No. 2 Iowa wrestling tops Iowa State 18-15 behind three bonus point wins

FIRST PERIOD: Tony Cassioppi is exactly who Iowa wants closing out this dual for the Hawkeyes, and he takes an early 2-0 lead before going to work on top. He looks for a turn, but he instead ends the period with two minutes of riding time.

SECOND PERIOD: Cassioppi chooses down to start the second and escapes to take a 3-0 lead. The Hawk wants bonus points though, and he extends his lead with a takedown in the second minute of the second period to lead 5-0.

THIRD PERIOD: Woah, Schuyler had a cradle locked up and put Cassioppi in serious danger, but the Hawk fights him off to hold on to the 6-2 lead with 30 seconds to go. Cassioppi and the Iowa Hawkeyes take the win as the big man finishes the dual with a 9-2 decision.

Iowa wins 18-15!

FIRST PERIOD: Bastida takes the lead with just under a minute in the first period with a solid, textbook takedown. Warner escapes, and the Hawk is comfortable in these close matches, but this is leaning the Cyclone's way right now. Bastida continues to fight through the final seconds and notches a second takedown at the buzzer. He'll head into the second period leading 4-1. Big momentum moment for Iowa State.

SECOND PERIOD: These guys go neutral to start the second period. Another push from Bastida, but the wrestlers go out of bounds. Thirty seconds left in the second period. Bastida leads 4-1. Riding time is not a factor. Shot by Warner, and he nearly gets it on the edge in the final seconds, but they go out of bounds and head back to the center to end the period in neutral.

THIRD PERIOD: Warner chooses down to start the third, and he escape to narrow the score 4-2. One minute to go. Iowa throws the brick, looking for penalty points after Coach Brands suspects Bastida pulled on the headgear twice. The refs award the point to Warner, so now Bastida leads just 4-3 with less than a minute to go. It's all action now from both guys. Thirty-five seconds to go, and it's a shot from Warner. Bastida defends, but Warner still has his leg. Fifteen seconds. Bastida holds on! He takes the win 4-3.

Iowa and Iowa State are tied at 15-15.

FIRST PERIOD: Carver-Hawkeye Arena loves the Brands family, and they greeted 174-pound starter Nelson Brands with an overwhelming roar of support. Brands responded to that energy, throwing MJ Gaitan to his back for a big move, scoring a takedown and backpoints for a 4-1 lead after Gaitan escaped. What a start!

Another takedown for Nelson Brands and nearly more back points on the edge. He leads 6-2 after Gaitan escapes. Make that two more for Brands and one more for Gaitan. The Hawkeye leads 7-4 after three minutes. Woah, this guy is coming out with speed and power!

SECOND PERIOD: Gaitan chooses down to start the third, and he escapes, but Brands holds him down long enough to push his riding time up over one minute, after his rides in the first period after those early takedowns. Brands is in on another takedown, and he's looking for more backpoints. That's a 9-5 lead for the Hawk! Gaitan is fighting for the escape, but, this time, Brands is leaning into the ride and fighting to hold down the Cyclone to end the period on top. Fifteen seconds to go. Big mat return for Brands, and he'll finish the second period with a 9-5 lead and just over two minutes of riding time.

THIRD PERIOD: Brands chooses down to start the third and notches a quick escape. He holds a 10-5 lead now with riding time. One more takedown would give him bonus points. One more minute. Gaitan isn't giving up, but he goes for a shot, and Brands pushes him down with a strong double-leg — this is looking like a major decision for the Hawkeye. There he goes! Brands notches the 13-5 win!

Iowa leads 15-9 after seven bouts.

𝓚𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓷 𝓑𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓭.

#15 with a major decision over MJ Gaitan, 13-5.

