the sport is super cool. It shows the boys that wrestling isn’t just for them and it’s for us, too.”

Terrific trio: Lincoln-Way Central will have three girls competing at state, led by junior Gracie Guarino.

A runner-up at state last season, Guarino (10-0) was awarded the top seed at 110.

“After coming so close, I’m really determined to come back and win it,” she said.

Guarino will be joined by teammates Emily Peyton (110) and Ashley Villa (125).

Can you repeat that? Joliet Catholic and Mount Carmel earned return berths to the dual team state meet and are still alive in their quest to win back-to-back titles.

The Hilltoppers, led by individual state champions Dillan Johnson, Gylon Sims and Mason Alessio, are a big favorite in Class 2A.

“I’m hoping to win one more state championship with my team,” Sims said. “I know we can do it.”

Mount Carmel has a tough test at 5 p.m. Friday in a Class 3A quarterfinal against St. Charles East, which had three individual state champions and a whopping nine medalists.

The Caravan, led by state champs Seth Mendoza and Sergio Lemley, had six medalists.

Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.