WRESTLING: Iowa-Iowa State match by match breakdown

Jason Mcdonnell

125 Pounds

No. 5 so. Tyler Clark (8-0) vs. No. 2 sr. Charlie Falck (8-0)

This will be Clark’s first meeting with Falck after not wrestling in the dual last year at Hilton Coliseum. Falck is a two-time All-American, placing eighth in 2007 and sixth last year at the NCAA Championships.

133 Pounds

No. 5 jr. Nick Fanthorpe (8-0) vs. No. 1 jr. Joe Slaton (3-0) OR No. 11 jr. Daniel Dennis (6-1)

Slaton is 2-0 against Fanthorpe and the national runner-up last season, but the official starter for the Hawkeyes is still uncertain. The match figures to be one of the most highly contested and will be a momentum-swinger early in the dual.

141 Pounds

No. 2 jr. Nick Gallick (6-1) vs. No. 3 sr. Alex Tsirtsis (6-0)

Gallick and Tsirtsis have never wrestled. Gallick, an All-American last year, already owns a win against No. 1 ranked J Jaggers of Ohio State this year. His match against Tsirtsis is viewed as one of the key bouts of the dual for both teams.

149 Pounds

No. 10 jr. Mitch Mueller (6-0) vs. No. 1 jr. Brent Metcalf (8-0)

Metcalf is the defending NCAA champion, but Mueller has gotten off to a solid start. Mueller lost by major decision, 14-4, in the dual last year, and has missed the team’s previous two duals due to illness.

157 Pounds

No. 7 jr. Cyler Sanderson (2-0) vs. so. Matt Ballweg (6-2)

Hampered by sickness early on, Sanderson could again provide a spark after nearly scoring a pin in last year’s rivalry dual. Ballweg is a first-year starter for the Hawkeyes.

165 Pounds

No. 3 so. Jonathan Reader (8-0) vs. No. 9 jr. Ryan Morningstar (8-0)

Morningstar wrestled down at 157 pounds last year and spelled doom for the Cyclones two years ago when he upset No. 1 Trent Paulson. The bout matches two very physical wrestlers.

174 Pounds

No. 8 jr. Duke Burk (2-0) vs. No. 2 jr. Jay Borschel (8-0)

Burk will get his first taste of the Iowa State/Iowa rivalry. The Northern Illinois transfer fell to Borschel at the Midlands Tournament last year, 10-1. Borschel is a returning All-American for the Hawkeyes and placed third last season.

184 Pounds

Fr. Jerome Ward (5-1) vs. No. 3 jr. Phillip Keddy (8-0)

Keddy gave a tough match to Iowa State’s No. 1 Jake Varner last season in Hilton Coliseum, eventually dropping a 4-1 decision to the two-time national runner-up. Ward will get his chance to try and spring the big upset in his first match in the heated rivalry.

197 Pounds

No. 1 jr. Jake Varner (6-0) vs. so. Luke Lofthouse (1-1) OR fr. Brodie Ambrose (4-0) OR jr. Rick Loera (1-2)

With Chad Beatty out with an injury for the Hawkeyes, a new starter will get his first chance against the Cyclones’ Jake Varner. Varner has moved up a weight since last season, but the match looks like a chance to snag bonus points for Iowa State.

HWT

No. 2 jr. David Zabriskie (7-0) vs. No. 16 jr. Dan Erekson (7-0)

The rivalry came down to the heavyweight match last year, and the two teams could be finding themselves in the same spot this year. Zabriskie lost to Matt Fields last year, 6-3, but has a 1-0 record against Erekson after defeating him 3-1 at the Harold Nichols Open last year in Ames.