Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | Hawk Talk Monthly — Dec. 2016 | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch: Sammy Brooks
BROOKINGS, South Dakota — The University of Iowa wrestling team won eight-of-10 matches to defeat No. 20 South Dakota State, 29-8, Friday night at Frost Arena.
A school record 4,087 fans watched the third-ranked Hawkeyes (4-0, 1-0) pile up 31 takedowns and 14 nearfall points to win their 20th consecutive road dual.
“Everywhere you go you’re going to get the best shot and biggest crowds and it’s a situation that you love and embrace,” said UI head coach Tom Brands, who picked up his 200th career dual win. “There is no better feeling than wrestling in front of your fans, except maybe when you can quite a rabid arena on the road. We have great fans, so that’s saying a lot if you can compare those two things.”
The Hawkeyes scored bonus points in three bouts, including a technical fall from Thomas Gilman, who scored 12 takedowns to win 26-10 at 125 pounds.
“The guy went out there and had a game plan: keep his wrist clear and try not to give up more than 30 takedowns,” said Gilman, who improved to 7-0 this season with five pins and two technical falls.
“They’re all tough,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if it was our first match of the year, our last one, the next one, or at nationals, they’re all tough. The way I do may it make it look easy, but they’re all tough.”
Sammy Brooks used six takedowns and eight nearfall points to win 20-5 at 184, and Topher Carton ended the night with a 12-1 major decision at 141. Carton scored three takedowns, four nearfall, and racked up 4:00 of riding time.
Brandon Sorensen (149), Michael Kemerer (157), Joey Gunther (165), and Alex Meyer (174) spotted the Hawkeyes a 12-0 advantage before Brooks blew the doors open at 184. He used five takedowns and four nearfall points to build a 14-4 first period lead before eventually terminating the match with four more nearfall one minute into the second frame.
“That’s part of the philosophy we have as Hawkeyes,” Brooks said. “If I go out there and put the hammer down and I do my job, the next guy is going to go and do the same. There is no beating that. In a place like this that may be even more important, when the crowd believes they’ve been close and they’re still in it. I didn’t hear much cheering from them in my match.”
The Hawkeyes also got a win at 285, where Steven Holloway scored a takedown 25 seconds into the first period and used a second-period escape to win, 3-2.
The Jackrabbits were favored at 133 and 197 pounds and got wins at both. Phillip Laux lost 15-0 at 133 to seventh-ranked Seth Gross, and Cash Wilcke fell, 8-5, to fourth-ranked Nate Rotert at 197. Wilcke led 4-3 after two periods but surrendered a pair of takedowns in the third and lost for the first time this season.
Iowa returns to the mat Saturday, Dec. 10 hosting Iowa State in the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Series. The dual begins at 7 p.m. (CT) and is broadcast on KXIC AM 800 and online at Hawkeye All-Access. The dual is streamed online on BTN Plus. Visit BTN2Go.com for more information.
NOTES: Attendance was 4,087, and an attendance record at SDSU… Iowa scored 18 of its 31 takedowns in the first period… Kemerer (9-0) earned his first career win over a ranked opponent….Brands is 200-37-1 in 13 seasons as a head coach.
#3 IOWA 29, #20 South Dakota State 8
149 — #2 Brandon Sorensen (I) dec. Alex Kocer (SDSU), 9-5; 3-0
157 — #7 Michael Kemerer (I) dec. #18 Colin Holler (SDSU), 7-3; 6-0
165 — Joey Gunther (I) dec. Luke Zilverberg (SDSU), 6-4; 9-0
174 — #6 Alex Meyer (I) dec. #15 David Kocer (SDSU), 4-1; 12-0
184 — #7 Sammy Brooks (I) tech. fall Martin Mueller (SDSU), 20-5; 17-0
197 — #4 Nate Rotert (SDSU) dec. Cash Wilcke (I), 9-5; 17-3
285 — Steven Holloway (I) dec. Alex Macki (SDSU), 3-2; 20-3
125 — #1 Thomas Gilman (I) tech. fall Ben Gillette (SDSU), 26-11; 25-3
133 — #7 Seth Gross (SDSU) tech. fall Phillip Laux (I), 15-0; 25-8
141 — Topher Carton (I) major dec. Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU), 12-1; 29-8
