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Big Ten

Match Notes: #1 Iowa Routs #7 Minnesota, Win Big Ten Title

Match Notes: #1 Iowa Routs #7 Minnesota, Win Big Ten Title

Match Notes of the Big Ten wrestling dual between the #7 Minnesota Golden Gophers vs the #1 Iowa Hawkeyes in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Feb 15, 2020 by Andrew Spey
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The expectations for the Hawkeyes this season are sky-high. Can the team title front runners stay unbeaten against a dangerous Minnesota squad in front of a rowdy crowd in Iowa City? Follow the action as we bring you live updates of this classic Big Ten brawl. 

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The expectations for the Hawkeyes this season are sky-high. Can the team title front runners stay unbeaten against a dangerous Minnesota squad in front of a rowdy crowd in Iowa City? Follow the action as we bring you live updates of this classic Big Ten brawl. 

Projected lineups

125: Forfeit (Minn) vs #1 Spencer Lee (Iowa)

133: Boo Drydan (Minn) vs #2 Austin DeSanto

141: #5 Mitch McKee (Minn) vs #3 Max Murin (Iowa)

149: #7 Brayton Lee (Minn) vs #2 Pat Lugo (Iowa)

157: #24 Ryan Thomas (Minn) vs #4 Kaleb Young (Iowa)

165: Bailee O'Reilly (Minn) vs #2 Alex Marinelli (Iowa)

174: #8 Devin Sktazka (Minn) vs #1 Michael Kemerer (Iowa)

184: #21 Owen Webster (Minn) vs #10 Abe Assad or Cash Wilcke (Iowa)

197: Hunter Ritter (Minn) vs #5 Jacob Warner (Iowa)

285: #1 Gable Steveson (Minn) vs #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa)


No time to catch our breath, we're starting this blog immediately after the conclusion of Ohio State vs Penn State. Just got word that the dual is starting at 184. Let's keep the party going, shall we?


184 Pounds: #21 Owen Webster (Minn) vs Cash Wilcke (Iowa)

1st period: It's Wilcke again. Unsure if we see Assad again this season. Iowa only has one more dual meet (against Oklahoma State next weekend) before the postseason. No scores after a minute. Shot by Wilcke at the 1:00 mark, Webster avoids the attack, finds an angle and gets two of his own. Wilcke is out to cut the deficit in half. Webster fires off another low level shot but it doesn't land. Period ends 2-1 Webster.

2nd period: Wilcke is out almost immediately to make it 2-2. Collar ties but not a lot of action from either guy over the next 90 plus seconds. The period ends without any other scores. Still 2-2.

3rd period: Webster is out in under 10 seconds to regain the lead, riding time not a factor. 90 seconds left in regulation. Wilcke posts the elbows and gets to Websters legs, then moves up to a body lock, going for a trip, they hit the mat, but no one gains control and they're out of bounds, no scores. 30 seconds to go, Wilcke still trails by one. Webster holding ground in the center. And Webster gets Minnesota on the board first with a gritty 3-2 win over Wicke. 

Minnesota 3, Iowa 0

197 Pounds: Hunter Ritter (Minn) vs #5 Jacob Warner (Iowa)

1st period: Fat Bottom Girls by Queen is playing in Carver-Hawkeye which means it's time for Jacob Warner to take the mat. He gets a takedown in the first minute to snag a 2-0 lead over Ritter. Big mat return by Warner and we need to stop for blood. Warner gets cleaned up and gets back to riding Ritter. Warner with over a minute a minute of RT. He nearly had a cradle but Ritter gets an escape. In short time, Warner fires off a shot, and another, and another. Ritter gets hit for stalling, then shoots, Warner snaps and goes behind for two and the extremely short ride out. A full (or close to it) Carver-Hawkeye is pumped. 

2nd period: Warner back in the top position with a 4-1 lead. Ritter escapes to make it 4-2. A scramble gets called potentially dangerous, back in neutral with 45 seconds left in the period. Ritter shoots, Warner cuts the corner, looking for a cradle, Ritter bellies out and concedes the two. Warner rides out the period. he has a 6-2 lead and over 2:30 of RT.

3rd period: Warner will get to try out bottom, and he gets a reversal in about 10 seconds. Ritter escapes and they're in neutral, 8-3 Warner. Riding time is secured and Warner gets a double leg to make it 10-3. Escape for Ritter and another two for Warner and it's 12-4, major all but secured. A ride out will give Warner the dominant 13-4 major decision.

Iowa 4, Minnesota 3

285 Pounds: #1 Gable Steveson (Minn) vs #3 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa)

1st period: One of the two marquee bouts of the night. This should be fun. Both these guys are not afraid to get physical. And here come the "Woos" from the Carver-Hawkeye fans. Speaking of physical, a serious head club by Gable gets whistle and the refs award Cass a penalty point. Steveson answers with a takedown off an inside trip set up to take the 2-1 lead. Cassioppi escapes and we're tied again. 30 seconds left in the period. Steveson trying to get a takedown in short time. Cassioppi not cooperating. Finally Steveson brings Tony down. Cassioppi escapes in time though and it's 4-3 going into the second. 

