Wrestling: Cyclones aggressive in season opener
By ROB GRAY • robgray@dmreg.com • November 12, 2009
Ames, Ia. – Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Jackson stressed the importance of fast, aggressive starts as a key to team success.
So far, so good.
The preseason No. 2 Cyclones took commanding first period leads in all but two bouts Thursday, easily dispatching South Dakota State 43-3 in their season opener – and Jackson’s college coaching debut – before an announced crowd of 2,528 at Hilton Coliseum.
”All we’re asking them to do is go out and do the things they’re trained to do, and that’s go out there and compete and wrestle,” said Jackson, who saw two of his athletes – David Zabriskie at heavyweight and Jon Reader at 165 – win by fall. ”And wrestling includes shooting, attacking, countering and scoring points. So, yeah, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
The Cyclones were happy to oblige after long months of training and wrestling each other.
”This is the fun part,” said Reader, an all-American who pinned the Jackrabbits’ Weston Blasius at 1:42 in the first period. ”This is what I’ve been looking forward to since the NCAAs finished last year.”
Zabriskie, also an all-American, scored his pin at 4:17 in the second period.
”You get to go out there and show all that you’ve learned, the skills you’ve picked up,” Zabriskie said. ”So this is the fun part, like Jon said. You get to go out there and put your hands on someone you don’t know. You’re not in the practice room anymore so you just go out there and let everything go.”
Jackson, though pleased with the results, would have liked to see Nate Carr Jr. – who eventually won by major decision – start better than 0-0 after the first three minutes.
”Me and Nate Carr are going to have to have a conversation: tonight, tomorrow and as long as it takes to sink in,” Jackson said. He’s too skilled an athlete to go 0-0 in the first period – as you could see in the second and third periods, the things he was able to do.”
Joe Curran (184), Nick Gallick (141), Mitch Mueller (149) and Duke Burk also lodged dominating wins.
Nick Fanthorpe, who has been hampered by a hamstring injury, won by forfeit at 133.
Jake Varner, the defending NCAA champ at 197, also impressed Jackson with his 13-4 triumph.
”He’s almost in a no-win situation,” Jackson said, adding that Varner wrestled at 211 all summer. ”The (South Dakota State) kid was tough and he still beat him by (nine) and realistically, Jake made one mistake. He gave up the reversal and that’s what happens when you’re trying to pin a guy.”
Iowa State next wrestles in Saturday’s Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open at Ames.
”I think there’s some things we can gain,” Jackson said. ”We do have to get better at turning and pinning, as we have to get better in other areas.”
The results
184-Joe Curran, Iowa State, won by tech. fall over David Michaud (5:52).
197-Tanner Varner, Iowa State, won by major decision over Tyler Sorenson.
Hwt-David Zabriskie, Iowa State, pinned Jeremy Swier, 4:17 second period.
125-Aaron Pickrel, South Dakota State, dec. Dallas Collier, 9-3.
133-Nick Fanthorpe, Iowa State, won by forfeit.
141-Nick Gallick, Iowa State, won by major decision over Dustin Walraven, 14-2.
149-Mitch Mueller, Iowa State, dec. Nick Hagar, 12-5.
157-Nate Carr Jr., Iowa State, won by major decision over Nick Flynn, 9-1.
165-Jon Reader, Iowa State, pinned Weston Blasius, 1:42 first period.
174-Dallas Burk, Iowa State, won by tech. fall over Joe Rasmussen, 16-1 (3:21).
