Pleasant Valley girls’ wrestling team established the Spartans as a powerhouse in the state during their first year of sanctioned girls’ wrestling Photo credit to Life Touch

On Feb. 2, freshman Abigail Meyrer and junior Caitlyn Reiter traveled to the Xtreme Arena in Iowa City to represent the Pleasant Valley girls wrestling team in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union State Championship (IGHSAU). With the support of their teammates, Coach Isaacson and Coach Meyrer, both Reiter and Meyrer were able to place 30th overall in the state tournament and bring home a state title. 

IGHSAU announced in 2021 that girls wrestling would be a sanctioned sport in high school starting in 2022. The state tournament was soon  changed to accommodate this new division of wrestlers. 

Before IGHSAU governed the state tournament Iowa Wrestling Coaching and Officials Association (IWCOA), was the association in charge of providing a state experience for girls’ wrestling in Iowa. Coach Isaacson, one of the head coaches of the girls wrestling program at PV noticed a distinct difference during this year’s state tournament compared to previous years. “The first governing body of the state tournament was underwhelming, but when we got to the Xtreme Arena in Iowa City, there was an up in the game,” he said.

Starting the season with 11 girls on the team, Isaacson wishes to continue to build and grow the program. “I really hope it’ll bring more girls out for wrestling. There are 14 weight classes and our team only filled 10 by the end of the season,” he said. And although Reiter and Meyrer represented two of the weight classes at state, support from Katarina Salas, Lauren Kathan, Greta Herbst, Julia Phillips, Carmen Faidley, Cassi Paustian, Kyna Moffit, Maddie Figanbaum, and Jaylynn Gould greatly contributed to their success. 

IGHSAU has not only brought recognition towards girls’ high school wrestling, but it has also given girls a chance to fall in love with their sport even more, and that have never considered wrestling in the past because they never had the opportunity to. With more and more girls wanting to go out for wrestling, the competition, commitment and teamwork in the world of girls’ wrestling will grow each year, cementing the program into PV’s long list of high-achieving sports. 

Prior to the state championship, Meyrer completed her season 46-1 and Reiter completed her season 26-3. Both of these girls had an incredible season, resulting in a bittersweet ending. 

Reiter ended her season with an injury, and although it prevented her from continuing on in the tournament, she battled it out til the end. “She had a really good shot making it to the finals, but unfortunately she had an injury take that away from her. Adrenaline pushed her though the match and she battled hard,” Isaacson said. 

For Meyrer, now a state champion, it was an honor to compete at the tournament. “Being able to represent PV at state was something that I was looking forward to all season. To experience the atmosphere during the tournament was something that I couldn’t dream of, and being able to be a part of the first ever IGHSAU state tournament was definitely an opportunity, especially being there as a Spartan,” she said. 

One senior sadly didn’t get the chance to compete at state. Senior Greta Herbst had an amazing season for it being her first year wrestling, ending the season at  12-24. She had competed her best at regionals but sadly fell short and was unable to wrestle at state. 

Along with her teammates, Coach Isaacson couldn’t be prouder of  Herbst’s last season. “Even though she fell short of her dream and goal, she put forth all her effort, and knowing that, she will carry that throughout her life,” he said. 

This season is the first time PV has had a girls wrestling team, and it was definitely a memorable one for both the team and the PV community. Meyrer felt that this season was the best experience that she could be a part of. “Our team’s dynamic was amazing. Watching everyone grow throughout the season, becoming closer, and getting their friends to try the sport was the best feeling ever,” she said. 

All the hard work from the PV girls wrestling team paid off. Meyrer came home a state champion and although Reiter suffered from an injury and Herbst didn’t get the chance to compete in her first and last tournament, the 2022-2023 season of PV girls wrestling will go down in history. 

As the PV community continues to support and praise the success of the members of the incredibly strong team, they eagerly await the future success of the program.