The #4 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0) traveled to #8 ranked Iowa State (3-0) to take on the Cyclones in a huge wrestling matchup on Sunday. For the first time in the series, ESPN would have exclusive coverage on the nation’s televisions. If you know anything about the Hawkeye-Cyclone rivalry, you know it’s always close. Here’s how the matchups went:
125 lbs: Sophomore versus Senior as Iowa’s Drake Ayala would match up with Kysen Terukina of Iowa State. Not much action in the first period as the second starts immediately with a Terukina escape but after that, it would be all Ayala as he commands a 7-2 decision over Terukina and Iowa leads 3-0.
133 lbs: Brody Teske for the Hawkeyes in an action-packed match versus the Cyclones’ Evan Frost. While back and forth with not much scoring through most of the match Frost would pull out big with a takedown and near fall points for the ISU bounceback as Frost takes the decision win, 8-1. Dual is tied 3-3.
141 lbs: Real Woods for the Hawks took on Anthony Echemendia of the Cyclones and it would be a low-scoring affair as defense proved huge in this match as Woods would lead 1-0 but would be called for stalling allowing the tie for Echemendia to send it to sudden victory. As close as it would be the senior for Iowa would shoot and score for the victory, a 4-1 decision. Iowa back on top 6-3.
149 lbs: Fans knew this dual would be back and forth as Iowa State’s Casey Swiderski puts the Cyclones back on the board as he gets on Iowa’s Victor Voinovich in the first period, the first time a takedown had come in the first period all day. The quick start for Swiderski would prove effective as he rides it to a 6-3 decision and ties the dual back up at 6 a piece.
157 lbs: It would all come down to the final seconds as Jared Franek of Iowa would lead 4-2 towards the end of the third period but as time expired it seems Cody Chittum of Iowa State gets around behind for the three-point takedown. Not called, the officials headed to a table review to see whether or not they were out of bounds or if time had expired before the takedown was controlled. After multiple looks, the officials declare no takedown and Franek wins by decision, 4-2. Hawkeyes would now lead the duel 9-6.
165 lbs: #2 in the country at 165 lbs David Carr for Iowa State strikes early in the match on Iowa’s Michael Caliendo and shows why he’s the number two in the country. 10-3 the score headed to the second as Carr looked for the first bonus-point victory of the day. He’d stay aggressive into the third period as a quick escape and takedown extended his lead and added the riding time for the 16-4 major decision victory. The first bonus-point victory put ISU in the lead for the first time all dual 10-9 with two matches remaining.
174 lbs: Season debut for the seasoned junior of Patrick Kennedy takes on the Cyclone red-shirt freshman MJ Gaitan. Huge matchup for the Hawkeyes to try and retake the lead. The experience of Kennedy would show itself early as he had a dominating lead headed into the third period. Gaitan makes it interesting with two takedowns to make it 14-10 still in favor of Kennedy. 15 seconds left another Gaitan takedown made it 14-13, but Kennedy would hold on underneath as Gaitan looked for a turn as time expired. Kennedy takes the decision victory to put Iowa in the lead 12-10 but keeps the door open for ISU to take the lead and keep it.
184 lbs: Another back-and-forth match between Gabe Arnold of Iowa and #6 ranked Will Feldkamp of Iowa State. It’d be lots of defense for Arnold as Feldkamp couldn’t find any openings throughout the match and into the third period. Arnold would walk away with the decision-upset victory and likely the dual win as Iowa extends their lead 15-10.
197 lbs: Two top 25 wrestlers in this match with Julien Broderson of ISU and Zach Glazier of Iowa. This would be the match that could decide the dual for Iowa. A close one to the wire as Glazier would control much of this match but Broderson kept it close throughout. Third period starts with a quick escape for Glazier makes it 7-3 and he needs a win to claim a Hawkeye dual victory. Lots of tie-ups and shot-searching for Broderson but nothing was able to make itself appear as Glazier held on to earn the 7-3 decision to clinch the dual for the Iowa Hawkeyes with one match remaining as they now lead 18-10 prior to the heavyweight match.
HWT: #7 Yonger Bastida for the Cyclones in the last match of the afternoon against Iowa’s Bradley Hill. Another senior versus freshman matchup this time in favor of ISU. It would be a dominant win for Bastida as he shows his experience and the reason for the top 10 ranking as he powers to a 17-6 major decision over Hill. Final dual score Iowa 18, Iowa State 14.
It would be the 19th straight victory over the Cyclones for the Hawkeyes in front of the sold-out crowd at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. The Hawkeyes are now 3-0 on the year and the Cyclones fall to 3-1. As the rivalry between these two schools always is, it comes down to the end. These two teams will be back with competition as Iowa will travel to Philadelphia to take on Penn in a dual on Friday, December 1st. Meanwhile, Iowa State will travel to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Invitational from December 1st through the second.
