Awkward dual ends in Hawkeyes win

AMES - Awkward more than memorable.

The wrestling rivalry between the University of Iowa and Iowa State has created classic moments.

Close, down-to-the-wire team finishes. Huge individual upsets. Lopsided victories or long win streaks. The latest installment had some elements but was far from a classic.

Top-ranked Iowa still won seven of 10 bouts and claimed its eighth straight win over Iowa State with a 27-9 victory Sunday in front of an announced attendance of 7,616 fans at Hilton Coliseum.

The Hawkeyes (5-0) opened with five straight wins, including pins from Tony Ramos at 133 and 157-pounder Derek St. John, to build a 22-0 lead midway through the meet. Iowa State answered with three straight wins before Tomas Lira (197) and heavyweight Bobby Telford closed the dual with decisions, extending Iowa's school record unbeaten streak to 82 straight.

“You can go up and down the lineup and be like a roller coaster,” Brands said about the meet. “We have to iron that out a little bit.”

Clock issues, equipment problems and even an odd interaction with the officials gave the meet an odd feel.

“There were a lot of things that got intertwined and it should be about the wrestling,” Brands said. “I'm not sure it was about the wrestling as much as it should have been.”

The first match experienced a malfunction with the visual riding time clock, but seemed to function fine after the intermission. It led to the weirdest moments game at the end of the 184-pound match. Iowa State's Boaz Beard wrestled Hawkeyes senior Vinnie Wagner.

The two traded points throughout the match with Beard holding a two-point lead and more than a minute of riding time, which results in a point. Wagner scored a takedown with 20 seconds remaining and :19 to ride Beard to erase the point and force overtime. The match was stopped with :13 remaining and 1:12 listed in riding time. Wagner rode Beard the rest of the way but the riding time clock showed 1:00 at the end of the match.

After a discussion with the scorer's table, it was determined there was still a minute left and Beard was awarded a point for a 10-9 win.

“Math to me, you know but, hey, it's called and you don't criticize,” said Brands, who did not receive an explanation because coaches are not allowed to approach the table. “I'm not very good at math. I tell you, that's a goofy, goofy deal there.”

Again, awkward more than classic.

Iowa State Coach Kevin Jackson said it didn't feel like a regular rivalry match, but couldn't explain it. He said his team's inability to compete to their potential contributed to it.

“It didn't seem like there was any ebb and flow in the whole dual meet,” Jackson said. “For some reason, it wasn't the normal type Iowa-Iowa State match.”

It started to resemble one of the previous seven as Matt McDonough opened with a 6-0 decision at 125 over Ryak Finch.

Second-ranked Ramos followed with a pin, tallying six takedowns, but many came after Shayden Terukina took him down to his back, just missing nearfall points. Giving up points always adds a little fire.

“I don't think anybody likes getting taken down,” said Ramos, who said he hates giving up takedowns in practice. “Some guys are going to get you though. It's just you have to be able to get adjustments in the match, and that's what makes the difference between the best wrestlers and good wrestlers. That's something I had to do quick, make an adjustment and get back to my offense and my scoring.”

Ramos regrouped and dominated. He threw Terukina to his back and ended the match in 4:32.

“I wanted to get the bonus points. Bonus points are going to be big in every dual meet we wrestle in,” Ramos said. “I feel if I stay attacking and keep my pressure on a guy it's going to open up like that cowcatcher opened up.

“It was there and I went for it.”

Montell Marion followed with a major decision at 141 and Mark Ballweg added a win at 149.

St. John provided a little punch at 157. he owned a 6-2 lead and quickly pounced Moreno after a restart, sucking him back to the mat and decking Michael Moreno in 4:38.

“Just keep on guys,” St. John said. “Just keep the pressure going forward and things will open up.”

St. John said that the matches leading up doesn't influence his approach when he takes the mat.

“I don't know if it's really a momentum thing as it is guys just getting ready for themselves and going out and taking care of their own business,” St. John said. “Once you do that it's going to take care of the team.”

Leading up to the 184 scoring controversy, Iowa State claimed it's first two wins of the night. Fifth-ranked Andrew Sorenson scored a takedown in the first period and reversal in the second to beat No. 15 Mike Evans, 4-3.

“I'll go back and look at the film and I'll beat him worse next time,” Sorenson said. “I really didn't get my attacks off like I wanted to. Mostly, he slowed me down in the early periods. He was trying to keep distance and then he decided to try to wrestle in the third period.”

Chris Spangler, ranked 10th, amassed three points in the final period to upend Iowa's sixth-ranked Ethen Lofthouse, 8-5. He wanted a consistent effort and strong pace the entire match.

“That was my biggest thing,” Spangler said. “Just continuing to wrestle so I can wrestle all three periods and continue to get my attacks off.”

The Cyclones had five freshmen in the lineup that all lost. Jackson said he wasn't sure if he saw the basics in fight and technique to go back to practice and correct the things they couldn't execute. It has led to Iowa State opening with an unheard of 0-6 record.

“A poor performance for sure,” Jackson said. “I'm disappointed overall.”