Girl wrestler in Iowa wins state match by default

DES MOINES  Freshman Cassy Herkelman of Cedar Falls won by default Thursday in Des Moines to be the first girl to win a match in the 86-year history of the Iowa state wrestling tournament.

Joel Northrup, who is home-schooled but competes for Linn-Mar (Marion), came in with a 35-4 record but defaulted rather than face Herkelman.

Herkelman and another 112-pounder, Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black, were the first girls to qualify for the tournament. Black is out of the tournament after being pinned in her opening match and in the consolation round. Herkelman's next match is today.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments," Northrup said in a statement. "However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times. As a matter of conscience and my faith, I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most of the high school sports in Iowa."

Northrup's father, Jamie, is pastor at Believers in Grace Fellowship, a non-denominational church in Marion.

"I'd like to see his father and meet him because I applaud them for holding onto their convictions," said Cassy's father, Bill Herkelman. "Even on a big stage like this. That's something that takes a lot of guts. A lot of people may second-guess it, but your convictions have to be your convictions."

Northrup, the fifth-ranked wrestler at 112 pounds, still could win a state title, but must advance out of the consolation round. He won his first consolation match 9-0 by major decision against Sam Jameson of Glenwood.

While Herkelman and Black are making history by competing in Iowa's state meet, that standard is hardly new elsewhere.

Alaska has had two girls win state 103-pound titles. In 2006, Michaela Hutchison of Skyview (Soldotna) became the first girl to defeat boys for a state high school title, followed by Kenai's Hope Steffenson this past December.

In most states, girls wrestlers compete against boys. Hawaii, California and Texas have girls-only state wrestling tournaments.

"For Iowa, this is a big deal, but there have pretty much been girls that have qualified for a state meet in every state in the country," said Kent Bailo, the director of the United States Girls Wrestling Association. "Except, I think, Pennsylvania. "

***

Contributing: Des Moines Register, Wire reports