Iowa 15, ISU 9 |

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

FIRST PERIOD: This is Iowa State's chance to turn things around, but Iowa's Patrick Kennedy is not going to make that easy for him. Scoreless after the first minute, but the pace is high. These guys are wrestling hard and smart. Carr looks poised and ready. There's no urgency in his wrestling, he's in his comfort zone, competing smart in enemy territory. There's a takedown for Carr and an escape for Kennedy. Iowa State takes the lead here. Carr wants a win, but he has to know that his team needs bonus too. Another shot! Kennedy holds him off, but that attack mostly just showed off his offense and set up him up for the next shot. Carr converted on the second shot to end the first period on top with a 4-1 lead. Big period for the Cyclone.

SECOND PERIOD: Carr chooses down to start the second period, and he's out immediately to lead 5-1. This score has not deterred Kennedy, as he continues to shoot, but it's Carr with the third takedown after just over a minute in the period. The Cyclone now leads 7-1. Riding time is not a factor, yet, but a big mat return from Carr sends a message. He's here for bonus. Kennedy escapes. Carr holds 50 seconds of riding time and a 7-2 lead to carry this bout into the third period.

THIRD PERIOD: Kennedy chooses down to start the third, and he escapes, but not before Carr pushes his riding time up over a minute. Carr holds a 7-3 lead with 1:01 of advantage time with 90 seconds to go in the period. One minute to go. Carr is absolutely still on the offense. Kennedy, again, continues to wrestle with fearlessness, but Carr's class is clear. Carr is in on a shot, and that's two. He has a 9-3 lead with riding time, but he cuts Kennedy, looking for one more takedown. Carr comes up short of bonus but notches a big decision win 10-4, and his joy is clear. Add three team points for the Cyclones.

Hawks lead 11-9 after six.

165 | No. 3 David Carr wins by decision, 10-4, over No. 13 Patrick Kennedy!

ISU 9, Iowa 11

🌪🚨🌪

— Iowa State Wrestling (@CycloneWR)

FIRST PERIOD: This is another freshman Cyclone vs. a veteran Hawkeye, and here we go again! Quick scramble, but we're still scoreless after the first minute. Max Murin wrestles so aggressively and strong, but Johnson withstands the heavy hands from the Hawkeye. Scoreless first period.

SECOND PERIOD: Murin chooses down to start the second and notches the quick escape. He's on the board first with the 1-0 lead. With less than a minute to go in the second, the score remains 1-0 with no takedowns. Thirty seconds to go. This dual will come down to the third period. Johnson goes for a short time takedown, but Murin holds him off and maintains his 1-0 lead heading into the third.

THIRD PERIOD: Johnson chooses down to start the third, and Murin looks to ride as long as possible. Johnson is fighting to get out, but they go out of bounds. Murin notches thirty seconds of riding time and the clocks ticks up, but Johnson escapes. These two guys are tied up 1-1. Riding time is not a factor. One minute to go. We're about to find out what these two guys have left in the tank. Forty-five seconds. Murin is working the edge, pushing Johnson around, looking for a stall call. Thirty seconds. Murin takes a shot, but Johnson holds him off. We're heading to overtime!

SUDDEN VICTORY: The first thirty seconds pass scoreless. Credit to Johnson for not letting this moment get to him. One minute to go. Johnson with a shot, but Murin holds him off. Thirty seconds to go. Ten seconds. Johnson with another shot. Murin holds him off. Another shot for Johnson, and he gets the takedown! Johnson will take the win 3-1 in short time!

Iowa leads 7-6 after four bouts. Spencer Lee's bonus points are the difference between these two teams right now.

🅿🤑

— Iowa State Wrestling (@CycloneWR)

FIRST PERIOD: Real Woods couldn't have looked more excited as he raced out of the Iowa tunnel. Here he is, the All-American, in the Black and Gold, taking on freshman phenom Casey Swiderski of Iowa State. This is quite the match-up. Swiderski is here to fight, and he is driving the pace early. The first two minutes have been scoreless, but here comes Woods! He's pushing and pushing, but Swiderski is fighting him off. Iowa State is hit with stalling, which is deserved, but, he hasn't wrestled cautiously. Woods forced him into that stall call. Swiderski, though, should feel good about that first period against the All-American.

