By Kyle Klingman

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — College wrestling got what it wanted: a rematch.  Maybe not everyone was hoping for an Iowa-Iowa State match in the National Duals finals, but most – coaches and athletes from opposing teams included – had to be intrigued by the matchup.

            Iowa and Iowa State, ranked first and second, respectively, and facing off at a neutral site within the state of Iowa was good drama. The fact that the two teams met on Dec. 6 in a dual in Ames, Iowa, and on Dec. 29-30 at the Midlands in Evanston, Ill., gave an already heated rivalry some added weight.

            Through three consecutive meetings, however, there has been one constant: Iowa prevailed. The NCAA tournament is the next time the two teams will meet, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a desire for more.

            “I wish we had another match,” said Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson, hoping that the two instate schools would resume a regular home-and-home series like the schools used to do prior to 19xx. “I want to get back to that double dual. I’m ready to strap it up and do it again.”

            Iowa’s 19-12 win over Iowa State at the NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals, Jan. 9, was a rematch 18 years in the making. The last time the two teams met in the finals of this Duals tournament was in 1992, Jim Gibbons’ final season as head coach of the Cyclones. The Hawkeyes won 32-13, giving Iowa its first National Duals title.

            Iowa’s most recent title was the team’s sixth. Following an 11-year National Duals drought, the Hawkeyes have won three in a row.

            As members of the media prepared to asked questions following the meet, Jackson looked like he was preparing for a prize fight. As the press moved closer, Jackson spoke without solicitation.

            “We’re gonna get ‘em,” said Jackson. “We’re gonna get ‘em. We’re gonna get ‘em. I’m telling you that we’re gonna get ‘em.”

            If Iowa State truly wants to get Iowa then they have to do something Iowa does best: win close pivotal matches. Three toss-up matches went Iowa’s way and made the difference in the outcome.

            Iowa State’s Andrew Long came up short for the third consecutive time against Matt McDonough at 125 pounds. In the most thrilling match of the finals, McDonough scored a takedown off a scramble late in the third period to secure a 9-8 win after the Cyclone led early.

            Nick Fanthorpe defeated Nate Moore at 133 pounds to tie the dual at 3-3.  At 141 pounds Dan LeClere, third in the pecking order at Iowa for that weight, defeated Iowa State’s Dalton Jensen 7-2. Jensen was filling in for injured starter Nick Gallick.

            Mitch Mueller gave his team a lift with his 7-3 loss to Iowa’s Brent Metcalf. Mueller’s resiliency preserved three points that were lost when he was pinned by Metcalf in the Dec. 6 dual.

            So the Cyclones were down 9-3 going into 157 and the next two weights were critical.

            Aaron Janssen won for the second time over Andrew Sorenson with a takedown in sudden victory to extend Iowa’s lead to 12-3. That meant Jon Reader would have to beat Ryan Morningstar for the third consecutive time for Iowa State to stay in the match.

            With Reader leading 4-2 entering the third period, Morningstar earned an escape and a late takedown to pull out a 5-4 win. The 15-3 lead all but assured another Iowa victory.

            “This is a huge match for us,” said Morningstar. “We needed my match to win this dual meet and there’s a National title on the line. I lost to him earlier by a point and I needed to get back into winning those matches, against him especially.”

            Jerome Ward got it done at 184 pounds for the Cyclones. Following a major decision by Iowa’s Jay Borschel at 174 pounds, Ward knocked off Iowa’s Phil Keddy for the second consecutive time with a 7-5 sudden victory win. Jake Varner (197) picked up a 7-1 decision and Dave Zabriskie (Hwt) won 4-1 to give Iowa State the final three matches.

             “I love it,” said Ward about the rivalry. “You gotta love to hate somebody, right? So why not let it be an in-state rival who’s been good. We had a chance to get ‘em but we didn’t execute.”

            Iowa executed with a hampered line-up. Dan Dennis (133), Chad Beatty (197), and Dan Erekson (HWT) were withheld from competition due to injury. Joe Slaton, NCAA runner-up at 133 pounds two years ago, is the likely starter at 141 pounds, but his eligibility due to academics is still in question.

            But none of that mattered to Iowa head coach Tom Brands.

            “We came out slugging in that fight,” said Brands. “We got knocked down a couple times but we got back up a lot. Was that our best lineup out there? It doesn’t matter because we believe in our guys. Our depth is deep and we’re progressing.”  n