TheMat.com Dual of the Week: Iowa at Oklahoma State
1/14/2005
John Fuller/TheMat.com
Iowa (5-1) at
Oklahoma State (6-0)
January 16, 2005
Gallagher-Iba Arena
Stillwater, Okla.
There have been 74 NCAA Division I wrestling tournaments. 52 of those tournaments have been won by either Oklahoma State or Iowa. The last two by Oklahoma State.
For two decades, the Cowboys strived to be what Iowa was “national champions. The Hawkeyes were one of the most dominant college programs in all of sports history. But now, the tide has turned. Oklahoma State has won four consecutive dual meets over Iowa to take a 20-16-1 edge in a series filled as much with hatred as the Dark Side.
It will not be tough for either school to find emotion in this year’s matchup either. For Iowa, NCAA heavyweight champion Steve Mocco transferred to Oklahoma State after taking an Olympic Redshirt last year. The man brought in to replace him, Matt Fields, will have a chance to avenge an earlier loss to Mocco.
For Oklahoma State, it’s own beloved son, Mark Perry, chose Iowa over the Cowboys. Perry is John Smith’s nephew, and his father Mark was a two-time Big XII champion for Oklahoma State and then an assistant coach for eight seasons in Stillwater.
Last year, Oklahoma State came out on top with a 30-10 drubbing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Can the Hawkeyes gain revenge on the Cowboys home mat?
125: Charlie Falck (Fr., Iowa, 10-5) vs. Coleman Scott (Fr., Oklahoma State, 16-2)
Falck is a true freshman that was placed into the lineup this year after Lucas Magnani struggled. This proves that Iowa is out to win this year, not settling for second place. This appears to be the right move, as this team will contend for a national title next season, and the development of young wrestlers such as Falck is essential. Falck struggled at the start of the season, losing a lot of close matches, but he has since rebounded and is now getting better with every single match. Scott is also a true freshman, which should make this matchup more intriguing. His record shines brighter than Falck’s, but his opponents have not been as strong either. Both wrestlers are very talented and quick on the mat. With both being young, also expect a lot of action here. A lot of offense equals more opportunity for mistakes, which means this match is wide open.
TheMat.com Prediction: Scott
133: Mario Galanakis (Jr., Iowa, 7-2) vs. Nathan Morgan (Fr., Oklahoma State, 17-0)
Galanakis has already provided coaches with much more than originally expected when this season started. He has posted some solid wins, especially after a couple of tough losses at the Midlands. Galanakis likes to score points, but he doesn’t take too many bad shots, a big reason he has been successful this season. Morgan, another true freshman, is as good as they come, though he has not gotten much publicity this season. He has not been tested so far this season, however, making this the biggest match of his young career. His quickness and body make him very tough to score on, and he can get in deep on just about any wrestler in the nation right now. This will be a tough matchup for Galanakis. Not only will Morgan have a home crowd behind him, but he is a better overall wrestler as well. Expect Galanakis to play a lot of defense and attempt to keep Morgan off his legs.
TheMat.com Prediction: Morgan
141: Alex Tsirtsis (Fr., Iowa, 14-3) vs. Ronnie Delk (Sr., Oklahoma State, 9-5)
Tsirtsis is another one of the talented freshmen in the Iowa lineup. His compact body frame makes it very tough for him to be scored on. Against most opponents, though, he is able to still get deep on his shots. He has great quickness, and it allows him to score a lot of points. Delk is expected to get the start, but freshman Daniel Frishkorn could also be in the lineup. Delk has more experience, and in a big dual meet such as this, experience is invaluable. Against more defensive wrestlers, Tsirtsis has a tendency to shut his offense down. He is not much of a risk-taker. If Delk stays in the center of the mat, don’t expect many shots to be attempted throughout this match. Tsirtsis has already wrestled in big matches this year in front of big crowds. This will be just another match for him.
TheMat.com Prediction: Tsirtsis
149: Ty Eustice (Jr., Iowa, 15-1) vs. Zack Esposito (Jr., Oklahoma State, 15-0)
Eustice is having a major breakout season, beating nearly everyone in his path. The key for him this year is that he has initiated more offense. In past years, Eustice played strictly a defensive game on the mat. While he is still a primarily defensive wrestler, he has done a better job this year of creating space and shooting when he sees an opening. Esposito is a heavy favorite to win the NCAA title at this weight class this season. He is quick, wormy and good in every position. He is a great scrambler as well, which could get Eustice in trouble if anything wild breaks out in this match. Last year, Esposito won a 4-1 match. Eustice needs to revert to a strictly defensive mode and hope to frustrate Esposito into taking some bad shots, which can happen. This match should stay close, especially with as well as Eustice has been wrestling lately, but it would be a major upset if the Hawkeye came out on top.