SECOND PERIOD: Woods defers, and Swiderski chooses down. Woods starts racking up the riding time. He's working on top like someone who might have been training with elite top wrestlers like Spencer Lee. Woods like every bit like an Iowa-style wrestler right now. Riding time creeps up, and now he's looking to ride out the period. The refs hit Swiderski with a second stall call. This was not the period Iowa State wanted. Ten seconds left. No one scored a takedown in this period, but this was all Real Woods with the rideout. He'll lead 1-0 heading into the third after those two stall calls.

THIRD PERIOD: Woods chooses down to start the third and escapes quickly. He now leads 2-0 with riding time. Swiderski with the tekaedown! Now he's looking for backpoints. Talk about someone who doesn't quit. Woods escapes what could have been a dangerous situation for him, and now we're taking a blood time break with Woods leading 3-2. Swiderski gets himself tapped up, and we're back on the mat. This man is a warrior. One more minute.

Thirty seconds. Swiderski needs a takedown to tie it, given that Woods has a 3-2 lead with riding time. Thirteen seconds. Ten seconds. Five seconds. Woods will take this one 4-2, but what a battle from Swiderski. Don't sleep on the Cyclone freshman this season.

Things are getting chippy. This is what this dual is all about. Woods is all about this moment, and he's a proud Hawkeye victor today.

It's time to 𝗕𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹.

Real Woods wins his first match in CHA over #10 Casey Swiderski, 4-2.

Iowa 7, ISU 3 |

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling)

He's back! Three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee brings Iowa fans to their feet right away just by taking the mat. Here we go!

FIRST PERIOD: Lee scored two in the first ten seconds. The champ is on the board for the first time of the year. That's two more. My goodness — Lee leads 4-1 within the first minute after Corey Cabanban escapes. Here comes the tilt! Lee is not wasting anytime. He now leads 8-1, but here he goes again. That's four more points for Lee. He takes the 12-1 lead after just over 90 seconds. The tech fall is within sight.

Shane Sparks couldn't be more right when he said "[There are] a lot of happy Hawkeyes here tonight."

This is what Iowa fans have been waiting for for months.

Cabanban escapes. He'll want to make it out of the first period, but Lee has another 45 seconds to end this one if he can score five more points quickly. Thirty seconds to go. Lee leads 12-2 going into the second.

SECOND PERIOD:

Lee's early flurries were exciting. But there does look to be a little caution here in the final seconds. He has a sleeve on one knee and a knee pad on the other. He defers to start the second period, and Cabanban picks neutral. Smart move. He's going to force Lee to shoot if Lee wants to earn the tech. Cabanban goes for a shot, but Lee defends, and then goes in for a shot of his own. This has definetly been a slower second period for Lee. Cabanban takes down Lee with 20 minutes to go! Lee now leads 12-4 with 1:24 of riding time.

THIRD PERIOD: Lee chooses down to start the third and notches the escape before going in for another shot. Cabanban is wrestling so tough. Lee leads 13-4, but there's another takedown for Lee. He now leads 15-4 with riding time. Cabanban escapes. The scoreboard now reads 15-5 with over 1:25 of riding time. Lee gets hit for stalling, an unusal situation for him. Fifteen seconds. Lee will end with with a 16-5 win after riding time.

Iowa leads 4-0 after one.

Spencer Lee returns to the lineup and gives the Hawkeyes a 4-0 lead after his 16-5 major decision over Corey Cabanban

— IAwrestle (@IAwrestle)

The wrestlers have weighed in, and the scene is set. The dual is set to start at 125 pounds, and take a look at who has weighed in....this could get interesting immediately.

weigh-in sheets 👀

— Cody Goodwin (@codygoodwin)

Let’s take a look at the probable lineups for each team:

Three big questions loom ahead of this dual: 1.) Will Iowa's three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee take the mat for the first time this season in the Cy-Hawk dual? 2.) How good can Iowa State's freshmen be in a setting like Carver-Hawkeye Arena? 3.) Can NCAA champion David Carr help lead his Cyclones to the first win over the Hawks in nearly two decades?

