The Iowa men’s wrestling squad will close out its home slate against Wisconsin on Sunday. The dual will start at 1 p.m. and be broadcast on Big Ten Network. After the meet, 15 Hawkeye seniors, including one manager and 14 student-athletes, will be honored.
The Hawkeyes are 10-2 this season, losing their last two duals against Michigan and Penn State. Iowa has won the last 11 meetings against Wisconsin and 42 of the last 43.
A few notable changes on the probable bout sheet include redshirt freshman Joey Cruz slotting in at 125 and true freshman Gabe Arnold at 184. Cruz is 7-5 this season. Arnold has wrestled in three competition dates so far and can wrestle in two more before burning his redshirt.
Probable lineup
125 POUNDS: No. 3 Eric Barnett (WI) over Joey Cruz (IA) via major decision
Period 1: Cruz gets ahold of Barnett’s leg and tries to kick the other from underneath him, but the scramble ends with a potential danger call. Barnett scores a takedown in the final seconds of the period.
Period 2: Barnett starts down and escapes to go up, 4-0.
Period 3: Three-point takedown for Barnett about 30 seconds into the period, and the Badger rides Cruz out the rest of the way. Barnett wins, 8-0, with 1:27 of riding time.
Wisconsin 4, Iowa 0
133 POUNDS: Brody Teske (IA) over Nicolar Rivera (WI) via tech fall
Period 1: Teske comes out aggressive with a three-point takedown. Teske thinks about letting Rivera up, but moves quick and puts the Badger on his back for four near-fall points. Two more takedowns give Teske a comfortable 13-2 lead after the first three minutes.
Period 2: Rivera starts down and escapes in about 30 seconds. Teske with another takedown, and he lets Rivera escape. Teske ends the match with a takedown. He wins, 19-4, with over two minutes of riding time to give the Hawkeyes their first lead.
Iowa 5, Wisconsin 4
141 POUNDS: No. 2 Real Woods (IA) over Felix Lettini (WI) via fall
Period 1: Right as the whistle blows, Woods shoots for a leg. He finishes the shot with a three-point takedown and rides Lettini, eventually tilting him for a four-point near-fall. Another four-point near-fall for the Hawkeye. Iowa fans are loving the offensive aggressiveness these last two matches. Woods up, 11-0.
Period 2: Woods scores a three-point takedown in first 15 seconds. Stall warning on Lettini. Woods tilts Lettini again and after a long-awaited call, gets the fall. Woods blows kisses to the crowd as he runs off the mat in Carver for the final time. A good morale boost for Woods, who lost his last two matches.
Iowa 11, Wisconsin 4
149 POUNDS: No. 8 Caleb Rathjen (IA) over No. 19 Joseph Zargo (WI) via decision
Period 1: Rathjen gets on the board with a three-point takedown and rides Zargo out for the remainder of the period.
Period 2: Rathjen starts down and escapes in about 25 seconds to increase his lead to 4-0. The pair scrambles but no points are awarded before the buzzer sounds.
Period 3: They start neutral. Injury time is called for Rathjen. Looks like his right leg. Rathjen gets up under his own power and walks around the mat with a slight limp. Refs are reviewing something — it seems Wisconsin wanted a takedown call for Zargo right before the injury (and I thought the refs signaled takedown when it happened??), but no points are given. Back to the action! Wisconsin’s Chris Bono is not happy, to say the least, and Rathjen rubs it in with another takedown. Zargo escapes, but it’s not enough. Rathjen wins, 7-1, and gets a standing ovation as he walks to the tunnel, still with a limp.
Iowa 14, Wisconsin 4
157 POUNDS: No. 5 Jared Franek (IA) over Luke Melcher (WI) via major decision
Period 1: Franek scores two takedowns in 45 seconds. Melcher escapes both times. Franek with another takedown to go up, 9-2.
Period 2: Franek starts down and escapes in 17 seconds. The pair exchanges another takedown and escape. Franek leads, 13-3, heading into the final two minutes.
Period 3: Melcher escapes. Another takedown and riding time gives Franek a 17-5 win. There will now be a 10-15 minute intermission.
Iowa 18, Wisconsin 4
165 POUNDS: No. 5 Dean Hamiti (WI) over No. 7 Michael Caliendo (IA) via decision
Period 1: Hamiti starts fast and scores a takedown. Caliendo escapes after 22 seconds. Hamiti uses his length to his advantage for another three points — Caliendo is having a hard time reaching and holding on to the Badger’s legs. Caliendo escapes. Caliendo does get ahold of a leg this time. Hamiti hops around the mat on one leg before Caliendo finishes with a takedown to cut his deficit to one. Hamiti escapes and leads, 7-5.
Period 2: Hamiti starts down. Two-point reversal for the Badger. Caliendo escapes and trails, 9-6.
Period 3: Caliendo escapes. Takedown for Hamiti. Caliendo escapes and gets a takedown, putting Hawk fans on their feet. Caliendo lets Hamiti escape and tries to tie the match in the last 20 seconds but can’t come up with any points. Hamiti wins, 14-11, with riding time.
Iowa 18, Wisconsin 7
174 POUNDS: No. 7 Patrick Kennedy (IA) over Cale Anderson (WI) via tech fall
Period 1: Kennedy gets on the board with a takedown. Anderson escapes. Another takedown gives Kennedy a 6-1 lead after three minutes.
Period 2: Kennedy starts down and escapes in about 15 seconds. Kennedy with another takedown. Iowa fans want stalling, saying Anderson is “going to bed” and “needs a pillow.”
Period 3: Kennedy stays aggressive and gets a 19-4 tech fall. He racked up over two minutes of riding time.
Iowa 23, Wisconsin 7
184 POUNDS: Gabe Arnold (IA) over No. 16 Shane Liegel (WI) via decision
Period 1: Arnold receives the loudest cheer of the day as he runs out of the tunnel. Right as someone yells “Put him on the highlight reel,” Arnold turns a scramble into a takedown. Stall warning on Arnold, and the Hawkeye looks back at Iowa’s corner confused. Escape Liegel after Arnold musters 1:42 of riding time.
Period 2: Arnold starts down and escapes. He scores a takedown shortly after. Liegel escapes. Arnold leads, 7-3.
Period 3: They start neutral. Arnold is fearless during scrambles and knows how to get himself out of sticky situations. Liegel scores a takedown to trim his deficit to one. With 1:31 of riding time, Arnold wins, 8-6.
Iowa 26, Wisconsin 7
197 POUNDS: No. 11 Zach Glazier (IA) over Josh Otto (WI) via major decision
Period 1: Stalling on Otto. Takedown Glazier followed by an escape from Otto.
Period 2: Glazier starts down and escapes. Another stall warning on Otto gives Glazier a point. The Hawkeye scores another three-point takedown.
Period 3: Another takedown by Glazier and a stalling call on Otto lifted the Hawkeye to a 13-4 win with 1:48 of riding time.
Iowa 30, Wisconsin 7
HEAVYWEIGHT: No. 29 Bradley Hill (IA) over Gannon Rosenfeld (WI) via major decision
Hill is 1-2 all-time against Rosenfeld, with all three meetings coming in the 2022-23 season.
Period 1: Hill strikes first with a takedown. Rosenfeld escapes.
Period 2: Rosenfeld selects the top position. Hill escapes and scores a takedown about 30 seconds later. The Hawkeye leads, 7-2.
Period 3: Rosenfeld starts down. Hill escapes and stays in control, scoring another takedown. Hill rides the Badger out the remainder of the match en route to an 11-3 win with over two minutes of riding time.
FINAL: Iowa 34, Wisconsin 7
