Finally, Hawkeye wrestlers again defeat Oklahoma State in Carver-Hawkeye

IOWA CITY - Another brick was put in the wall of this new era of University of Iowa wrestling dominance.

What the Hawkeyes were for so long under Dan Gable, they are becoming again under Tom Brands. Although, the coach would bristle at the notion this year's Hawks have accomplished anything yet.

“Right now,” Brands said, “I feel like we came out of a scrap.”

But then he added “I'm not going to admit it, but I feel a little bit drained because this was a big win for us. As a team, as a whole, we rose to the occasion.”

The facts: Two-time defending national-champion Iowa is ranked No. 1 and now the owner of 52 straight dual wins after downing Oklahoma State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Saturday night, 19-16.

More importantly, perhaps, this is maybe the final ghost chased from the lackluster period in Hawkeye wrestling between 2001 and 2007, when they went without a national team title and had just one Big Ten team championship.

Such a drought now seems unthinkable, doesn't it?

Iowa hadn't beaten Oklahoma State in Carver in their previous four meetings here, dating back to 2000. The Hawkeyes did defeat the Cowboys last year in Stillwater on their way to their second-straight NCAA title in Brands' third year as head coach. So it wasn't as if Okie State still had a lasso around the Hawks.

But you look for every piece of motivation available in this sport. Iowa's current school-record streak of dual wins began after their 19-14 loss to the Cowboys here in 2008. The streak continues, maybe for quite a long time.

The turning point and perhaps emotional high point of the night for Iowa came during a match that began with little fan reaction and ended with the crowd of 10,967 going nuts.

Sophomore Montell Marion of Iowa was a paper underdog to sixth-ranked Jamal Parks at 141 pounds. This match came immediately after Iowa's Daniel Dennis was taken down in the final five seconds of his match against Jordan Oliver at 133 for a 3-2 loss, deflating the crowd.

But Marion physically controlled Parks and ground out a 4-0 decision that pumped life back into the

 arena. Marion hadn't even been announced as the starter at his weight during pre-match introductions, but he knew he, and not North-Linn's Dan LeClere, would get the call.

Marion had plenty of energy left after beating Parks, pumping his fist and hopping around in happiness.

“Every day in practice I've been dominating the guys I've wrestled,” Marion said. “I just need to be showing it (in matches).”

“I don't know if it was an upset,” OSU Coach John Smith said. “That guy might be better than Parks.”

The team win, as it turned out, was sealed when Iowa 184-pounder Phillip Keddy staved off Clayton Foster, 3-2. That gave Iowa a 19-10 lead and allowed it the margin to drop matches at 197 and heavyweight and still win the dual.

Again, that's not how Brands is looking at it. But that was just what happened after OSU won hard-earned decisions at those weights to close the evening

Nothing about this night should have convinced anyone Iowa won't repeat as national-champs, and nothing about it should have convinced anyone the Hawkeyes' path will be easy.

“Oklahoma State's a good team,” Brands said. “Don't let John Smith fool you. That was a good team we beat out there.”

In Carver. Finally.