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BLOOMINGTON, Indiana — The University of Iowa wrestling team advanced five wrestlers to the semifinals of the 2017 Big Ten Championships on Saturday afternoon at Assembly Hall.
Thomas Gilman (125), Cory Clark (133), Brandon Sorensen (149), Michael Kemerer (157), and Sammy Brooks (184) wrestle Saturday night for a chance to compete in the Big Ten finals Sunday afternoon.
Iowa is in third place with 55.5 points following the quarterfinals. Penn State leads the team race with 70 points. Ohio State (68), Minnesota (52) and Michigan (47) round out the top five.
The Hawkeyes were 11-5 in the opening rounds and scored bonus points in eight matches. Gilman, Sorensen, and Brooks all won by fall, and Clark and Kemerer won by major decision.
“I like when you’re winning big and doing the things that you’re supposed to be doing. That’s wrestling sharp and smart,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “It’s early in the tournament and there is a lot to still be fighting for whichever side of the bracket you’re on.”
Topher Carton and Cash Wilcke won by major decision in the opening round, but both were bounced to the back side of the bracket with quarterfinal losses. Alex Meyer and Joey Gunther also split a pair of matches. Meyer won by technical fall in the opening round but dropped an 11-6 decision in the quarterfinals. Gunther split two decisions, winning, 3-2, and falling, 8-3.
In his only match of the opening session, Steven Holloway lost 7-4 in the second tiebreak period at 285.
All five of Iowa’s semifinalists have earned automatic berths to the NCAA Championships. Carton and Meyer need one win in the consolation bracket to secure an automatic bid. Gunther and Wilcke need two wins on the back side of the bracket. Holloway needs to string together three wins to earn his first NCAA berth.
Gilman, Clark, Sorensen, Kemerer, and Brooks all enter the semifinals as the favored seed. Iowa is favored in four of its five consolation matches, as well.
“Keep getting bonus points and keep wrestling your positions and wrestle how you want to wrestle; that’s the biggest thing,” said Brands. “There is a lot of wrestling to go.”
Session II begins at 5 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on BTN Plus. A round of consolations will precede the semifinals.
FIRST ROUND (# tournament seed)
133 – #3 Cory Clark (IA) major dec. #14 Triston Law (PSU), 12-3
141 – #6 Christopher Carton (IA) major dec. #11 Cole Weaver (IND), 12-4
149 – #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) pinned Shayne Oster (NU), 1:39
165 – #5 Joseph Gunther (IA) dec. Bryce Martin (IND), 3-2
174 – #5 Alex Meyer (IA) tech. fall #12 Drew Barnes (MSU), 19-3
197 – #7 Cash Wilcke (IA) major dec. Wesley Maskill (MSU), 12-2
285 – #8 Razohnn Gross (RUT) dec. Steven Holloway (IA), 7-4 TB2
QUARTERFINALS125 – #1 Thomas Gilman (IA) pinned #8 Jose Rodriquez (OSU), 5:37
133 – #3 Cory Clark (IA) dec. #6 Bill Rappo (MD), 5-0
141 – #3 Tommy Thorn (MINN) dec. #6 Christopher Carton (IA), 8-4
149 – #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) dec. #7 Eric Barone (ILL), 2-0
157 – #2 Michael Kemerer (IA) major dec. #7 John Van Brill (RUT), 14-6
165 – #4 Vincenzo Joseph (PSU) dec. #5 Joseph Gunther (IA), 8-3
174 – #4 Myles Amine (MICH) dec. #5 Alex Meyer (IA), 11-6
184 – #2 Sammy Brooks (IA) pinned #10 Bobby Steveson (MINN), 4:08
197 – #2 Kollin Moore (OSU) dec. #7 Cash Wilcke (IA), 10-5
SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS 125 – #1 Thomas Gilman (IA) vs. #5 Connor Youtsey (MICH)
133 – #3 Cory Clark (IA) vs. #7 Mitch McKee (MINN)
149 – #2 Brandon Sorensen (IA) vs. #3 Micah Jordan (OSU)
157 – #2 Michael Kemerer (IA) vs. #6 Brian Murphy (MICH)
184 – #2 Sammy Brooks (IA) vs. #3 Nate Jackson (IND)
CONSOLATION MATCHUPS141 – #6 Christopher Carton (IA) vs. #13 Ryan Diehl (MD)
165 – #5 Joseph Gunther (IA) vs. Cody Burcher (OSU)
174 – #5 Alex Meyer (IA) vs. #6 Jordan Pagano (RUT)
197 – #7 Cash Wilcke (IA) vs. Jackson Striggow (MICH)
285 – Steven Holloway (IA) vs. #7 Youssif Hemida (MD)
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Penn State 70.0
2. Ohio State 68.0
3. Iowa 55.5
4. Minnesota 52.0
5. Michigan 47.0
6. Illinois 28.5
6. Wisconsin 28.5
8. Nebraska 26.0
9. Indiana 20.0
10. Michigan State 19.0
11. Rutgers 17.5
12. Maryland 16.5
13. Purdue 7.0
14. Northwestern 4.0
