Anthony Echemendia topped off his gas tank, put his car in drive, and veered from Columbus, Ohio, toward Ames, Iowa.

But why?

The then-Ohio State wrestler and proud Cuban transplant had just heard that his longtime friend, teammate, and countryman, Yonger Bastida, had joined Iowa State’s wrestling program, and he felt compelled to show up and offer his heartfelt support.

“Number one, I did that because I’m a team player and I’ve always liked to support my people, and we came from the same team since we were eight years old,” said Echemendia, who eventually became Bastida’s Cyclone teammate after embarking on that momentous road trip roughly five years ago. “Number two, is because he’s a brother to me.”

A very big brother.

Bastida (18-0) is the nation’s top-ranked heavyweight and boasts an Iowa State-leading 81 takedowns this season while relinquishing just two.

Echemendia (13-2) is the nation’s fourth-ranked 141-pounder and ranks second on his team in takedowns with 59.

Together — and with several others — they form a backbone for a Cyclone program hungry to attain their second team trophy in the past three seasons at the NCAA Championship in March.

But their bond signifies much more than a raised hand on the sport’s biggest stage. Both former All-Americans have overcome deep adversity and are still standing. Echemendia endured a scary infection last season that not only threatened his career, but his life. Bastida dominated most of the 2023-24 season before being upset at nationals and failing to place. Then he was struck by a knee injury in 2024-25 that cut his season short in late January.

Now he’s relatively healthy and fully appreciative of his senior season — and what he could achieve in his final go-around.

“Just don’t get trapped,” Bastida said. “That’s your mentality or whatever you want to call it. You’ve just gotta keep moving forward. … It’s just something I’ve learned from the past years, just go out there (as if) I’m zero and zero. I’m not trying to protect, you know, if I’m 6-0, 18-0, 15-0. I just go out there and it’s just another opportunity to wrestle again.”

Iowa State head coach Kevin Dresser often tells his wrestlers that they’re entertainers/showmen. Put in the arduous work in the room and bask in the fruits of that labor for every meet — especially as the season barrels toward March. Bastida and Echemendia don’t necessarily need to hear those words, but they do serve as prime reminders for how precious and precarious opportunities to compete can be.

“There (are) a lot of people out there and they’re struggling, and they’re dealing with a lot of hard things, and, you know, major things,” said Echemendia, whose losses this season have come by decision against #1 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State and #2 Sergio Vega of Oklahoma State. “So if you would (ask) those people to trade places with us, they would trade places in a heartbeat because we’re blessed, you know? We’re strong. We get to lift weights, run, and do all the fun things that a lot of people can’t do. So if you look at it with that mentality and perspective, everything comes easy.”

Winning, of course, never does. But a deep sense of appreciation for the chance to merely compete for wins and national titles? That’s a choice. Especially for Echemendia and Bastida, who share an unbreakable bond that goes all the way back to an actual break.

“I have a little story,” said Echemendia, who retains one more season of eligilbity. “I remember breaking my elbow when I was, like, 10 years old, and I couldn’t go to school because of that. And the teachers (said), ‘What teammate do you want me to send home so you can copy the classes and help you with everything?’ And I told that teacher, ‘Yonger. Tell Yonger to come to my house and help me.’ And I was 10 years old. So that’s how (far) back we go.”

Double Dose Of Big Duals 

Iowa State’s season is winding down, but two tough Big 12 dual meets against West Virginia and in-state rival Northern Iowa loom on the schedule on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

“I think they’re both in the top (18 of FloWrestling’s dual rankings), so we have our work cut out for us,” Dresser said. “Obviously, Sunday with UNI, we owe those guys one from last year. That was quite a dual meet in Cedar Falls that we need to remember, but we’ve gotta take care of business first on Friday night. I think Tim Flynn and Doug Schwab are two of the best coaches in the business. I really do. Tim Flynn’s really turned West Virginia around, and obviously, what Schwab’s done at UNI — so we’ve got our work cut out for us. We’ll see who shows up to wrestle.”

Seed Watch

The Cyclones could see a number of wrestlers compete this weekend in matches that will have a big impact on their potential Big 12 and NCAA Tournament seeding. 

Among them: 11th-ranked 125-pounder Stevo Poulin, who is slated to face #8 Jett Strickenberger of West Virginia, and eighth-ranked 157-pounder Vinny Zerban, who could grapple with #7 Ty Watters of the Mountaineers.

“Those are big matches,” Dresser said. “They are. I told those guys to be excited. I even kind of individually texted Stevo and Vinny and said, ‘Man, you guys gotta be grateful (for) this opportunity.’”