The first question — the Spencer Lee factor — could be answered before action begins. Lee is not listed as a probable for this dual, but his team might need him if they want to hold off Iowa State, and Lee is the ultimate team guy. If he weigh ins before the dual, anticipation will certainly increase.

CY-HAWK HISTORY: Everything you need to know about the legacies of Iowa and Iowa State 

Iowa fans come to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to see the stars, as a whole, don the Black and Gold, but they also come to Carver for Lee. The Iowa lightweight has been the face of the program throughout his career, and the 2022 Cy-Hawk dual is the perfect setting for his return following his two ACL surgeries last fall. 

If Lee gets the nod, expect him to go out and work for a fall. In 2020, prior to his second ACL tear,  Lee raced out to a dominant start to his season, pinning five of his first six opponents. He'll look to put up a similar result if he's able to wrestle. 

Iowa State's 125-pounder, No. 19 Kysen Terukina, would come into a match against Lee as an underdog, but if Iowa sends out backup Aidan Harris, Terukina will be expected to not only win, but win by bonus points, making this weight a key factor in the dual. Terukina is 3-1 on the year with a notable win over All-American Eric Barnett and an unexpected loss to Eli Griffin of California Baptist, but Harris is 0-4 with two of those losses coming by tech and fall. In a perfect situation for the Hawks, they send out Lee and start with a significant lead. If not, they'll need the rest of their All-Americans to really make some noise. If Terukina doesn't wrestle for Iowa State and the Cyclones send out a backup, they could still be favored against Harris but could struggle even more against Lee.

ALL-STAR CLASSIC RESULTS: Terukina was one of 30 wrestlers to compete in this elite event

Regardless of how 125 pounds plays out, 133 pounds continues to provide intrigue. Iowa has third-year sophomore Cullan Schriever listed as the probable for the dual, and Schriever has been solid so far this year, posting an 8-1 record with his only loss coming against Michael Colaiocco of Penn last weekend 6-0. Iowa has sent out both Schriever and Northern Iowa transfer Brody Teske so far this year, but Teske has not wrestled since mid-November when the Hawks beat California Baptist, so Schriever looks to be the guy for the team against the Cyclones.

𝗖𝘆-𝗛𝗮𝘄𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿: 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬 𝗙𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗼𝘄𝗮 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆

🌪🚨🌪

— Iowa State Wrestling (@CycloneWR)

Iowa State has a similar lineup battle going on at 133 pounds, as Ramazan Attasauov and Zach Redding are both listed as probables, though Redding has been the starter for the team consistently thus far. He's 3-1 on the year, much like Terukina, with an impressive win over Wisconsin All-American Taylor LaMont and a puzzling fall against unranked Hunter Leake from California Baptist. Regardless of who starts for either team, this is likely a bout that will end in a close decision, and while it may not be the marquee match of the night, every team point is going to matter, and the 133-pounder starters for each team are likely quite aware of that reality. 

IMPRESSIVE FRESHMAN: Learn more about how this year's young stars performed in Week 1 

Iowa State's chance for some real momentum comes at 141 pounds, and this is the weight where the second big question of the dual — How good can Iowa State's freshman be in a setting like Carver-Hawkeye? — will be answered. The Cyclones have standout freshman Casey Swiderski listed as the team's starter, while Iowa has two options: Drew Bennett and All-American Real Woods. Swiderski will be favored against Bennett, a Hawk who is currently 3-2 on the year, but if Woods wrestles, buckle up.

Woods finished sixth in last year's NCAA championships and is certainly a title contender at the weight if he's healthy. Swiderski has shown he's tough too, as he beat NCAA qualifiers Joe Zargo and Shannon Hanna and has wins over Edison Alanis and Shea Ruffidge as well. Woods would be Swiderski's toughest opponent so far this year and would allow him to see where he really stacks up. 

