Iowa Wrestling Weekend That Was: Spencer Lee and Tony Cassioppi make sure Hawkeyes stay undefeated

Iowa wrestling had an interesting weekend. The Hawkeyes looked as they have all season Friday, winning eight matches and throttling No. 11 Nebraska, 34-6. Iowa added a dual win Sunday at Wisconsin, needing criteria for a 19-18 victory.

It’s easy to identify the up-and-down performances. Iowa had what could be considered its postseason lineup against the Cornhuskers. Spencer Lee, Brody Teske and Real Woods were all in the lineup. So were Nelson Brands and Jacob Warner. All have missed chunks of the season. The lineup against Wisconsin included two first-year freshmen who lost filling in for Brands at 174 and 197-pounder Warner.

Iowa would never use that as an excuse. If you take the mat, you’re expected to win. They would never say they look ahead, but with a dual against top-ranked Penn State coming up, Wisconsin could have been a bit of a trap dual. The Hawkeyes (12-0, 5-0 Big Ten) still survived.

Two of the reasons they did survive the Badgers and handle the Cornhuskers were Lee and heavyweight Tony Cassioppi. Lee extended his streak of dominance with two more pins, giving him six straight. Consider that the breading to the stretch. The real juicy, meaty part that is worth sinking your teeth into is the opponents.

Lee is 10-0 with seven pins, giving him 33 in his career. The last four pins have been against the guys who are currently ranked Nos. 4, 6, 7 and 9 by Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (W.I.N.). Northwestern’s Michael DeAugustino and Nebraska’s Liam Cronin were ranked as high as third nationally when they were decked in the first half of the first period. Purdue’s Matt Ramos was eighth and has since moved up to fourth. Wisconsin’s Eric Barnett dropped from fifth to sixth after Lee built a double-digit lead and pinned him in the second period.

You don’t earn two Hodge Trophy awards and win three World freestyle titles without being elite. Lee has always been a beast, but this is more like rabid-beast level. Maybe it’s just the fact he’s finally healthy and void of knee pain/trouble. Maybe it’s more the end of his college career is approaching and he’s squeezing every last bit out of it before taking on the world again. Either way, it’s been amazing.

Cassioppi has been a key figure in Iowa’s success as well. As much as Lee’s dominance is taken for granted, Cassioppi’s ability to close victories is as well. Outside of Michigan’s top-ranked Mason Parris and No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet, his wins are almost a given.

In Iowa’s 12 dual wins, three have been 5-5 splits. Each time Cassioppi delivered to secure a team victory. First, it was nearly a major decision over a top-10 foe to turn away Iowa State. Next, he stalled out his Illinois opponent. He scored the only takedown in a 4-1 decision over No. 11 Trent Hilger, who has been ranked much higher in his college career.

“We have a pretty doggone (good) heavyweight with ice water in his veins,” Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. “We did what we had to do. Good job team-wise at the end at heavyweight.

“He’s got incredible resolve and he’s got a good, even mind. He’s a great heavyweight. He’s best when he’s on the attack. That’s how he’s going to win the big prize.”

Cassioppi took the mat with Iowa down 18-15. His decision tied the dual, helping Iowa win on third criteria with a 31-24 match-point advantage that excludes bouts that ended in pins.

“It doesn’t really change anything for me,” Cassioppi said. “I have to go out there and do my job. The big thing is I want my teammates to win. I want what’s best for them, so that’s the biggest thing on my mind.”

Coe goes 3-1 at American Rivers Conference Duals

Coe went 3-1 at the American Rivers Conference Duals held at Loras College in Dubuque. The Kohawks beat Luther, Nebraska Wesleyan and Simpson with the lone setback coming to the host Duhawks.

The Kohawks beat the ninth-ranked Norse, 31-13, winning seven matches. All-America heavyweight Kaleb Reeves has returned from injury and went 2-0 Saturday. He beat Luther’s No. 8 Cullen Quick, 4-0. He added a 6-3 decision over Loras’ No. 12 Wyatt Wriedt.

Coe was led by 125-pounder Cade Hornback, who went 4-0, posting a pin and a major decision. L.J. Richardson had a notable win, topping Loras’ former A-R-C Wrestler of the Week and 10th-ranked Zeb Gnida, 6-3, at 174.

Upper Iowa Peacocks soar

Upper Iowa recorded an impressive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference sweep at Dorman Gymnasium. The Peacocks toppled Augustana (S.D.), 30-11, on Saturday. They followed with a 41-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday.

Against the No. 14 Vikings, Kaden Anderlik (133) won by technical fall and Cam Lopez (184) added a major decision for Upper Iowa. On Sunday, former Monticello prep Chase Luensman 165) won by fall and Ethen Doty (149) added a technical fall.

