It’s the fifth time in coach J Robinson’s career the Gophers won 20 dual meets.
\nBy Tyler Rushmeyer<\/p>\n
What was expected to be a challenging weekend for the Minnesota wrestling team became just another three-day span of utter supremacy as the Gophers picked up a Big Ten title in the process.<\/p>\n
Minnesota wrapped up the successful weekend by silencing over 8,000 Iowa Hawkeyes fans with a compelling 29-13 victory Sunday and making the rest of the conference very nervous as the Big Ten tournament approaches.<\/p>\n
With the win, the Gophers (20-1) closed out the regular season on a 20 dual-meet win streak, the third longest streak in school history. They also finished a perfect 8-0 record in the conference, the first time since 2002 when Minnesota went on to win the NCAA Championship.<\/p>\n
Junior Mack Reiter, an Iowa native, said it felt good to push around an old rival in its house.<\/p>\n
“It’s a good message to send heading into the postseason, “he said. “Looking at our dual scores, everybody in the nation knows who the top team is.”<\/p>\n
Redshirt freshman Jayson Ness got things rolling early in front of the traditionally hostile crowd when he picked up a 8-0 major decision over No. 5 Charlie Falck at 125 pounds, which the ninth-ranked Reiter followed up with a third-period pin at 5:38 to give the Gophers an early 10-0 advantage.<\/p>\n
The fourth-ranked Ness said he relishes his opening role.<\/p>\n
“It was a huge crowd tonight, probably the biggest I’ve wrestled in front of in college, “he said.<\/p>\n
“To silence them right off the bat was big.”<\/p>\n
The Hawkeyes got their biggest boost next, albeit against a weaker opponent than many expected at 141.<\/p>\n
Minnesota, which had given top-ranked Dustin Schlatter the night off just two days before at 149, made the decision to give No. 2 Manuel Rivera the night off instead, and his replacement, unranked freshman Mike Thorn, got pinned at 1:16 by No. 6 Alex Tsirtsis.<\/p>\n
Gophers assistant coach Marty Morgan said both Schlatter and Rivera were dealing with minor knee injuries over the weekend.<\/p>\n
“Both could have wrestled if we really needed them, “he said. “But it’s important to play these things safe.”<\/p>\n
The conclusion of the first three matches saw Iowa cut the to deficit to just four points before Minnesota responded with a Dustin Schlatter decision at 149, his 59th straight victory, followed by C.P. Schlatter’s 9-4 decision at 157 to give the Gophers a comfortable 16-6 advantage at the intermission.<\/p>\n
But Iowa wasn’t ready to pack things up at the midway point, storming back with a major decision at 165 followed by a decision at 174 to cut the Gophers’ advantage to 16-13.<\/p>\n
A Hawkeyes upset was not to be, however, as the Gophers closed out the match with No. 2 Roger Kish’s major decision at 184, Yura Malamura’s decision at 197 and a forfeit of the heavyweight match to Cole Konrad, to give the intimidating senior his 67th straight victory.<\/p>\n
Minnesota now heads into its off week, shifting its focus to the Big Ten tournament looming less than two weeks away.<\/p>\n
Reiter said the comparisons to the Gophers’ national title teams of 2001 and 2002 are beginning to fly.<\/p>\n
“We’re on a really good run, so you expect those comparisons, “he said. “We just have to follow suit.”<\/p>\n
Gophers down Badgers<\/p>\n
Minnesota claimed the Big Ten regular season crown Friday night in Madison, Wis., thanks to its 28-12 trouncing of border-foe Wisconsin.<\/p>\n
With the win, the Gophers extended their dual meet victory streak to 19 while remaining perfect in the conference at 7-0.<\/p>\n
The marquee matchup of the night occurred at 157 pounds, where No. 5 Craig Henning of the Badgers narrowly defeated No. 6 C.P. Schlatter of Minnesota after Schlatter was handed three warnings for stalling in the final period.<\/p>\n
Top-ranked heavyweight Cole Konrad and junior Manuel Rivera, 141, extended their winning streaks to 66 and 34 matches, respectively. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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