The Iowa Hawkeyes had six wrestlers place in the top six at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
True freshman and unranked Drake Ayala at 125 had a very impressive tournament. After an opening round tech fall Ayala won a 17-6 major decision over Reece Witcraft of Oklahoma State. In the quarterfinals Ayala defeated Noah Surtin of Missouri, 9-3. Surtin is ranked #12 in the country at 125. Ayala dropped a 6-5 decision to Patrick McKee of Minnesota in the semifinals who is ranked #9 in the country. Should Ayala pull the redshirt and go for Iowa Friday night he would face McKee again.
After a win by decision in the consolation semifinals Ayala face #12 nationally ranked Noah Surtin of Missouri again in the third place match. This match made Ayala a Hawkeye Wrestling fan favorite in one of the best comebacks of all time. Ayala was trailing 7-0 (8-0 with riding time) going into the third period. After a series of four takedowns and two back points the match ended with Ayala getting four backpoints to win 14-10. That type of match will fire up the Iowa Wrestling fan base. That match was Iowa Wrestling.
At 133 redshirt freshman Cullan Schriever won by a decision, major decision, and decision before defeating Derek Spann of Buffalo 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Schriever lost to Rayvon Foley of Michigan State in the semifinals, 10-5. Foley is ranked #11 in the country. After a win in the consolation semifinals Schriever dropped a 4-2, SV match to place fourth.
Brennan Swafford at 174 started the tournament with a major decision and two decisions. Swafford lost 6-2 in the semifinals. He then lost both of his consolation matches to place sixth.
Aaron Costello had a solid tournament in placing fourth at Hwt. Costello won by a major decision, pin, and decision before defeating Hunter Catka of Virginia Tech 3-1 in the quarterfinals. After a semifinals loss Costello won and lost a match to place fourth.
Wyatt Henson (141) and Patrick Kennedy (165) both dropped matches in the quarterfinals. In the consolation rounds Henson won two matches by decision before receiving a medical forfeit in the fifth place match. Kennedy won his two consolation round matches before withdrawing from the fifth place match due to medical forfeit.
Charles Matthews (133), Drew Bennett (141), Leif Schroeder (141), Caleb Rathjen (149), Bretli Reyna (149), Sebastian Robles (157), Joe Kelly (165), and Jack McClimon were eliminated from the tournament.
125 Drake Ayala (Unattached) R32 – Drake Ayala (Iowa) won by tech fall over Alex Cottey (Chattanooga), 23-7 3:57 R16 – Drake Ayala (Iowa) won by major decision over Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma St), 17-6 Quarterfinals – Drake Ayala (Iowa) won by decision over Noah Surtin (Missouri), 9-3 Semifinals – Pat Mckee (Minnesota) won by decision over Drake Ayala (Iowa), 6-5 Cons. Semis – Drake Ayala (Iowa) won by decision over Caleb Smith (Appalachian State), 5-2 Third Place – Drake Ayala (Iowa) won by decision over Noah Surtin (Missouri), 14-10
133 Charles Matthews R32 – Codi Russell (Appalachian State) won by tech fall over Charles Matthews (Iowa), 15-0 5:46 C32 – Brandon Wittenberg (Virginia Tech) won by tech fall over Charles Matthews (Iowa), 15-0 4:07
133 Cullan Schriever (Unattached) R64 – Cullan Schriever (Iowa) won by decision over Ethan Fernandez (Spartan Combat RTC), 10-3 R32 – Cullan Schriever (Iowa) won by major decision over Dyson Kunz (Northern Colorado), 12-3 R16 – Cullan Schriever (Iowa) won by decision over Richie Koehler (Rider), 7-4 Quarterfinals – Cullan Schriever (Iowa) won by decision over Derek Spann (Buffalo), 3-2 Semifinals – Rayvon Foley (Michigan State) won by decision over Cullan Schriever (Iowa), 10-5 Cons. Semis – Cullan Schriever (Iowa) won by decision over Trey Crawford (Missouri), 9-2 Third Place – Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga) won by decision over Cullan Schriever (Iowa), 4-2 SV
141 Drew Bennett R32 – Drew Bennett (Iowa) won by decision over Jared Donahue (Drexel), 10-3 R16 – Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) won by major decision over Drew Bennett (Iowa), 10-2 Cons. of 16 #2 – Caleb Rea (West Virginia) won by decision over Drew Bennett (Iowa), 2:15
