Top-ranked Hawkeyes come out strong in big win over Cyclones
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Iowa’s Cory Clark takes control against Iowa State’s Earl Hall in the 133-pound bout Saturday night. Darren Miller photo.
IOWA CITY – The top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes passed their first big test of the season.
And the good news for Iowa coach Tom Brands is that his wrestling team still has plenty of room for improvement.
Iowa started strong and finished even stronger with a fall in the final bout as it earned a 28-8 win over No. 11 Iowa State before 11,882 fans Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes won the first five bouts and 8 of 10 on the night, capping the win in style when third-ranked Bobby Telford of Iowa cranked Iowa State’s Quean Smith to his back for a match-ending fall at heavyweight.
“I think it was workmanlike,” Brands said. “We left some team points off the board because we’re not capitalizing on major decision opportunities. We need to get the ball rolling earlier in matches and we’re looking for a faster pace.
“We’ve got work to do. I’m not in a panic mode. I don’t think it was a bad performance. I think we dug ourselves out of some holes when matches got close. We have to stay tough.”
Telford, fourth in the nation last year, is off to a strong start in his senior season.
“Telford was very patient,” Brands said. “It was very well-wrestled. He was patient and mature – like he’s on a mission.”
Iowa improved to 4-0 in dual meets this season while Iowa State fell to 4-1.
The Hawkeyes have won the last 11 meetings with the Cyclones and now hold a 63-16-2 edge in the series.
“We have a good team,” Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson said. “We didn’t perform real well here, but we’re going to be fine. We just had a few performances in there that weren’t indicative of what we are and who we are. It was disappointing, but we’re going to learn from it and get better.”
Iowa has won 23 NCAA team titles since 1975 and is gunning for its first championship this season since 2010.
Fourth-ranked Thomas Gilman of Iowa scored takedowns in the first and third periods in a dual-opening 6-1 win over ISU’s Kyle Larson at 125 pounds.
“We’re not doing our job,” Gilman said. “They’re trying to keep it close, and we have to put more pressure on their guys to open them up. We need to pick up the pace.”
Fourth-ranked Cory Clark of Iowa surrendered the first takedown before taking control in an 8-3 win over No. 14 Earl Hall at 133. Clark edged Hall by one point in last year’s dual. Clark placed fifth at the 2014 NCAAs and Hall took eighth at 125.
“I feel like I could’ve done a better job at getting to my offense and scoring more points,” Clark said. “I kind of wrestled to be comfortable and get the win instead of getting myself a little uncomfortable and widen the gap and dominate the match.”
Iowa’s Josh Dziewa followed with a methodical 9-2 win over ISU’s Dante Rodriguez at 141. Hawkeye freshman Brandon Sorensen edged NCAA qualifier Gabe Moreno 7-6 at 149.
Iowa’s Michael Kelly scored a late reversal with back points to pull out a wild 11-6 win over Luke Goettl at 157.
ISU earned its first win of the dual when All-American Mike Moreno came out aggressively en route to a 6-3 win over Iowa’s Nick Moore at 165. Moreno is ranked No. 3 and Moore No. 5.
Iowa came right back when All-American Mike Evans downed Tanner Weatherman 7-4 at 174. Evans is ranked fourth and Weatherman sixth.
Iowa’s Sam Brooks came on strong late in the second period and carried it over into the third in earning a 9-1 major decision over ISU’s Lelund Weatherspoon at 184.
Two-time All-American Kyven Gadson of ISU locked up a near-side cradle to pin Iowa’s Kris Klapprodt in the third period at 197. One team point was deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct after Gadson spiked his headgear while stepping off the mat following his win.
“I’m not happy with the way Kyven came off the mat,” Jackson said. “I knew he was emotional. This is not the kind of behavior we’re going to tolerate. He’s better than that.”
Iowa All-American Nathan Burak has been out with an injury at 197.
IOWA 28, IOWA STATE 8
125 – Thomas Gilman (Iowa) dec. Kyle Larson (Iowa State), 6-1. 133 – Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. Earl Hall (Iowa State), 8-3; 141 – Josh Dziewa (Iowa) dec. Dante Rodriguez (Iowa State), 9-2. 149 – Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) dec. Gabe Moreno (Iowa State), 7-6. 157 – Michael Kelly (Iowa) dec. Luke Goettl (Iowa State), 11-6. 165 – Mike Moreno (Iowa State) dec. Nick Moore (Iowa), 6-3. 174 – Mike Evans (Iowa) dec. Tanner Weatherman (Iowa State), 7-4. 184 – Sam Brooks (Iowa) dec. Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa State), 9-1. 197 – Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) pinned Kris Klapprodt (Iowa), 5:31. 285 – Bobby Telford (Iowa) pinned Quean Smith (Iowa State), 5:36
IOWA CITY – The top-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes passed their first big test of the season.
