Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix pinned her way to girls’ state wrestling title

CORALVILLE — Go get ‘em. Win.

That was the message Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix got from her dad, Justin, who also wrestled for the Mustangs and Cornell College, before her 190-pound finals match on Friday night.

It’s a ritual the father-daughter duo goes through before each wrestling match or tournament. Justin helps with analyzing her opponents, setting the tone for the match, and encouraging Libby to wrestle at her best.

The sport has bonded the two, and Libby is quick to admit the impact he’s had on her wrestling career.

“He’s my biggest role model,” Libby said. “He gets me prepared with what I need to do.

“He’s the reason I’m the wrestler that I am.”

On Friday night, Libby was a 190-pound state champion after pinning West Lyon’s Jana Terwee with one second to spare in the match, 5:59.

The pin in her finals match capped off a dominant state tournament run. Dix stuck all her opponents en route to her title at Xtream Arena.

“I pinned my way through the tournament and that’s huge for me,” she said. “Once I get a girl on her back, my coaches and I believe it’s over. It was super cool.”

Pinning her way through was no easy feat, as the 190-pound weight class was one of the toughest in the tournament.

As the No. 4 seed, Dix had to take out two of the top three seeds to stand atop the podium. Bella Porcelli of Southeast Polk was the top seed, Terwee was No. 2 and Decorah’s Kamryn Steines was third.

Libby faced Porcelli in the semifinals and put her to her back in 4:52, which put her in the finals against Terwee.

“I think I had the hardest draw,” Dix said. “You have to wrestle and beat everyone to come out on top.

“That’s what I did.”

Dix got her taste of the finals last season when she faced Decorah’s Naomi Simon, who became Iowa’s first four-time girls’ wrestling state champion on Friday night.

But, last year, it was Simon who was crowned a 170-pound state champ with a fall in 1:35.

Mount Vernon Coach Trevor Trende believes that loss may have set a foundation for Dix’s junior season.

“I think that loss really lit a fire in Libby this past offseason and preseason,” Trende said. “She really bought in to what it takes to be a champion and doing stuff outside of practice.

“She’s the first one in the room and is our hardest worker. She’s also the last one to leave.”

With her victory, Dix will have her name etched on the wall in the Mount Vernon wrestling room. Maroon represents state qualifiers. Gray denotes a state placer. Black signifies a state champion.

“I get my name in black,” Libby said.

For her, being remembered as one of Mount Vernon’s state wrestling champions is a surreal accomplishment — one she is beyond proud of and will never forget.

“It’s so cool to be a part of this and compete against these amazing wrestlers,” Libby said. “Iowa is known for wrestling and this tournament is huge to win. I’m super grateful that I came out top.”

Trende is optimistic that while Dix is the first to win a girls’ state wrestling title for the Mustangs, she certainly won’t be the last.

“We have a strong wrestling community at Mount Vernon,” Trende said. “A lot of girls back home watched her in the finals and saw her get her hand raised.

“It’s the first of many to come for Mount Vernon.”