Wrestling Weekend That Was: UNI’s Parker Keckeisen wins more gold in Las Vegas

University of Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen strikes gold in Las Vegas. Iowa men and women dominate in Missouri. Dan Gable Donnybrook results and more in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

BET ON KECKEISEN IN LAS VEGAS

University of Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen struck gold in Sin City, winning his third title at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. He claimed his third straight title at the marquee regular-season event.

Second-ranked Keckeisen faced a familiar foe in the finals, defeating Oklahoma State’s No. 3 Dustin Plott, 8-3, for the 184-pound title. Keckeisen is 4-0 all-time against Plott, including victories in the 184 finals of the NCAA and Big 12 Championships in March.

The Panthers’ national champion, two-time NCAA finalist and four-time All-American is off to another impressive start. After dropping an exhibition match to Penn State’s four-time NCAA champion and top-ranked Carter Starocci in the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic, he has posted a 7-0 record, including four wins over ranked wrestlers. He extended his regular-season win streak to 38 matches.

CKLV was loaded with 11 ranked 184-pounders, including six of the top 18 and three of the top five, according to Flowrestling. Keckeisen has trailed all season and outscored his five opponents at CKLV by a total of 76-15. In addition to Plott, Keckeisen also beat Iowa State’s No. 14 Evan Bockman, 11-1, in the semifinals.

This season will be a challenge, chasing Starocci and possibly facing some young guns like Iowa’s sixth-ranked redshirt freshman Gabe Arnold, Minnesota’s No. 4 Max McEnelly and South Dakota State’s No. 5 Bennett Berge, who Keckeisen beat in his first official match of the season. Keckeisen is placing himself for another strong campaign.

UNI finished sixth with 85.5 points, four points back of fifth-place Iowa State.

UNI’s Ryder Downey finished runner-up at 157. He beat two ranked wrestlers before falling to Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor, 4-3, in a top-10 battle in the finals. Panthers heavyweight Lance Runyon continues to prove he can handle the big guys. He placed seventh, as did Wyatt Voelker (197), Colin Realbuto, who is back at 149, and 174-pounder Jared Simma.

Evan Frost, ranked No. 6, was the lone Cyclone to reach the final. He finished second at 133 pounds, dropping a 7-3 decision to Cal Poly’s No. 15 Zeth Romney in the final.

IOWA CONQUERS ARMY, PRINCETON AT “UNCIVIL WAR”

It came as no surprise that Iowa men’s wrestling handled Princeton and Army in Journeymen Wrestling’s “Uncivil War” triangular Friday night at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo. The Hawkeyes won nine of 10 bouts to beat Princeton, 39-3, in the opener. They closed with a 23-16 triumph over Army.

The event allowed Iowa to get more bodies in the lineup. Joey Cruz split two matches at 125, while Kale Petersen did not compete. Cullan Schriever stepped in for Ryder Block at 141. Easton Fleshman took the mat in place of Ben Kueter at heavyweight after Iowa had already secured the win over Army.

Nelson Brands and Patrick Kennedy each recorded technical falls in their matches at 174. Brands returned to the lineup and thumped Princeton’s Xavier Giles, 20-4. Kennedy, who wrestled against Iowa State, handled Army’s No. 31 Dalton Harkins, 21-4.

At 157, freshmen Miguel Estrada and Kael Voinovich stepped in for an injured Jacori Teemer. Estrada dominated Princeton’s Cody Tavoso, 21-6. Voinovich was competitive until Army’s Dakota Morris won by fall in 6:00. Nothing official has been updated on Teemer’s injury or return date.

Apparently, the Hawkeyes battled illness the week of the duals, according to Coach Tom Brands in a post-match interview. He noted how they fought through it and it didn’t affect their performance. The two wins also gave Tom Brands 300 career dual wins.

IOWA WOMEN DOMINATE JEWELL DUALS

Iowa’s women’s wrestling swept the field at the Jewell Duals Saturday in Liberty, Mo. The top-ranked Hawkeyes went 5-0, including victories over No. 7 Lindenwood (47-7) and host No. 25 William Jewell (53-0). They to improve to 9-0 this season.

