Match Notes: #3 Iowa at #19 Northwestern

Jan. 29, 2014

• Read the January issue of Hawk Talk Monthly
• Download your Hawk Talk Monthly iOS app
• Download your Hawk Talk Monthly android app
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPad and iPhone app!
• Download your Iowa Hawkeye Android app!
• Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
• 24 Hawkeyes to Watch

Weekly Release

ON THE MAT
The third-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team travels to Evanston, Ill., to face No. 19 Northwestern on Friday at 7 p.m. (CT) inside Welsh-Ryan Arena.

THE SERIES — NORTHWESTERN
Iowa leads the all-time series 68-7-1. Iowa has won eight straight and owns an all-time mark of 32-4-1 in Evanston. Northwestern’s last win in the series was a 22-19 victory in Evanston on Jan. 29, 2005.

IOWA VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Hawkeyes are 5-2 against ranked dual opponents. Iowa is 4-0 on the road against top 25 teams. Including No. 19 Northwestern, all four of Iowa’s remaining opponents are rated in the top 25 of the NWCA Coaches Poll. Individually, Iowa’s probable lineup is 37-30 against ranked opponents. Bobby Telford leads all Hawkeyes with seven wins over top 20 opponents.

Iowa lineup vs. ranked opponents
125 — Cory Clark (1-0)
125 — Thomas Gilman (5-2)
133 — Tony Ramos (3-2)
141 — Josh Dziewa (3-3)
149 — Brody Grothus (3-4)
149 — Michael Kelly (0-1)
157 — Derek St. John (4-2)
165 — Nick Moore (3-2)
174 — Mike Evans (2-3)
184 — Ethen Lofthouse (2-2)
184 — Sammy Brooks (2-5)
197 — Nathan Burak (2-3)
285 — Bobby Telford (7-1)

TELFORD RANKED NO. 1 BY INTERMAT
Junior Bobby Telford is the top-ranked 285-pounder in the Jan. 28 InterMat/AWN rankings. Telford knocked off No. 2 Tony Nelson on Jan. 25, one day after top-ranked Adam Coon was defeated 5-1 by Michigan State’s Michael McClure. Telford bounced up two spots from No. 3 to grab the No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. Telford owns a 17-1 record this year, including a 7-1 mark against ranked opponents. He has wins over No. 12 Jimmy Lawson (Penn State), No. 13 Adam Fager (Utah Valley), No. 6 J.T. Felix (Boise State), No. 9 Mike McClure (Michigan State), No. 15 Austin Mardsen (Indiana), No. 7 Adam Chalfant (Indiana), and No. 2 Tony Nelson (Minnesota). His lone loss came in Midlands finals to Coon, who was then ranked No. 4. Telford faces Northwestern’s Mike McMullan on Friday. McMullan is ranked No. 3 by InterMat, and No. 1 by WIN Magazine. The two heavyweights have met two times before. Telford won, 4-2, in the 2011 Midlands semifinals, and McMullan won, 7-5, in overtime at the 2012 dual.

THE 250-POUND OPTION
Iowa has two 125-pounders who have appeared in the national rankings this year. Redshirt freshman Cory Clark debuted at No. 4 in the preseason rankings and owns a 12-0 record. Clark has scored 25 points in five dual starts, and ties for third on the team with eight falls. Thomas Gilman is 15-3 overall with seven wins by bonus point. He has five wins against ranked opponents, and reached as high as No. 3 in the national rankings. He has started Iowa’s last seven duals.

RAMOS CONTINUES ASCENT
Senior Tony Ramos won his 107th career match on Jan. 25 and is now tied for 33rd in all-time wins. Ramos needs three victories to tie assistant coach Ryan Morningstar for 25th on the school’s all-time wins list. Ramos is 64-2 in 66 career dual starts. He is 12-1 in duals this season and leads Iowa with nine pins. His 57 dual points also lead the team.

