Iowa Wrestling Weekend That Was: Iowa Hawkeyes dominate during Illinois road trip weekend

Iowa dominated for a weekend sweep, Oklahoma State topped Northern Iowa and Iowa State, Augsburg avenged a loss in the “Battle of the Burgs” and the girls’ super regionals and boys’ conference tournaments highlight the Wrestling Weekend That Was.

Iowa rolls Illinois and Northwestern

Iowa’s weekend road trip consisted of stops at Illinois and Northwestern. The Hawkeyes weren’t kind guests, thumping Illinois, 36-6, Friday in Champaign. They were even more dominant Sunday with a 46-0 whipping of Northwestern for their second shutout of the season.

Iowa won eight of 10 bouts and Patrick Kennedy provided a highlight in the Illini dual. Ninth-ranked Kennedy dropped No. 3 Edmond Ruth, 5-1, in the 174-pound match. He scored a takedown in the third and capped the match with a ride out for his fourth win over a ranked opponent.

“Big match at ‘74,” Brands said in a post-meet interview. “I think we can score earlier there on takedowns. Good stuff.”

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Kennedy has seemed stronger with each match at 174, dropping a match to 165-pound teammate Michael Caliendo at the Soldier Salute. His conditioning is back to normal after consistent mat time following early-season knee surgery that kept him off the mat.

The Hawkeyes could still use Gabe Arnold at 174. After all, he’s beaten two All-Americans in his short time in the lineup. Kennedy’s performances have demonstrated he will be an All-America contender in the postseason.

After a sudden victory loss against Illinois, Aiden Riggins finally broke through for his first Big Ten Conference victory. Riggins, who has weighed in close to 174, has moved up to help the Hawkeyes fill a hole caused by suspensions from the sports betting investigation.

Riggins has filled in admirably and defeated No. 24 Troy Fisher, 4-2.

Iowa tallied 14 bonus-point wins. The Hawkeyes posted eight technical falls, three pins and three major decisions total over the weekend. They allowed just three takedowns, including two in overtime, in the two duals.

Two of the pins came at heavyweight. Bradley Hill won by fall against Illinois. Ben Kueter received his second start of the season, cinching up a cradle and pinning the Wildcats’ Jack Jessen in just 45 seconds.

“I am pretty good in that position,” Kueter said after he improved to 2-0. “I have strong hips, I guess you could say, so I was comfortable where I was at. I knew that was what I wanted to do. Just like my coaches were saying, take my first scoring opportunity, and that is what I did, finished the match.”

Things will get much tougher this week. Iowa heads to Michigan Friday. The Wolverines are coming off a 20-19 loss at Ohio State that was sealed by Buckeyes’ Nick Feldman’s 4-3 decision over No. 4 Lucas Davison at heavyweight.

UNI and Iowa State split duals in Oklahoma

Northern Iowa and Iowa State wrestled Big 12 duals at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State last weekend. Each of them split, beating Oklahoma and falling to Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys beat the Panthers, 22-12. UNI did record a couple of key victories. Top-ranked Parker Keckeisen proved he’s head and shoulders above the 184-pound field. He thumped No. 2 Dustin Plott, 12-6.

Former Lisbon four-time state champion Cael Happel added a top-10 win. Sixth-ranked Happel beat No. 9 Tagen Jamison, 4-2.

The Panthers closed the weekend with a 30-12 victory against the Sooners. Former West Delaware prep Wyatt Voelker recorded a pin over Ryan Nichols at 197, giving him a 2-0 mark over the weekend.

Oklahoma State remained unbeaten with a 21-12 win over the Cyclones, who were without 157-pound starter Cody Chittum. Iowa State received wins from Casey Swiderski (149), NCAA champion David Carr at 165, M.J. Gaitan (174) and heavyweight Yonger Bastida.

Carr had the most impressive win, beating the Cowboys’ fourth-ranked Izaak Olejnik, 8-1.

Iowa State trounced Oklahoma, 37-4, on Friday.

The Cyclones host West Virginia Friday. The Mountaineers travel to Cedar Falls for a dual against UNI Sunday.

Augsburg wins Battle of the Burgs

The premier dual in NCAA Division III each season is the annual “Battle of the Burgs” between perennial powers Augsburg (Minn.) University and Wartburg.

The Auggies captured the traveling trophy belt with a 20-19 win, avenging a two-point loss to the Knights in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Multi-Divisional Duals finals earlier this month. The win snapped a seven-dual losing streak to Wartburg, beginning in the 2017-18 season.

The dual came down to heavyweight. Augsburg’s Tyler Kim edged Mitchell Williamson, 2-1, in tiebreaker-1. Each had an escape in regulation. Kim needed just six seconds to escape in the first 30-second tiebreaker period. With riding time being a factor, Williamson chose neutral but Kim fended him off for the individual and team win.

Cedar Rapids Prairie boys win MVC

Cedar Rapids Prairie captured the team title at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet on Saturday at Dubuque Senior.

The Hawks scored 201 1/2 points, topping Class 3A sixth-ranked Linn-Mar by 7 1/2. Iowa City West was third with 191. No. 7 Iowa City High (173) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (172) rounded out the top five.

Dylan Munson (106) was Prairie’s lone champion, but he was one of four finalists. Tyler Lee (132), Aiden Kirk (138) and 157-pounder Wyatt Vlasek earned runner-up finishes.

The Hawks used a balanced team effort. They had 13 medalists, including eight in the top four.

Linn-Mar crowned four champions. Malik DeBow (120), Nate Fish (126), top-ranked 144-pounder Kane Naaktgeboren and Grant Kress at 175 won titles.

Iowa City High’s Cale Seaton (132), Kael Kurtz (138) and 150-pounder Kael Voinovich, who committed to wrestle for Iowa, all won conference crowns.

Decorah wins regional title

Decorah claimed the team title at the IGHSAU Region 8 tournament Friday. The Vikings scored 254 points, beating runner-up and host Mason City by 49. Williamsburg was third with 194.

Decorah positioned itself for a run at a state title this week, qualifying nine for the two-day event, starting Thursday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. Naomi Simon (170) and Kamryn Steines at 190 won titles for the Vikings, who had seven finalists. Defending state champion and Iowa commit Simon is 43-0.

Other conference team champions

Wilton won the River Valley Conference team title Saturday at Bellevue. The Beavers scored 224 points, 22 more than runner-up Anamosa. West Branch was third with 189 1/2.

The Blue Raiders won four straight titles. Hudson Scranton (150), Miken Wheeler (157), Ayden Antonelli at 165 and 175-pounder Austin Scranton each won crowns for Anamosa.

Alburnett amassed 299 1/2 points to win the Tri-Rivers Conference team title. Atlee Dewitt (106), Rowdy Neighbor (120), 126-pounder Tayten Coufal, Cooper Franklin (132), Preston Klostermann at 138, Shayden Washburn (157), Hunter Sauer (165) and 215-pounder Emmitt Fleshman all won titles for the Pirates.

Lisbon was runner-up with 238, while East Buchanan was a distant third.

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