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Sigourney-Keota’s Reanah Utterback caps stellar career with second straight undefeated championship wrestling season
Utterback pins her way to 115-pound title in Class 1A; Prairie’s Mackenzie Childers, Union Community’s finished back on top of podium; East Buchanan’s Brooklyn Graham wins title, helps Buccaneers to team crown
Feb. 8, 2025 12:50 am, Updated: Feb. 8, 2025 7:04 am
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CORALVILLE – Reanah Utterback left an indelible mark on Iowa wrestling.
Her dominant brand of wrestling ruled the girls division. She even earned a state medal against her male colleagues. The Sigourney-Keota senior hopes her legacy inspires others.
“You can do whatever you put your mind to and that you're not alone in this sport,” Utterback said. “You have people that are here to help you and that I’m one of the girls that have helped build this program here in Iowa. That we have more girls now, so I'm hoping that'll stay.”
Utterback capped a stellar career, pinning her way to the Class 1A 115-pound title at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union girls’ state wrestling tournament Friday night at Xtream Arena. She posted her second straight undefeated championship season.
“I'm glad to go out there with a perfect season this year, especially with it being my senior year,” said Utterback, who was 55-0. “I'm just glad that I didn't have to do it alone this year and that I got to have some other girls (teammates) out here with me.”
Sigourney-Keota Coach Trevor Weeks he learned more from Utterback than she did from him, but he enjoyed every moment. He put her impact in perspective.
“It’s been a heck of a ride,” Weeks said. “We'll be talking about Reanah Utterback here at this tournament for decades.”
Interestingly, Utterback bought a stamp instead of signing her bracket with each win. A fitting metaphor since she put her stamp on the sport in this state.
“It just says my last name,” Utterback said with a laugh. “My handwriting is really bad. I didn't want that to be on my bracket, so we ordered a stamp, so it could just be easier for me.”
Winning seemed to come easily for Utterback, who built an 8-0 lead before her finals pin. She won 104 matches against females and ended with an overall high school record of 179-16. She pinned her way to both IGHSAU titles and an Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association crown as a freshman. Utterback was the second and last female to place at the Iowa High School Athletic Association tournament, getting eighth in 1A in 2023.
“The first words that come to mind is true competitor,” Weeks said. “Always looking for the next best opportunity, even though she had one heck of a night tonight, she’s looking for that next biggest fish.”
Utterback admitted that sometimes she misses competing against boys and that there was some pressure as a trailblazer in a recently sanctioned sport.
“I know that most of these girls are looking up to me for what I've done,” Utterback said. “I'm just glad that I could be here for them.”
Weeks said passion has been a driving force for Utterback, who is a soccer player and an artist that likes to use craft as a stress release from the intensity of wrestling. Utterback is determined to be No. 1.
“I've always been taught since I was young that as long as you give your best effort that's just how it is,” Utterback said. “No matter if you win or lose, as long as you give your best effort, that's the best you can do. So, that's always just been a big thing that has been in my head is that as long as I go out and wrestle in my best, whether I win or lose, it's a good day.”
Shortly after Utterback concluded her last title run, Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Mackenzie Childers and Union Community’s Jillian Worthen ended their redemption tour.
Both won titles as sophomores but didn’t repeat a year ago. The 130-pound duo recorded pins within seconds of each other to finish atop the podium.
“I think it was pretty special that we both went out (as champions),” Childers said. “Jillian didn’t get what she wanted last year at the state tournament and neither did I. I think it means a lot for me to go out on top,. I know it means a lot to Jillian to get her third state title and end up on top her senior year.”
Childers decked Racoon River-Northwest’s Calista Rodish in 2:37 of the 2A championship. Worthen stuck Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s Miley Kirkpatrick in 2:52 for the 1A title.
The pair hugged each other as the heading off the arena floor.
“I love Mackenzie,” Worthen said. “We go on AAU trips together. She had a heartbreak last year, too. She hugged me and she’s like, ‘We’re back.’”
