TULSA — It was a productive second session of the Big 12 Championship for Iowa State, which started at 5 p.m. in the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Cyclones sent four to the championship rounds, which will start Saturday at 7 p.m.
The four: No. 2 seed senior Stevo Poulin (125 pounds), No. 2 seed senior Anthony Echemendia (141 pounds), No. 1 seed senior Rocky Elam (197 pounds) and No. 1 seed senior Yonger Bastida (285 pounds).
“Yeah, we got some matches tomorrow we got to figure out,” Iowa State head coach Kevin Dresser said after the second session. “But overall, you know, okay there.”
Despite sending four wrestlers to the championship rounds, the Cyclones lost as many in the semifinal matches.
“You know Oklahoma State at 165 and 174 are just a little bit better than us right now,” Dresser said. “I don’t think it’s that big of a gap … all sorts of obstacles we didn’t plan on hitting tonight.”
The losses occurred at 149, 165, 174 and 184 pounds. No. 2 seed junior Jacob Frost had an unexpected 4-3 loss to No. 6 seed senior Caleb Rathjen of UNI.
The other tough loss occurred at 184 pounds. After No. 7 seed senior Isaac Dean’s hot start in the first session, an injury sapped his momentum in his match against No. 3 seed sophomore Eddie Neitenbach of Wyoming. Dean appeared to tweak his leg and wasn’t the same after. He lost 5-1.
Aside from the losses, the Cyclones are poised to take home some hardware. At 125 pounds, No. 2 seed senior Stevo Poulin faces No. 1 seed junior Troy Spratley of Oklahoma State. The bout will be a rematch from the Feb. 1 regular-season dual where Spratley came out on top. Poulin will need to stay hot to flip the result in his favor Saturday.
“He needs to keep going out and wrestling like he has been all day long…,” Dresser said. “So we got to go after him. We’re the underdog and so Stevo’s gotta savor that opportunity.”
The second rematch from the Cyclones’ and Cowboys’ Feb. 1 dual will be at 141 pounds. No. 1 seed freshman Sergio Vega of Oklahoma State squares off with No. 2 seed senior Anthony Echemendia. Vega was victorious last time, but it could be a different story Saturday.
“I think he’s really excited about that,” Dresser said. “I mean that guy’s a tough competitor. He’s kind of wormy, snakey and we got to figure out how to take that guy down.”
It’s a different perspective for the bouts at 197 and heavyweight. Both top-seeded seniors, Rocky Elam and Yonger Bastida, are the favorites and won’t wrestle as underdogs like their teammates.
“My mindset always is, when you’re the favorite is to go out and show everybody why you’re the favorite,” Dresser said. “You know, shut the doubters up.”
The consolation and championship rounds will take place at noon and 7 p.m., respectively, Saturday in the BOK Center in Tulsa.
