The four members of the 2021-2022 Knights girls wrestling team from left to right, Jillian Worthen, Ava Mehlert, Taylor Hedeman, and Sadie Hennings stand as a group following a recent practice in the Union High School. Behind them a wall of only male Union wrestlers is visible. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

The talented trailblazing quartet that comprises the Union girls’ 2021-2022 wrestling team made their way to the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) fourth annual interscholastic Iowa High School Girls Wrestling Championships in Coralville last weekend and came away with not only an individual state title – Union freshman Jillian ‘Monster’ Worthen – but also the long awaited announcement that their sport would finally be sanctioned in Iowa.

All four wrestlers – freshman Worthen, sophomore Ava Mehlert, junior Taylor Hedeman, and senior Sadie Hennings – competed at the IWCOA state tournament ahead of the official announcement on Saturday by Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Executive Director Jean Berger that girls’ wrestling in Iowa will be officially sanctioned for the 2022-2023 season.

When asked earlier in the week about the movement to sanction the sport that had – prior to the state tournament – been spreading rapidly across wrestling mats all over Iowa, Hennings told the Telegraph, “[Sanctioning the sport] would make me happy – to see future girls get that opportunity. It would be nice to know I could have helped. I’m just happy that a lot of girls are involved in it now.”

Little did the girls know their efforts would be acknowledged so publicly in just three short days’ time.

The Knights girls’ team quadrupled in size this season going from one to four athletes over 2020’s roster and although that number might be considered small compared to many area girls’ teams – Vinton-Shellsburg’s roster boasts 15 girls – the Knights more than made up for it in terms of both their grit & their sheer enthusiasm for the sport.

From left to right, Knights wrestlers Ava Mehlert, Taylor Hedeman, Sadie Hennings, and Jillian Worthen react to being called trailblazers when it comes to the sport of girls wrestling in Iowa as they discuss what wrestling has meant to them as high school athletes. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union made the announcement on Saturday, Jan. 22 ahead of the championship round of the IWCOA girls’ state wrestling tournament in Coralville that the sport would be officially sanctioned for the 2022-2023 season in Iowa. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

The quartet is also an extremely talented group of athletes from rookie wrestlers Hennings and Hedeman, to 2020 girls’ state wrestling participant Mehlert, to the current No. 1 girls wrestler in the state – and now state champ – at 100 pounds Worthen.

Worthen cemented her status on Saturday as a force to watch in girls’ wrestling with her 2022 IWCOA 100 pound girls state champion title.

“I’m ready, I’m confident,” Worthen said on Wednesday, Jan. 19, when asked following practice how she was feeling heading into the weekend’s state tournament. “[Girls wrestling] inspires people.”

In addition to their coaches – including Union boys’ wrestling Head Coach Bart Mehlert, Ava’s dad – the girls’ credit Worthen and Hedeman’s brothers – Union senior wrestler Hunter Worthen and Union freshman Jace Hedeman – with supporting them in their endeavors on the mats.

During their interview with the Telegraph on Wednesday, all four girls agreed their male counterparts on the team had been nothing but supportive this season.

Union's Jillian 'Monster' Worthen pictured in the Knights' wrestling practice room on Wednesday, Jan. 19. At the time of the photo, Worthen was ranked No. 1 in the state at 100 lbs under the Iowa High School Girls Rankings put out by IA Wrestle. Worthen captured a state title in the 100 pound bracket on Saturday in Coralville during the IWCOA’s fourth annual Iowa High School Girls Wrestling Championships. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

The boys’ support has meant so much to Worthen, in fact, when asked to comment on the push to sanction the sport she replied: “It would be a really good thing for it to be sanctioned here, but I still want to wrestle guys and be a part of their team.”

Coach Mehlert for his part on Wednesday said he would be extremely welcoming of an official sanction of the sport.

“[Union] has always had girls wrestling here and there [through the years],” Coach Mehlert said. “In the last few years it’s taken off. … [We’ve] been trying to learn on the fly how [best] to coach girls.”

With an official sanction, Coach Mehlert said the girls’ team would have separate practices, separate coaching staff, guaranteed transportation – “everything would be their own.”

“Right now we’re trying to make do with what we have – three paid [coaches] and four volunteers.”

Part of the official sanctioning of any new sport by IGHSAU requires 15 percent of member schools to submit letters of commitment to the sport.

Ahead of the state tournament on Saturday, the Telegraph contacted IGHSAU Dir. Berger to inquire as to how many member schools had submitted letters. Berger indicated 58 schools had done so, a move which signaled the districts’ athletic departments would have a separate girls’ wrestling team.

According to Union Superintendent Travis Fleshner – who is also an IGHSAU board member – Union had not submitted a letter but said in an email statement: “As far as Union CSD submitting a letter, we did not. While there are a few reasons why, we are supportive of girls wrestling.”

As far as the Union girls’ wrestling team is concerned, sanctioned or not, girls’ wrestling is more than just a sport and their fellow classmates have taken notice.

“They think it’s so cool,” Hedeman said.

The four members of the 2021-2022 Knights girls wrestling team from left to right, Jillian Worthen, Ava Mehlert, Taylor Hedeman, and Sadie Hennings stand as a group following a recent practice in the Union High School. Behind them a wall of only male Union wrestlers is visible. Photo by Soren M. Peterson

“Like we’re superhuman or something,” Worthen added.

“They watch us and think – maybe this is a good sport,” Mehlert said.

But when you’re on that mat wrestling in a dual or a tournament – no matter the opponent, girl or boy – Hennings said: “It’s you and you alone.”

That may well be the case, but going forward and for seasons to come, the Union girls’ wrestlers now have the official support of the IGHSAU with them out there on those mats.

Knights wrestlers and sibling sets Hunter and Jillian Worthen (left) and Taylor and Jace Hedeman (right) pictured following practice in the Union High School wrestling room on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. Photo by Soren M. Peterson