©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Iowa Wrestler Defaults Rather than Face Girl |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- An Iowa high school wrestler who was among the favorites to win his weight class has defaulted on his first-round state tournament match rather than face a girl.
Joel Northup, a home-schooled sophomore who was 35-4 wrestling for Linn-Mar High this season, said in a statement Thursday that he doesn't feel it would be right for him to wrestle Cedar Falls freshman Cassy Herkelman.
Herkelman and fellow 112-pounder Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black made history this year by being the first girls to qualify for the tournament. Black was pinned quickly in her opening match.
Northup said in a statement that he has ``tremendous'' respect for the girls' accomplishments, but doesn't feel it's appropriate for boys to engage girls in a combat sport.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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