Iowa wrestling trio advance to national finals

NEW YORK — Two years ago, Thomas Gilman and Cory Clark were battling with each other for the top spot in Iowa's starting lineup.

Now, they both will be fighting side-by-side for the nation's top spot at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively.

Gilman and Clark produced a pair of thrilling victories in the semifinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Friday night at Madison Square Garden. They were joined by Brandon Sorensen, giving the Hawkeyes three finalists Saturday night.

Gilman and Clark envisioned vying for titles together, even when trying to go through each other for a chance. The lightweight duo were All-Americans last year. Clark is returning to the final, placing second last year. Gilman was fourth.

'It should have been this way last year, but this year let's change things and both get titles,' Gilman said. 'We're good friends. we're teammates. We're training partners too, and it's showing. He's winning tight matches. I'm winning tight matches and that's because we have each other to train with.'

Gilman provided early fireworks, facing Ohio State's top-seeded and defending NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello. Gilman avenged a loss to Tomasello and made up for semifinals disappointment last year, pinning Tomasello in 7:37 of the sudden victory overtime. The finish generated some emotion from the fiery Gilman.

'Excitement and pleasure,' Gilman said of the feelings after the pin. 'Just the opportunity to put on a show and win for my fans, my family, teammates and coaches. It feels good.'

Gilman and Tomasello were knotted at 1-1 after regulation with Gilman fending off a takedown as time expired. He felt Tomasello wilt a little and racked up the pressure. He shot in overtime and as Tomasello tried to go to his back and pass the leg, Gilman planted him for the takedown. Basic instinct took over as Gilman didn't settle for the win and locked up the fall.

'It doesn't matter what the score is on the scoreboard,' Gilman said. 'I got the guy on his back. I'm just going to put him away, whether it's overtime or regulation.'

Clark stepped up and his finish was almost as dramatic. Clark trailed most of the bout against Illinois' Zane Richards in a rematch of the Big Ten final Clark won in overtime.

Clark scored a takedown with nine seconds remaining for a 4-3 victory. His resilience paid dividends as he fired off a number of shots until he converted.

'I didn't get frustrated and just kept my mind straight and kept wrestling,' Clark said. 'I knew I had to shoot to win. I knew I had to shoot to score. So I got a little bit sloppy taking some shots that may not have been there, but I knew that was wearing on him.'

The Hawkeyes won three of their four semifinal matches. Second-seeded Sorensen (149) scored the only takedown to beat Anthony Collica, 4-2.

'It's another step to where I want to be, and we've got another one (Saturday) to — where I really want to be,' Sorensen said. 'It's a goal that's been all year. It's always been a dream of mine. It's another steppingstone to getting what I want.'

Sorensen survived the semifinal against Nebraska's Jake Sueflohn, getting a takedown in the second sudden-victory for a 4-2 win as well. Even if spectators are on edge, Sorensen is confident and in control of his close matches. Don't mistake a lack of points for a lack of effort or urgency.

'I think it gets to the fans a little more than me,' said Sorensen, who has mentioned needing to be more offensive. 'I'm out there wrestling and I'm staying in my positions, and I don't really have a heart attack like some fans do, I'm out there working hard.'

The Hawkeyes were powered by the same trio that has led the way most of the season. Iowa has three finalists for the first time since 2012.

'They were all top matches and they were all three won,' Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. 'That's what you do. When you are a dominating wrestler you want to dominate, you win tough matches and it's that simple at this point.'

Sorensen and Gilman have rematches against Penn State foes that got the better of them at the conference tournament.

Gilman will get another crack at Penn State's Nico Megaludis, who beat Gilman in tiebreaker overtime of the Big Ten semifinals. He expects the contest to be similar to the win against Tomasello and the previous match.

'He's a tough competitor,' Gilman said. 'He's proven that. He's been in this situation before. I've been with him in these type of matches before, but I've got to stay cool, calm and composed.'

Sorensen will face top-seeded and unbeaten Zain Retherford. Brands said Sorensen can't surrender points easily and has to overcome a tough test.

'You're going to be in tough situations in tough matches and you gotta rise above in those situations and if there is a series of them you gotta keep rolling and you win a tough match and it's a lot like Gilman, that's the psychological, emotional aspect of the sport that defines you as a competitor,' Brands said. 'It's that simple.'

Penn State handed Iowa its only quarterfinal loss. Morgan McIntosh scored a takedown and riding-time point for a 4-2 victory over Nathan Burak.

Iowa was in third place with 77 1/2 points, trailing second-place Oklahoma State by two. Penn State went 5-for-5 in the semifinals, pulling away with 114 points.

Iowa has six All-Americans, including Alex Meyer (174) and Sammy Brooks (184) who were going for seventh.

'We won five matches in a row and then we lost three,' Brands said. 'So, we gotta pick ourselves up as a team and go forward. This is so funny because of the emotion and the change. The bottom line is we got two seventh-place matches, a guy in the top six that has a chance at getting third and he's a senior, and we got three in the finals.'

Iowa State's Lelund Weatherspoon had one of the tournament's most impressive runs to the semifinals, going from unseeded to top six. The run ended there, however, as Weatherspoon dropped his 174-pound semifinal to Ohio State's Myles Martin, 8-2.

Weatherspoon was joined by Earl Hall (133) and 197-pounder Pat Downey.

Hall earned his second All-American honr, returning to the awards stand after placing eighth at 125 in 2014. He will wrestle for seventh.

Northern Iowa's Dylan Peters has persevered through a partial season marred by a knee ligament injury. Neither injury, nor North Dakota State's Josh Rodriguez could prevent Peters from the podium. Peters whipped Rodriguez over for a consolation pin in 2:26, assuring All-American status at 125.

'I'm proud of how he responded to that adversity and never put his head down,' UNI Coach Doug Schwab said. 'He never felt sorry for himself.'

Peters placed sixth as a freshman, but did not place last season. He decked Oklahoma's Ryan Millhoff in 1:03 of the following consolation match, moving into the top six.

'He wants to climb up that stand,' Schwab said. 'I tell you what, he's focused right now and I think there's a little bit of pressure let off, too.'

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