TheMat.com Prediction: Esposito
157: Joe Johnston (Jr., Iowa, 13-3) vs. Kevin Ward (Jr., Oklahoma State, 11-1)
Johnston is an up-and-down wrestler. He usually gets on a hot streak right about this time of year and it carries until the postseason. He is also a third-period wrestler, something coaches have tried to change over the last three years. If he wrestles every period like it’s the third, he should be an All-American no problem this year. Ward is finally getting his chance to shine in the spotlight, and so far this season, he has not disappointed. His only official loss this year is to Johnston. And that was a 21-7 match. Ward really needs to improve defensively from that match, though it did take place in November. The Hawkeyes really could use some bonus points in this dual meet. Without them, this team is doomed. This will be a big opportunity for Johnston to deliver for his team.
TheMat.com Prediction: Johnston
165: Mark Perry (Fr., Iowa, 13-1) vs. Johny Hendricks (So., Oklahoma State, 14-1)
One of the most anticipated rematches of the season will take place between Perry and Hendricks. Perry is as good of a mat wrestler as there is in the country “at any weight class. He has great size, athleticism and quickness, but he is deceptively strong. He has a very lanky body, but he has horsed numerous opponents to their backs already this season, and his drive to win may be unmatched. Hendricks is also a strong wrestler. He struggled with weight last year at 157, so he moved up this year and has put his name in the national title hunt. One of Hendricks’ 14 wins this season is a 7-5 overtime decision over Perry in Omaha. Unlike Perry, though, Hendricks seems to many times be satisfied when he gets a lead in a match. He won’t be able to get away with that here. Expect some sparks to fly in this bout, but Perry is a much better wrestler now than he was in November.
TheMat.com Prediction: Perry
174: Luke Lofthouse (Fr., Iowa, 8-8) vs. Chris Pendleton (Sr., Oklahoma State, 14-1)
Lofthouse is a freshman. Pendleton is a senior”¦ a real good one. Simply put, this is going to be a tough bout for Lofthouse. He has struggled throughout this season, though he has put up some gutsy performances against Eric Hauan and Nick Passolano. Defense is not Lofthouse’s strongest suit, and that is where he will most likely get into trouble in this bout. Even with an unexpected loss a few weeks ago, Pendleton still may be the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the country. That loss will only motivate Pendleton to dominate his opponents more, and it starts with this match. A major decision is expected, but Pendleton will be gunning for more.
TheMat.com Prediction: Pendleton
184: Paul Bradley (Jr., Iowa, 10-1) vs. Clay Kehrer (Fr., Oklahoma State, 11-5)
Bradley suffered an embarrassing loss for him last week in a dual meet. He is a punishing wrestler who loves to bang. He does it so much that he goes into every match already taping his head for when it begins bleeding. He still does not seem to be in full-match shape yet, which could have been a big reason for his loss, so it will be interesting to see how the freshman Kehrer approaches this match. Bradley’s style really works against an opponent that is tired, but not so much when he is losing in a match. Kehrer may want to come out aggressive in the first two periods and attempt to build a lead on Bradley. If he can do that, he will have to survive a frantic third-period, but it could be the best way to keep Bradley off his third-period game of defending the legs.
TheMat.com Prediction: Bradley
197: Dane Pape (Fr., Iowa, 2-6) vs. Jake Rosholt (Jr., Oklahoma State, 15-0)
This should be another weight where the Cowboys are able to score some bonus points. Pape is just a freshman, and lately has been wrestling as if he is out of his element. Granted, 197 is a tough weight class as a freshman because of how physical it is, but at some point, especially with the level of competition he has faced already, Pape needs to become more competitive. Rosholt has been stellar this year, dominating every opponent he has faced. He moved up in weight class this year and seems completely energized every time he is on the mat. While it is not expected that the Cowboys will need bonus points here, one never knows what can happen in this dual meet. Look for Rosholt to come out scoring in the first period and to continue until he either gets a technical fall or pin. It is possible Adam Fellers could start in place of Pape, but it should not make much a difference in the outcome of this bout.
TheMat.com Prediction: Rosholt
285: Matt Fields (Fr., Iowa, 14-3) vs. Steve Mocco (Jr., Oklahoma State, 15-0)
Fields and Mocco wrestled earlier this year with Mocco coming out on top 5-0. Hawkeye fans could probably care less who is in the lineup, as long as Mocco loses. Fields has massive power and with his build, is tough to bring down. However, he still lacks mobility on his feet, and that has caused him some issues already this year, especially in his Midlands losses. Since taking an Olympic Redshirt last year, Mocco has been able to add a lot of movement while on his feet, and he is no longer expected to attempt only foot sweeps. He can score from many angles, especially if he is able to get Fields moving some. Mocco is still the most dangerous wrestler in the country. Not many heavyweights work as hard as he does to be successful, and Cowboy fans can expect him to dominate in this match as well.
TheMat.com Prediction: Mocco
Iowa will need a lot of big upsets in this dual to win. Oklahoma State should have bonus points at 174 and 197, so it is imperative that Iowa keeps those bonus points to a minimum and gets upsets at 125 and 133. An upset at 149 for Iowa would really swing the pendulum, and coach John Smith would really start sweating at that point.
The anticipated matches at 165 and 285 will be overshadowed by the excitement of this entire dual meet. While Iowa should be competitive, this team’s best chance of going after an NCAA title is next year, when the entire lineup returns.
TheMat.com Prediction: Oklahoma State 22, Iowa 15
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