UNI's Beets gets offensive

The message finally sunk in to University of Northern Iowa 174-pounder Jarion Beets. The red-shirt junior had to open up and use his talent on his feet. That helped him win his first two matches, including a first-round 14-7 win over Minnesota's fifth-seeded Scott Glasser.

Beets tallied six takedowns, controlling the match. He repeated “takedowns” after his match, noting the importance of scoring aggressively in the neutral position.

“That's the only way I'm going to win a match,” said Beets, qualifying for the NCAA tournament for the first time. “I have to keep doing more of it. I've done a lot here already.”

Beets, a former two-time state placewinner for Cedar Rapids Kennedy, was the only Iowa wrestler with a pigtail match. He opened the tournament with a 5-3 win over Oklahoma's Jeff James. Even then Beets held a 2-0 takedown advantage.

Having an extra match was tough, according to Beets, but it helped him become mentally and physically prepared for the match against Glasser.

“It was a big match,” Beets said of his pigtail win over James. “I was looking forward to setting the tone right off the bat with him.

“This being my first time, what am I thinking?” Beets said. “Am I going to be able to rise to the occasion or not? I'm glad I did with that first match. It set me up.”

Beets was two wins away from reaching All-American status before last night's second round.