But there's another factor at play here: Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Iowa has sold out its season tickets for the second year in a row, meaning that Swiderski and the Cyclones will likely be wrestling in front of 14,905-plus rowdy Hawkeye fans. Swiderski is mentally strong and gritty, but this is a hostile environment for Iowa State. The crowd could play a role, particularly in matches where young stars are looking to make their mark. Don't dismiss the potential element of "Carver Magic" in these bouts. 

Carver-Hawkeye Arena was rockin' for No. 2 Iowa's 26-11 win over No. 21 Penn. x ��

— NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling)

At 149 pounds, Iowa State will likely send out another freshman into Carver Mania to take on an Iowa veteran, as Paniro Johnson is set to battle four-time national qualifier Max Murin. To come into Iowa's house and beat a wrestler as savvy and fundamental as Murin is no easy task.

Johnson has been impressive early this year, most notably beating Wisconsin All-American Austin Gomez just two weeks before Gomez topped three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis in the Cornell-Wisconsin dual. Murin will be another test.

On paper, Murin comes in with the slight rankings advantage, holding down the No. 6 spot while Johnson sits at No. 8. The weight class has been utter chaos in the early part of the season, and if Johnson wins, he could really make big jumps in the rankings given that he does have the win over No. 2 Gomez, and Gomez has wins over No. 1 Diakomihalis and No. 3 Sammy Sasso. 

UPSET ALERT: Here's how Austin Gomez took down No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis

The 149-pound match will offer some indication as to where Johnson is really at, particularly whether his bout with Gomez was an accurate representation of his potential or whether he had an unusually strong performance in that one meeting. This match also answers questions for the Cyclones about how many points they might be able to expect out of this weight in March. 

While 149 pounds has some interesting storylines with Johnson’s potential for a breakout performance and Murin’s steady role as an Iowa contributor, 157 is a little more wild. Iowa’s Cobe Siebrecht has taken control of this starting spot for the Hawks, and he most recently earned national attention when he pinned then-No. 10 Anthony Artalona in the Penn dual. Siebrecht is funky, and while he didn’t come into the season necessarily on the All-American radar or maybe even on the radar as a national qualifier, he could play a key role in this Cy-Hawk dual and improve his status even more.

Siebrecht will be expected to take on the only unranked guy in Iowa State’s lineup in Jason Kraisser, but Cody Goodwin of the Des Moines Register urges fans not to overlook this match. In his “” podcast, Goodwin noted that this is an important match for both teams, and, given its potential placement in the middle of the dual, these two guys will be expected to put their teams on their backs and fight for points, particularly if the dual is close at this point. 

🤼 Wrestler of the Week 🤼

Paniro Johnson,

📰

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference)

The 157-pound weight class is an opportunity for someone like Siebrecht or Kraisser to make a name for himself, but at 165 pounds, the two starters are known entities ready to put on a show. 

Iowa State’s biggest star, 2021 NCAA champion David Carr, is set to take the mat at this weight for the Cyclones, and if there’s one name and face that has come to be associated with this program for the last several years, it’s Carr's. His focus, determination, resilience and leadership has helped to elevate the Cyclone program, and if Iowa State can pull off the upset and top the Hawks, Carr will likely be a key part of that process. 

Carr has a career record of 94-3, with one of those losses coming during his redshirt season. Aside from his loss in last year’s NCAA tournament to Oregon State’s Hunter Willits, Carr has been unbelievably consistent and strong. His bump up from 157 to 165 pounds is interesting particularly because of the depth at the the heavier weight, but he’s already beaten Wisconsin’s Dean Hamiti and Princeton’s Quincy Monday this season and is showing that he’s here to chase another title. 

ALL-STAR CLASSIC: NCAA champions shine in exhibition showcase

Challenging him on Sunday will be Iowa’s young star Patrick Kennedy, a currently undefeated third-year sophomore who has been waiting for his moment in the spotlight for several years. Kennedy spent the last two seasons sitting behind Iowa four-time Big Ten champion Alex Marinelli in the lineup, but, now that Kennedy has his shot, he’s been full force ahead. Averaging more than 20 points a match in his four bouts so far this year, Kennedy has shown that he’s fearless and hungry. His match against Carr will be must-watch wrestling, even if Carr has the notable advantage on paper given his experience and career credentials. 

