For Iowa State, sandwiched between crucial Big 12 battles against Missouri and second-ranked Nebraska is a meet against unranked North Carolina State. The meet offers a chance for some wrestlers to continue healing and for others to snap losing skids.

The fourth-ranked Cyclones’ lineup continues to strengthen. Most of the team’s injuries are healing quickly.

“My elbow is still sore,” sophomore Grant Nakamura said. “I can still wrestle, though. I’m getting my shape back and wrestling better.”

The 125-pounder said the team is coming together and preparing for the end of the season.

“We’re going to take [the meet against North Carolina State] as just another meet,” Nakamura said.

With an unranked, nonconference foe coming to Hilton, Nakamura said the Cyclones are looking ahead.

“We’re already looking forward to the Nebraska meet,” Nakamura said. “North Carolina State has a few really tough kids, but they’re not a big threat like Nebraska is. We need to focus on Nebraska because they’re in our conference.”

Head coach Bobby Douglas said Saturday’s meet will serve as more than just individual wins and losses for his team.

“This is a very important match for us to get some momentum for Nebraska,” Douglas said. “It will help us see if we have any weaknesses that we need to correct. [If so], hopefully we can do it in the next 10 days.”

Douglas said he believes the team is on track for success at the end of the season.

“We learned a lot about our team [against Missouri],” he said. “[Trevor Smith and Scott Coleman] have developed into leaders and they’re going out to win for the team.”

Although Smith and Coleman are surging, the Cyclones’ trio of standout freshmen has slumped. Trent Paulson, Travis Paulson and Kurt Backes are all in the midst of extended losing streaks.

“[Losing] has had a big impact on them,” Nakamura said. “They hadn’t lost much in high school, but they’re mentally tough and keeping good attitudes.”

Nakamura said he expects, with Travis’s knee healing rapidly, both Paulsons will snap out of their slumps very soon.

“The Paulsons have each other to motivate them,” he said. “They practiced really hard this week. They’re hungry [for a win]; you can just tell by the way they worked this week.”

Douglas said he wasn’t surprised by the midseason slumps.

“Freshmen are freshmen,” he said. “Some freshmen start out great and then when everyone gets film on them, they [wrestle like freshmen]. They’re making improvements but experienced people are just prepared for them. It’s going to be a difficult task for them, but hopefully they can step up.”

Travis will face the Wolfpack’s only ranked wrestler this weekend. Defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Scott Garren comes in ranked 15th with a 12-2 record.

Saturday’s meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. After wrestling the Wolfpack, the Cyclones will face off against No. 2 Nebraska Thursday.