Eastern Iowa Girl Becomes Second to Place at State Wrestling Tournament

An eastern Iowa teen's victory Friday morning assured she'll be on the podium tomorrow night at the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships in Des Moines. She's only the second girl in Iowa history to place at the tournament.

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Reanah Utterback is a sophomore from my alma mater, Sigourney. She wrestles for Sigourney-Keota (Class 1A-106 pounds) and qualified for the tournament this winter for the second straight year.

Utterback, who entered the tournament as the #8 seed with a record of 37-9, received a first-round bye. She then defeated Erik Flores of Clayton Ridge 6-4. Utterback then met top-seeded Jayden Rinken of Nashua-Plainfield in the quarterfinals, losing 10-0. In Friday morning's wrestlebacks, she beat Dallas Canoyer of Earlham 7-2, assuring her a medal Saturday night.

Late Friday morning, Utterback lost 1-0 to #4 seed, Wesley Sadler of Lisbon. Saturday morning, she lost to #2 seed Davis Bramman of Oakland Riverside 4-0, meaning Utterback places 8th at 106 pounds.

According to the Des Moines Register, Utterback is one of only six girls that have ever qualified for the tournament. Only two others have qualified twice. One of those, Megan Black of Ottumwa, who also wrestled at 106 pounds, finished eighth at the 2012 tournament.

Utterback remains eligible for the "Traditional Tournament", as the IAHSAA calls it because Sigourney-Keota doesn't have a girls' wrestling program. She's made it abundantly clear, both last year and this, that she belongs. Earlier this week, Utterback talked to the Des Moines Register and other media about why she wanted to wrestle with the guys again this season.