High School Wrestler Joel Northrup Forfeits Match Rather Than Face Girl

Cassy Herkelman didn't get a chance to wrestle her opponent to the ground, but she made history anyway.

The Cedar Falls, Iowa, teen became the first girl ever to win the state wrestling match after her competitor forfeited rather than face a female opponent.

Joel Northrup, a high school sophomore who entered the tournament 35-4 and was favored to win, refused to face the 112-pound Cassy today.

Steve Pope, AP

Cedar Falls' Cassy Herkelman, center, and her opponent Joel Northrup, center left, of Linn-Mar High, stand at the scorers table waiting for their leg bands prior to their Class 3A 112-pound first-round match at the Iowa State Wrestling tournament on Thursday in Des Moines.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and [Megan Black, the second girl who qualified] and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times. As a matter of conscience and my faith, I do not believe that is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner," he said in a statement to reporters. "It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

So Cassy, a freshman who was one of two girls ever to qualify for the first-round state match, won the match by default. When her arm was raised in victory today by the referee, cheers and boos could be heard in the audience, according to The Associated Press.

Joel's father, Jamie Northrup, said deciding to forfeit the match was a hard choice.

"We spent a couple of days agonizing over this," Jamie Northrup told the Des Moines-Register today. "And just giving to Joel to really allow him to make the decision."

Joel is home-schooled but wrestles for the Linn-Mar High School in Marion. Scott Mahmens, the school's athletic director, said the teen wouldn't receive any punishment from his coaches.

Cedar Falls' Cassy Herkelman gets her arm raised after winning by default in a Class 3A 112 pound match at the Iowa State Wrestling tournament, Thursday Feb. 17, 2011 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Steve Pope, AP

Cassy gets her arm raised after winning by default at the Iowa State Wrestling tournament.

"We're going to back our student athletes no matter what," Mahmens told Radio Iowa.

Cassy, who entered the tournament 20-13, was not available for comment today. A phone number repeatedly rang busy at her family's home in Iowa.

Her father, however, sent a text message to the AP today in which he said he held no ill will toward Joel or his family.

"It's nice to get the first win and have her be on the way to the medal round," Bill Herkelman wrote. "I sincerely respect the decision of the Northrup family especially since it was made on the biggest stage in wrestling. I have heard nothing but good things about the Northrup family and hope Joel does very well the remainder of the tourney."

Megan Black, the second girl ever to qualify for the match, lost both her matches today and is out of the tournament.