MIDSEASON COLLEGE REVIEW: Cowboys on the right trail for first three-peat since the mid-50’s
1/7/2005
John Fuller/TheMat.com
Just five years ago, Iowa was finishing an incredible run of national titles over the course of just over two decades. For the past two years, the Hawkeyes biggest rival, Oklahoma State, has been the most dominant program.
This year, with some holes to fill, the Cowboys received a gift from their Midwest counterparts – an NCAA champion transferring. With heavyweight Steve Mocco in the lineup, Oklahoma State is clearly on its way to winning a third consecutive national title.
No program outside of Iowa has won three consecutive national titles since Oklahoma State did it between 1954 and 1956.
With Mocco and 2004 NCAA champion Chris Pendleton (174) in the lineup, the Cowboys have stampeded to a 6-0 dual record at the midway point this season.
Undefeated so far for Oklahoma State are 2004 NCAA finalist Zack Esposito (149) and 2003 NCAA champion Jake Rosholt (197). All-American Johny Hendricks (165) lost his first match of the season, but has since rebounded with 14 straight wins.
After Oklahoma State, however, there seems to be a steep drop-off in national title contenders.
Lehigh (7-1) was expected to give the Cowboys the biggest push at the end of the season, but early-season struggles by some of the Mountainhawk individuals, as well as a 23-10 loss to Hofstra in late November, have some looking towards other programs to compete against Oklahoma State.
Two-time NCAA finalist Jon Trenge (197), coming off an Olympic Redshirt, has rebounded nicely from a slow start and defending NCAA champion Troy Letters (165) has been dominant this year, winning all of his matches by at least a major decision.
All-American Cory Cooperman (141) also remains undefeated at the midway point for Lehigh.
However, with the Lehigh loss to Hofstra, other teams have begun placing their names in the championship hat, including Illinois (1-0) and Iowa State (10-0).
The Fighting Illini recently won the prestigious Midlands Championships team title, proving that this squad can provide a scoring punch at a major tournament. But Illinois only had one individual champion, All-American Mark Jayne (133).
Iowa State had a surprisingly good season last year as the squad was still very young, but this team placed third at the Midlands Championships behind one individual champion, Nate Gallick (141), and three other finalists, Grant Nakamura (125), Travis Paulson (165) and Kurt Backes (184).
The Cyclones also recorded their second straight win over in-state rival Iowa, though the Hawkeyes are also an improving young team.
Iowa placed second at the Midlands, ahead of Iowa State, with three champions, Ty Eustice (149), freshman Mark Perry (165) and Paul Bradley (184).
However, the Hawkeyes had trouble at other weight classes, especially in the consolation bracket, at the Midlands as freshmen Alex Tsirtsis (141) and Matt Fields (285) did not perform as well as coaches expected.
The biggest individual upset of the first half of the season may be Pendleton’s loss to E.K. Waldhaus of Oklahoma in the Bedlam dual meet, which always offers a few surprises.
But along with Pendleton, only Cornell’s Travis Lee (133) is a returning NCAA champion that has lost a match so far this season.
That leaves seven other NCAA champions undefeated still: Teyon Ware of Oklahoma (141), Matt Gentry of Stanford (157), Ryan Bertin of Michigan (157), Letters, Greg Jones of West Virginia (184), Rosholt and Mocco.
Gentry recently captured a title at the Midlands Championships as well. Bertin lost earlier this season to 2004 NCAA finalist Jake Percival of Ohio at the NWCA All-Star Classic, but the match does not count on an official record due to NCAA rules.
The NCAA Tournament will be held in St. Louis, Missouri for the second consecutive year. Oklahoma State will hope that its good fortune from last year’s tournament will carry over to this year.
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