And the good news for Iowa coach Tom Brands is that his wrestling team still has plenty of room for improvement.
Iowa started strong and finished even stronger with a fall in the final bout as it earned a 28-8 win over No. 11 Iowa State before 11,882 fans Saturday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes won the first five bouts and 8 of 10 on the night, capping the win in style when third-ranked Bobby Telford of Iowa cranked Iowa State’s Quean Smith to his back for a match-ending fall at heavyweight.
“I think it was workmanlike,” Brands said. “We left some team points off the board because we’re not capitalizing on major decision opportunities. We need to get the ball rolling earlier in matches and we’re looking for a faster pace.
“We’ve got work to do. I’m not in a panic mode. I don’t think it was a bad performance. I think we dug ourselves out of some holes when matches got close. We have to stay tough.”
Telford, fourth in the nation last year, is off to a strong start in his senior season.
“Telford was very patient,” Brands said. “It was very well-wrestled. He was patient and mature – like he’s on a mission.”
Iowa improved to 4-0 in dual meets this season while Iowa State fell to 4-1.
The Hawkeyes have won the last 11 meetings with the Cyclones and now hold a 63-16-2 edge in the series.
“We have a good team,” Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson said. “We didn’t perform real well here, but we’re going to be fine. We just had a few performances in there that weren’t indicative of what we are and who we are. It was disappointing, but we’re going to learn from it and get better.”
Iowa has won 23 NCAA team titles since 1975 and is gunning for its first championship this season since 2010.
Fourth-ranked Thomas Gilman of Iowa scored takedowns in the first and third periods in a dual-opening 6-1 win over ISU’s Kyle Larson at 125 pounds.
“We’re not doing our job,” Gilman said. “They’re trying to keep it close, and we have to put more pressure on their guys to open them up. We need to pick up the pace.”
Fourth-ranked Cory Clark of Iowa surrendered the first takedown before taking control in an 8-3 win over No. 14 Earl Hall at 133. Clark edged Hall by one point in last year’s dual. Clark placed fifth at the 2014 NCAAs and Hall took eighth at 125.
“I feel like I could’ve done a better job at getting to my offense and scoring more points,” Clark said. “I kind of wrestled to be comfortable and get the win instead of getting myself a little uncomfortable and widen the gap and dominate the match.”
Iowa’s Josh Dziewa followed with a methodical 9-2 win over ISU’s Dante Rodriguez at 141. Hawkeye freshman Brandon Sorensen edged NCAA qualifier Gabe Moreno 7-6 at 149.
Iowa’s Michael Kelly scored a late reversal with back points to pull out a wild 11-6 win over Luke Goettl at 157.
ISU earned its first win of the dual when All-American Mike Moreno came out aggressively en route to a 6-3 win over Iowa’s Nick Moore at 165. Moreno is ranked No. 3 and Moore No. 5.
Iowa came right back when All-American Mike Evans downed Tanner Weatherman 7-4 at 174. Evans is ranked fourth and Weatherman sixth.
Iowa’s Sam Brooks came on strong late in the second period and carried it over into the third in earning a 9-1 major decision over ISU’s Lelund Weatherspoon at 184.
Two-time All-American Kyven Gadson of ISU locked up a near-side cradle to pin Iowa’s Kris Klapprodt in the third period at 197. One team point was deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct after Gadson spiked his headgear while stepping off the mat following his win.
“I’m not happy with the way Kyven came off the mat,” Jackson said. “I knew he was emotional. This is not the kind of behavior we’re going to tolerate. He’s better than that.”
Iowa All-American Nathan Burak has been out with an injury at 197.
IOWA 28, IOWA STATE 8
125 – Thomas Gilman (Iowa) dec. Kyle Larson (Iowa State), 6-1. 133 – Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. Earl Hall (Iowa State), 8-3; 141 – Josh Dziewa (Iowa) dec. Dante Rodriguez (Iowa State), 9-2. 149 – Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) dec. Gabe Moreno (Iowa State), 7-6. 157 – Michael Kelly (Iowa) dec. Luke Goettl (Iowa State), 11-6. 165 – Mike Moreno (Iowa State) dec. Nick Moore (Iowa), 6-3. 174 – Mike Evans (Iowa) dec. Tanner Weatherman (Iowa State), 7-4. 184 – Sam Brooks (Iowa) dec. Lelund Weatherspoon (Iowa State), 9-1. 197 – Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) pinned Kris Klapprodt (Iowa), 5:31. 285 – Bobby Telford (Iowa) pinned Quean Smith (Iowa State), 5:36
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