She won third place in 2023. She won second place in 2024. There was only one way this story could end.
Writing the final chapter of her career on the championship mat at the 2025 Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union state tournament, West Liberty senior Silvia Garcia-Vasquez grabbed a pen and inscribed her name in the history books.
Silvia Garcia-Vasquez is a state champion, forevermore.
“I had a feeling, in my heart, I was going to get first,” Garcia-Vasquez said moments after receiving her gold medal. “I put so much effort into the sport. I’ve done so many things to get better. I’ve wrestled so many people. Seeing my progress and seeing where I’ve gone, it’s unbelievable.”
Comet head coach Chayse Schultz could think of no better candidate to carry on the legacy of ‘the first.’
“The first state champ in our program’s history. The first 100-win wrestler. We are ecstatic,” Schultz said. “She has put in the work. I know last year wasn’t what she wanted, but it set her off. She’s so hard-working. She grinds. She surrounds herself with people who make her successful and have helped her get there. We couldn’t be more excited for her.”
For the West Liberty senior, on Friday night, she needed to summon some magic one last time.
Wrestling in the championship match against Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center junior Grace Storjohann, owner of a 56-2 record entering the match, Garcia-Vasquez was down 6-1 after the first period of the Class 1A 120-pound final.
With that score line, and having been controlled for the final minute of the period, Garcia-Vasquez chose top position to start the second frame.
Despite a shaky start, her confidence still wasn’t stirred.
“I just wanted to wrestle my match… I believed in myself and kept going,” Garcia-Vasquez said.
Right off the rip, Garcia-Vasquez got to work.
Garcia-Vasquez put Storjohann on her stomach and initiated an armbar. Garcia-Vasquez got the full allotment of near-fall points with 52 seconds remaining in the period.
Garcia-Vasquez held her there. And held her there. And held here there. But the pin would not come through.
All of that work, as the whistle blew, for just four near-fall points. Garcia-Vasquez remained down 6-5 entering the final two minutes of her career.
“Towards the postseason, we started preaching ‘control what you can control,’ Schultz said. “We told everybody that points are going to get scored. Takedowns will happen. Things aren’t going to go your way. But it’s about fighting to that next position. Continue to work.
“I think she bought into that idea and it shows. To not get flustered and understand that we are down but she’s good where she’s good. We’re going to get back to where we’re good and score points.”
Storjohann chose neutral position to start the third period. Her plan was quickly thwarted when the official warned her for stalling, requiring some action to avoid a free point to Garcia-Vasquez which would tie the match.
As the clock ticked under one minute, Garcia-Vasquez shot first — locking on to Storjohann’s head — and hit her mark.
The Comet senior threw Storjohann down. The back points came through. Her coaches started levitating behind her.
“I just remember hipping in and we just started going. We’re counting back points and freaking out,” Schultz said. “I’m looking at my assistant and he’s screaming. We knew at that point she was feeling good and we had it. When we got that last turn there, it was done. We were just counting down the seconds.”
Storjohann escaped with 23 seconds remaining and down 12-7. Garcia-Vasquez put the stamp on the match with another takedown before getting her right arm raised.
At first, she didn’t know how to react. Then, the smile came.
“I didn’t have any thoughts. I honestly thought the match wasn’t over,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “I was super excited. No thoughts at all. I just wanted to keep wrestling on the mat while I was there.”
Garcia-Vasquez is West Liberty’s first girls’ state champion and first overall state wrestling champion since the legendary career of Bryce Esmoil came to an end in 2018 with a consecutive state title.
“To make that history, I don’t know how to put it into words. It feels amazing,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “In the moment, I didn’t feel much. It didn’t feel real. Still, it didn’t feel real standing at the top of that podium. But I believed in myself and I believe I deserve it.”
Garcia-Vasquez had many supporters in the stands at Xtream Arena. Her two biggest were her sisters, Dionni and Bricsia, both wrestlers at West Liberty.
Dionni had her own standout career as a Comet end in 2024 while Bricsia wrestled just an hour after Garcia-Vasquez Friday night, placing third in the 190-pound bracket.
“Having their support means a lot. I’ve never had such supportive people in my life,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “They are the closest people to me. Having them makes me emotional. I mean, they’re always blowing up my phone saying they are going to cry. I love being able to experience it with them. They are the best people I could have asked for. I wouldn’t want anybody else by my side.”
In the wrestling room, Garcia-Vasquez has a terrific training partner in freshman Aileen Aragon. She placed fourth at this year’s state tournament in the 125-pound bracket.
“She’s really helped me mentally and physically,” Garcia-Vasquez said. “She’s really active. She always pushes the pace, never gives up and always takes shots. I’ve learned a lot from her. Being able to celebrate it with my team, I owe it to her because she was my partner every day.”
For Schultz, the ‘team’ aspect is what made this tournament, and this season, so special. He coached three girls to top-four finishes and had a fourth wrestler, junior Kiley Collins, make it to Coralville.
“My kids and my coaches, I can’t say enough great things about them,” Schultz said. “We have such mentally tough people in our program. People that don’t get frazzled and just enjoy being around wrestling.
“Aileen losing in the first round and coming back to get fourth… (Collins), she weighs 123 and is bumping up (to wrestle in the 130-pound weight class) because Aileen is a solid freshman. Not being selfish, continuing to stay on that path and she qualifies for the state tournament.
“We just have mentally tough kids. It is so much fun to coach. It’s a good group to be around. We have confidence in each other. This is what wrestling is supposed to be about.”
More shining state stars
Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez got to celebrate with her sister Friday night, also with a state tournament medal.
The sophomore placed third at this year’s meet, greatly improving upon her eighth-place finish in 2024.
She held her seed line, making the championship semifinals as the No. 3 seed. However, that is where her championship journey ended.
But it was not the end of her story.
She showed resilience by pinning Emma De Jong of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley in the first period and dominating Elizabeth Kalinay of West Marshall in the bronze medal match with a 13-3 major decision win.
Aragon, Silvia’s practice partner, hit an even bigger roadblock when she lost in the round of 16. It was a shocking upset, but one that did not derail her event.
Aragon mowed down the competition in the consolation bracket with two pins and one technical fall in her next three matches.
In the consolation semifinals, she took out Karlie Kruse of Creston via a 12-4 major decision to book a spot in the third-place match. However, Reese Berns of Central Elkander got the better of her with a first-period pin.
Collins faced a tall task right from the jump in the 130-pound bracket. She battled No. 1 and at-the-time unbeaten Kaydence Boorn of Wilton. Collins made it out of the first period, but was pinned 17 seconds into the middle frame.
She came back in the first round of consolations, wrestling Cameron Halbur of Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, and was pinned at 3:50.
All three of these girls will have the opportunity to return next season and, like Silvia Garcia-Vasquez, aim to finish that they started.
Add up all of the team points in Class 1A and West Liberty placed fifth with 65.5 The only schools to score more were East Buchanan (105), Mount Vernon (94), Osage (79.5) and Decorah (74).
As the third season of sanctioned high school girls’ wrestling in Iowa comes to a close, the sport is only continuing to grow. The IGHSAU sold out all sessions of the state tournament for the second consecutive year.
In West Liberty, the sport continues to gain popularity. And because of Silvia Garcia-Vasquez, there is a new role model to follow.
“She is one of those kids, her and her sisters, have started to pave the way. Younger kids look up to her and want to be like her,” Schultz said. “This is the step we that we needed. Now, we’re just going to keep this ball rolling. Hopefully, we’ll have some more.”