By Jordan Hansen

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For the first time since the 2011-12 season, the Iowa wrestling team crowned more than once champion.

Both Cory Clark (133) and Sammy Brooks (184) won Big Ten individual titles, the first time Iowa’s had a champion since 2014, when Tony Ramos won his senior year.

While the Hawkeyes did not walk away with the team title they desired, a pair of individual titles is huge after a disappointing conference tournament last season. Penn State, the overwhelming pre-tournament favorite, ran away with the meet during the championship round, winning three individual titles.

Next up for Iowa is the NCAA Championships on March 17-19.

Team standings:

1) Penn State (150.5)

2) Iowa (127.o)

3) Ohio State (126.0)

4) Nebraska (117.0)

5) Rutgers (106.5)

6) Michigan (89.5)

7) Illinois (88.0)

8) Wisconsin (67.5)

9) Minnesota (51.5)

10) Purdue (34.0)

11) Indiana (30.5)

12) Northwestern (11.5)

13) Michigan State (10.5)

14) Maryland (7.5)

 

(All rankings reflect seeds in the tournament)

…

125 pounds

No. 2 Thomas Gilman pinned No. 5 Elijah Oliver (Indiana) in 3:43.

— Iowa’s first match of the day also turned into the team’s first (needed) bonus points. Gilman was already up big with a couple takedowns, but then threw Oliver on his back to secure the fall. An excellent start to the Hawkeyes day.

Gilman major decision Tim Lambert (Nebraska), 12-4.

— Gilman really opened things up in the second period, scoring two takedowns and generally controlling the pace of the match. He added another several takedowns in the third to seal the victory and his place on the medal stand.

Gilman finishes in 3rd place.

…

133 pounds

No. 2 Cory Clark 

—After a scoreless first period, Clark and Richards traded escapes through the second and third, which led to overtime. Neither wrestler could finish a shot in sudden victory and it went to tiebreakers. Clark managed an escape in just four seconds and then did not allow Richards out to win the title.

Clark is the Big Ten Champion at 133 pounds.

…

 

149 pounds

No. 1 Zain Retherford (Penn State) decision No. 2 Brandon Sorensen, 4-0. 

— An Retherford takedown towards the end of the first period put Sorensen behind, who also wasn’t able to escape. That would end up foreshadowing the rest of the match, as Sorensen could do nothing in the second or third period. Retherford got a point for riding time and that, as they say, was that.

Sorensen is the Big Ten runner-up at 149 pounds.

…

157 pounds

No. 5 Edwin Cooper Jr. decision No. 3 Richie Lewis (Rutgers), 2-0.

— Cooper Jr. rode Lewis out the entire second period and then immediately escaped at the beginning of the third to take a lead. Lewis never got another good opportunity for a shot and lost the match.

No. 6 Brian Murphy decision Cooper, 2-1 in tiebreakers.

— A very offensively-challenged match, Cooper and Murphy traded escapes, but couldn’t do much else. Nothing happened in sudden victory either, and the mat went into tiebreakers, where Cooper lost.

Cooper finishes in 4th place.

…

165 pounds

No. 8 Patrick Rhoads decision No. 7 Geno Morelli (Penn State), 4-2

— In the middle of the second period, Rhoads took down Morelli, and nabbed a 2-1 lead. Morelli then escaped and after a scoreless third, the bout went into overtime. Rhoads got in on the Nittany Lion’s wrestler’s leg, scoring the winning points.

Rhoads finishes in 7th place.

…

174 pounds

No. 5 Nate Jackson (Indiana) decision No. 2 Alex Meyer, 11-7

— Jackson got a TD early, which pretty much set the tone for the match — Meyer would be trying to come from behind for the remainder of the match. Meyer a little more aggressive in the second period, getting in on a couple shots and finally getting a TD with 20 seconds left, but that would be the extent on his offense. While there was lots of acton in the third, Meyer couldn’t finish a TD and instead gave up several to Jackson.

Meyer decision Micah Barnes (Nebraska), 3-1.

A late takedown in the third period would be all the separation Meyer would need to finish off his tournament with a win. Not the result the No. 2 seed was looking for, but ending with a win is certainly better for him than the opposite.

Meyer finishes in 5th place.

…

184 pounds

No. 3 Sammy Brooks decision No. 4 T.J. Dudley, 6-4.

— After getting an early takedown, the confidence in the way Brooks wrestled the match was noticeable. Despite giving up a takedown to Dudley, Brooks kept his composure and kept the pressure on.

Brooks is the Big Ten Champion at 184-pounds.

…

197 pounds

No. 3 Nathan Burak 

— McIntosh got in early on a couple shots. First one didn’t go, second one did. Burak got an escape and then another in the second to tie things up. Burak then gave up an escape to McIntosh in the early part of the third period. Despite numerous shot attempts by Burak, nothing came to fruition for the senior 197-pounder.

Burak is the Big Ten runner-up at 197-pounds.

…

Heavyweight

Brock Horwath (Wisconsin) medical forfeit No. 3 Sam Stoll 

— Nothing much to say here. A win wouldn’t have done much for Iowa and if the training staff was feeling questionable about Stoll’s health, then this was the only course of action.

Stoll finishes 8th at heavyweight.

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