The 10th-ranked Peacocks improved to 8-2 overall and 4-0 in the NSIC.

Brad Smith hits 700

Lisbon Hall of Fame Coach Brad Smith collected his 700th career dual victory Thursday with a 74-6 victory over North Cedar. Smith, Iowa’s all-time leader in dual victories, became the first to hit the 700-win plateau. The Lions also defeated Midland and North Linn to give Smith 702 in his 45th season coaching Lisbon and Iowa City High.

Linn-Mar, Prairie go 1-2 at Clinton

Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids Prairie finished first and second, respectively, Saturday in the Bob Lueders Invitational at Clinton.

Malik DeBow (113), Kane Naaktgeboren (138), Grant Kress at 152 and 182-pounder Tate Naaktgeboren won titles for the Lions, who tallied 212.5 points. Linn-Mar had 12 placewinners, including nine who placed fifth or better. They did all that without ranked 132-pounder Brayden Parke.

Prairie also had 12 placewinners with two finalists. Blake Gioimo (120) and Alex Bumba (126) placed second, helping the Hawks to 173 points. Gioimo wrestled in one of the marquee matches of the tournament against Lisbon’s Brandon Paez.

Gioimo and Paez have combined to wrestle in five state finals matches. Paez is a two-time 120-pound champion in 1A and was runner-up once. Gioimo has finished runner-up at 106 and 113 in 3A. Paez is a University of Northern Iowa signee, while Gioimo signed to wrestle at Iowa State. Chalk this one up to the future Panther. Paez used a takedown and two nearfall in the first and an escape in the second for a 5-0 decision in the 120 final.

Mount Vernon wins Clyde Bean Duals

Mount Vernon won the Clyde Bean Duals on Saturday at Iowa City High. The Mustangs topped the host Little Hawks, 51-18, in the final. Mount Vernon went 4-0 in pool competition, beating Muscatine (70-9), Oskaloosa (78-6) and Columbus/WMU/Lone Tree (66-9).

The Mustangs’ closest dual came against 3A No. 11 Dubuque Hempstead. Mount Vernon won seven matches, including a pin from Jase Jaspers in the final bout to seal a 39-31 victory.

More good news for the Mustangs. State medalist Clark Younggreen, who was injured during football season, wrestled Saturday. The 220-pounder collected a forfeit against Oskaloosa and pinned Columbus/WMU/Lone Tree’s Peyton White in 37 seconds.

State preview at Ed Winger Classic

Some of the best 3A teams in the state competed at the Ed Winger Classic on Saturday in Urbandale. Waverly-Shell Rock won the team title with 200 points, beating runner-up Southeast Polk by 13. Bettendorf was third with 168 1/2.

Ankeny Centennial, Waukee Northwest and Fort Dodge were a ways back in the next three spots.

The top-three teams could be the same in less than a month at the state tournament in Des Moines.

Regional dual pairings released

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released boys’ wrestling regional dual pairings Monday.

Fourth-ranked Linn-Mar will host No. 11 Dubuque Hempstead and No. 22 Fort Madison in Class 3A. Cedar Rapids Prairie and Western Dubuque will compete at No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock. No. 19 Iowa City High will wrestle No. 13 Bondurant-Farrar at Ankeny with the winner taking on the No. 4 Hawks.

Second-ranked West Delaware hosts No. 13 Independence and No. 24 Dike-New Hartford in 2A. No. 4 Mount Vernon welcomes No. 11 Davenport Assumption and No. 22 Monroe PCM. West Burlington/Notre Dame, ranked 10th, and No. 21 Knoxville travel to No. 9 Williamsburg.

In Class 1A, No. 3 Alburnett hosts No. 11 MFL MarMac and No. 22 Jesup. No. 7 Lisbon is host but will wrestle No. 24 Pleasantville with the winner taking on No. 5 Wapsie Valley. Belle Plaine, ranked 18th, has No. 14 Truro Interstate 35 at No. 2 Wilton.

This and that

Alburnett and Williamsburg won their home titles. The Pirates went 4-0 to win the Alburnett Duals, posting victories over 2A No. 10 West Burlington/Notre Dame and 2A No. 24 Dike-New Hartford. The Raiders scored 214 1/2 points to beat runner-up Pella by 11 1/2.

Decorah was second at its Girls’ Winter Tournament Saturday. The Vikings were second to Waverly-Shell Rock, falling 241-235. Decorah’s Anastasia Simon (135) and Naomi Simon (170) won titles, while teammates Mairi Sessions (155) and Ashley Bjork (130) were second.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com