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13 state champions headline our top 25 Iowa high school girls wrestlers to watch in 2023-24

eli mckown, des moines register
·6 min read

Thirteen of last year's 14 state champions and 11 more state finalists from the inaugural IGHSAU wrestling season return to the mat for another shot at glory this year.

How many of them will reach the final bout of the season again at the state tournament on Feb. 1-2 at Xtream Arena? Only time will tell.

Here are the Des Moines Register's top 25 Iowa high school girls wrestlers heading into the 2023-24 season, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Molly Allen | Riverside

Riverside's Molly Allen won a state title and the 124 class at the Super 32 in 2023.
Riverside's Molly Allen won a state title and the 124 class at the Super 32 in 2023.

Junior. Winning a state title wasn't enough back in February, Allen went and won her weight class of 124 pounds at one of the toughest wrestling tournaments in the country, the Super 32 Challenge. She has an argument for being the state's best overall wrestler as a junior.

Mackenzie Arends | Nevada

Nevada's Mackenzie Arends holds a 53-5 career record.
Nevada's Mackenzie Arends holds a 53-5 career record.

Junior. A state champion at 190 pounds, Arends is an electrifying wrestler. She holds a 53-5 record and has 38 pins in competitions all-time.

Katie Biscoglia | Raccoon River-NW

Raccoon River-Northwest’s Katie Biscoglia capped a perfect season as a freshman with a state title.
Raccoon River-Northwest’s Katie Biscoglia capped a perfect season as a freshman with a state title.

Sophomore. As a freshman, Biscoglia went 46-0 on her way to a state title at 100 pounds. Her brother was a former NCAA qualifier at Northern Iowa and won three state titles at Waukee. She hopes to continue on that path.

Mackenzie Childers | Cedar Rapids Prairie

Cedar Rapids Prairie's Mackenzie Childers earned a state title and won 41 of her 48 matches by fall as a sophomore.
Cedar Rapids Prairie's Mackenzie Childers earned a state title and won 41 of her 48 matches by fall as a sophomore.

Junior. A perfect 49-0 season for Childers earned her a state title at 125 pounds. In that span, she won by fall an astounding 41 times.

Libby Dix | Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix fell just short of a state title as a sophomore. She'll be out for revenge this season.
Mount Vernon’s Libby Dix fell just short of a state title as a sophomore. She'll be out for revenge this season.

Junior. Dix had a phenomenal season at 43-2, earning her way to the 170 state final, but was pinned by another member of this list. She'll be back for revenge in her junior season.

Kiara Djoumessi | Waverly-Shell Rock

Waverly-Shell Rock's Kiara Djoumessi is an Iowa commit.
Waverly-Shell Rock's Kiara Djoumessi is an Iowa commit.

Senior. A recent Iowa Hawkeye commit, she is one of the state's best going 48-0 last season and winning a state championship at 140 pounds.

Maeley Elsbury | South Tama County

South Tama's Maeley Elsbury won a state title at 135 last season.
South Tama's Maeley Elsbury won a state title at 135 last season.

Senior. Is 35 pins and a 46-1 record last season on the way to a state title at 135 pounds good? We think so. The senior will be looking to become a medalist for the third time in her career.

Layla Ewing | Moravia

Moravia's Layla Ewing fell just short of a state title a season ago.
Moravia's Layla Ewing fell just short of a state title a season ago.

Junior. Ewing posted a 43-3 record last season, making it all the way to the state title match at 120 pounds. She lost a 2-0 decision to another member of this list, meaning she'll be back with one goal on her mind for 2024.

Gable Hemann | Osage

Osage's Gable Hemann was a state finalist last season.
Osage's Gable Hemann was a state finalist last season.

Junior. Hemann has a pretty big first name to live up to, but she does it quite well. A state finalist at 100 pounds, the only two matches she dropped last year were against Biscoglia (5-2, 6-2 decisions). We'll see how far an offseason of work will get Hemann as she looks for a state title.

Madison Hinrichs | Waverly-Shell Rock

Waverly-Shell Rock's Madison Hinrichs made it to the state title match last season as a junior.
Waverly-Shell Rock's Madison Hinrichs made it to the state title match last season as a junior.

Senior. Another member of an elite Waverly-Shell Rock program, she went 45-4 last season before losing by fall to the next person on our top 25 in the state final in the 235-pound class.

Olivia Huckfelt | Spencer

Spencer's Olivia Huckfelt has an 80-1 career record.
Spencer's Olivia Huckfelt has an 80-1 career record.

Senior. This two-time state champion is 80-1 all-time and has won 67 consecutive matches for Spencer, despite tough competition like Hinrichs. In all 35 of her matches last year, she pinned every single opponent.

Jasmine Luedtke | Ottumwa

Ottumwa's Jasmine Luedtke posted an undefeated record en route to a state title in 2023.
Ottumwa's Jasmine Luedtke posted an undefeated record en route to a state title in 2023.

Senior. She was a two-time IHSAA state qualifier before the IGHSAU sanctioned wrestling, but has been just as dominant since. She had a 33-0 record on her way to winning a state title last year.

Mahri Manz | Lewis Central

Lewis Central's Mahri Manz, left, posted 38 pins last season.
Lewis Central's Mahri Manz, left, posted 38 pins last season.

Junior. A finalist in the 140-pound class, she finished the season with a 46-3 before falling to Djoumessi in the final. She had 38 pins as a sophomore.

Abigail Meyrer | Pleasant Valley

Pleasant Valley's Abigail Meyrer lost just one match last season on her way to a satte title.
Pleasant Valley's Abigail Meyrer lost just one match last season on her way to a satte title.

