‘One of the guys.’ Reanah Utterback lands in quarterfinals of the Iowa boys state wrestling tournament

By Ryan Timmerman | Photos by Matthew Putney  

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Sigourney-Keota’s Reanah Utterback has noticed the dramatic rise in girls wrestling in Iowa, but she believes wrestling against the boys brings out the best in her on the mat. 

“It was a really big priority to make it back,” Utterback said. “To make it back and do better than I did last year was the whole goal. I just want to keep improving as we go.”

Utterback moved her season record to 36-8 after entering the IHSAA state individual tournament in Class 1A at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on Wednesday as the No. 10 seed at 106 and beat Clayton Ridge senior Erik Flores (38-4), the No. 9 seed, in the second round by 6-4 decision, in match that was controlled by Utterback, but made closer late.

“I expected that from Day 1,” said Sigourney-Keota head coach Cory Van Den Heuvel. “She’s a hard worker. She doesn’t ask for any favors, she’s just one of the guys.

“I’m happy she is doing what she wants, we’re doing what she wants to do and she does a great job, we’re all very proud of her.”

While it may appear like she may not be keeping track of the girls’ side, given that she decided to wrestle against the boys this season, Utterback has the receipts.

“I think it’s great that it was (sanctioned by the IGHSAU),” she said. “It’s becoming a bigger and bigger thing each year. In 2005, there were only like 4,000 or so girls out. By 2019-20, we had 28,000 girls out. It’s really great to see growth.

“Not wrestling against them and being with them this year is another thing, but I did what’s best for me this year. “I don’t really care about being a girl, I know I can do just as much as on the mat (the boys) can.”

She’s also seen some growth on the mat as a grappler. At the South Iowa Cedar League meet, she took second. She’s beaten state-qualifier Codder Malcom of Wapello by pin fall twice this season.

“I’m better from the neutral position,” the sophomore said. “That and defense. When (my opponent) would shoot and sprawl, that’s the biggest thing we’ve worked on. At the beginning of the year, people were getting to my legs, but we’ve worked so much on it, that I think we’re getting way better with it.

That and focusing on shooting both sides, so people don’t know which side it’s coming from.”

Utterback received a first-round bye to ensure she made it further on the plus side of the bracket this season than when she qualified after as a freshman with a mark of 38-5.

Since Sigourney-Keota didn’t roster a girls team, Utterback had the option to wrestle the girls’ slate or the boys’ this season. The rules dictated that she choose one or the other, so Utterback didn’t deviate from her past.

She’s set on trying to become the first girls medalist at the boys state tournament since Megan Black in 2012. She’s one of just six girls all-time to wrestle at the IHSAA state tournament twice. And she’s got more time ahead of her.

More recently, Bettendorf’s Ella Schmit, now wrestling at the University of Iowa, competed at the 2020-21 state tournament, but lost her opening match before winning in the consolation round. Molly Allen of Underwood also competed at 106 last season, but went 0-2 at state.

For Utterback, though, the past nor future of girls’ wrestling matters little over the next few days. Her mission is to continue what she’s started this season.

She’ll have a golden opportunity to prove herself in the quarterfinals on Thursday, as she is set to meet the top seed at 106 in Nashua-Plainfield’s Jayden Rinken (44-2).

“I knew from the beginning that I could do anything I put my mind to,” Utterback said. “It didn’t matter if it was boys or girls, I knew I could do it either way. Because I’ve wrestled with the boys my whole life, we never used to have a girls division.

As it’s gotten bigger, it’s good to show that it’s gotten bigger. But for me, it’s good to be out here with the boys to show that I can compete every bit as much against them.”