Mount Vernon-Lisbon junior Libby Dix became the first Mustang wrestler to win a state title Friday, Feb. 2, at the IGHSAU State Championships at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
“It still feels a little unreal,” Mount Vernon-Lisbon Coach Trevor Trende said.
Dix pinned her way through the tournament, but each mat slap took a little bit longer.
That included a win over top-seeded Bella Porcelli of Southeast Polk in the semifinals, in 4:52.
Dix was trialing 3-0 and being ridden out, when she hooked Porcelli’s elbow and rolled her onto her back, pinning her seconds later.
“They are both nationally ranked,” Trende said. “We knew we would run into her eventually. We found ourselves in a hole. But Libby on the bottom is always dangerous, and the girls got lazy on top.”
The sudden reversal and pin got a lot of play in the media, and social media.
“It was a shocking moment to everyone,” said Trende, who leaped in the air to celebrate. “I did not know I had that vertical. The eruption of the fans that saw it … it was surreal.”
In the championship, Dix finished No. 2 seed Jana Terwee of West Lyon with one second left. Dix, seeded fourth, finished the year 41-1.
“We’d figured it’d be a 0-0 match and we knew we’d chose down,” Trende said. “They chose down, and Libby set the tone with the ride out (in the second period).”
Dix was leading 2-0 when she got the pin right before the buzzer. Terwee, like Dix and Porcelli, is also nationally ranked.
“It was a tough road for her, but she was prepared for every match,” Trende said.
Sophomore Kiersten Swart, seeded sixth, lost in the semifinals to No. 2 seed Gable Hemann of Osage, 5-2, then battled back to take third place.
“Before the season, I told people she’s under the radar,” Trende said of Swart. “She put a lot of time in over the summer and grew a lot. She took out ranked girls throughout the season.”
Swart beat fourth seed Kate Seery of Linn-Mar 6-3, then topped fifth seed Lauren Whitt of Cedar Falls, 3-2 in the ultimate tiebreaker for third. Hemann ended up runner-up, losing to top seed Jasmine Luedtke of Ottumwa in the finals.
“Kiersten, she stays in great position,” Trende said. “When other wrestlers make mistakes, she is good at countering.”
Swart ended her season 37-4.
Sophomore Gracie Pinckney lost in the second round at 170 pounds, then won twice more on the consolation side and finished her season 40-9.
“She was one match from the podium,” Trende said. “She was pretty devastated with her last loss, but that’s going to light a fire under her for next year.”
Seniors Meika Neal (135) and Ashlynn Carter-Shook (155) also got to experience state, with Carter-Shook picking up a consolation side win. Carter-Shook was a JV wrestler most of the season.
“That was a great way for both to cap off their senior year,” Trende said.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon finished 14th as a team. Decorah won the team title with 141 points.
IGHSAU State Championships
Team scores (top 5 plus MVL) – 1. Decorah 141; 2. East Buchanan 96; 2. Raccoon River-Northwest 96; 4. Waverly-Shell Rock 93; 5. Council Bluffs Lewis Central 89. 14. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 57.
MOUNT VERNON-LISBON
110 – Kiersten Swart (MV) pinned Emily See (Bettendorf) 1:54.
Swart dec. Nora Bockes (Ankeny) 3-1.
Swart dec. Mariah Michels (Saint Ansgar) 4-0.
Gable Hemann (Osage) dec. Swart 5-2.
Swart dec. Kate Seery (Linn-Mar) 6-3.
Swart dec. Lauren Whitt (Cedar Falls) 3-2 UTB.
135 – Makana Miller (WSR) pinned Meika Neal (MV) 1:23.
Ellie Hancock (Raccoon River-NW) maj. dec. Neal 14-6.
155 – Nicole Olson (Missouri Valley) pinned Ashlynn Carter-Shook (MV) :44.
Carter-Shook dec. Madison Edens (Central DeWitt) 3-2.
Nancy Bowman (Logan-Magnolia) pinned Carter-Shook 4:09.
170 – Gracie Pinckney (MV) dec. Elizabeth Mills (Cedar Falls) 6-0.
Averie Wittkop (West Marshall) dec. Pinckney 2-0.
Pinckney dec. Teagyn Hartz (West Branch) 2-0.
Pinckney dec. Raelene Hawkins (Iowa Valley) 1-0.
Aleah Johnson (Raccoon River-NW) dec. Pinckney 6-2.
190 – Libby Dix (MV) pinned Emma Grossman (Carroll) :35,
Dix pinned Sharidan Engelken (Western Dubuque) 1:50.
Dix pinned Brooklyn Graham (East Buchanan) 3:27.
Dix pinned Bella Porcelli (SE Polk) 4:52.
Dix pinned Jana Terwee (West Lyon) 5:59.

Gallery • 5 Photos

----Courtesy photo Jayce Pendergrass, Mustang Moon

Libby Dix works an opponent's shoulders on the mat Thursday, Feb. 1