The video clip of Sam Stoll coming out onto the mat with the dual meet on the line vs Iowa State is one to remember. Iowa Head Coach Tom Brands did not want Sam Stoll to wrestle. Stoll simply stated:
“I’m going. It’s my last run. I’m going.”
Stoll competed when he probably should not have, but the Iowa-Iowa State dual meet was on the line. Stoll went out and won a 5-1 decision over Gannon Gremmel and Iowa won the dual meet, 19-18.
In his senior season, now is the time for Sam Stoll to go out and get the job done at Hwt for the University of Iowa and he is doing just that.
If you do not give up a takedown, can get out from underneath and ride while looking for the fall on the mat, you are going to win a lot of wrestling matches. Sam Stoll has been following that process with success this season. In his six matches this season, Stoll has not surrendered a takedown and has only allowed one point against Gremmel of Iowa State and Andrew Gunning of North Carolina.
Stoll has looked better in each of his last three matches. A 10-0 major decision over Christian Colucci of Rutgers showed that Stoll had taken his mat wrestling to another level. After securing the takedown, Stoll was able to ride and put pressure on his opponent while looking for the fall and getting back points. You usually do not have a shutout with that many points scored offensively in a Hwt match.
Stoll again used his mat wrestling to wear down Deuce Rachal of Illinois before recording a fall in 4:37. The best match of the year to date for Stoll was Sunday against #15 Conan Jennings of Northwestern. Stoll was able to get a takedown and and racked up 3:27 of riding time and a 8-0 lead before Jennings had to injury default the match. Stoll has now shown that he can control ranked wrestlers on the mat while applying pressure going for the pin.
A pin is something Sam Stoll knows quite a bit about. Stoll set a national record by pinning his last 63 high school opponents while competing for Kasson-Mantorville, MN. Stoll has his own methodical style of applying pressure in the top position that is very effective at Hwt.
Stoll is currently ranked #3 in the country. The Big Ten is loaded at Hwt once again this year. According to the Intermat rankings at Hwt, the Big Ten has: #1,3,4,6,8,11,14,15, and 19. The Big Ten Tournament will be a dog fight for all.
We all know of the injuries that Sam Stoll has had to battle through during his career at Iowa. I will state once again what I have said in my blog and podcast several times this season. If heart and toughness have anything to do with it, Sam Stoll will find a way to win.
Remaining matches vs. ranked opponents:
#14 David Jensen (Nebraska) Feb 3
#6 Youssif Hemida (Maryland) Feb 8
#11 Trent Hilger (Wisconsin) Feb 17
#2 Derek White (Oklahoma St) Feb 24
Record: 6-0
Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) W – D 5‐1
Izaak Shedenhelm (Northern Iowa) W – Pin 1:58
Andrew Gunning (North Carolina) W – D 3‐1
Christian Colucci (Rutgers) W – D 10-0
Deuce Rachal (Illinois) W – Fall 4:37
#15 Conan Jennings (Northwestern) W – Inj Default
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
