WBRZ - Baton Rouge

DES MOINES, Iowa - An Iowa high school wrestler who was among the favorites to win his weight class has defaulted on his first-round state tournament match rather than face a girl.

Joel Northup, a home-schooled sophomore who was 35-4 wrestling for Linn-Mar High this season, said in a statement Thursday that he doesn't feel it would be right for him to wrestle Cedar Falls
freshman Cassy Herkelman.

Herkelman and fellow 112-pounder Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black made history this year by being the first girls to qualify for the tournament.

Black was pinned quickly in her opening match.

Northup said in a statement that he has "tremendous" respect for the girls' accomplishments, but doesn't feel it's appropriate for boys to engage girls in a combat sport.