AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State wrestling team (5-1, 0-0 Big 12) took the mat in their 2014-15 home-opener against Penn (1-3, 0-0 EIWA), defeating the Quakers by score of 41-3. The 41 team points are the most by an Iowa State squad since 2009 when they beat UNI 42-0. ISU was propelled to victory by seven bonus-point victories.
Wrestling kicked off with the 197-weight class, as No. 3 Kyven Gadson got bonus points for the Cyclones to start the dual. He defeated Penn’s Canaan Bethea by major-decision, 14-2. Gadson cemented the victory with a late takedown and a pair of near-falls.
At heavyweight, Quean Smith was pitted against Patrik Garren. Smith added four team points for the Cyclones, getting a 10-0 major-decision. Smith grabbed a late takedown and two-point near-fall to end his match while garnering 4:25 of riding time.
At 125, it was Kyle Larson getting a 15-5 major-decision over Penn’s Jeremy Schwartz. Larson was able to get six takedowns in his match while riding strong on top, picking up 3:29 in riding time en route to his major-decision.
Freshman Dante Rodriguez closed out the first half of the dual with a bang. With 52 seconds left on the clock in the first, Rodriguez brought Andrew Lenzi to the mat and was able to put him on his back to secure the fall at 2:13, marking Rodriguez’s ninth pin of the year.
No. 15 Gabe Moreno and No. 12 C.J. Cobb battled at 149 in the only top-20 matchup of the day. Moreno got a takedown early in the first and never looked back. A stalling call, escape and 2:48 of riding time gave Moreno the nod in a 5-1 decision over Cobb.
Luke Goettl got Iowa State’s second pin of the day over Penn’s Brooks Martino in 2:51. The match looked like it would go to the second period scoreless, but a Goettl takedown with 11 ticks on the clock led to the fall.
No. 5 Mike Moreno and No. 18 Lelund Weatherspoon returned to the mat after sitting out at the Sothern Scuffle due to knee injuries. Both would score bonus points. Moreno faced Quinton Hiles of Penn. After getting three takedowns, Moreno was finally able to turn Hiles to get the pin. At 4:56, Moreno went near-side and secured the fall.
Weatherspoon wrestled Penn’s Joe Heyob in the dual’s finale. With his five takedowns and three near-falls, Weatherspoon got the decision via tech-fall over Heyob, 19-3 in 5:26.
Iowa State returns to Hilton Coliseum next Sunday at 2 p.m. to take on Virginia Tech. The dual will be a part of the Beauty and the Beast event that will feature both the Cyclone wrestling and gymnastics programs.
Match-by-Match Results
125: Kyle Larson (ISU) maj. dec. Jeremy Schwartz (Penn), 15-5 (3:29 RT)
133: Earl Hall (ISU) dec. Caleb Richardson (Penn), 5-2.
141: Dante Rodriguez (ISU) WBF Andrew Lenzi (Penn), 2:13.
149: Gabe Moreno (ISU) dec. C.J. Cobb (Penn), 5-1. (2:48 RT)|
157: Luke Goettl (ISU) WBF Brooks Martino, 2:51.
165: Mike Moreno (ISU) WBF Quinton Hiles, 4:56.
174: Brad Wukie (Penn) dec. Tanner Weatherman (ISU), 3-2
184: Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU) tech-fall Joe Heyob, 19-3 (5:26)
197: Kyven Gadson (ISU) maj. dec. Canaan Bethea (Penn), 14-2 (1:59 RT).
285: Quean Smith (ISU) maj. dec. Patrik Garren (Penn), 10-0 (4:26 RT).