Iowa also defeated Missouri Baptist, 50-8, Fort Hays State, 44-1, and ended with a second win over William Jewell (40-2).

Iowa’s Macey Kilty and top-ranked Reese Larramendy each had four technical fall to lead the tournament. Former Decorah state champion Naomi Simon won all three matches by fall at 180, sharing time with top-ranked Kyle Welker.

The Hawkeyes are 28-0 all-time in duals and posted a 45-2 overall match record Saturday. Both losses were forfeits.

UPPER IOWA REMAINS UNBEATEN

Upper Iowa trounced Minnesota State, 29-9, Sunday at Mankato, Minn. The Peacocks are 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this season.

Upper Iowa won the first seven matches and took eight of 10 from the Mavericks, who used to be a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival. Colter Bye opened with a major decision at 184 and Geoffrey Freeman (197) added technical fall. Heavyweight Clayton Ours followed with another major decision for a 13-0 lead after three. The Peacocks coasted and capped the dual with a major decision victory by Lawson Losee at 174.

DAN GABLE DONNYBROOK STANDOUTS

Bettendorf crowned four champions and tallied 366.5 points to win the Dan Gable Donnybrook team title Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The Bulldogs received gold from Jake Knight at 120, Tim Koester at 132, 175-pounder Lincoln Jipp and Brayden Koester at 190.

Don Bosco was third with three champions and 332.5 points. Interestingly, the Dons had an all-Schwab final. Brothers Hendrix and Hayden Schwab had a no contest, finishing first and second at 113 pounds. They are the sons of UNI head coach Doug Schwab.

Iowa City West’s Alexander Pierce (120) and Justin Avila (150) earned runner-up finishes. Linn-Mar duo Philip Jacobs and Barrett Mieras placed second and third, respectively, at 175. Decorah’s Thomas Sexton reached the finals at 190.

Iowa City High was the top area team at 12 th with 186.5 points. Iowa City West was 14th with 180.5 and Linn-Mar was 15th with 176.5 points.

In the girls’ tournament Thursday and Friday, Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Mackenzie Childers (130), Decorah’s Anastasia Simon (145) and Mount Vernon 190-pounder Libby Dix all won individual titles.

Decorah finished second as a team with 287.5 points, 57 back of champion Raccoon River-Northwest. The Vikings placed three in the finals, including runners-up Chloe Sheffield (100) and Madysen Lippe at 235.

Linn-Mar’s Kate Seery (115), Vinton-Shellsburg’s 140-pounder Chloe Sanders and Mount Vernon’s Gracie Pinckney (170) placed second.

WESTERN DUBUQUE’S PENNER DOMINATES TO KEITH YOUNG TITLE

Western Dubuque freshman 165-pound Macklin Penner punished the competition Saturday, capturing a title at the Keith Young Invitational.

Penner (4-0) built a 9-0 lead before pinning Kadan Borcherding-Johnson in 2:36 of the final. He opened with a 15-0 technical fall and followed with a first-period pin in the semifinals. Penner outscored his three foes, 27-0, and never reached the third period.

THIS AND THAT

Benton Community’s second-ranked Brenden Heying won a stacked bracket Saturday at West Delaware’s Bob Murphy Invitational. The Bobcats’ two-time state medalist defeated Anamosa’s top-ranked state champion Austin Scranton, 4-2, using a third-period takedown to win the 190 title. Heying also beat the Hawks’ two-time state medalist Brent Yonkovic, 4-2, in the semifinals. Yonkovic, ranked No. 2 at 175, placed third. … Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s girls’ team won the BGM duals. The Cougars went 4-0, including a 3-0 mark in pool competition. Kennedy bested Iowa City Liberty, 48-35, in the final. The Lightning finished second with a 3-1 mark. … Williamsburg went 5-0 and swept its way to win its home dual tournament Saturday. The Raiders closed the day with a 42-26 win over Davenport Assumption.

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