It was a packed house in the McCloud Center on UNI campus as Northern Iowa hosted the Iowa State wrestling team in a Big 12 Conference dual. 5,754 people were announced as the official attendance and they were treated to a dandy, including a meeting between two top 5 ranked wrestlers in the 184 weight class. It also featured recognition for the seniors on the team, including New Hampton’s Noah Glaser.Â
Things got underway with UNI’s Kyle Golhofer squaring off against Ethan Perryman, who scored an early takedown. Golhofer escaped, and nearly scored a takedown of his own, but ran out of time as the first period clock expired. In the second Golhofer registered a take down and managed to ride Perryman out to the end, taking a 4-2 lead to the third period. Perryman notched a takedown to take a 5-3 lead, but the Panther was able to escape. After a flurry of activity Golhofer was able to take the Cyclone down to take an 8-6 lead and the win.
It was a battle of ranked opponents at 133 pounds as #12 Kyle Biscoglia faced #24 Zach Redding. Neither wrestler scored in the first period as they mostly felt each other out. Redding opened the second period in the down position. Redding scored a reversal halfway through the second to take a 2-0 lead before Biscoglia managed to escape to make it 2-1. The third stanza opened with Biscoglia on the bottom, looking for the match tying escape, which he obtained 40 seconds into the period. But seven minutes wasn’t enough and the combatants went to overtime tied 2-2. Zach Redding scored a takedown in 38 seconds to pick up the sudden victory win.
At 141 pounds Casey Swiderski faced #8 Cael Happel. Swiderski found the first points of the match with a takedown at the two minute mark of the opening frame. Happel escaped to make it 2-1 before the first three minutes came to an end. The second period opened with UNI’s Happel in the down position. He scored a quick escape to tie the score. A lot of hand fighting and jockeying for position took it to the end of the period. Swiderski escaped early in the third take at the 3-2 advantage. He was hit with his first stalling as well. Happel was able to score the decisive take down with just under one minute remaining. It was a mad scramble to the end that included a roll through, a mat return, and a late caution against Swiderski. Swiderski nearly reversed at the last second, but Happel held on for the decision and gave the Panthers a 6-3 lead.
149 pounds featured UNI’s Allan Allard, stepping in for #13 Colin Realbuto, against ISU’s #10 Paniro Johnson. Neither wrestler scored in the opening period. Paniro started on the bottom to open the second period and escaped immediately. Neither wrestler notched a point, sending the match to the final frame 1-0 Johnson. Allard took the bottom to start and was able to escape 45 seconds later to tie the score. Allard had a shot that nearly netted points, but he wasn’t able to improve his position quickly enough. After a stalemate call the wrestlers had 50 seconds to decide it in regulation. Johnson was able to capitalize on an Allard mistake as he over extended, opening the door for Johnson to sneak behind for takedown and the win to tie the team score at six.
#22 Derek Holshlag vs #28 Jason Kraisser awaited in the 157 pound weight class. Holschlag was able to notch a takedown to take a 2-0 lead before Kraisser nearly reversed him. Instead, Iowa State’s Kraisser was able to escape and both wrestlers reset on their feet. The second period started with the Panther on top, and he quickly amassed riding time through two mat returns and a stalemate. Holschlag was able to score two back points as well to make the score 4-1 after two segments. The UNI wrestler took the down position in the third period. While he wasn’t able to escape, he was able to run the clock to :00 and pick up the win. The Panthers lead 9-3 at the break.
After the break Northern Iowa sent #15 Austin Yant to the mat to face ISU’s #2 David Carr. Carr scored the first points with a takedown in the first period. Yant was able to pick up an escape, but Carr immediately went back to work to take down Yant again. He was able to score back points to take an 8-1 lead before the end of the first period. Yant took the down position to start the second frame and scored an escape to bring the score to 8-2. Carr then took down Yant a second time to take a 10-2 lead early in the second period. Yant escaped again, but Carr clearly had bonus points on his mind and took Yant down again to take a 12-3 lead, which held to the end of the period. Carr started the third on bottom, escaping to take a 13-3 lead. He then took Yant down again, and tried to turn him halfway through the third segment. A dangerous position call ended that threat, but Carr still held a 15-4 advantage with :45 seconds left. After another couple of escapes and takedowns the final score tallied 19-6 and Carr took the major decision. Iowa State took their first lead as a team at 10-9.
At 174 pound UNI’s Lance Runyon scored the first points of the match with a late first round take down of ISU’s #29 Justin Broderson. Runyon started on the bottom to open the second frame, scoring an escape to take a 3-0 lead early in the second. The third period opened with both wrestling vertical. Broderson was able to notch a takedown half way through the period, giving up an escape, before a driving takedown tied the score, plus four back points gave him an 8-4 advantage. Broderson ended up winning 9-5 by decision, giving Iowa State a 13-9 team advantage.
#2 rated Parker Keckeisen and #4 ranked Marcus Coleman came to the mat at 184 pounds for the most anticipated match of the evening. ISU’s Carr scored the first points of the match with a takedown less than 30 seconds in. Keckeisen was able to escape to make it 2-1. He then got in for a takedown of his own, before letting Coleman escape to tie the score. The Panther started on the bottom to open the second segment and quickly stood up, trying to escape. It was a scramble that ended outside the circle and returned both wrestlers to the middle of the mat. Keckeisen was able to quickly escape on the restart to make the score 4-3. Both wrestlers received stall calls before the end of the second period. Keckeisen was able to get a deep shot on Coleman and scored the takedown to go up 6-3 before the end of the second frame. Coleman started on the bottom to open the third and was able to reverse Keckeisen, but the Panther was able to escape right away to maintain a 7-5 lead. The score held and the #2 ranked Panther’s decision cut Iowa State’s lead to 13-12.
Wyatt Volker took the mat for Northern Iowa at 197 and squared off against #4 Younger Bastida. Bastida picked up a quick take down for a 2-0 lead. Voelker escaped, but was taken down again and nearly wound up on his back. After another escape, the period ended with Bastida holding a 4-2 advantage. Bastida escaped to open the second and took Voelker down again. Bastida was chasing team bonus points as he let Voelker escape and then took him down again. The second period ended 9-4. Voelker notched an escape to open the third to bring the score back to 9-5. As time expired Bastida was given credit for a late takedown that would have made it 14-6 and given him a major decision. UNI coach Doug Schwab challenged the ruling and the two points were waved off, giving Bastida a 12-6 decision. This gave ISU a 16-12 lead heading to the heavyweight match.
The Panthers sent #15 Tyrell Gordon to the mat looking for at least a major decision. It would be a tall order against #8 Sam Schuyler. Schuyler scored first with a takedown about two minutes into the bout. He started on the bottom in the second period, and scored an early escape to make the score 3-0. To start the final segment of the night Gordon started on the bottom, needing to find a way to turn Schuyler for any chance of a UNI team win. Schuyler was able to return Gordon to the mat multiple times before Gordon was able to escape late in the third, but it was too little, too late. The 4-1 decision went to Gordon, which sealed the 19-12 team victory for the Cyclones.Â
The Panthers (7-4), ranked 14th to start the night, head to Wisconsin for a date with the Badgers next Saturday. #3 Iowa State (15-2) hosts #12 Illinois on Sunday.
