#2 Iowa wrestling entered Saturday afternoon's dual meet with #4 Ohio State undefeated on the season, 8-0 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten competition. But the Hawkeyes hadn't faced much significant competition yet -- certainly no opponents of the caliber of the 4th-ranked Buckeyes, who brought ranked wrestlers at nearly every weight, including five ranked in the top-10, into an early afternoon showdown in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
How would the Hawkeyes fare against a quality Buckeye squad? Would they able to pass the test?
Short answer: yes. Longer answer: Iowa answered the challenge of the Buckeyes and came away 24-13 winners, claiming victories n seven of 10 bouts, including upset wins to bookend the dual at 125 and 285, plus a key win in sudden victory at 184 to firmly swing the meet in Iowa's favor. The Hawkeyes also got bonus points at 165 and 197 and generally looked good against the strongest opponent they've faced yet this season.
The dual meet began with the first of two notable upset wins, with #28 Joey Cruz upsetting #16 Brendan McCrone by a 6-4 decision. Cruz was the aggressor in the match from the start and got to McCrone's legs with ease. He used those attacks to notch one takedown and nearly had another on the edge of the mat as time expired in the period. He did get a second takedown in the second period, extending his lead to 6-2.
The third period was all McCrone as he went on top to try and turn Cruz or get a pin; Cruz wasn't able to get escape and his efforts to stymie McCrone did lead to a pair of stalling points being awarded to McCrone -- but he never got put on his back and he was able to hold on for a 6-4 win. Cruz has picked up a few nice wins now and helped solidify 125, which was one of the bigger holes in Iowa's lineup early in the season.
133 was expected to be one of the matches of the dual, pitting #3 Drake Ayala and #10 Nic Bouzakis. Instead, neither Ayala nor Bouzakis took the mat, giving way to Keyan Hernandez and Ben Davino instead. Davino took full advantage of the start and ran through Hernandez, logging four takedowns before getting a four-point tilt in the second period to end the match.
141 was more of the same, with #1 Jesse Mendez dominating #31 Ryder Block from start to finish. He worked a takedown clinic on Block and got a turn as well, though he wasn't able to get Block on his back for a pin. Mendez was utterly dominant, though, and looked the part of the #1 guy at 141 lbs. That blowout win gave Ohio State a 10-3 win after three matches and put Iowa in catch-up mode.
Iowa's comeback began at 149, where #2 Kyle Parco posted a solid 8-3 win over #9 Dylan D'Emilio. Parco got a takedown in the first and then racked up almost two minutes of riding time to firmly take control of the match. He extended his lead with another takdown (and a bit more riding time) in the third, though he wasn't able to get one final takedown for a major decision win.
157 saw an individual comeback, as #1 Jacori Teemer made his on-mat return after missing over two months of action. Teemer sustained a leg injury against Iowa State in November and has been rehabbing ever since, but he was finally fit enough to return to action. He made a strong return as well, showcasing the explosive attacking ability that's quickly made him a fan favorite. Teemer notched a takedown in each period, including a really impressive blast double in the second period, to earn a 10-5 win over #17 Sammy Sasso.
The Iowa comeback continued after intermission at 165, where #2 Michael Caliendo earned a methodical 11-3 major decision win over #9 Paddy Gallagher. Caliendo used some sharp leg attacks to get two takedowns in the first period, as well as one more in the third period to secure a bonus point. Caliendo's win gave Iowa a 13-10 lead in the dual, its first since a 3-0 lead after 125.
That lead was short-lived, though, as the top-10 showdown at 174 went in favor of Ohio State. #6 Carson Kharchla knocked off #5 Patrick Kennedy 7-3 with takedowns in the first and second periods. This match looked like a toss-up before the dual and it largely played out that way, with the key difference being Kharchla's ability to finish his attacks. Kennedy wasn't able to get through Kharchla's defense here; he'll need to figure out something should he see Kharchla again at the Big Ten or NCAA Tournaments.
Kharchla's win left the dual tied at 13-all heading into 184, which proved to be the tightest match of the afternoon. #5 Gabe Arnold was able to get to #19 Ryder Rogotzke's legs early and often in the match -- but he wasn't able to finish. Rogotzke showed some impressive defense and scrambling ability in wriggling free from Arnold and ultimately the match went to sudden victory after they traded escapes in the second and third periods. In overtime, neither wrestler could gain an advantage -- until a poor foot-sweep attempt by Rogotzke allowed Arnold to counter and blast through for the winning score.
After the drama at 184, #1 Stephen Buchanan ensured the dual meet win with a drama-free victory at 197. Buchanan blasted #17 Seth Shumate 18-1, opening up with a a pair of takedowns and a two-point tilt in the first period, adding another takedown in the second period, and then finishing the match with a takedown and another tilt in the third period. Buchanan has looked strong all season and Saturday's match was an impressive showcase of his skill from neutral and on the mat.
The dual wrapped up with one final Iowa win, as #11 Ben Kueter added another upset win for the Hawkeyes by edging #6 Nick Feldman, 5-3, at 285. After a scoreless first period, the match sprung to life in the second period after a Kueter escape and takedown from a counter to one of Feldman's attacks. Feldman was able to get a reversal on Kueter, though, before another Kueter escape made the match 5-2. Feldman added an escape in the third period but wasn't able to get through Kueter's hips or hand-fighting to pick up a takedown of his own. This was a key win for Kueter to prove his ability to defeat a top-10 heavyweight.
Overall, this was a strong performance by Iowa against a very credible opponent. Ohio State had a pair of technical fall wins, but one came against a backup (133) and the other involved OSU's best wrestler and Iowa's weakest weight (141). The only real disappointment for Iowa was Patrick Kennedy losing a close match at 174; Cruz and Kueter got strong wins, Caliendo and Buchanan dominated ranked opponents, Parco looked solid, Arnold got a dramatic victory, and Teemer looked strong in his return.
NEXT: The big-time duals keep coming, as #2 Iowa heads to Happy Valley to take on #1 Penn State (9-0, 3-0 Big Ten) on Friday night (6 PM CT, BTN).