141 Wyatt Henson (Unattached) R32 – Wyatt Henson (Iowa) won by decision over Jack Marlow (Buffalo), 14-4 R16 – Wyatt Henson (Iowa) won by major decision over Angelo Martinoni (CSU-Bakersfield), 10-2 Quarterfinals – Allan Hart (Missouri) pinned Wyatt Henson (Iowa), 6:35 Cons. of 8 #2 – Wyatt Henson (Iowa) won by decision over Heath Gonyer (Appalachian State), 6-2 Cons. of 4 – Wyatt Henson (Iowa) won by decision over Quinn Kinner (Rider), 7-3 Fifth Place – Wyatt Henson (Iowa) won by medical forfeit over Vince Cornella (Spartan Combat RTC)
141 Leif Schroeder R32 – Quinn Kinner (Rider) pinned Leif Schroeder (Iowa), 2:28 Cons. of 16 #2 – Andrew Bloemhof (Oklahoma St) won by medical forfeit over Leif Schroeder (Iowa)
149 Caleb Rathjen (Unattached) R32 – Caleb Rathjen (Iowa) won by major decision over Matthew Williams (Chattanooga), 12-2 R16 – Cody Chittum (Unattached) won by decision over Caleb Rathjen (Iowa), 5-2 Cons. of 16 #2 – Josh Brown (CSU-Bakersfield) won by medical forfeit over Caleb Rathjen (Iowa)
149 Bretli Reyna (Unattached) R32 – Bretli Reyna (Iowa) won by major decision over Luke Hart (VMI), 12-4 R16 – John Arceri (Buffalo) won by decision over Bretli Reyna (Iowa), 2-0 Cons. of 16 #2 – Bretli Reyna (Iowa) won by medical forfeit over Alek Martin (South Dakota St) Cons. of 8 #1 – Gaven Sax (North Dakota St) won by decision over Bretli Reyna (Iowa), 3-2 TB2
157 Sebastian Robles (Unattached) R32 – Weston Wichman (Chattanooga) won by major decision over Sebastian Robles (Iowa), 8-0 C32 – Hunter Shaut (Buffalo) won by decision over Sebastian Robles (Iowa), 6-4 SV
165 Joe Kelly R64 – Nick Knutson (Northern Colorado) won by decision over Joe Kelly (Iowa), 3-1 C32 – Drew Nicholson (Chattanooga) won by major decision over Joe Kelly (Iowa), 10-1
165 Patrick Kennedy (Unattached) R32 – Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) won by tech fall over Tyler Kocak (George Mason), 25-10 6:03 R16 – Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) won by medical forfeit over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) Quarterfinals – Peyton Hall (West Virginia) won by decision over Patrick Kennedy (Iowa), 6-4 SV Cons. of 8 #2 – Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) won by decision over Caleb Fish (Michigan State), 10-4 Cons. of 4 – Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) won by decision over RJ Mosley (Gardner-Webb), 8-3 Fifth Place – Luke Weber (North Dakota St) won by medical forfeit over Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)
165 Jack McClimon (Unattached) R32 – Devin Hendrick (Bellarmine) won by tech fall over Jack McClimon (Iowa), 17-1 6:25 Cons. of 16 #1 – Jack McClimon (Iowa) pinned Mke Wilson (Rider), 4:37 Cons. of 16 #2 – Jack Mcclimon (Iowa) won by medical forfeit over Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) Consi of 8 #1 – Jake Null (NCST) won by fall over Jack McClimon (Iowa)
174 Brennan Swafford R32 – Brennan Swafford (Iowa) won by major decision over Thomas Sell (Chattanooga), 8-0 R16 – Brennan Swafford (Iowa) won by decision over Triston Wills (UA- Little Rock), 9-7 Quarterfinals – Brennan Swafford (Iowa) won by decision over Riley Habisch (North Dakota St), 9-6 Semifinals – Cade DeVos (South Dakota St) won by decision over Brennan Swafford (Iowa), 6-2 Cons. Semis – Bailee O’Reilly (Minnesota) won by decision over Brennan Swafford (Iowa), 5-2 Fifth Place – Matt Finesilver (Duke) won by major decision over Brennan Swafford (Iowa), 14-0
285 Aaron Costello R64 – Aaron Costello (Iowa) won by major decision over Josiah Hill (Arkansas-Little Rock), 14-5 R32 – Aaron Costello (Iowa) pinned Seamus O’malley (Stanford), 2:20 R16 – Aaron Costello (Iowa) won by decision over Michael Wolfgram (West Virginia), 5-3 Quarterfinals – Aaron Costello (Iowa) won by decision over Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech), 3-1 Semifinals – Lewis Fernandes (Cornell) won by major decision over Aaron Costello (Iowa), 9-0 Cons. Semis – Aaron Costello (Iowa) won by decision over Tyrie Houghton (North Carolina St), 7-5 Third Place – Brandon Metz (North Dakota St) won by decision over Aaron Costello (Iowa), 4-1
It is great to be an Iowa Wrestling fan.
Go Hawks!
