Sports editor: 'bright days' in Iowa wrestling

Dec. 15, 2008

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IOWA CITY, Iowa —J.R. Ogden, sports editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette points out that these are bright days for the sport of wrestling, especially in the state of Iowa. Already the No. 1-ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes have lured nearly 5,000 to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a season-opening dual on Nov. 21 and topped that with almost 16,000 fans for a dual on Dec. 6.

Read Ogden’s column, which appeared in the Gazette on Monday, Dec. 15:

by J.R. Ogden, Cedar Rapids Gazette

As someone who has followed college wrestling most of his adult life, as well as part of his youth, I’m excited.

I know all the doomsday forecasts for the sport, that Division I wrestling has lost tons of programs over the last 25 years and the dark cloud still hovers. But wrestling is enjoying some of its finest moments. If you live in Iowa.

Wrestling in this state — and in the nation — begins and ends with the University of Iowa. I like this Hawkeye team.

I don’t mean that as a fan, although this team has its faithful in a frenzy, not only because it wins but the way it wins.

I like this team for some of the same reasons, but also for its cast of characters. It reminds of the years when guys like Kevin Dresser, Greg Randall, Jim Heffernan and Duane Goldman were earning NCAA titles and All-American honors.

Or, more recently, with the likes of the Brands brothers, Bart Chelesvig and John Oostendorp.

Those teams, those eras, had guys who were mean and tough and, at times, a pain for an old scribe to interview. But they were filled with wrestlers who would pick you out of a crowd, say hello and shake your hand.

This year’s team has that good mix, too.

It’s a tough team, much like its coach, just like those teams in the 1980s and 1990s were much like their coach.

But this conversation doesn’t include only the Hawkeyes.

That was one tough Iowa State team that visited Carver-Hawkeye Arena a week ago.

The Cyclones were ready for a fight and went toe-to-toe with their Hawkeye opponents.

Iowa had the stalling calls, not the Cyclones.

The Hawkeyes also had fewer takedowns and fewer back points.

The teams will meet again at the end of the month at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., and next month in the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls. It will be interesting to see if anything changes.

Look for these two teams to be on top in March, too.

But wrestling in Iowa is more than Division I, of course.

This is a hotbed for Division III programs and, thanks to Upper Iowa and Coach Heath Grimm, climbing the Division II ladder.

Cedar Rapids hosted the D-II and D-III national tournaments last year and will be home to the D-III meet again in 2009.

I’ve always respected the job Jim Miller has done with Wartburg, the reigning NCAA Division III champion.

But I’ve been especially impressed with the three area schools in the Iowa Conference — Coe, Cornell and Luther.

Oostendorp, one of those tough but nice guys with the Hawks in the 1990s, has turned the Coe program into one of the best in the country. It took more time than “Big O” would have liked, but he’s been steady in his message as well as his climb.

Luther has had a solid program for years, but Dave Mitchell has taken the program to another level — a consistent Top 10 level. And Mike Duroe has Cornell ready for bigger and better NCAA finishes.

So while wrestling may be suffering in some areas, it’s alive and well here.

When nearly 5,000 show up for an afternoon dual in November and almost 16,000 are in Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a dual in December, it’s an exciting time.