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Iowa HS wrestler defaults to avoid wrestling girl...

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DES MOINES, Iowa ? A standout Iowa high school wrestler refused to compete against a girl at the state tournament on Thursday, relinquishing any chance of becoming a champion because he says wrestling a girl would conflict with his religious beliefs.
Joel Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore who was 35-4 wrestling for Linn-Mar High School this season, praised his first-round opponent, Cedar Falls freshman Cassy Herkelman, and Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black, who became the first two girls to make the state wrestling tournament in its 85-year history.

But in a brief statement issued through his school, Northrup said he defaulted on his match with Herkelman because he doesn't think boys and girls should compete in the sport.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," said Northrup. "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 other high school sports in Iowa."

There were several thousand fans at Wells Fargo Arena on Thursday, but many were watching other matches when the referee raised Herkelman's hand to signal her win. There was a smattering of cheers and boos from the crowd before Herkelman was whisked into the bowels of the arena.

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I don't really have a problem with Northrup's decision, the only thing that's really hurt is his own chances in the tournament.

That being said I think it's a shame that the attention is focused on his actions rather than the fact that Cassy Herkelman (20-13) & Megan Black (25-13) are the first two girls to qualify for the state tournament in Iowa.

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I too think it's sad that his religious beliefs trumped the accomplishments of these girls (in the story)...assuming their other wins weren't gained in the same manner. :wink2:
 
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I do not blame either of the two kids. Both want to win and both made it to the tournament. Knowing that this possibly could be an issue, the adults should have asked this question before the tournament. I think both sides are valid. Any discussion of this had to occur before it became this issue.

However, if you want to win the state championship, you have to defeat ALL contestants. I admire the veracity of the young man's stand, but I also admire the grit and ability the girl displayed. They both wrestled their way into the tournament.

The boy will have to live with his choice.......that is kind of what life is really all about.

Soapbox now closed.
 
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Both the boy and girl wrestlers are in the same weight class, so it's not like an average sized male is completing against an averaged sized female (where the size and strength difference would be prohibitive). If Northrup is truly worried about "hurting a defenseless girl" per se, then maybe he should watch tapes of some of the matches where she beat boys her size. Wrestling is as much about technique as it is about size/strength.
 
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I knew a kid that lost to a girl in middle school. Never wrestled another match in his life. It's a lose/lose situation. With that said, I would have still wrestled that match, especially at that stage of the season.
 
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OhioState001;1876147; said:
Imagine the embarrassment of losing to a girl, I dont blame him
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I'd rather lose to a girl who was good enough to beat a boat-load of duded to get into the tournament, than to use some lame-assed excuse to avoid wrestling her. I run, bike, and swim with chicks who are faster than me in all three and it doesn't bother me one bit.
 
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