Iowa Wrestling Weekend That Was: University of Northern Iowa continues home success with win over Missouri

University of Northern Iowa dumped Missouri, proving that the McLeod Center is becoming a tough place for visitors to win. Upper Iowa’s Ethan Doty placed at the Midwest Classic. Seven Kohawks place at the North Central Invitational and high school results in the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

HOME SWEET HOME FOR UNI AT MCLEOD CENTER

UNI is in its third season with the McLeod Center serving as its full-time home for duals. Though it’s different from the smaller, hotter and intimate setting of the former West Gym, the Panthers are proving it is a tough place for visitors to win. No. 15 UNI won six matches and beat No. 14 Missouri, 22-14, Sunday at home. The Panthers are 9-2 in McLeod since the 2023-24 season, including two straight wins over the Tigers. The Panthers beat a then-No. 7 Missouri, 31-6, two seasons ago. They also won against Nebraska, who was ranked No. 4 at the time, and rival Iowa State last season.

UNI jumped to a 10-0 lead, winning the first three matches. Trever Anderson provided the initial spark, scoring a takedown and four nearfall taking #22 Mack Mauger down to his back for a 12-0 major decision at 125. Missouri scored wins at 149 and 157 to pull within 10-6 at the midway point. UNI received a decision from Ryder Downey (165) and a major decision from Jared Simma at 174. The Tigers won the next two weights to pull within, 17-14, with one match left – UNI’s smallest lead the entire dual. Heavyweight Wyatt Voelker dominated his match against No. 29 Jarrett Stoner, recording a 21-6 technical fall at 285. Voelker has enjoyed a lot of success in his move from 197 to heavyweight. He has the upper body ability with his Greco-Roman background, wrestling on the 2024 U23 World team and he has maintained his agility and mobility, despite bulking up to 250 pounds. Voelker is now 7-1 and has climbed to 10th in Flowrestling’s national rankings.

UNI has a strong nucleus of wrestlers with a handful of wrestlers capable of All-American finishes, including the lower weight trio of Anderson, Julian Farber (133) and Cory Land (141), Downey, Simma and Voelker. Anderson and Voelker fell in the round of 12 at last season’s NCAA Championships. The Panthers have avoided a drop off from last year’s memorable season.

UNI returns to action, hosting No. 22 North Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m.

NEIGHBOR LEADS COE AT NORTH CENTRAL INVITATIONAL

Coe boasted seven placewinners at the North Central Invitational on Saturday in Naperville, Ill. Former Alburnett prep Brody Neighbor led the way, reaching the 133-pound finals. Neighbor went 3-1 overall, opening with a first-period pin and a technical fall, beating Wabash’s James Day in the semifinals before falling to North Central’s second-ranked Ethan Spacht for the championship. Former Linn-Mar prep Brayden Parke (125), Dresden Grimm at 141 and former Lisbon heavyweight Wyatt Smith placed third for Coe. Parke went 4-1 overall, posting two pins, a technical fall and an 8-0 major decision over Castleton’s No. 7 Andrew Marchese in the third-place bout. Smith was 5-1 with three pins and two technical falls, pinning Baldwin-Wallace’s No. 14 Christian McChesney in 2:01 of the final round.

Bo Koedam was fourth at 165, while Karter Guzman (141) and Kael Kurtz (149) placed sixth.

UPPER IOWA’S DOTY PLACES AT MIDWEST CLASSIC

Upper Iowa’s Ethan Doty was Upper Iowa’s lone placewinner at the Midwest Classic, a 46-team, two-day tournament hosted by University of Indianapolis. Doty finished sixth at 149, improving to 12-4 overall this season. He opened with four straight wins, opening with a technical fall and following with a major decision and two pins before losing to Ashland’s sixth-ranked Hayden Kuhn in the semifinals. Doty medically forfeited his two consolation matches to close the tournament.

LUTHER GOES UNBEATEN AT RAMS DUALS

Luther won both of its duals at the Rams Duals Saturday at Cornell College in Mount Vernon. The Norse downed No. 23 Cornell, 23-17, spitting 10 matches and receiving pins from Clayton and Bryce McDonough at 165 and 174 for the difference. Luther’s Mateo Ochoa won by injury default at 141.

The Norse (2-2) dominated Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 36-12, to close the day. Luther’s 10th-ranked Connor Kidd (133), Clayton McDonough and heavyweight Tashaud Nelson had pins, while Peter Hollingshead (157) and Bryce McDonough added technical falls.

Clayton McDonough won both matches, giving him 120 career victories, tying Jeff Bouslog (1978-81) for fifth in school history.

Cornell finished 1-2, dropping duals to Luther and No. 24 Central (21-18) but beating Stevens Point, 34-11.

IOWA CITY WEST GOES 3-1 AT IOWA CITY DUALS

Iowa City West went 3-1 at the Iowa City Duals on Saturday. The Trojans tied for third with Dubuque Hempstead, which also went 3-1. West posted victories over Iowa City Liberty (55-22), West Des Moines Valley (52-22) and Pleasant Valley (41-34). West’s only setback was a 44-25 loss to West Des Moines Dowling.

The Maroons and Waukee Northwest tied for a tournament-best 4-0 record.

WESTERN DUBUQUE WINS HOME TOURNAMENT

Western Dubuque won its Bobcat Duals Saturday in Epworth. The Bobcats improved to 5-0 this season, scoring more than 40 points in all four duals Saturday. Western Dubuque opened with a 63-12 win over Dyersville Beckman and beat Mississippi Valley Conference foe Cedar Rapids Kennedy (41-27). The Bobcats beat Caledonia (Minn.), 42-30, and closed with a 45-24 win over Williamsburg.

The Raiders finished 3-1 to place second, while Kennedy went 2-2.

SOLON WINS NORTH CEDAR INVITATIONAL

Solon claimed the North Cedar Invitational team title with 214.5 points on Saturday, beating runner-up Louisa-Muscatine by 47.5 points. Anderson Osgood (106), Evan Gleason (113), Jayden Steapp (132), Carson Kidwell (157), Connor Dunn (175) and heavyweight Lucas Feuerbach won titles for the Spartans.

Iowa City Regina’s Dawson Boileau won the 190-pound crown and Cedar Rapids Jefferson was third in the team race with 150 points.

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