Iowa wrestling wins Big Ten title
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Staff report | Monday, March 10, 2008 |
MINNEAPOLIS — Iowa recovered from Saturday night’s sub-standard session at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships to claim its first conference title since 2004 on Sunday.
Sophomore Brent Metcalf was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler and the Big Ten wrestler of the year, earning the Hawkeyes’ lone championship with a 5-3 victory over two-time defending Big Ten champ Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota by a 5-3 score at 149 pounds.
Metcalf extended his winning streak to 27 matches with a strong third period that opened with Schlatter scoring on an escape to break a 2-2 tie. Metcalf was awarded a point on a stalling call on Schlatter before he recorded a takedown with 11 seconds remaining to earn his decision.
“Brent did an outstanding job,” Iowa coach Tom Brands said. “He is a great example of what I want all our guys to aspire to. Duplicate Brent Metcalf.”
Brands found more to like with his team’s effort Sunday after watching the Hawkeyes win just three times in 11 matches on
Saturday night.
Hawkeye senior Matt Fields at heavyweight and sophomores Joe Slaton at 133, Jay Borschel at 174 and Phillip Keddy at 184 all wrestled back for third-place finishes which allowed Iowa to claim the team title.
Fields, a former North Cedar prep, claimed both of his wins on Sunday in the tiebreak overtime to earn the 90th win over his career in his 3-1 victory over Wisconsin’s Kyle Massey in the third-place match.
His effort helped the top-ranked Hawkeyes finish with 127 points, 14.5 more than runner-up Minnesota. Michigan finished third, edging Illinois by 3.5 points.
“We ended with a good session, which is what you want,’’ said Brands, who was selected by his peers as the Big Ten coach of the year. “We had a lot of guys stay tough in the wrestlebacks.’’
Iowa qualified nine wrestlers for the NCAA Championships which begin March 22 in St. Louis, the most since the Hawkeyes sent all 10 of their wrestlers to the national meet in 2004.
Metcalf is just the fourth Hawkeye to earn both the outstanding wrestler and Big Ten wrestler of the year recognition in the same season. Former Iowa wrestlers Tom Brands (1989), Terry Brands (1992) and Mark Ironside (1997) also accomplished that feat.
Iowa’s other finalist, defending NCAA champion Mark Perry, lost a 3-2 decision to Michigan’s Eric Tannenbaum in the title match at 165 pounds.
Illinois’ two finalists split their championship matches as well.
Top-seeded Mike Poeta became the first Illini wrestler since 2005 to earn a Big Ten title, winning all of his matches in the tourney by at least six points including an 8-2 victory over Dan Vallimont of Penn State in the final at 157.
Illinois’ Jimmy Kennedy dropped a 3-1 decision to Franklin Gomez of Michigan State in his final at 133, but is among seven Fighting Illini to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
“Overall, it was a good performance in one of the toughest conference meets I’ve been associated with,’’ Illinois coach Mark Johnson said. “A lot of good things happened this weekend.
Contact the sports desk at (563) 383-2285 or sports@qctimes.com. Comment on his story at qctimes.com.
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