. ran up a 20pt barrage. 💪​ x

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN)

If 165 pounds goes to the Cyclones, Iowa has a real chance to put themselves back in control at 174 pounds, and if Kennedy pulls off the major upset at 165 pounds and earns team points there for Iowa, prepare for the momentum to swing in a major way as Iowa’s 174-pounder Nelson Brands takes the mat. Brands, who has just one match on his resume so far this year after returning from Tommy John surgery and a broken collar bone, is a national qualifier for the Hawkeyes who has wrestled most of his career up at 184 pounds. With the graduation of Iowa’s four-time All-American Michael Kemerer, Brands has been able to slot into the lineup at perhaps a more ideal weight. His match last weekend against Penn resulted in a 5-1 decision victory, so while he hasn’t put up bonus points against an opponent yet this year, the energy in Carver-Hawkeye Arena might be just what he needs to find that extra push.

HAWKEYE HEROS: Complete history of the Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling program

Brands' opponent is expected to be Julien Broderson, an Iowa native with a 47-17 career record. Broderson comes into this match undefeated on the year with his best win coming against his teammate Joel Devine 6-5 in the Cyclone Open. Devine started for Iowa State last season and qualified for NCAAs, but Broderson is expected to take over the spot this year and has earned the starting spot against California Baptist, Campbell and Grand View. He’s listed as the probable guy for the Cyclones, and his battle with Brands could help reveal where he belongs with the top 33 rankings. 

The upper weights are where things really start to get interesting for the Hawks and the Cyclones, particularly if the duals ends with 184, 197 and 285. Iowa State is favored at 184 pounds, as Cyclone All-American Marcus Coleman is slated to take on national qualifier Abe Assad, though these two have never wrestled each other in their collegiate carers thus far. Coleman comes into the dual undefeated on the year with a two major decisions, a tech fall a pin and a decision. Assad similarly is 5-0 with three decisions, a major and a tech fall.

Coleman's accolades give him the edge in the preseason rankings, but if this dual is close, Assad could work to keep this tight. Neither athlete can give up bonus points here, but for Iowa State to make noise, they'll want a statement win at 184 pounds before 197 pounds, one of the biggest matchups of the night. 

In last year's Cy-Hawk dual, Iowa State All-American Yonger Bastida took down Iowa All-American Jacob Warner in Hilton Coliseum 4-2 at 197 pounds. Bastida is super dangerous and rapidly improving, making him a potential problem for Warner again. Warner also has the added challenge of coming into this matchup fresh off two duals that probably left him feeling unsatisfied, the first being his loss to Rocky Elam in the All-Star dual, and the second being his narrow victory over Cole Urbas of Penn 11-10 where he was tiled twice by the Quaker. A win over Bastida would turn around Warner's momentum, but, much like 184 pounds, Iowa State knows that a win is needed here.

HEAVYWEIGHT STARS: Cassioppi has been a leader at 285 pounds throughout his career

Last year, after Bastida beat Warner, Iowa's Tony Cassioppi quieted the Cyclone fan base when he stalled out his heavyweight opponent Sam Schuyler. Bonus will be expected from Cassioppi again. The Iowa All-American is 5-0 on the year with 100% bonus, having pinned four of those five opponents and majoring the fifth. Much of the dual could come down to how these upperweights perform because, if the results play out as the rankings suggest, this one could be a nail-bitter.

The good news for Iowa is that its traditional closer, Cassioppi, is known for putting an exclamation mark on his team's performance with big moves and big points. The good news for Iowa State is that they have the potential to notch big wins at 184 and 197 and create momentum before the end of the dual. All 10 weight classes offer something fun to watch, and this is certainly one of the most interesting, most intriguing early duals of the year with so much rivalry pride on the line. 

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