Childers edged Rodish, 4-3,in the finals of the Dan Gable Donnybrook at Xtream Arena on Dec. 6. One of only two matches Childers won by decision. Same opponent. Same place. Drastically dissimilar outcome.
“She was a really tough opponent and I didn’t expect the match to go out with a pin,” said Childers, who led 5-0 at the time of the fall. “I knew it was going to be tough. I needed to do what I do.”
Childers (49-0) jumped into the arms of Prairie Coach Zach Becicka. This title was accompanied by different emotions.
“My sophomore year I felt more relief than anything,” Childers said. “Less excitement and less joy. More relief because I felt like I put a lot more pressure on myself that year.”
“This year before my match I told my coaches I have no fear in losing or making mistakes. This time when I won, I felt joy. I didn’t feel relief. I felt excitement. That’s what I’ve been looking for.”
Worthen said she has constantly looked forward since her freshman season. Now, she’s wanting to stay in the moment. The win has soothed the sting of the last year.
“Amazing,” Worthen said. “I felt over the past year like I was slipping away, kind of fading away. To prove I’m still one of the best the state of Iowa has to offer is pretty great.”
Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix has wrestled in the state finals the last three seasons. She closed her career with a second state title, beating Charles City’s Leah Stewart, 1-0, for the 1A 190 title.
“It’s just great,” Dix said. “I do it for my team. I love them and my coaches. It’s just super cool.”
Usually, Dix has experienced dramatic wins in the semifinals. She saved it for the last, getting an escape with a little more than a minute remaining.
“Coming into the final I was at 99 pins,” Dix said. “I didn’t get my 100 th but I’ll take a state title any day.”
Mount Vernon placed second with 94 points, finishing 11 back of 1A team champion East Buchanan. It was the Mustangs’ first state team trophy. Mount Vernon boasted five medalists, including state runner-up Kiersten Swart at 110.
“I have two medals now,” Dix said about the individual and team hardware. “We get to take that trophy back to school. There’s going to be a banner in the gym for however long. It’s great.”
East Buchanan co-head coach Dan Stiefel already had a spot picked out in the school’s trophy case for the new first-place plaque. The Buccaneers had five place fifth or better, including state champion Brooklyn Graham (170) and runner-up Destiny Krum at 135.
“Just everyone going out doing their job and doing the best they can,” Stiefel said about the key on Day 2. “That’s all we ask and that’s what they did.”
Graham, who was a Cadet national champion as a freshman and a three-time state medalist, pinned Logan-Magnolia-Woodbine’s Nancy Bowman in 3:44 to become the Buccaneers first state titlist.
“I always have the mindset that I’m going to be a state champion,” Graham said. “I want that title more than any other girl does because that’s my mindset. I want to be No. 1. I want to be a girl others look up to.”
West Liberty’s Silvia Garcia-Vasquez returned to the state championship bout. Last year, she was forced to settle for second. This time, it was pure gold. She has placed third, second and first in the last three years.
“I put so much effort into this sport,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “I've done so many things to get better. I've wrestled so many people and seeing my progress and where I've gone it's unbelievable.
“I had a feeling in my heart that I was going to get my first.”
Garcia-Vasquez overcame an early five-point deficit to defeat APGC’s Grace Storjohann, 15-7, for the 1A 120-pound crown. She exploded for four nearfall with 17 seconds left in the second and two takedowns and four nearfall in the third.
“I wasn't really thinking,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “I just wanted to wrestle my match. … And I just I believed in myself and kept going.”
South Tama’s Autumn Elsbury has been top-ranked all season. She ended the season on top of the awards stand. Elsbury amassed a 9-0 advantage, pinning Anamosa’s Isabella Taylor in 3:04 for the 2A 170 championship.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Ella Brown (235) and West Delaware’s Anna O’Rear (125) were runners-up in 2A. Decorah’s Anastasia Simon was second at 145 in 1A.
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