For the third-straight week, the No. 2 Iowa men’s wrestling program will see a ranked opponent — this time in the toughest matchup possible.
The Hawkeyes’ 381 points are creeping up on top-ranked Penn State’s 400, especially after execution in their biggest test yet in No. 4 Ohio State on Jan. 25. There, the Hawkeyes beat the Buckeyes, 24-13, inside Carver Hawkeye Arena.
The highlight of the afternoon was the return of No. 1 157-pounder Jacori Teemer after a long absence for a leg injury suffered against Iowa State. Teemer showed a bit of exhaustion but was nonetheless strong, for example in a spearing takedown, en route to a 10-5 win over No. 17 Sammy Sasso.
“The double [leg takedowns] were there all day,” Teemer said to the Big Ten Network after the meet. “[I’m] just feeling explosive again, man.”
The very back end of the lineup came in clutch after losses at 133 pounds without Drake Ayala in light of an elbow injury as well as 141 and 174 pounds.
“I can tell you that Drake Ayala is one tough son of a gun, and when he’s ready, he will be in that lineup,” Iowa head coach Tom Brands said. “Our team is better with him in the lineup, and today the right call was to have him not go in the lineup.”
No. 5 184-pounder Gabe Arnold secured a 4-1 overtime win over No. 19 Ryder Rogotzke before No. 1 197-pounder Stephen Buchanan won via a dominant 18-1 technical fall over No. 17 Seth Shumate. Lastly, No. 11 285-pounder Ben Kueter snagged his first big win of the season in a nerve-wracking 5-4 decision over No. 6 Nick Feldman.
The biggest stage of them all
The undefeated Hawkeyes move forward to see their biggest test yet in rival and top-ranked Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania, at 6 p.m on Friday.
Although Iowa leads the all-time series at 28-13-2 and 12-6-1 at Happy Valley, Friday marks just the fifth time the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions meet as first and second overall — in which they’re 2-2.
The card boasts a string of highly contested matchups that could go either way, although Penn State is favored by 20 team points.
The most exciting match of the night could come at 184 pounds when Arnold — despite remaining alongside first-year Angelo Ferrari in the probable lineup — sees top-ranked and four-time NCAA Champion Carter Starocci — as the two have exchanged some words from across the country over the last week.
“We didn’t get the job done last year, and that sucks, but we’re going to get it done this year,” Arnold said after the win over Ohio State. “So this time, we’ll be in your home dojo. And I promise — your head’s mine.”
Starocci was listening.
“Didn’t the other guy win the tournament?” Starocci said at media availability soon after, referring to Ferrari’s win over Arnold via forfeit at the Soldier Salute in December. “I think the game plan is for the other guy. I think the other guy is the better wrestler … I’ll be there Friday night ready to go.”
But the most exciting match could also come at 165 pounds in a one-against-two battle between Penn State’s No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink and Iowa’s No. 2 Michael Caliendo. Last season, Mesenbrink beat Caliendo twice — the most recent coming in a 17-9 major decision at the NCAA Championships.
Ayala, the second-ranked 133 pounder, is projected to start and will see No. 7 Braeden Davis after No. 23 Joey Cruz gets another big test in Penn State’s No. 9 Luke Liledahl at 125 pounds.
“He’s become a pillar in our lineup,” Brands said of Cruz after Ohio State. “He’s wrestling well right now, and we’ve got to keep him wrestling well. And he’s having fun and all the things that go with being a competitor.”
At 141 pounds, No. 18 Ryder Block is still alongside Jace Rhodes and Cullan Schriever in the probable lineup. Regardless, a Hawkeye will see No. 3 Beau Bartlett.
Likewise, No. 4 149-pounder Kyle Parco will match up against No. 3 Shayne Van Ness before Teemer — still alongside Miguel Estrada in the probable lineup — quickly gets a big test of his ranking and his gas tank against No. 3 Tyler Kasak.
The strength of Brands’ back end of the lineup will again be tested, beginning with 174 pounds as No. 6 Patrick Kennedy looks to avoid a second-straight loss as he takes on the offensively efficient No. 2 Levi Haines.
Buchanan will then defend his spot at 197 pounds with No. 4 Josh Barr before Kueter sees the powerful and experienced No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet. Altogether, the Hawkeyes will need a few upsets to win this one, but it could be much closer than expected.
Right back at it
The Hawkeyes will have to wake up and bounce back quickly with another dual meet two days later just south of Penn State at Maryland on Sunday. The dual set for 1 p.m. in College Park, the Terrapins are ranked No. 25 but are 8-6 overall in offering only five ranked opponents.
Those five are No. 11 Braxton Brown at 133 pounds, No. 32 Kal Miller at 149, No. 6 Ethen Miller at 157, No. 10 Jaxon Smith at 184 pounds, and No. 12 Seth Nevills at heavyweight.
Teemer and Kueter especially will have their staminas tested as they go from highly ranked opponent to highly ranked opponent. It’s possible Brands mixes the lineup too should health become a concern.