Wrestling is a funny sport isn't it? If this were basketball or football or baseball, or pretty much any other sport other than wrestling, we could take the information provided to us and make a logical conclusion. I mean it's simple isn't it? A #2 vs a #11 team. Iowa State lost to Stanford, while Iowa beat Stanford handedly. Simple right?
Wrong
It's not anywhere near that simple. Hate to say it, but the Cyclones weren't taking the dual against Stanford all that seriously. In a sport where most still put the only stock, the only value on the post season, Coach Dresser and company aren't all that concerned with a loss to the Cardinal. Now a dual against Iowa, look at Iowa State's schedule. Other than Oklahoma State, there isn't a dual that they're going to take more seriously. Coach Dresser is coming into Iowa City to do war. He'll have his men prepared....
And so will Brands & Co. As far as the B&G is concerned, they're leading the C&G to slaughter. Tom and Terry are both ready to lash out in 300 esque banner, "THIS IS IOWA CITY!!!"
What is most peculiar to me about this upcoming dual is that in all 10 matches, none of these wrestlers have met collegiately before. An Iowa Hawkeyes Vs Iowa State Cyclones showdown, and none of the wrestlers have wrestled before. I can't say for sure but in my 32 years of watching college wrestling, I think this may be the first time this has ever happened.
Let's go to war....
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| #31 Kale Petersen Vs R.S. Adrian Meza 125 |
Iowa State may very well wrestle Osmany Diversent, but with the rules being that a current redshirt can have so many varsity matches & still keep their redshirt, it wouldn't surprise me to see Adrian Meza take the mat in Carver on Saturday. Iowa State wants to put themselves in the best possible situation they can, and at 125 lbs, that is Adrian Meza who is coming off of winning the Grand View Open. A redshirt freshman himself, this will be Kale Petersen's first real opportunity to see how he performs for the Hawks in a high pressure situation. It's one thing to wrestle against and up and coming program in Kentucky. It's a whole other to compete at CHA in one of your team's most intense rivalries. Both of these young wrestlers wanting to win the love, approval and satisfaction of their diehard fanbases, this (if it is the match that happens) will be a good one.
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| #9 Drake Ayala Vs #5 Evan Frost 133 |
The loss to Tyler Knox of Stanford still lingers as Drake Ayala heads into this Saturday. What a statement of redemption and affiliation it'd be for the Hawkeye if he were to knock off #5 Evan Frost. While circumstances obviously favor the Hawkeyes in this dual, they're still going to want to win the toss up matches and this is one of them. While Frost is four spots higher than Ayala in the rankings, it'd still be a big deal for the young Cyclone to garner a win over an NCAA DI finalist. From both a team perspective & from an individual standpoint, this is a very important match.
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| #32 Ryder Block Vs U.R. Zach Redding 141 |
With the unfortunate and depressing news about Casey Swiderski, I'm going to imagine that the Cyclones go with Zach Redding as the starter at 141 lbs. Don't let the U.R. next to his name fool you. Redding is a tough competitor who has done some big things for the cardinal & gold in the past, including finishing a match shy of All American honors in 2023. I'd be shocked if he isn't top 33 by the end of '24-'25. So yes, to those who only look at pieces of paper with #'s on them, despite what that says, this would be a very nice win for Ryder Block if he's able to achieve it. This is also an excellent opportunity for Iowa State to pull off an upset.
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| #4 Kyle Parco Vs #7 Anthony Echemendia 149 |
Now we're getting into the marquee matches ladies and gentlemen. I've been saying that Kyle Parco looks poised and determined to win an NCAA DI title this season. Saturday will be his first real test against a formidable opponent in Anthony Echemendia. Parco currently 3-0, with a very impressive 15-0 tech over Jaden Abas. Echemendia defeated Abas 11-5. For whatever that's worth, this won't be a time to leave your seat. I promise you that.
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| #1 Jacori Teemer Vs #11 Paniro Johnson 157 |
I really hope you don't have to use the bathroom at the start of the 149 lbs match, because you're going to want to hold it through 157 lbs too. If 149 lbs isn't the match of the night, 157 may very well be. I'm looking very forward to this match. You have two wrestlers with similar styles going head to head. Both of these guys are fast, quick and extremely difficult to score on. Ranking alone, the B&G faithful might not realize how much of a challenge Paniro Johnson truly is. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this match went into sudden victory or tiebreakers.