2nd period: Cassioppi underneath. He escapes relatively quickly to once again tie the score. Steveson has two takedowns, Cassioppi has three escapes and a penalty point. Second period ends without any more scores and we go to the third still 4-4, RT not a factor.

3rd period: Steveson will get a turn on bottom. He escapes relatively quickly. They're locked in a battle of ferocious hand fighting. 30 seconds to go, and Steveson hits a beautiful double leg, powering Cassioppi to the mat. Cassioppi escapes but it's but Steveson is going to take this one, 7-5. Steveson in control the whole time but Cassioppi kept it close. 

Minnesota 6, Iowa 4

125 Pounds: Forfeit (Minn) vs #1 Spencer Lee (Iowa)

The Gophers only hold the team score lead momentarily, as Pat McKee is still recovering from an injury and Spencer Lee gets his hand raised in a forfeit. 

Iowa 10, Minnesota 6

133 Pounds: Boo Drydan (Minn) vs #2 Austin DeSanto

1st period: Austin DeSanto returns to action and I better get ready to do a lot of typing. A takedown in the first 20 seconds for DeSanto. Drydan is out to make it 2-1. DeSanto steps over a whizzer to get two more, then immediately lets Dryadan up, then immediately gets a tricep dump for two more. Escape and it's 6-3. Drydan gets dinged for stalling as DeSanto pushes him around the mat. Catch and release Tasmanian Devil style and DeSanto has a 12-5 lead. I think I see fingerprints on Drydan left tricep. 

2nd period: DeSanto gives bottom a try. He escapes and goes right back to attacking. It's 15-5 and DeSanto tries riding for a change. He's parallel but has Drydan flat on his belly and picks up a stall point. DeSanto kicks Drydan free and has a 16-6 lead with 30 to go in the period. 18-7 now going into the third. 

3rd period: The final period is more of the same, DeSanto attacking and this time picking up four nearfall to secure the tech. Some minor extracurriculars at the end of the bout but nothing serious and DeSanto trots off the mat to the thunderous applause of a fired-up Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Iowa 15, Minnesota 6

We're at the break, so use the facilities and grab a fresh beverage and get ready for the back half of the second half of this righteous Big Ten double header. 

Nice crowd for the Hawkeyes. 12,608 officially.

141 Pounds: #5 Mitch McKee (Minn) vs #3 Max Murin (Iowa)

1st period: Another erstwhile Hawkeye is back in action as Murin will see McKee in a top 5 matchup. A quiet first half of the period changes when McKee hits a duck under (or slide by?) for two. Looked slick whatever it was. Murin escapes after about 30 seconds or so and its 2-1 with 30 to go in the period. And that's how the period ends.

2nd period: McKee goes underneath. He stands and runs away from Murin's clutches to extend the lead by one. Murin then times a nice double leg to tie the score at 3 a piece. McKee escapes to regain the lead in a back-and-forth bout. The period ends in collar ties, still 4-3 McKee. 

3rd period: Murin out with minimal trouble and the score is knotted up at 4. RT not a factor. Final 90 seconds of regulation. Another well-timed level change and double leg shot but McKee defends this time. McKee looks for a duck but Murin was ready for it. 30 seconds to go. Murin is in deep but McKee has a chest wrap locked up tight. Murin running his feet, trying to find that second leg of McKees. He almost has it, but it looks like time runs out. Or does it??? The officials will review. NO TAKEDOWN. We go to sudden victory. 

SV: Murin shoots in and McKee locks up a vicious front headlock. He's running the head pinch, looking to step over and cinch up the match. Murin wrestles out of danger, then potentially dangerous is called. Less than 30 to go. Double leg counter shot by Murin and he runs McKee down for the overtime victory! Impressive stuff from Mad Max, who notches another ranked win in his return to action. 

Iowa 18, Minnesota 6

149 Pounds: #7 Brayton Lee (Minn) vs #2 Pat Lugo (Iowa)

1st period: Back to back top 10 matchups. Lugo draws first blood after snatching a single leg from Lee. Brayton is back up and out quickly to make it 2-1, still very early in the match. The rest of the period is spent mostly in collar ties. We go to the second, Lugo with the one point lead. 

2nd period: Big mat return by Lugo stops Lee's initial stand up attempt. Lee stands twice more but each time, Lugo drags him back down to the mat. Lee is eventually out but before Lugo gets 1:03 of riding time. No scores the rest of the period, we go to the third tied up at 2.

