Jan. 29, 2016
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — The second-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team delivered a 34-6 defeat to No. 23 Minnesota on Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes won eight of 10 bouts, including five by bonus point, to hand the Gophers their largest defeat in the series since 1992 (44-2). The Hawkeyes scored 32 of the dual’s 36 takedowns. Fifteen came in the first period, and seven were in the first minute.
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Four of Iowa’s five bonus-point wins were delivered by its junior class. Thomas Gilman and Cory Clark opened the dual with consecutive pins at 125 and 133, Sammy Brooks terminated his match 18-2 in the first period, and Alex Meyer scored five points in the third period to earn a 10-1 major decision.
Gilman’s pin was his seventh of the season. He scored two takedowns in the first minute and finished the match with a defensive move that turned a Minnesota single-leg into an Iowa fall at 1:19.
“A pin is good, but I’ll have to go back and watch film to see how he got to my legs,” Gilman said. “I am wrestling hard but I also have to wrestle smart, I can’t let those guys get to my legs.”
Clark controlled the first period and built a 6-2 lead with three takedowns, but the action slowed in the second period. He got his fourth takedown with 38 seconds left before finishing his sixth fall of the season with one second on the clock.
“I’m never really satisfied, there is always more,” Clark said. “I could have got to him a little earlier in the second period when I had my ties and I was hanging on a little bit.”
Brooks didn’t allow his offense to reach the second period. One week after being pinned for the first time in his career, Brooks responded with crowd-pleasing effort, scoring scored three takedowns and 12 nearfall in the first period.
“You’ll become a crowd favorite very quick doing that,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “Coming back from Nebraska he let it all fly. I really wasn’t worried about it, he gets past things well.”
“Coming off a bad match you want to go out there and make a point, but that’s what you should do every match,” Brooks said. “I really looked at Gilman and Clark, the example that they set. Gilman completely takes the match to where he wants it to go. He’s a great example, especially starting off a dual.
“I wanted to follow that example, where it’s all fast pace and all Iowa, all scoring, getting people excited.”
Meyer’s major decision at 174 was his 13th in as many appearances at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes also got wins at 149, 157, 165, and 285.
Brandon Sorensen (149) won 6-2 against No. 10 Jake Short. He improved to 20-0 overall with six wins over top 10 opponents. Edwin Cooper, Jr. (157) scored a takedown in the opening minute, and then again 26 seconds into overtime to win 4-2. Patrick Rhoads (165) scored a season-high 21 points on nine takedowns, and Sam Stoll (285) defeated his second top 10 opponent of the season, this time topping All-American Michael Kroells 7-3.
“We’ve been talking about Sam Stoll for a long time,” said Brands. “There was a question mark and I don’t think there’s a question mark any more. The only thing would be how consistent will he be going forward, and what happens when you get into the postseason. He carries himself as a veteran. Don’t let a big event on the calendar against your home state get to you, but going out there and performing. The big guy can move too.”
Minnesota got on the board with a 6-4 win at 141. Seventh-ranked Tommy Thorn had a 5-1 lead after two periods before Brody Grothus scored a takedown in the final minute. He cut Thorn for a chance to tie the dual, but got locked in a tie as time expired.
“Grothus got beat to the punch when he needed to beat his guy to the punch,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “Thorn was shooting to score, he wasn’t shooting to lock and hold. The guy made a good adjustment there in the end when he was coming up with it and we got beat to the punch.”
The Hawkeyes also ran out of time in their only other loss, a top five matchup at 197. Trailing 6-5, third-ranked Nathan Burak appeared to have both legs of No. 4 Brett Pfarr as time expired in the third, but video review confirmed the no-call and Burak was handed his first defeat in 18 matches.
Iowa returns to the mat Friday, Feb. 5 hosting Indiana at 7 p.m. (CT) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will honor their graduating senior class prior to the 7 p.m. dual. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for youth 18-years and younger. UI students and children five-years and younger are admitted free. Tickets are available at the UI Ticket Office over the phone at 800-IA-HAWKS and online at hawkeyesports.com.
NOTES: Attendance was 11,174 … Iowa has won 20 consecutive Big Ten duals, the fourth longest streak in program history… Sorensen has won 20 in a row, the longest streak since Mike Evans opened the 2014-15 season with 20 straight wins… the Hawkeyes are 8-0 in the Big Ten for the sixth time under Tom Brands… Gilman improved to 18-0 with 15 wins by bonus points.
#2 Iowa 34, #23 Minnesota 6
125 — #2 Thomas Gilman (IA) pinned Skyler Petry (M), 1:19; 6-0
133 — #3 Cory Clark (IA) pinned Sam Brancale (M), 4:59; 12-0
141 — #7 Tommy Thorn (M) dec. Brody Grothus (IA), 6-4; 12-3
149 — #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) dec. #10 Jake Short (M), 6-2; 15-3
157 — #16 Edwin Cooper, Jr. (IA) dec. Brandon Kingsley (M), 4-2; 18-3
165 — Patrick Rhoads (IA) major dec. Dylan Urbach (M), 21-7; 22-3
174 — #12 Alex Meyer (IA) major dec. Nick Wanzek (M), 10-1; 26-3
184 — #7 Sammy Brooks (IA) tech. fall Chris Pfarr (M), 18-2; 31-3
197 — Brett Pfarr (M) dec. #3 Nathan Burak (IA), 6-5; 31-6
285 — #7 Sam Stoll (IA) dec. Michael Kroells (M), 7-3; 34-6
