Hawks get slammed
21-11 loss to Michigan leaves rest of Iowa’s season unclear
By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Some followers considered Sunday as a forecast for Iowa’s wrestling season.
It was supposed to be a true reading for where the Hawkeyes stand against the Big Ten’s top competition and where they’re headed during the next month, the period when they ultimately will be judged.
If that was the case, Sunday’s results left Iowa’s season every bit as foggy as it was before.
The No. 10 Hawkeyes had been up, down and everywhere in between during the first three months of competition. They were pretty much the same in their latest performance, a 21-11 loss to fifth-ranked Michigan in front of 4,235 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“We haven’t wrestled a match where 10 guys have wrestled (well), “Iowa junior 149-pounder Ty Eustice said. “That’s what (the coaches) said to us before the meet, and we still didn’t do it. Until we do that, we’re just going to be a mediocre team. Three guys wrestled tonight. You’re not going to win many dual meets doing that.”
The Hawkeyes were up early, getting major decisions from Charlie Falck at 125 and Mario Galanakis at 133. They were down through the middle when Michigan’s mighty middleweights started a string of five straight Wolverine wins that seized control of the meet.
Michigan held a 73-68 advantage in match points and a 19-18 upper hand in takedowns. The statistics muddled the picture for Iowa, which has three weeks to clear up matters before the Big Ten championships return to Iowa City.
“We’re right there, “Zalesky said. “If you turn the close matches around, if you can win those close matches, it’s not like it’s a big gap. It’s a little gap. If we can win those close matches, we can be in it. But we’re going to have to fight for everything.”
Zalesky acknowledged that the fight is going to be a little tougher since the Hawkeyes have put themselves in an unenviable seeding position during the Big Ten dual season.
As has been through much of the season, inability to pull out close matches led to another Iowa loss Sunday.
“We didn’t win any close matches – ’41, ’49, ’65, ’97, “Zalesky said. “That’s four that I felt could’ve went either way and they won all of them. That’s the difference in the meet. We win two of them and we win. But that’s why we’re getting beat this year.”
Iowa dropped to 9-5 overall, marking the first time the Hawkeyes have lost more than four duals in a season since 1967.
Iowa looked as if it might dodge that dubious distinction in early going.
Falck, who battled the flu this week and missed Friday’s meet against Minnesota, seemed to get stronger as the match progressed against Jim Shutich. The Iowa freshman scored five takedowns in the final 2 minutes, 11 seconds to secure a 16-6 major decision.
Galanakis tormented 16th-ranked Mark Moos from the top position, racking up six near-fall points and 4:49 of riding time in a 14-5 major decision.
But the Hawkeye highlight tape stopped there and the Wolverines (13-3-1) got off the mat for a reversal through the middle.
Michigan’s Josh Churella beat Alex Tsirtsis 8-4 in a battle of talented freshmen 141-pounders.
Seventh-ranked Eric Tannenbaum beat No. 5 Ty Eustice 3-2, but the Wolverine freshman could’ve opened the gap if he could’ve scored on four single-leg shots that produced in zero points.
“I usually wrestle a little cautious the first time I wrestle somebody, “Tannenbaum said. “I don’t know if that’s a good or bad habit, but I’m going to look the next time to step it up a little bit and open up more. (But Eustice) is tough to finish on. He’s got good defense.”
Top-ranked Ryan Bertin handled Iowa’s Joe Johnston 14-8 at 157.
Michigan’s third-ranked Ryan Churella used a reversal and three near-fall points in the final eight seconds of the second period to fuel a 7-5 victory against fourth-ranked Hawkeye Mark Perry Jr. at 165.
Iowa didn’t capture its third win of the night until junior Paul Bradley pulled out a 7-5 decision against Joshua Weitzel at 184.
So where did Friday night’s victory against Minnesota followed by this defeat leave the Hawkeyes in the big picture?
“If you’re going to pin your whole season on Big Tens and nationals, then that’s what you’ve got to judge your season on, “Eustice said. “You’ve got to be consistent and right now we’re the opposite of that.”
Zalesky said he liked the effort, but not the repeated mistakes he’s seen in the past.
“We’re going to bounce back, “Galanakis said.
“When Big Tens get here, we’re going to be ready to go. That’s what Zalesky focuses on most — when it’s time to go. Big Tens are obviously what we’re working for to get to nationals. We’ll be ready to go by then. Everybody will.”
MICHIGAN 21, IOWA 11
125 — Charlie Falck (I) major dec. Jim Shutich 16-6.
133 — Mario Galanakis (I) major dec. Mark Moos 14-5.
141 — Josh Churella (M) dec. Alex Tsirtsis 8-4.
149 — Eric Tannenbaum (M) dec. Ty Eustice 3-2.
157 — Ryan Bertin (M) dec. Joe Johnston 14-8.
165 — Ryan Churella (M) dec. Mark Perry Jr.7-5.
174 — Nick Roy (M) dec. Cole Pape 13-6.
184 — Paul Bradley (I) dec. Joshua Weitzel 7-5.
197 — Willie Breyer (M) dec. Adam Fellers 4-2.
Hwt. — Greg Wagner (M) dec. Matt Fields 8-3
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