Stonecypher, Bordwell make history for Warhawk girls’ wrestling team

Last January the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) announced the sanctioning of girls’ wrestling at the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials’ Association (IWCOA) girls’ state tournament. The storied history of Iowa high school wrestling added an exciting new chapter to it last week with the first IGHSAU-sanctioned State Wrestling Tournament. 

West Fork had a pair of wrestlers competing in the first sanctioned tournament - at 125 pounds, Autumn Stonecypher and at 155 pounds, Joslyn Bordwell. Both girls had wrestled multiple years on the boys’ side and took full advantage of the first girls season.

Stonecypher is a senior at West Fork High school who has competed in wrestling for the past several years. She qualified for the state tournament after placing fourth at girls’ regionals the week before and entered the state tournament with a 34-13 record and as the 22nd seed in the 125-pound bracket. Bordwell is also a senior, but she attends Belmond-Klemme High School. She qualified for the tournament after placing third at the regional tournament and entered the state tournament with a 26-11 record. She was the 19th seed in the 155-pound weight bracket.

Stonecypher took the mat first at Xtreme Arena in Coralville, facing 11-seeded Addison Appelhans from Anamosa. Stonecypher opened the match with a takedown and two near fall points, ultimately winning the match in the second period with a pin. 

Bordwell took the mat later in the round against Emmalee Sprugeon of Pella. Bordwell would also score the first takedown in her match, but she would ultimately lose by fall in the first period. 

Stonecypher dropped her second-round match, falling into the consolation side of the bracket, while Bordwell won her first round consolation match by fall but would lose her second-round consolation match in overtime, knocking her from the tournament.

Stonecypher went on a tear in the consolation side of the bracket, preceding to pin her next three opponents before losing in the consolation quarterfinal round to the same girl that beat her earlier in the tournament. 

The loss pushed Stonecypher to the seventh-place match and a matchup with 13th-seeded Eva Heise from Waverly-Shell Rock, who recorded a fall early in the third period, sending Stonecypher to eighth place.

Coach Prestidge said he was extremely proud of his wrestlers and the heart they showed all year.