NEW YORK – The University of Iowa wrestling team swept a pair of duals Sunday at the inaugural Grapple at the Garden inside Madison Square Garden. Iowa won 18-of-20 matches to shutout Hofstra, 42-0, and top Bucknell, 34-9.
The Hawkeyes totaled 10 major decisions and received pins from Derek St. John, Mike Evans, Ethen Lofthouse and Bobby Telford to earn their eighth and ninth dual wins this season.
“We did some good things when we put ourselves in good positions,” said UI head coach Tom Brands. “Most guys wrestled well and put themselves in good positions, and those who didn’t need to make the adjustment before we get to Buffalo. Now we look forward.”
Top-ranked Matt McDonough opened The Grapple with a 10-2 major decion over No.18 Steve Bonanno of Hofstra at 125. McDonough scored three takedowns in the first, rode out the second and scored an escape and takedown in the final seconds of the third to earn his 36th straight win.
Tony Ramos (133) scored a pair of major decisions to improve to 9-0 this season – all bonus point victories. He totaled six takedowns and used 2:33 of riding time to win the opener, 14-4, and added nine more takedowns, one reversal and 4:03 of riding time to earn a 23-9 win in the matinee.
Mark Ballweg (141) earned his third straight win over a ranked opponent when he got to the legs of Hofstra’s ninth-ranked Luke Vaith with 38 seconds left in the match. Ballweg trailed 1-0 entering the third but opened with an escape to tie the match. He then fought off a single leg attack as time expired to earn a 3-2 win. He later added his team-high sixth major decision with a 12-3 win over Bucknell’s Derrik Russell.
Michael Kelly (149) kept his dual record unblemished with a pair of major decisions at 149. Kelly scored a five-point move at the end of the first period to cruise to a 14-2 over Hofstra’s Matt Spataro, and piled up six takedowns and 3:48 of riding time to defeat Bucknell’s Adam Healey, 14-5.
Top-rated Derek St. John used six takedowns, one reversal and 4:10 of riding time to earn a 16-4 major decision in the opener. In the matinee, Iowa’s 157-pounder built a 4-1 and was getting nearfall points when he flattened Vincent Favia of Bucknell in 4:53.
Mike Evans (174) scored a takedown as time expired to shutout Hofstra’ Jermaine John, 8-0. He then earned his first pin of the season when he flattened Bucknell’s Stephen McPeek in 2:53.
Bobby Telford (285) wrestled through a scoreless first period against Hofstra’s Paul Snyder before scoring a takedown and getting nearfall counts prior to earning the fall (4:53). He then opened his match against Bucknell’s Joe Stolfi with a pair takedowns and eventually added 4:15 of riding time to earn a 6-1 decision.
Nick Moore (165), Ethen Lofthouse (184), Nathan Burak (197) and Matt Gurule (125) also earned wins for the Hawkeyes.
Moore scored a 12-4 major decision over Hofstra’s Nick Terdick, and Lofthouse earned a first-period pin over Hostra’s Victor Pozsonyi. Burak and Gurule celebrated the trip to New York by earning their first career dual victories. Burak scored a 10-3 decision over Hofstra’s Tim Murphy. Gurule earned a 6-5 win over Bucknell’s Austin Miller.
In Iowa’s two losses, Moore surrendered a pair of third period takedowns to drop a 5-2 decision to Bucknell’s No. 12 Cory Lear, and Burak got caught on his back by Bucknell’s Tyler Lister.
The Hawkeyes (9-0) return to the mat tomorrow at the University of Buffalo (0-1). Iowa takes on the Buffalo Bulls inside Alumni Arena at 6 p.m. (CT).
NOTES: Attendance was 9,034… Iowa has shutout three opponents this season — Cumberland (52-0), SIU-Edwardsville (49-0) and Hofstra (42-0)… Matt McDonough has won 36 straight matches… Mark Ballweg has won his last 23 bouts at 141 pounds… Tony Ramos has scored bonus points in all nine matches this season… four Hawkeyes improved to 9-0 (Ramos, Ballweg, St. John, Bobby Telford).
#5 IOWA 42, Hofstra 0
125 – #1 Matt McDonough (IA) major dec. #18 Steve Bonanno (HU) 10-2; 4-0
133 – #3 Tony Ramos (IA) major dec. Jamie Franco (HU), 14-4; 8-0
141 – #11 Mark Ballweg (IA) dec. #9 Luke Vaith (HU), 3-2; 11-0
149 – Michael Kelly (IA) major dec. Matt Spataro (HU), 14-2; 15-0
157 – #1 Derek St. John (IA) major dec. Cody Ruggirello (HU), 16-4; 19-0
165 — #19 Nick Moore (IA) major dec. NickTerdick (HU), 12-4; 23-0
174– #7 Mike Evans (IA) major dec. Jermaine John (HU), 8-0; 27-0
184 – #7 Ethen Lofthouse (IA) pinned Victor Pozsonyi (HU), 2:39; 33-0
197 – Nathan Burak (IA) dec. Tim Murphy (HU), 10-3; 36-0
285 – #5 Bobby Telford (IA) pinned Paul Snyder (HU), 4:35; 42-0
#5 IOWA 34, Bucknell 9
125 – Matt Gurule (IA) dec. Austin Miller (B), 6-5; 3-0
133 – #3 Tony Ramos (IA) major dec. Paul Petrov (B), 23-9; 7-0
141 – #11 Mark Ballweg (IA) major dec. Derrik Russell (B), 12-3; 11-0
149 – Michael Kelly (IA) major dec. Adam Healey (B), 14-5; 15-0
157 – #1 Derek St. John (IA) pinned Vincent Favia (B), 4:53; 21-0
165 — #12 Corey Lear dec. #19 Nick Moore (IA), 5-2 (B); 21-3
174– #7 Mike Evans (IA) pinned Stephen McPeek (B), 2:53; 27-3
184 – #7 Ethen Lofthouse (IA) major dec. Robert Marchese (B), 14-3; 31-3
197 – Tyler Lyster (B) pinned Nathan Burak (IA), 3:39; 31-9
285 – #5 Bobby Telford (IA) dec. Joe Stolfi (B), 6-1; 34-9
