Top-ranked Iowa challenged by Wildcats
By MATT LEVINS
mlevinsmlevins
IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa wrestling team lost its ace this week when defending national champion Mark Perry underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
Left without their ace in the hole, the Hawkeyes instead brought a hammer to Sunday night’s dual against Big Ten Conference foe Northwestern.
Iowa’s new hammer, top-ranked sophomore Brent Metcalf, put the hammer down in his match at 149 pounds against fourth-ranked Ryan Lang, rolling to a major decision to give the sluggish Hawkeyes some much-needed momentum.
The Hawkeyes’ sledgehammer, sophomore Phillip Keddy, drove the final nail in the Wildcats’ coffin, pinning senior Adil Kolovic in 1 minute, 58 seconds in the final match of the night at 184, lifting top-ranked Iowa to a 22-13 victory over No. 10 Northwestern.
But the win was not at all what Iowa coach Tom Brands wants — or expects — from his team. Just winning will not cut it for Brands, a former three-time national champion and Olympic gold medalist for Iowa.
No, Brands demands domination from his team.
“You have got to get ready to wrestle seven minutes. If you don’t, you are going to give the guy a chance to hurt you on the scoreboard,” Brands said. “We didn’t do enough hustling tonight. We didn’t do enough taking away from them. The bottom line is our guys have got to get ready to go. All I can say is we beat Northwestern 22-13. That’s about all I can say.”
Iowa (14-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) dug itself an early hole against Northwestern (5-5, 0-1).
Northwestern took a quick 4-0 lead when fourth-ranked Mike Tamillow scored three third-period takedowns on his way to a 12-3 major decision over Chad Beatty at 197.
The Wildcats increased their lead to 7-0 when top-ranked heavyweight Dustin Fox got an escape and a point for riding time in a 2-1 win over sixth-ranked Matt Fields. It was Fox’s sixth straight win over the Iowa senior.
“Fields has got to go out and take responsibility for Matt Fields,” Brands said.
Iowa finally got on the scoreboard when third-ranked Charlie Falck scored an escape and a takedown in the final 1:08 for a 5-3 win over fifth-ranked Brandon Precin at 125.
Northwestern sophomore Eric Metzler took points away from Iowa when he got in on a low ankle pick for a takedown with 22 seconds left in an 11-6 loss to fourth-ranked Joe Slaton at 133. That final takedown cost Iowa a valuable team point.
“Slaton let that guy get in on a low single and lost a major decision,” Brands said. “We’ve got to be able to feel where we are at and drive the nail in the coffin.”
Northwestern freshman Keith Sulzer pulled an upset at 141, getting around on a failed Dan LeClere takedown attempt for a takedown of his own with 1:14 remaining. He then registered two near-fall points and kept LeClere on the mat for a 10-3 decision.
Just like that, the Wildcats had a 10-6 lead.
“You look at the mistakes, like LeClere not being able to come off from the bottom after the guy got a takedown,” Brands said. “So what. So you got taken down. Get back up and get after him. Something like that should light a fire under you.”
Metcalf, who has become the Hawkeyes’ hammer and unquestioned leader, came through in the clutch once again.
Facing Lang, the national runner-up a year ago, Metcalf knew his team’s success rested squarely on his shoulders, which is just where he wanted it.
“I will take it upon myself,” Metcalf said of his emerging role. “I like to go out there and give my team a spark. I’ll take that responsibility.”
After a scoreless first period, Metcalf used a Lang throw against him, taking the powerful Wildcats’ senior straight to his back for a five-point move.
“Lang likes to throw big moves. He’s very dangerous,” Metcalf said. “I felt it coming and got him in his own move. I would have rather used my own move to take him down and get back points, but whatever works I’ll use it.”
Metcalf scored two third-period takedowns and came away with a dominating 12-3 major decision.
“Metcalf is our leader. We ask a lot out of him,” Brands said.
The teams split the next two matches before fourth-ranked Jay Borschel came up with a 3-1 win over senior Nick Hayes at 174 to give Iowa a 16-13 lead heading into the final match.
Iowa’s sledgehammer, Keddy, drove the final nail in the Wildcats’ coffin. He threw Kovolic to his back off an overhook, then stuck his shoulders to the mat to secure the Hawkeyes’ seventh-straight dual victory.
But with road tests against fourth-ranked Minnesota on Friday night and 13th-ranked Wisconsin on Sunday, Brands knows the Hawkeyes will need a better performance in both duals.
A much better performance.
“I put it all on these guys getting ready, getting the right frame of mind, the right mental attitude,” Brands said. “You have got to get yourself ready to whip some tail when you step onto that mat.”
No. 1 Iowa 22, No. 10 Northwestern 13
197 — Mike Tamillow (NW) maj. dec. Chad Beatty, 12-3. Hwt — Dustin Fox (NW) dec. Matt Fields, 2-1. 125 — Charlie Falck (I) dec. Brandon Precin, 5-3. 133 — Joe Slaton (I) dec. Eric Metzler, 11-6. 141 — Keith Sulzer (NW) dec. Dan LeClere, 10-3. 149 — Brent Metcalf (I) maj. dec. Ryan Lang, 12-3. 157 — Ryan Morningstar (I) dec. Andrew Nadhir, 6-4. 165 — Dominic Morella (NW) dec. Aaron Janssen, 7-5. 174 — Jay Borschel (I) dec. Nick Hayes, 3-1. 184 — Phillip Keddy (I) pinned Adil Kolovic, 1:58.
Records: Northwestern 5-5 overall (0-1 Big Ten), Iowa 14-1 (3-0).
Tags: attitude, champion, ups, whip