The following is a news release courtesy of ISU Athletics Communications:
NEWYORKCITY — The No. 17 Iowa State wrestling team (10-6, 2-2 Big 12) wrapped up round one of the 2016 NCAA Championship, posting a 4-2 record as a team. The Cyclones picked up six team points in the session and are currently tied for 12th.
Iowa State is sending four wrestlers to the round of 16. Earl Hall, Tanner Weatherman, Lelund Weatherspoon and Patrick Downey all notched victories in the first round.
Wrestling will resume this evening at 6 p.m. CT with consolation pigtail matches, the round of 16 and first round consolation matches. Every match from every mat can be watched live on ESPN3 and ESPNU.
Session One
In the 174-pound matchup, junior Lelund Weatherspoon was pitted against No. 2 Brian Realbuto of Cornell. Weatherspoon drew first blood in the first period of the match, which set the tone for the next seven minutes.
In the second, Realbuto was on top 4-2 with 20 second to go in the period. Weatherspoon picked up a reversal, tying the match at 4-4 heading to the third. In the third period, Weatherspoon slammed the door shut on Realbuto. The Jackson, Mich. native, began the period with an escape and picked up two more points on a takedown. It was Weatherspoon with the 7-4 decision over Brian Relbuto.
Sophomore Patrick Downey capped off the session with another upset for the Cyclones. After seven minutes of action, Downey and Ohio’s Phil Wellington were locked at 1-1. As time ticked away in the sudden-victory period, Downey connected on an inside trip. He brought Wellington to the mat for a 3-1 decision.
In his first round match, senior Tanner Weatherman put up bonus-points for the Cyclones. Trailing 4-3, Weatherman scored on a takedown. He then turned Eastern Michigan’s Dakota Juarez and locked up a fall for the Cardinal and Gold in 4:26.
At 133-pounds, senior Earl Hall picked up a first round victory with a 6-3 decision. Hall defeated Air Force’s Josh Martinez, scoring on three takedowns, while surrendering no takedowns to Martinez.
Junior Kyle Larson and Sophomore Dane Pestano each fell to their first round opponents. Larson dropped an 18-0 technical fall to returning national champion, and No. 1 seed, Nathan Tomasello. At 184-pounds, it was Hayden Zillmer of North Dakota State over Pestano by 10-5 decion.
Iowa State Match-by-Match
125: Nathan Tomasello (OSU) tech-fall. Kyle Larson (ISU), 18-0.
133: Earl Hall (ISU) dec. Josh Martinez (AF), 6-3.
165: Tanner Weatherman (ISU) fall Dakota Juarez (EMU), 4:26.
174: Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU) dec. Brian Realbuto (Cornell), 7-4.
184: Hayden Zillmer (NDSU) dec. Dane Pestano (ISU), 10-5.
197: Patrick Downey (ISU) dec. Phil Wellington (Ohio), 3-1 (SV-1.)