Sophomore. Meyrer had a stellar freshman season, finishing 48-1 with a state title at 120 pounds. She won a 2-0 bout by decision over Ewing in the state final, so a potential rematch would be fascinating to watch.

Emma Peach | Iowa City West

Iowa Valley's Emma Peach has yet to lose a HS wrestling match.
Iowa Valley's Emma Peach has yet to lose a HS wrestling match.

Junior. Still unbeaten through two years of competition in high school, she's the de-facto best wrestler in the state at 145 pounds. She'll be looking for another state title this February with a new school acccoding to Trackwrestling, who lists her on Iowa City West's roster for the 2023-24 season.

Layla Phillips | Mason City

Mason City's Layla Phillips seems poised for a breakout season.
Mason City's Layla Phillips seems poised for a breakout season.

Senior. Phillips participated in a number of tournaments over the offseason to work on her craft, most recently placing seventh at the Brian Keck Preseason Nationals. She'll be chasing for an elusive state title after this offseason full of work.

Hannah Rogers | Bettendorf

Wilton's Hannah Rogers, left, wrestles Cedar Rapids Prairie's Mackenzie Childers at 125 pounds in the finals during the IGHSAU state girls wrestling tournament, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Wilton's Hannah Rogers, left, wrestles Cedar Rapids Prairie's Mackenzie Childers at 125 pounds in the finals during the IGHSAU state girls wrestling tournament, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.

Senior. Rogers went 33-4 last season with pins in 29 of those wins. She carried that dominant effort into the state tournament, securing three falls on the way to the state title match at 125 pounds, but fell just short to Childers. She'll be back for one last shot at first place.

Rogers also recently transferred to Bettendorf according to her Instagram account.

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Chloe Sanders | Vinton-Shellsburg

Vinton-Shellsburg Chloe Sanders lost to current Iowa Hawkeye Lilly Luft in the state title match a season ago.
Vinton-Shellsburg Chloe Sanders lost to current Iowa Hawkeye Lilly Luft in the state title match a season ago.

Sophomore. One of many youngsters on this list, she dominated in the IGHSAU state tourney through the first four rounds, winning three matches by fall and another by major decision. She faced a buzzsaw in Lilly Luft in the state final but is the favorite to win it all in the 130-pound class.

More: Lilly Luft wins state wrestling title as late brother’s heart recipient watches from stands

Molly Sek | Sioux City North

Sioux City North's Molly Sek pulled a lot of upsets at last season's state tournament, making it to the finals as a No. 10 seed.
Sioux City North's Molly Sek pulled a lot of upsets at last season's state tournament, making it to the finals as a No. 10 seed.

Senior. Earning the No. 10 seed at the IGHSAU state tournament, Sek made a deep run all the way to the finals, winning three matches by technical fall and another by the pin to face Allen in the 115-pound finals. She fell just short, but that phenomenal run earned her a place on this list.

Naomi Simon | Decorah

Decorah's Naomi Simon is embraced by teammates after scoring a fall at 170 pounds in the state finals last season.
Decorah's Naomi Simon is embraced by teammates after scoring a fall at 170 pounds in the state finals last season.

Senior. She has the chance to become the state's first-ever female four-time state champion in 2024, after going 37-0 in the 170-pound class and winning her third state title last season. She's another future Hawkeye as well, recently pledging to wrestle for coach Clarissa Chun's squad after this year.

Skylar Slade | Southeast Polk

Southeast Polk's Skylar Slade, center, finished her freshman season with a 49-0 record.
Southeast Polk's Skylar Slade, center, finished her freshman season with a 49-0 record.

Sophomore. From the CIML Tournament onward, Slade pinned every one of her opponents on her way to a state title at 155 pounds. She finished the year 49-0 with 45 pins total.

Bree Swenson | Vinton-Shellsburg

Vinton-Shellsburg's Bree Swenson made it to the state finals last season.
Vinton-Shellsburg's Bree Swenson made it to the state finals last season.

Senior. A finalist at 110 pounds, she won three matches by fall on her way there. She completed the season with a 48-5 record to help complete a really solid Vinton-Shellsburg lineup.

Jana TerWee | West Lyon

West Lyon’s Jana TerWee won 18 of her 20 matches a season ago.
West Lyon’s Jana TerWee won 18 of her 20 matches a season ago.

Senior. TerWee compiled an 18-2 record last season, including a pair of victories by pin in the state tournament on her way to the state final before she fell to Arends.

Reanah Utterback | Sigourney-Keota

Sigourney-Keota’s Reanah Utterback became just the second girl ever to win a medal at the IHSAA wrestling championships when she did it in 2023.
Sigourney-Keota’s Reanah Utterback became just the second girl ever to win a medal at the IHSAA wrestling championships when she did it in 2023.

Junior. Utterback is the second girl ever to win a medal at the IHSAA wrestling championships. This offseason, she wrestled in the girls division of the Brian Keck Preseason Nationals at 115 pounds, making it to the semifinals. She'll be one to watch to see where she wrestles as the season begins.

More: This Iowa girl is wrestling against boys — and she's winning at the Iowa state tournament

Jillian Worthen | Union

Union's Jillian Worthen is a two-time state champion.
Union's Jillian Worthen is a two-time state champion.

Junior. This two-time state title winner went 28-0 last season, including 23 wins by fall at 105 pounds. She's a favorite in that class until proven otherwise.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Top 25 Iowa high school girls wrestlers to watch during 2023-24 season