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| #2 Mikey Caliendo Vs #9 M.J. Gaitan 165 |
Wrestling fans and wrestling media alike don't talk about it near as much as they did in years past, but boy oh boy did Mikey Caliendo demonstrate the Iowa conditioning against Hunter Garvin when the Hawkeyes wrestled Stanford. He's got one hell of a frame & the engine rooms smooth, with tremendous horsepower, but D-A-M-N! He was the polar opposite of Jackson Browne. He was runnin' on FULL! That type of go 110% all seven minutes is going to be difficult for anyone to keep up with. With that said, M.J. Gaitan is a go-getter in his own right. Coming in here and defeating Caliendo on his mat in front of his people? Tall order.
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| #10 Nelson Brands Vs U.R. Aiden Riggins 174 |
This is where the Hawkeyes can really separate themselves from the Cyclones. I've ran team scores a couple of different ways, and 174 lbs is where the Hawkeyes win the dual, unless the Cylcones not only pull off an upset, but do it in an unforeseen matter like a major or a fall. Aiden Riggins is a former Hawkeye himself who spent two years in Iowa City before packing his bags and heading northwest to Ames. Nelson Brands is going to welcome him back to Carver and I'd be surprised if it is anything less than a major decision. Lots of tossups in this dual. Far more than "on paper" suggest, but this isn't one of them. This is a win for the B&G.
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| #8 Gabe Arnold Vs #16 Evan Bockman 184 |
Gabe Arnold really took it to Tye Monteiro when the Hawks wrestled Stanford, but he struggled against Bellarmine's Devan Hendricks who did a good job of keeping him tied up and grounded most of the match. Arnold still came away with the W, in a 5-3 score, but he wasn't his usual put points on the board left and right self. Evan Bockman is tall, long and lanky. A three time NCAA DI qualifier at 197 lbs, he still has that 197 lbs build. A lot of Arnold's power and best offense is in getting in close and executing. If Bockman can capitalize on his reach, this could very well frustrate the Hawkeye. Then again, easier said than done when you have 16,000 people hootin' and hollerin' against you. I know how much some wrestling fans hate any reference to professional wrestling, and that alone is why I'll use the following reference. The good guys often say how much difference it makes and how much adrenaline and extra power it gives them when their fans are shouting encouragement towards them. I think that's true in collegiate wrestling too. Arnold's going to have those same 16,000 cheering FOR him and in an important match like this, that DOES make a difference.
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| #2 Stephen Buchanan Vs #20 Christian Carroll 197 |
Christian Carroll really impressed me with a solid win over Stanford's Nick Stemmet. However, Stephen Buchanan made it look easy with a technical fall over Stemmet. Matter of fact, I don't agree with the current rankings that have Buchanan #2 & A.J. Ferrari #1. I personally feel that Buchanan deserves that #1 spot. But...whatever. It is what it is. I do think Carroll is going to eventually fair very well under the leadership in Ames, but I think Buchanan is on a whole other level. A going to win Iowa an NCAA DI title at 197 lbs level. I know Carroll can keep this match to a decision, but inside Carver, Buchanan could very well get on a role.
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| #12 Ben Kueter Vs #5 Yonger Bastida HWT |
It's time to stop messing around. Predictions, premonitions, foresights, all of that is great, but it's time to really find out just how good Ben Keuter is. He's defeated some good wrestlers, but he hasn't faced anyone of Yonger Bastida's level yet. You have to remember that Bastida was undefeated going into last year's NCAA DI championships. If not for an unfortunate hand injury, who knows how he would have finished? This match is huge for both of these guys. I would imagine that the dual will start at 125 lbs and anyone who leaves the arena early to avoid traffic is an outright fool. This match is too good to miss. This gives Kueter is first real opportunity to show the B&G faithful that he is indeed for real and it gives Bastida the opportunity to showcase that he's healed up 100% from his injury and he's as much (if not more) of a force to be reckoned with now as he was last year.
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