No. 1 Hawkeyes seize control entering final session of NCAA Championships
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by Craig Sesker
ST. LOUIS - It was only a consolation semifinal.
But for the Iowa Hawkeye fans it might as well have been the heavyweight championship bout.
Iowa heavyweight Dan Erekson delivered a huge win Saturday morning, pinning Iowa State's David Zabriskie in the consolation semifinals and setting off the loudest ovation of the three-day tournament at the Scottrade Center.
Erekson's pin of the top-seeded Zabriskie, along with some help from teammates Ryan Morningstar, Phil Keddy and Daniel Dennis, put the Hawkeyes in prime position to win their 22nd NCAA team title. The finals are set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Scottrade Center. Erekson's pin was worth 5.5 key team points.
"The first three matches were big for us," Iowa coach Tom Brands said. "Our guys are fighters and we came out fighting. Now we need to take care of business tonight."
Returning team champion and top-ranked Iowa enters Saturday night's finals with 97.5 points. Sixth-ranked Ohio State is second with 88 points.
No. 3 Iowa State is third with 80.5 points and No. 4 Nebraska sits in fourth with 74.5 points.
"Coming into this round, we kind of had our backs against the wall," Morningstar said. "We had a couple of letdowns early in the tournament and some unexpected things happened. But this team has done a good job of picking itself up."
Iowa has one finalist in returning NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf (149 pounds). OSU has three finalists in returning NCAA champions J Jaggers (141) and Mike Pucillo (184), along with Reece Humphrey (133).
Morningstar (165) finshed third, Keddy (184) and Erekson each took fourth and Dennis (133) placed seventh as the Hawkeyes came from behind in Saturday's first session to seize control in the team race.
The Hawkeyes had a team meeting after Friday night's session where Ohio State had moved into the lead.
"Coach (Tom) Brands told us he wasn't going to give us a rah-rah, pep talk type of speech," Morningstar said. "He said, 'You know what you need to do. Go out there and take care of business and do what you've done all year.'"
Iowa also picked a pair of big bonus points when Dennis won by medical forfeit over Navy's Joe Baker in the seventh-place match at 133.
Ohio State is seeking its first national team title in wrestling. The Buckeyes were second in this event last year.
Ohio State suffered a key setback at 149 when Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell rallied for a 5-4 win over OSU's Lance Palmer in the third-place match.
Saturday night's finals matchups
125 pounds
1-Paul Donahoe (Edinboro) vs. 2-Troy Nickerson (Cornell)
133 pounds
1-Franklin Gomez (Michigan State) vs. 2-Reece Humphrey (Ohio State)
141 pounds
8-Ryan Williams (Old Dominion) vs. 3-J Jaggers (Ohio State)
149 pounds
1-Brent Metcalf (Iowa) vs. 3-Darrion Caldwell (North Carolina State)
157 pounds
1-Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) vs. 2-Mike Poeta (Illinois)
165 pounds
12-Jarrod King (Edinboro) vs. 2-Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)
174 pounds
1-Steve Luke (Michigan) vs. 7-Mike Miller (Central Michigan)
184 pounds
1-Jake Herbert (Northwestern) vs. 3-Mike Pucillo (Ohio State)
197 pounds
1-Craig Brester (Nebraska) vs. 2-Jake Varner (Iowa State)
285 pounds
5-Konrad Dudziak (Duke) vs. 2-Mark Ellis (Missouri)
But for the Iowa Hawkeye fans it might as well have been the heavyweight championship bout.
Iowa heavyweight Dan Erekson delivered a huge win Saturday morning, pinning Iowa State's David Zabriskie in the consolation semifinals and setting off the loudest ovation of the three-day tournament at the Scottrade Center.
Erekson's pin of the top-seeded Zabriskie, along with some help from teammates Ryan Morningstar, Phil Keddy and Daniel Dennis, put the Hawkeyes in prime position to win their 22nd NCAA team title. The finals are set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Scottrade Center. Erekson's pin was worth 5.5 key team points.
"The first three matches were big for us," Iowa coach Tom Brands said. "Our guys are fighters and we came out fighting. Now we need to take care of business tonight."
Returning team champion and top-ranked Iowa enters Saturday night's finals with 97.5 points. Sixth-ranked Ohio State is second with 88 points.
No. 3 Iowa State is third with 80.5 points and No. 4 Nebraska sits in fourth with 74.5 points.
"Coming into this round, we kind of had our backs against the wall," Morningstar said. "We had a couple of letdowns early in the tournament and some unexpected things happened. But this team has done a good job of picking itself up."
Iowa has one finalist in returning NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf (149 pounds). OSU has three finalists in returning NCAA champions J Jaggers (141) and Mike Pucillo (184), along with Reece Humphrey (133).
Morningstar (165) finshed third, Keddy (184) and Erekson each took fourth and Dennis (133) placed seventh as the Hawkeyes came from behind in Saturday's first session to seize control in the team race.
The Hawkeyes had a team meeting after Friday night's session where Ohio State had moved into the lead.
"Coach (Tom) Brands told us he wasn't going to give us a rah-rah, pep talk type of speech," Morningstar said. "He said, 'You know what you need to do. Go out there and take care of business and do what you've done all year.'"
Iowa also picked a pair of big bonus points when Dennis won by medical forfeit over Navy's Joe Baker in the seventh-place match at 133.
Ohio State is seeking its first national team title in wrestling. The Buckeyes were second in this event last year.
Ohio State suffered a key setback at 149 when Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell rallied for a 5-4 win over OSU's Lance Palmer in the third-place match.
Saturday night's finals matchups
125 pounds
1-Paul Donahoe (Edinboro) vs. 2-Troy Nickerson (Cornell)
133 pounds
1-Franklin Gomez (Michigan State) vs. 2-Reece Humphrey (Ohio State)
141 pounds
8-Ryan Williams (Old Dominion) vs. 3-J Jaggers (Ohio State)
149 pounds
1-Brent Metcalf (Iowa) vs. 3-Darrion Caldwell (North Carolina State)
157 pounds
1-Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) vs. 2-Mike Poeta (Illinois)
165 pounds
12-Jarrod King (Edinboro) vs. 2-Andrew Howe (Wisconsin)
174 pounds
1-Steve Luke (Michigan) vs. 7-Mike Miller (Central Michigan)
184 pounds
1-Jake Herbert (Northwestern) vs. 3-Mike Pucillo (Ohio State)
197 pounds
1-Craig Brester (Nebraska) vs. 2-Jake Varner (Iowa State)
285 pounds
5-Konrad Dudziak (Duke) vs. 2-Mark Ellis (Missouri)
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