Hawkeye wrestlers handle Cyclones with ‘workmanlike’ effort

IOWA CITY - University of Iowa's Thomas Gilman has not shied away from speaking his mind this season.

Even though he described the first half of the Iowa State dual as funny, he was far from amused.

'They came in here to keep it close,” Gilman said. 'They didn't want to come here and beat us. They wanted to come in here and keep it close.”

Top-ranked Iowa earned six decisions, rolling to a 28-8 win over the No. 15 Cyclones Saturday night in front of 11, 882 fans at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes won their 11th straight meeting and improved to 10-0 in the series under Iowa Coach Tom Brands.

The Hawkeyes (4-0) captured the first five matches by decision, but they were far from satisfied with placing the minimum on the scoreboard.

'We won all our matches, which is good,” Gilman said after Mike Kelly's 11-6 decision at 157 the Hawkeyes' 15-0 lead at the midway intermission. 'Three points a match is not enough. It's not enough for me. It's not enough for Clark. It's not enough for (141-pounder Josh) Dziewa or any of the guys.”

Iowa dominated in all phases, more than doubling the Cyclones in match points. The Hawkeyes had an advantage in every statistical category, including takedowns (16-10), nearfalls (7-2) and a 6-0 edge in riding-time points. Brands wanted to see some of his wrestlers score earlier and add points at the end of periods. It will be a necessity for future opponents.

'I think it was workmanlike,” Brands said. 'I think it was a little bit ho-hum maybe. I think we left some team points off the board, because we're not capitalizing on major decision opportunities.”

Gilman opened the dual with a 6-1 win over Kyle Larson and Iowa was never threatened.

The fourth-ranked sophomore never trailed, hitting a sweep single a little more than a minute into the match and finishing for a 2-0 lead.

He added an escape, takedown and accumulated more than a minute of riding time. He said the Hawkeyes have to open things up more against opponents in the future, applying pressure with more aggressiveness.

'We have to pick up our pace,” Gilman said. 'We have to get those stall calls by picking up our pace.”

Cory Clark followed with a victory in a battle of ranked foes. Despite giving up the opening takedown to No. 8 Earl Hall, Clark controlled the match the rest of the way. He racked up two takedowns and a point for riding time to win 8-3.

Clark beat Hall twice last season as both went on to be All-Americans at 125. He expected a little more from himself.

'I wish I would have kept going, scoring, moving, snapping, faking, just keeping my pace,” Clark said. 'I was tired but I know he was more tired than I was.”

The Hawkeyes received bonus points from 184-pounder Sammy Brooks and third-ranked heavyweight Bobby Telford.

Brooks scored two takedowns and two nearfall to beat Lelund Weatherspoon, 9-1. He broke open a one-point match with a takedown and two-point nearfall in the late stages of the second period. He also had a takedown in the third and added riding time.

Brooks demonstrated what brands wanted to see from teammates at the end of periods.

'That's huge,” Brands said about the short-time flurry. 'When you look behind you on the bench and you see those guys that I was talking about earlier watching that match, there's your example right there.”

Telford capped the dual with a third-period pin over Queen Smith. Telford recorded his team-high seventh pin of the season.

'it was very well wrestled,” Brands said. 'He was very patient, mature. Like he's on a mission and maybe Evans needs to take a page from the ol' heavyweight.”

Red-shirt freshman Brandon Sorensen, a four-time state champion from Denver-Tripoli, received his first taste of the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry. He produced a cheer from Hawkeye fans with two first-period takedowns and a loud roar when he escape in the final 42 seconds to beat Cyclone NCAA qualifier Gabe Moreno, 7-6.

Brands said he believes Sorensen let the way he felt influence how he wrestled.

'You have to keep picking up your pace and keep believing and doing what you're doing,” Brands said. 'That's how you're going to crack through that barrier. He'll get better as we go.”

Dziewa added a 9-2 decision over Dante Rodriguez, missing bonus points by one. Kelly used a reversal and three nearfall to break open his match and avenge last year's loss to Luke Goettl. Third-ranked Evans added a 7-4 decision over No. 6 Tanner Weatherman.

'We've got work to do,” Brands said. 'We've got to keep getting better. I don't think it was a bad performance. I'm not in panic mode. I think we dug ourselves out of some holes where it got close and we had to stay tough. I think there were some guys who felt it out there and you can't feel it when you're a competitor.”

Iowa State won one of the marquee matchups when No. 3 Mike Moreno scored two takedowns to beat No. 7 Nick Moore, 6-3, at 165.

'Obviously, he got a win, but it wasn't a pretty win,” Iowa State Coach Kevin Jackson said. 'We worked a couple positions from that crackdown situation. He let himself get out scrambled, otherwise I don't think he gives up a takedown.”

Two-time All-American Kyven Gadson provided the biggest blow for the Cyclones. He cinched up a cradle in the third period and pinned Kris Klapprodt in 5:31 at 197. Gadson, however, cost Iowa State a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct, after his win, posturing and then reacting to a chorus of boos from the fans.

Jackson said he was not happy with Gadson's exit from the mat. He said he may have been frustrated with the team's performance and has let his emotions show at times in the past.

'He knows better,” Jackson said. 'he knows so much better. He was raised better than that. We're going to address it.

'As a wrestler, you get a little defensive and try to give it back. It's never good for you, because you're supposed to be better than that.””

Iowa State suffered its first loss, falling to 4-1 overall. Jackson is not discouraged by the results, noting some of the matches were not indicative of the Cyclones' talent.

'We have a good team,” Jackson said. 'We didn't perform real well here, but we have a good team. We're going to be fine as the year continues to roll out.”

AT IOWA CITY

(Carver-Hawkeye Arena)

Iowa 28, Iowa State 8*

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

125 pounds - Thomas Gilman (I) dec. Kyle Larson, 6-1 (2,0); 133 - Cory Clark (I) dec. Earl Hall, 8-3 (2,1); 141 - Josh Dziewa (I) dec. Dante Rodriguez, 9-2 (2,1); 149 - Brandon Sorensen (I) dec. Gabe Moreno, 7-6 (2,2); 157 - Mike Kelly (I) dec. Luke Goettl, 11-6 (1,2); 165 - Mike Moreno (ISU) dec. Nick Moore, 6-3 (2,1); 174 - Mike Evans (I) dec. Tanner Weatherman, 7-4 (2,1); 184 - Sammy Brooks (I) major dec. Lelund Weatherspoon, 9-1 (2,0); 197 - Kyven Gadson (ISU) pinned Kris Klapprodt, 5:31 (1,0); Hwt. - Bobby Telford (I) pinned Quean Smith, 5:36 (2,0).

*-Iowa State was deducted a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct after the 197-pound match.

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns - Iowa State 10, Iowa 16; Reversals - Iowa State 0, Iowa 2; Escapes - Iowa State 10, Iowa 15. Nearfall points - Iowa State 2, Iowa 7; Penalty points (awarded) - Iowa State 0, Iowa 2; Riding-time points - Iowa State 0, Iowa 6. Attendance - 11, 882.

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com