March 16, 2006
Editor’s Note – Fans of the Iowa wrestling program can listen to live radio coverage of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships free compliments of KXIC-AM 800 Iowa City. Simply click HERE to visit Hawkeye All-Access.
OKLAHOMA CITY – The University of Iowa is in eighth place with 21.5 points – just three points behind second-place Oklahoma – after the first day of the NCAA Championships. The Hawkeyes have four wrestlers in the quarterfinals and three wrestlers in the wrestlebacks.
Alex Tsirtsis (141), Ty Eustice (149), Joe Johnston (157) and Mark Perry (174) all advanced to the quarterfinals with victories Thursday night. Lucas Magnani (125), Eric Luedke (165) and Paul Bradley (184) were all knocked into the consolation bracket.
Tsirtsis got the ball rolling for Iowa with a 8-2 win over tenth-seeded Ron Tarquinio of Pittsburgh. Tsirtsis controlled the match throughout, getting two first-period takedowns to build an early lead, then salting things away with a takedown in the final 20 seconds. Tsirtsis will see two-time NCAA Champion Teyon Ware of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals.
Like Tsirtsis, Eustice controlled the pace of his match against Navy’s John Cox and was never in trouble during his 9-4 win. He will face Edinboro’s Gregor Gillespie in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Johnston picked up another big win for Iowa by knocking off Big Ten rival Craig Henning of Wisconsin, 5-2. With the scored tied 2-2 late in the third period, Johnston took down the eighth-seeded Badger with just 26 seconds left, then rode him out to earn riding time and take a 5-3 win. Johnston will battle top-seeded Trent Paulson of Iowa State in the quarterfinals tomorrow.
Perry picked up his second pin in as many matches when built a 9-2 second-period lead before sticking Columbia’s Matthew Palmer in 4:56. The pin was Perry’s team-best 11th of the year. He will face
Magnani was overmatched by second-seeded Same Hazewinkel of Oklahoma, who built a 10-0 third period lead before getting the fall at 6:33.
Luedke hung tough against No. 3 Muzaffar Abdurakmanov of American before falling 8-6. Down two in the final seconds, Luedke got in deep on a shot, but was unable to convert before time ran out. Luedke and Abdurakmanov were teammates at Colby Junior College. He will face Army’s Jonathan Anderson tomorrow in the wrestlebacks.
Bradley couldn’t take down Big Ten foe No. 8 Eric Bradley, falling 7-4.
In consolation action, Dan Erekson came back strong after his pigtail loss earlier in the day, pinning Andrew Anderson of Northern Iowa in 1:48. He then was eliminated with a 7-1 loss at the hands of David Dashiell of North Carolina.
SESSION II RESULTSTeam Standings1. Oklahoma State - 36.52. Oklahoma - 24.53. Edinboro - 22.5 Hofstra - 22.55. Nebraska - 22 Michigan - 22 Minnesota - 227. IOWA - 21.59. Penn State - 20.510.Arizona St. - 19.5
Second Round125 - No. 2 Sam Hazewinkel pinned Lucas Magnani (IA), 6:33141 - No. 7 Alex Tsirtsis (IA) dec. No. 10 Ron Tarquinio (Pitt), 8-2149 - No. 2 Ty Eustice (IA) dec. John Cox (Navy), 9-4157 - No. 9 Joe Johnston (IA) dec. No. 8 Craig Henning (Wis.), 5-2165 - No. 3 Muzaffar Abdurakmanov (American) dec. Eric Luedke (IA), 8-6174 - No. 3 Mark Perry (IA) pinned Matthew Palmer (Navy), 4:56184 - No. 8 Eric Bradley (PSU) dec. Paul Bradley (IA), 7-4
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