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ST. LOUIS — The University of Iowa wrestling team pushed six wrestlers through to the round of 16 at the 2015 NCAA Championships on Thursday afternoon. The Hawkeyes are tied for fifth place with 10 points after going 6-4 in the opening round.
“We’ve got 10 alive,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “That was just talked about behind the door there and that’s what you’ve got to go forward with, 10 guys.”
Four of Iowa’s six wrestlers on the front of the bracket advanced with major decisions. Thomas Gilman (125), Brandon Sorensen (149), and Sammy Brooks (184) all debuted at the national tournament with bonus point victories, and returning All-American Nathan Burak opened the 197-pound bracket with an 18-4 win.
Gilman used seven takedowns and 2:53 of riding time to earn a 14-4 decision over Evan Silver (Stanford) at 125. He advances to face Penn State’s Jordan Conaway. Gilman has two one-point victories over Conaway this season.
Sorensen used four takedowns and 2:44 of riding time to defeat Illinois’ Kyle Langenderfer, 11-2, at 149. He faces Penn’s Charles Cobb in the next round. It is the first meeting between the two.
Brooks scored a takedown with 1:07 left in the first and used a second-period rideout to take a 2-1 lead into the third. He added one escape, two takedowns, a pair of nearfall, and 4:08 of riding time finish a 10-2 major decision against Ben Stroh (Wyoming) at 184. Brooks wrestles Michigan’s Domemic Abounader in the round of 16. The two split a pair of matches earlier this season.
Burak dominated Edinboro’s Vincent Pickett at 197, scoring six takedowns and a reversal in an 18-4 win. His next match is against SIU-E’s Jake Tindle. It will be their first career meeting.
Returning All-Americans Cory Clark (133) and Mike Evans (174) also advanced past the opening round. Clark scored two first period takedowns and held on for a 7-5 win against Lehigh’s Ronald Perry.
Evans scored a takedown in the final minute to defeat Indiana’s Nathan Jackson, 4-1.
Four Hawkeyes fell to the consolation bracket following opening round losses. Seniors Josh Dziewa, Michael Kelly, Nick Moore, and Bobby Telford need to string together four matches to reach the All-America stand, starting Thursday night in the consolation round.
“The tournament is not over so you can (still) leave here feeling pretty good,” said Brands. “That’s a hard thing to imagine, 48-plus hours from now, but that’s how you’ve got to move forward, for sure.
“It’s one match tonight and then you go from there. There are two in the morning and two in the evening depending on how that shakes out, but you just go one match at a time.”
Second round action begins at 6 p.m. (CT) tonight at the Scottrade Center. The championship round will precede the consolation bracket.
Notes: Attendance was 18,383
IOWA’S FIRST ROUND RESULTS (# indicates tournament seed)
125 – #6 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) major dec. Evan Silver (Stanford), 14-4
133 – #3 Cory Clark (Iowa) dec. Ronald Perry (Lock Haven), 7-5
141 – Kevin Jack (NCST) dec. #5 Josh Dziewa (Iowa), 6-3
149 – #4 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) major dec. Kyle Langenderfer (Illinois), 11-2
157 – #6 Josh Demas (Ohio State) dec. Michael Kelly (Iowa), 7-3
165 – #7 Pierce Harger (Northwestern) dec. Nick Moore (Iowa), 6-3
174 – #3 Mike Evans (Iowa) dec. Nathan Jackson (Indiana), 4-1
184 – #9 Sammy Brooks (Iowa) major dec. Ben Stroh (Wyoming), 10-2
197 – #6 Nathan Burak (Iowa) major dec. Vincent Pickett (Edinboro), 18-4
285 – Spencer Myers (Maryland) dec. #3 Bobby Telford (Iowa), 7-5
SECOND ROUND MATCHUPS
125 – #6 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) vs. #11 Jordan Conaway (PSU)
133 – #3 Cory Clark (Iowa) vs. #14 Rossi Bruno (MICH)
149 – #4 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) vs. #13 Charles Cobb (PENN)
174 – #3 Mike Evans (Iowa) vs. #14 Andy McCulley (WYO)
184 – #9 Sammy Brooks (Iowa) vs. #8 Domenic Abounader (MICH)
197 – #6 Nathan Burak (Iowa) vs. Jake Tindle (SIUE)
CONSOLATION MATCHUPS
141 – #5 Josh Dziewa (Iowa) vs. Mike Pongracz (CHAT)
157 – Michael Kelly (Iowa) vs. Alex Elder (ORST)
165 – Nick Moore (Iowa) vs. Mitchell Polkowske (NCOL)
285 – #3 Bobby Telford (Iowa) vs. J.J. Everard (SDSU)
TEAM SCORES
1. Ohio State – 13.5
2. Penn State – 11.5
3. Cornell – 11
3. Missouri – 11
5. Iowa – 10
5. Michigan – 10
5. Nebraska – 10
8. Oklahoma St. – 9
8. Virginia Tech – 9
10. Illinois – 8.5
