Here's a quote from a news article where they paraphrase her thoughts on the situation:
Herkelman said it would be a "lot more fun and more exciting" if girls could wrestle other girls in Iowa instead of having to face boys. She had a 20–13 record at Cedar Falls High entering the tournament and thinks it would have been a close match between her and Northrup.
As for the combat question, your statement would only be valid if wrestling and military combat were similar situations, which they're not, in any way whatsoever.
Contrary to the insults that people have been flinging around here (not you in particular), I was never advocating for a merging of the sexes in sports. I was pointing out that any kid who wrestles understands that there are very rare circumstances where girls compete, and in the absence of any girls league, a girl like Cassie should be commended for doing so well in the only route given to her. She competed on an even playing field without any sort of leg up from what I can tell and excelled. This wasn't an Annika Sorenstam fiasco where she was a token of PC.
I thought the Herkleman's were pretty classy in not saying anything negative about the boy, who basically through his actions told the girl that she didn't belong there, and that forfeiting the match was more honorable than wrestling against her in a competition that she's spent most of her life and time preparing and training for.
I think it would be best if there was a girls league, but seeing as how I'm not in charge of Iowa high school wrestling, there's not really anything I can do about it. Maybe the press surrounding this situation will shore up support and build among girls enough popularity among for wrestling that there will be a girls league. It's a great sport.