ISU wrestling takes down UNI, 24-12

The following news release is courtesy of Iowa State Athletics: 

AMES – No. 8 Iowa State (10-2, 2-1 Big 12) won seven matches, including three major decisions, in a convincing 24-12 victory over instate rival Northern Iowa (7-8, 4-3 MAC) Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. 

Kyven Gadson (197), Dante Rodriguez (141) and Gabe Moreno (149) all registered major decision victories for the Cyclones, as ISU won its fourth-straight dual meet. Gadson’s win was his 22nd of the season. 

Tanner Weatherman put the Cyclones on the board first at 174 pounds with a 6-2 decision over UNI’s Curt Maas. Weatherman scored a takedown on a counter with under a minute remaining in the match to seal the victory. 

Lelund Weatherspoon added three more points for ISU with a 10-3 victory over Kyle Lux at 184 pounds. Weatherspoon had a first-period takedown and then rode out Lux the entire second period. He then picked up three additional takedowns in the final stanza.

No. 2 Gadson was dominant in his victory at 197 pounds. Gadson threw Basil Minto in the first period to pick up a takedown and 2-point near-fall. Gadson then added four more takedowns in the match for the 17-5 major decision. 

UNI received its first win and its first takedown of the match with a 5-2 victory by Blaize Cabell over Quean Smith at heavyweight. The Panthers then cut the match lead to 10-9 when Dylan Peters pinned ISU’s Kyle Larson at 2:57 in the 125-pound bout. 

Third-ranked Earl Hall was victorious at 133 pounds with a 9-3 win over Leighton Gaul. Hall used a second-period reversal to take control of the match. He tacked on two takedowns in the final period.

Rodriguez scored a 13-1 major decision over Jake Hodges at 141 pounds. Rodriguez appeared to have a pin in the first period after getting Hodges on his back for a long period of time. Ultimately, he was just awarded a 3-point near-fall to take an early 5-0 lead. He added two more back points when he tilted Hodges in the closing moments of the opening period. In the third period, 

Rodriguez recorded a reversal and then a 3-point near-fall when he turned Hodges at the end of the match. 

At 149 pounds, Gabe Moreno used two takedowns and a 2-point near-fall in the final minute of the match to secure a 13-4 major decision over UNI’s Gunnar Wolfensperger.

Third-ranked Michael Moreno defeated UNI’s Cooper Moore, 5-2 in the 165-pound match. With Moreno leading 1-0, Moore chose down to begin the third period. Moreno immediately turned him on a suck back and was awarded a 3-point near-fall to take control of the match. 

Next up for the Cyclones is a match against Wisconsin, Sunday Feb. 22 at 2 p.m.  

Match Results
174: Tanner Weatherman (ISU) dec. Curt Maas (UNI), 6-2: ISU 3, UNI 0
184: Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU) dec. Kyle Lux (UNI), 10-3: ISU 6, UNI 0
197: Kyven Gadson (ISU) maj. dec. Basil Minto (UNI), 17-5: ISU 10, UNI 0
285: Blaize Cabell (UNI) dec. Quean Smith (ISU), 5-2: ISU 10, UNI 3
125: Dylan Peters (UNI) wbf Kyle Larson (ISU), 2:57: ISU 10, UNI 9
133: Earl Hall (ISU) dec. Leighton Gaul (UNI), 9-3: ISU 13, UNI 9
141: Dante Rodriguez (ISU) maj. dec. Jake Hodges (UNI), 13-1: ISU 17, UNI 9
149: Gabe Moreno (ISU) maj. dec. Gunnar Wolfensperger (UNI), 13-4: ISU 21, UNI 9
157: Jarrett Jensen (UNI) dec. Luke Goettl (ISU), 4-2: ISU 21, UNI 12
165: Michael Moreno (ISU) dec. Cooper Moore (UNI), 5-2: ISU 24, UNI 12
Final Score: Iowa State 24, UNI 12