EDDYVILLE — For Megan Black, it started out as something that kept her bonded with her brother.
Who would have thought that, several years later, one of the pioneers of girls high school wrestling was there to present several talented athletes that have followed in her footsteps. Black was as happy as anyone to present the ultimate prize of the invitational to her alma mater, which had named the tournament after the first female wrestler to place in the Iowa High School Boys State Tournament.
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont collected their seventh tournament title of the season, claiming the team championship on their home mats last Friday with the school’s hall-of-fame alumnus smiling from ear to ear as she presented multiple individual medals and the championship trophy to the Rockets. EBF put nine girls into a championship match with four wrestlers claiming titles on the way to posting 261 total points, nearly doubling second-place Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s total of 133.5.
“I think these girls really wanted to bring this championship back for Megan. She’s definitely paved the way for girls wrestling,” EBF head coach Garrett Krause said. “Without her and her courage to participate in this sport and keep at it for her entire career, we’re not doing the things we’re doing right now.”
Black became the first female wrestler to qualify for consecutive Iowa High School state wrestling tournaments, finishing eighth in Class 1A at 113 pounds as a junior at EBF during the 2013 state tournament, becoming the first female wrestler to reach the podium in Des Moines. Ironically, it was right around that time that Black would meet a young girl who would go on to become just the second female wrestler to place in the boys state wrestling tournament.
“When I was a senior, I stood in this doorway and talked to Reanah (Utterback). At the time, she was just an elementary student,” Black said. “Now, she’s here winning championships and making her own history. That kind of shows you the ripple effect. It’s kind of crazy.”
The two again shared encouraging words, as well as a handshake and a hug, after Utterback clinched the 115-pound championship improving to 23-0 on her senior season at Sigourney-Keota. The defending Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union champion and the second-ever female Iowa High School boys state wrestling placewinner as a sophomore collected 29.5 of Sigourney-Keota’s 65.5 team points leading the Cobras to a ninth-place finish in the tournament.
“This is a pretty special tournament to win. Megan and I have always been close and one of my good friends,” Utterback said. “She’s one of my inspirations and one of the female wrestlers that I’ve always looked up to. I’m thankful to have her here with me. I’m proud to have accomplished some of the things she accomplished and I’m happy she’s right there behind me and supporting me.”
Abigail Durflinger also considers Black something of a role model. The EBF senior won the 110-pound title on Friday with a 10-4 win over Albia junior Paige Popson, improving to 23-2 on the season, before receiving the championship medal from her former neighbor.
“Knowing someone that did something as great as she did and came from the same place as me is a great feeling,” Durflinger said of Black. “It kind of makes me feel like I can accomplish some big dreams.”
EBF teammates Hollie Roberts (100), Ella Ray (235) and Chelsea Smith (155) joined Durflinger in reaching the top of the podium on Friday. Smith racked up a team-leading 30 points on the way to her championship, improving to 26-2 by scoring four consecutive first-period falls culminating with a pin in 1:44 over Southeast Warren junior Glorious Fridley to secure EBF’s third individual title of the night.
“Words can’t describe what it means to win this tournament,” Smith said. “Being out there, doing my thing and being told by someone like Megan to keep it up is amazing. It’s a dream come true.”
Albia finished fourth with 103 points, paced by runner-up finishes from Popson, Aubrey Major (140) and Avery Kaster (145) in the Megan Black Invitational. Cardinal finished seventh with 76 points, led by a third-place finish at 155 pounds by Reagan Vaughn.
Moravia finished 14th with 50 points in the tournament. Layla Ewing returned to the mat out of the holiday break, debuting a new singlet by winning the 130-pound title with three pins including a win in 59 seconds over EBF junior Miley Kirkpatrick in the championship match improving to 18-1 in her quest to reach and place in the IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament for the third consecutive year.
“I’m not too superstitious. I feel like I’ve got to get a few more wins in this singlet before I’d consider it lucky,” Ewing said. “We had some really hard practices over the holiday break. I feel like that’s just pushing me towards my goals for the season even more.”
Overall, the second-annual Megan Black Invitational featured over five hours of wrestling with 17 schools represented by 138 total female wrestlers. It was yet another example of the increasing popularity of the sport that, for Black, began with a simple goal in mind.
“I just wanted to start wrestling because my brother (Tucker) wrestled,” Black said. “That turned into me wanting to win a state title and wanting to be an Olympian. It never crossed my mind that I’d have an impact on so many people. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to have that impact. I’m glad I made the most of my time.”