3rd period: Lugo goes underneath. He's out in five seconds, which brings his riding time advantage under a minute at 0:57 but he does gain the lead as it's 4-3. Lugo attacking, Lee on his heels. No score, and no stall call either, much to the dismay of the Hawkeye faithful. 60 seconds remaining, Lee attacking now. Lugo picks up a stall warming with 30 seconds left. Lugo controls the ties from here on out and he picks up a hard-fought win over a very tough competitor. 

Iowa 21, Minnesota 6

157 Pounds: #24 Ryan Thomas (Minn) vs #4 Kaleb Young (Iowa)

1st period: Hawkeyes with a 15 point lead with three bouts to go means they have essentially wrapped up an outright Big Ten dual meet championship. They can put things officially out of reach with this match. 

Thomas not backing down from the higher ranked All-American. After about a minute Thomas hits some sort of lat drop and would have scored four points in freestyle but Young rolls out of danger and they're back to their fee, no control, no harm, no foul. Thomas then fires off a double and finishes clean for two points. Young escapes and trails by one with 30 seconds to go in the period. Young with a single leg in short time, treetops and back trips but Thomas squares his hips just in time and avoids the takedown. Great defense and we go to the second, Thomas still up by a point. 

2nd period: Thomas defers and Young takes bottom. Young stands and peels hands to tie it up at 2 apiece. Young back on a single leg. Tries to horseshoe whip Thomas down. Thomas still hopping. Young lounges at the edge of the mat and Young grabs a second leg just in time, dragging his toes to pick up the takedown. OR DOES HE? He probably does but the officials will review to see if he's in bounds. Call confirmed. Thomas has 30 seconds to try and escape, he trails by 2. Thomas escapes with 8 seconds to spare. 

3rd period: Thomas takes bottom for an opportunity to tie it up at 4. He does in 15 seconds. it's 4-4, RT not a factor, 90 seconds left in regulation. Thomas is in a deep shot with 30 to go but Young feeds him hips and it's stalemated. Young in on a single, he's close to finishing, but Thomas somehow keeps him at bay. Time expires and we've got another overtime match. 

SV: Young again on a single leg, no stall call yet, and Young can' finish. Again, with 15 seconds, somehow Thomas avoids giving up the match-winning takedown and we go to tiebreakers. 

TB1: Thomas starts underneath. Thomas nearly out, Young drops to a leg. He'll eat the stall call, then get the ride out. 

TB2: Thomas cuts Young to try and win it on his feet. He's in on a shot, but Young dives for an ankle and chews up the rest of the clock in a scramble. Young survives and the Hawkeyes win another overtime battle. 

Iowa 24, Minnesota 6

I think Eggum may have gotten a team point deducted but can't be sure. The scoreboard still showing 6 so maybe not. 

165 Pounds: Kasper McIntosh (Minn) vs #2 Alex Marinelli (Iowa)

1st period: Marinelli has two takedowns before I can even start typing. And another, getting through McIntosh head and hand defenses with ease. Elbow post and attack is the recipe, and it's worked five times already. Make that 6. Marinelli also flipped McIntosh with a three-quarter nelson (or a bulldog). Also foot swept McIntosh to his butt to keep him from escaping. First period mercifully ends, Marinelli up 12-5.

2nd period: Marinelli escapes for one, gets in on a shot, slips in a half via cement job (or a cowcatcher) and has the pin. No, not a pin! Just four nearfall. Then a let'em up and take'em down for the tech-fall. 21-6 is the final (I'm pretty sure) and Iowa tacks on five more. 

Iowa 29, Minnesota 6

174 Pounds: #8 Devin Sktazka (Minn) vs #1 Michael Kemerer (Iowa)

1st period: Our final bout of the night. Kemerer comes out firing, securing a takedown in the first 20 seconds or so. Skatzka escapes, two minues to go in the period. Kemerer in on a single leg, he hops to the other side of Skatzka's hips and picks up two more points. Skatzka escapes and fires off a shot of his own, grabbing a leg and forcing a scramble. It's stalemated and Skatzka gets in on another shot. Kemerer cuts the corner though and has Sktazka in a cradle. Sktazka in trouble. It will at least be six points for Kemerer. And make it six points for Iowa! I thought Skatzka had his shoulder popped but the referee disagreed. Wrapping up the dual meet win and the Big Ten dual meet championship with authority is #1 Michael Kemerer, wth a pinfall over All-American Devin Skatzka.

Iowa 35, Minnesota 6

Impressive showing to say the least. Iowa wins two overtime matches and win three others by bonus. Add in a forfeit and we get a rout. Hawkeyes by a lot over the Gophers.

Well folks, we made it to the end of our Big Ten doubleheader. Folks said it couln't be done, they said it wouldn't be done, they said it shouldn't be done, and even if it was done, they wouldn't care. But guess what? I did it anyway. I blogged both matches. All four+ hours of glorious top 10 wrestling. 

I had fun, hope you enjoyed it too. That's all for tonight, sorry for the typos and see you next time!

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