Hawkeye wrestlers bully Michigan State

IOWA CITY - From the outset, it appeared Michigan State entered its dual with top-ranked Iowa just looking to hang on.

Void of pins and with just three bonus points through six matches, Hawkeye senior Mike Evans ignited the crowd of 6,629 with a rousing 20-5 technical fall victory over Kevin Nash at 174 as No. 1 Iowa blanked the Spartans, 37-0, in its Big Ten opener last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

'That was what we needed to do,” Evans said. 'It was a good job, shutting that team out. I think we left a few points out there.”

Evans countered the Spartan stall tactics by dragging Nash from the edge of the mat to the center before scoring a takedown with a leg sweep. In the third period, Nash clung to the back of a standing Evans before being tossed overhead for a reversal.

'You've got to pick it up and you've got to drag him back into the center,” Evans said. 'And you've got to give yourself enough space to finish because you know they're going to kick away. It's what you've got to do if you want to finish.”

Sammy Brooks followed Evans at 184 with a chippy 11-3 major decision over John Rizqallah for Iowa (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten).

'The first couple of weights, guys were clinging on us and it slowed us down,” Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. 'And you just can't let guys slow you down…We've got to be good against the best in the country and that was a good step for it, no doubt. Evans really kind of ignited his weight, of course, and then the next three – 84, 97 and heavyweight. That's what you need.”

With Brandon Sorensen competing at the Kaufman-Brand Open, junior Brody Grothus took the mat at 149 against Kaelen Richards and earned bonus points with a nearfall and takedown in the closing seconds of the third period for a 16-1 technical fall.

'He had to work to get that tech fall,” Brands said. 'The guy didn't just fall over. The guy was real loosey-goosey, Gumby flexible and he had to really catch him.”

All-American Nathan Burak appeared on the pre-dual mat card, but did not compete. Sophomore Alex Meyer, who weighed in at 179 and is expected to wrestle at 174 in the Midlands Championships Dec. 29-30, stepped up to 197 and scored a late takedown for a 6-5 decision over Nick McDiarmid.

'Gave up an early takedown,” Meyer said. 'I knew I could overcome it, just like we talk about every day in practice. We can overcome a mistake, just coming back and getting out right away.”

Brands said Burak, who has not competed since the Luther Open, will return for the Midlands. The 197-pounder is still recovering from a knee injury and since he is still a redshirt candidate, it remains to be seen whether the junior will compete attached or unattached as Brands is trying to be careful.

'We say that a lot,” Brands said. 'I know you want an answer, but I don't even have an answer right now.”

Josh Dziewa (141) and Michael Kelly (157) were also held out of action, though Brands said neither was a concern.

125-pounder Thomas Gilman notched eight takedowns in an 18-6 major decision over Mitch Rogaliner, while heavyweight Bobby Telford closed the dual with a 10-2 major against Luke Jones.

AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA

#1 Iowa 37, Michigan State 0

125 - Thomas Gilman (Iowa) major dec. Mitch Rogaliner (Michigan State), 18-6; 4-0

133 - Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. Hermilo Esquivel (Michigan State), 5-0; 7-0

141 - Topher Carton (Iowa) dec. Garth Yenter (Michigan State), 6-3; 10-0

149 - Brody Grothus (Iowa) tech fall Kaelen Richards (Michigan State), 16-1; 15-0

157 - Edwin Cooper (Iowa) dec. Roger Wildmo (Michigan State), 6-5; 18-0

165 - Nick Moore (Iowa) dec. Ryan Watts (Michigan State), 5-3; 21-0

174 - Mike Evans (Iowa) tech fall Kevin Nash (Michigan State), 20-5; 26-0

184 - Sammy Brooks (Iowa) major dec. John Rizqallah (Michigan State), 11-3; 30-0

197 - Alex Meyer (Iowa) dec. Nick McDiarmid (Michigan State), 6-5; 33-0

285 - Bobby Telford (Iowa) major dec. Luke Jones (Michigan State), 10-2; 37-0

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com