Cowboys wrangle Hawkeyes, end unbeaten streak

IOWA CITY - University of Iowa Coach Tom Brands was going to have to blow off some steam. Oklahoma State Coach John Smith was exhausted. The crowd of 15,400 was electric, but the streak is over.

Second-ranked Oklahoma State earned an extra point for a 54-51 match point advantage to a break tie for a 17-16 win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, handing top-ranked Iowa its first loss in four years. The Cowboys (6-0) win preserved a tie with Iowa for the longest unbeaten streak at 84 consecutive duals. Oklahoma State set the record from 1959-66 and Iowa tied it with a stretch starting Jan. 12, 2008.

Check out SourceMedia Group photographer Cliff Jette's photo gallery.

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Now it's over, but Iowa won't dwell on the streak.

“We don't like it to end,” Brands said. “Your next event is always your most important event. This was certainly an important event. We went out to win it.”

Blake Rosholt scored an 8-4 decision over Grant Gambrall at 197, knotting the meet scoring and swaying the decisive match points in the Cowboys favor.

The Hawkeyes (6-1) spent too much time getting comfortable instead of showing a sense of urgency that brands preaches.

“Not impressed with our team as far as there's a certain time when you break into a match and then you got to go,” Brands said. “Our break in periods were real long.”

Iowa took control early winning three straight bouts.

Tony Ramos has claimed he believes he is the top 133-pound wrestling, so why not prove it against the perfect opponent during the perfect dual. Ramos took on defending NCAA champion Jordan Oliver, who many consider one of the top pound-for-pound wrestlers in the country.

The flex that Ramos flashed a roaring CHA said it all and elevated the moment into one of the most memorable in recent years.

“I got excited,” Ramos said. “Probably a little over excited. You just have to do your job and prepare for next week.

Ramos earned a penalty point in the first overtime tiebreaker and then rode Oliver the final 30-second period for a 4-3 win.

Ramos scored the lone takedown with 22 seconds left in the third. Oliver forced overtime with an escape, adding to a second-period escape and riding time point after accumulating 1:02.

Ramos' second-period takedown attempt that wasn't finished as time expired gave him confidence.

“You can't be afraid to lose,” Ramos said. “I think that's what won me this match. You have to go out, score and attack.”

Montell Marion followed with his own exciting finish.

Marion surrendered two takedowns and trailed 5-1 in the second before battling back for a 9-7 victory.

Marion scored a takedown with 30 seconds left, tallying two nearfall points for the win.

The Hawkeyes received a spark from their normal igniter. Matt McDonough erased the Cowboys early 4-0 lead with a 14-4 major decision over Jon Morrison at 125.

McDonough led the way in scoring for the Hawkeyes, but he said he could have done more, along with each Hawkeye, and the loss left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“It's a part of wrestling,” McDonough said. “Some days you get the bear and some days the bear gets you, and we didn't do everything we could today.”

Mike Evans and Vinnie Wagner were able the only Hawkeyes to win after intermission, recording decisions at 165 and 184, respectively. They gave Iowa a three-point advantages, until Rosholt tied the meet and forced criteria.

The Hawkeyes were still without second-ranked Derek St. John at 157. St. John suffered a knee injury Dec. 8 in a win against University of Northern Iowa. early in the week, Brands hinted at the possibility of St. John being able to wrestle. After the meet, he said he was going to be smart about the decision, but St. John was ready.

"There was a lot of temptation from him," Brands said. "He was chomping at the bit." 

Cowboys heavyweight Alan Gelogaev opened with a key victory. Gelogaev provided Oklahoma State's lone bonus point, throwing Iowa's Bobby Telford for a 5-0 lead in the first before a 10-2 major decision. Jamal Parks and Albert White sandwiched intermission with decisions at 149 and 157 to tie the meet at 10-10.

The meet's intensity boiled over at 174 when Oklahoma State's Chris Perry and Iowa's Ethen Lofthouse got chippy after Perry managed a 3-2 win in the first tiebreaker, allowing the teams to split overtime decisions.

Oklahoma State Coach John Smith said his entire lineup wrestled tight.

“It's a good win,” Smith said. “It's easy to look at and say there were some ugly wins, but sometimes on the road you have to win ugly.”