March 20, 2008
Photo Gallery | Interview with Joe Slaton
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ST. LOUIS, MO — The top-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team leads a tight team race after Thursday’s first session of competition at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, MO. The Hawkeyes are in first place with 19 points, Central Michigan is in second with 18 and Iowa State is in third with 16. Only 4.5 points separates first place from sixth.
Iowa went 7-2 in the first round at the Scottrade Center, advancing seven in the championship bracket. The Hawkeyes added extra team points with two pins and three major decisions. Attendance for the first session was announced at 15,513.
Junior Charlie Falck, who is the fifth seed at 125, opened the tournament for the Hawkeyes with an 11-7 decision over Fernando Martinez of Army. Fourth-seeded sophomore Joe Slaton followed at 133 with a 10-1 major decision over Dan Mitcheff of Kent State. Iowa dropped its first match of the tournament when eighth-seeded sophomore Dan LeClere lost an 8-7 bout to Oklahoma’s Zach Bailey at 141. Top-seeded sophomore Brent Metcalf picked up his 28th straight win and 11th pin of the season at 149, sticking Oklahoma’s William Rowe in 1:49. The Hawkeyes dropped their second and final match of the day at 157 when unseeded sophomore Ryan Morningstar lost a 4-2 decision in the second sudden victory period to sixth-seeded Matt Kocher of Pittsburgh.
The Hawkeyes ended the session on a four-match winning streak. Second-seeded senior Mark Perry got things going with his 11th pin of the season, sticking Marcus Effner of Cleveland State in 2:00 at 165. Fourth-seeded sophomore Jay Borschel followed at 174 with his third-straight major decision, beating Lloyd Rogers of Tennessee-Chattanooga, 13-2. Seventh-seeded sophomore Phillip Keddy picked up his 25th season with a 10-2 major decision over Eastern Michigan’s Charles Pienaar at 184. Fourth-seeded senior Matt Fields closed out of the morning for the Hawkeyes with a 7-3 win over Northern Colorado’s Reece Hopkin.
Six Hawkeyes have previously faced their second session opponent. Falck is 3-0 against Penn State’s Mark McKnight, Slaton is 1-1 against Nebraska’s Kenny Jordan, LeClere is 1-0 against Arizona State’s Chris Drouin, Borschel is 2-0 against Illinois’ John Dergo, Keddy is 2-0 against Boise State’s Kirk Smith and Fields is 1-0 against Indiana’s Nate Everhart.
Thursday’s second session of competition will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Scottrade Center. Competition will include one round of championship matches and one full round and the preliminary matches in the consolation bracket.
NCAA FIRST ROUND TEAM STANDINGS (Top 10 Teams)
Place Team Points
1. Iowa 19
2. Central Michigan 18
3. Iowa State 16
4. Minnesota 15.5
Nebraska 15.5
6. Oklahoma State 14.5
7. Ohio State 13
Penn State 13
9. Missouri 12.5
10. Wisconsin 11
IOWA’S NCAA FIRST ROUND RESULTS
125 – #5 Charlie Falck (Iowa) dec. Fernando Martinez (Army), 11-7
133 – #4 Joe Slaton (Iowa) maj. dec. Dan Mitcheff (Kent State), 10-1
141 – Zach Bailey (Oklahoma) dec. #8 Dan LeClere (Iowa), 8-7
149 – #1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) pinned William Rowe (Oklahoma), 1:49
157 – #6 Matt Kocher (Pittsburgh) dec. Ryan Morningstar (Iowa), 4-2 SV-2
165 – #2 Mark Perry (Iowa) pinned Marcus Effner (Cleveland State), 2:00
174 – #4 Jay Borschel (Iowa) maj. dec. Lloyd Rogers (Tennessee-Chattanooga), 13-2
184 – #7 Phillip Keddy (Iowa) maj. dec. Charles Pienaar (Eastern Michigan), 10-2
Hwt – #4 Matt Fields (Iowa) dec. Reece Hopkin (Northern Colorado), 7-3
IOWA’S NCAA SECOND ROUND MATCH-UPS
Championship Round
125 – #5 Charlie Falck (Iowa) vs. Mark McKnight (Penn State)
133 – #4 Joe Slaton (Iowa) vs. Kenny Jordan (Nebraska)
149 – #1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) vs. Don Fisch (Rider)
165 – #2 Mark Perry (Iowa) vs. Stephen Crozier (Air Force)
174 – #4 Jay Borschel (Iowa) vs. John Dergo (Illinois)
184 – #7 Phillip Keddy (Iowa) vs. Kirk Smith (Boise State)
Hwt – #4 Matt Fields (Iowa) vs. Nate Everhart (Indiana)
Consolation Round
141 – #8 Dan LeClere (Iowa) vs. Chris Drouin (Arizona State)
157 – Ryan Morningstar (Iowa) vs. Christopher Stout (American)
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