Twentieth ranked Topher Carton upset tenth ranked Colton McCrystal 6-4 at 141 to lead Iowa to a 27-9 victory over Nebraska on Senior Day. This is the second straight Sunday that the Hawks have looked dominate in defeating a highly ranked opponent and looked very impressive in doing so. Iowa won seven of the ten matches and scored bonus points in three of those wins.
Thomas Gilman led things off with a 6-3 decision over third ranked Tim Lambert. Gilman was rode out the entire third period but controlled the match. This was the first of several matches that we saw horrible officiating. I mean really, really bad officiating. Cory Clark returned to action and gave up a six point move in the third period to drop a 9-6 decision to fourth rated Eric Montoya. Clark always turns it up a big notch at Big Tens and Nationals and I am confident that he will beat Montoya should they meet again.
I did not see it live, but it is on FloWrestling.org. Montoya ran his thumb across his neck in what I believe is called the throat slit while walking off the mat to an excited Nebraska head coach Mark Manning. Nebraska was deducted a team point. If an Iowa Wrestler did that, Tom Brands would not pat them on the back and be thrilled like Manning did. As I mentioned, the match is on flowrestling.org. Judge for yourself.
I really thought the biggest match for the dual meet was at 141. Iowa’s Topher Carton looked good in downing McCrystal, 6-4. That match I thought set the tone for the rest of the dual meet. Brandon Sorensen started slow but finished strong in getting a major decision over Collin Purinton, 13-5. The most anticipated match was at 157 for a rematch of a memorable Midlands finals that Kemerer won in OT. Kemerer again came out on top of this one, 3-2. Outside of a late flurry in the match that Berger did not score on, Kemerer had control of the match much moreso that the score may indicate.
Joey Gunther showed yet once again how far he has come this season with a 4-1 decision over a tough Dustin Williams. Gunther put on a clinic on mat returns from the top position on their feet with some outstanding and tough riding. Alex Meyer continues to impress with a 17-1 technical fall in 5:21. As I have been saying, this is the Alex Meyer that we have all been wanting to see. We did not see the big Brooks-Dudley match as Nebraska sent backup Jaquan Sowell on the mat at 184. Brooks was racking up a big score when he recorded the fall in 5:47 in what I now call a Sammy Brooks tilt.
We sent our two freshman out on the mat at 197 and Hwt. against ranked seniors and they both fought hard. Cash Wilcke dropped a 12-2 decision to sixth rated Aaron Studebaker at 197. Wicke fought hard right to the final whistle and gave it his all. Steven Holloway also fought hard in dropping a 5-1 decision to fourteenth rated Collin Jensen at Hwt. Even with the losses, I am seeing improvement from both of these young wrestlers as they make their way through the rugged Big Ten. Both Wilcke and Holloway have a great future ahead of them as an Iowa Hawkeye.
Not many people can say that they wrestled at Iowa. Thomas Gilman, Cory Clark, Topher Carton, Alex Meyer, and Sammy Brooks can. Thank you seniors for a lot of great memories of watching you wrestle in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and I hope you finish your career with a bang.
Mark Ironside said in his closing remarks that Spencer Lee was in the house watching the meet today. The Iowa Wrestling Recruiting Class of 2017 is outstanding and on the way to replace this great senior class. The tradition continues.
Damn, it is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
#4 Iowa 27 #5 Nebraska 9
125: No. 1 Thomas Gilman (Iowa) dec. No. 4 Tim Lambert (Neb), 6-3
133: No. 4 Eric Montoya (Neb) dec.. No. 3 Cory Clark (Iowa), 9-6 (Nebraska docked team point for unsportsmanlike conduct)
141: No. 20 Topher Carton (Iowa) dec. No. 10 Colton McCrystal (Neb), 6-4
149: No. 4 Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) maj. dec. Collin Purinton (Neb), 13-5
157: No. 2 Michael Kemerer (Iowa) dec. No. 3 Tyler Berger (Neb), 3-2
165: No. 16 Joey Gunther (Iowa) dec. Dustin Williams (Neb), 4-1
174: No. 8 Alex Meyer (Iowa) tech. fall Eric Engler Barnes (Neb), 17-1, 5:21
184: No. 5 Sammy Brooks (Iowa) pinned Jaquan Sowell, 5:47
197: No. 6 Aaron Studebaker (Neb) maj. dec. Cash Wilcke (Iowa), 12-2
HWT: No. 14 Collin Jensen (Neb) dec. Steven Holloway (Iowa), 5-1