GIMME 5, HIGH OR LOW
Junior Josh Dziewa earned his third win of the season over a top five opponent when he defeated No. 5 Chris Dardanes (Minnesota) on Jan. 25. Dziewa twice beat fifth-ranked Rick Durso (Franklin and Marshall) at the Midlands Championships. Dziewa has wins in Iowa’s highest scoring and lowest scoring matches. He defeated Ethan Raley (Indiana), 20-10, and Chris Dardanes (Minnesota), 1-0.

ST. JOHN EYES HISTORY
Senior Derek St. John enters 2013-14 as a three-time All-American and has a chance to become the 18th four-time All-American in school history. St. John finished fourth as a freshman and runner-up as a sophomore before winning the NCAA title in 2013. He put together five-straight wins to climb to the top of the 157-pound bracket and become the 52nd national champion in program history. His title is the 80th individual NCAA wrestling championship in school history. Mark Perry was the last Hawkeye four-time All-American. He is also the last Iowa wrestler to win back-to-back NCAA championships. Perry won titles in 2007 and 2008.

A SEASONED GROTHUS
Sophomore Brody Grothus has faced four top five opponents in his last eight matches. He has lost his last two decisions — to No. 5 Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) and No. 3 Nick Dardanes (Minnesota), but previously defeated No. 3 Josh Kindig (Oklahoma State), and Northwestern’s then-No. 2 Jason Tsirtsis, 3-2. Grothus is 19-7 overall and ranked No. 12. His 19 wins are a career best. He has three major decisions and a career-high four pins.

MOORE EARNS NATIONAL HONOR
Junior Nick Moore will face his sixth ranked opponent of the year in No. 7 Pierce Harger. Moore defeated Harger, 7-4, earlier this year in the Midlands quarterfinals. He is 3-0 all-time against Harger, including a first-period pin as a true freshman in 2011, and a 7-2 victory at the 2013 Big Ten Championships. Moore is 15-2 overall, 11-1 in duals, and 3-2 this year against ranked opponents. He is 5-0 in the Big Ten, and his 46 dual points are the second most on the team (Ramos, 58).

EVANS JUMPS TO NO. 5
Junior Mike Evans jumped to No. 5 in the national rankings following a 2-1 overtime win over Logan Storley (Minnesota) on Jan. 25. Evans is 2-3 against ranked opponents. He also has a 10-1 major decision against No. 8 Tanner Weatherman. His three losses this year have been to the No. 2, 3, and 4 rated wrestlers in the country.

On Friday, he will face No. 15 Lee Munster. It is the first meeting between the two wrestlers. Evans has scored bonus points in 16-of-19 wins this year. He has a recorded seven falls and four major decisions, and leads the team with five technical falls. Evans racked up three pins and two majors en route to his first Midlands title Dec. 30. He is 18-3 this season and has a career record of 67-8.

BROOKS BECOMING A REGULAR
Freshman Sammy Brooks has started Iowa’s last four duals at 184. He is 3-1 during that span with wins over No. 16 Nolan Boyd (Oklahoma State) and No. 11 T.J. Dudley (Nebraska). Brooks is 16-7 overall, and 14-5 competing at 184 pounds. Two of Brooks’ losses were to the No. 3 ranked 197-pounder in the country (Gadson, Sheptock).

BURAK/POLIZZI TAKE II
Sophomore Nathan Burak is expected to face No. 17 Alex Polizzi on Friday. Burak and Polizzi met earlier this year in the consolation bracket of the Midlands Championships. Burak won, 5-3. It was his second win of the season over a top 20 opponent. Burak is 9-3 overall and ranked No. 16. He is 2-3 against ranked opponents, and has started all six of Iowa’s duals at 197 since returning the lineup after the Midlands Championships.

HAWKEYE WRESTLING HISTORY
Iowa’s overall dual meet record is 937-224-31 (.799) in 104 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 23 national titles and 34 Big Ten titles. Iowa’s 52 NCAA Champions have won a total of 80 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 16 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes’ 105 Big Ten champions have won a total of 190 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time, and 28 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa’s 148 All-Americans have earned All-America status 301 times, including 17 four-time, 32 three-time and 38 two-time honorees.