Feb. 15, 2009
IOWA CITY, IA — The top-ranked Iowa wrestling team celebrated senior day with a 25-9 victory over #11/#13 Minnesota Sunday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes remain undefeated at 22-0 with the win, beating the Golden Gophers for the second time this season. Iowa stays atop the Big Ten standings with a perfect 6-0 mark, and posted its 36th straight dual win. Minnesota fell to 14-7 (5-3 Big Ten). Hawkeye seniors Charlie Falck (125), Alex Tsirtsis (141), Derek Coorough (149) and T.H. Leet (165) were honored before the dual.
Minnesota started the dual with an upset at 125 pounds, as freshman Zach Sanders scored a takedown with eight seconds left in the match to beat Falck. Sanders, who is ranked eighth in the nation, snapped Falck’s six-match winning streak and handed the fourth-ranked Hawkeye his first dual loss of the season.
The Hawkeyes responded with top-ranked Daniel Dennis scoring a 9-7 victory over #5 Jayson Ness to tie the team score at 3-3. Dennis, who posted a 6-4 win over Ness when Iowa beat Minnesota 27-7 in the second round of the 2009 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls last month, remains 6-0 in Big Ten duals and has won his last eight bouts.
Iowa posted wins at the next two weights as Tsirtsis and junior Brent Metcalf (149) extended their own winning streaks. Tsirtsis, who is ranked second in the nation, posted a 2-1 decision over #8 Mike Thorn at 141 to score his sixth-straight win. Metcalf stuck Joe Grygelko in 4:38 to post his 59th straight win and his 14th pin of the season. The top-ranked Hawkeye junior is now 27-0 on the season. Minnesota took the dual into intermission with Tyler Safratowich’s 8-2 victory over Matt Ballweg at 157.
The Hawkeyes responded after the break with four straight wins to clinch the team victory. Junior Ryan Morningstar kicked the run off with a 9-4 decision over Scott Glasser at 165. Hawkeye 174-pounder junior Jay Borschel followed with an 11-3 major decision over Kaleb Young. Junior Phillip Keddy posted his 25th season and 12th straight victory, beating Sonny Yohn, 10-6, at 184. Hawkeye junior Chad Beatty scored Iowa’s final win of the dual with his 5-4 victory over Gordon Bierschenk at 197. Beatty and Borschel have won their last five matches. Minnesota closed out the dual with a victory at heavyweight when Ben Berhow beat Iowa redshirt freshman Jordan Johnson, 12-9. Johnson was competing for injured Hawkeye starter Dan Erekson.
Next up for the Hawkeyes is their final Big Ten road trip to close out the 2008-09 regular season. Iowa will wrestle at #20/#23 Indiana (15-5-1, 2-3-1 Big Ten) Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) at University Gym. The Hawkeyes will then travel to #16/#13 Northwestern (9-6-1, 2-3-1 Big Ten) for their final dual of the season Sunday at 2 p.m. (CT). The dual will be held at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Iowa 25, Minnesota 9
125 – Zach Sanders (M) dec. Charlie Falck (I), 5-4
133 – Daniel Dennis (I) dec. Jayson Ness (M), 9-7
141 – Alex Tsirtsis (I) dec. Mike Thorn (M), 2-1
149 – Brent Metcalf (I) pinned Joe Grygelko (M), 4:38
157 – Tyler Safratowich (M) dec. Matt Ballweg (I), 8-2
165 – Ryan Morningstar (I) dec. Scott Glasser (M), 9-4
174 – Jay Borschel (I) maj. dec. Kaleb Young (M), 11-3
184 – Phillip Keddy (I) dec. Sonny Yohn (M), 10-6
197 – Chad Beatty (I) dec. Gordon Bierschenk (M), 5-4
Hwt. – Ben Berhow (M) dec. Jordan Johnson (I), 12-9