Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State University
Iowa
Cowboy Wrestlers down Iowa 21-15
January 11, 2002 | Cowboy Wrestling
Jan. 11, 2002
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Oklahoma State's second-ranked wrestling team took care of the fifth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes 21-15 in front of 9,438 fans a Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday night.
"It was a team effort," Head Coach John Smith said. "When you look at it, everything we did tonight, that is what it took. Anything less and the match could have been tied."
The Cowboys used two pins from Johnny Thompson and Will Gruenwald to improve to 9-1 on the season. OSU leads the all-time series 18-16-1 with the Hawkeyes.
The snake struck again at 133 pounds, OSU's second-ranked Thompson used his signature move and showed Iowa's fifth-ranked Cliff Moore the lights in 4:04.
"A pin anytime is big, period," Smith said. "Thompson was patient, and got to a position that he was familiar with and then put him away with it. It is one thing to get into position for the pin, but you need to put them away and that is what he did."
The redshirt freshman Gruenwald quieted the home crowd in the dual's second match with a fall over Iowa's Ryan Fulsaas in 3:34. Gruenwald working from the bottom, used a gramby roll to escape and when Fulsaas hung on too long, he put him on his back for the six team points.
Following intermission OSU's unranked 141-pounder, Ronnie Delk, turned in the upset of the night with a win over Iowa's 15th-ranked Luke Moffitt, 8-3.
Fourth-ranked Shane Roller, the Pokes' 157-pounder, fell behind 5-0 early but fought back and scored a takedown with two seconds remaining for the 9-8 win. Tyrone Lewis locked it up for OSU at 165 pounds with a 9-4 over Ben Shirk.
Following the pin at 197 pounds, the Cowboys 13th-ranked heavyweight James Huml pushed Iowa's top-ranked freshman heavyweight Steve Mocco for three periods before losing a tough 3-1 decision. At 125 pounds, the Pokes' No. 7 Skylar Holman dropped another 3-1 decision to Iowa's Luke Eustice to give the Hawkeye's a 9-6 lead.
OSU's 184-pounder Pat Popolizio lost a 10-5 decision to put OSU in an early 3-0 hole. The Cowboys also dropped decisions at 149 and 174 pounds.
Oklahoma State returns home for two duals on Sunday. The Cowboys square off with Cal Poly at 1:30 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena and then face No. 24 Fresno State at 7 p.m.
Oklahoma State 21, Iowa 15
184: Jessman Smith (I) dec. Pat Popolizio (OSU), 10-5
197: Will Gruenwald (OSU) pinned Ryan Fulsaas (I)), 3:34
Hwt: Steve Mocco (I) dec. James Huml (OSU), 3-1
125: Luke Eustice (I) dec. Skylar Holman (OSU), 3-1
133: Johnny Thompson (OSU) pinned Cliff Moore (I), 4:04
141: Ronnie Delk (OSU) dec. Luke Moffitt (I), 8-3
149: Mike Zadick (I) dec. Jerrod Sanders (OSU), 11-4
157: Shane Roller (OSU) dec. Matt Anderson (I), 9-8
165: Tyrone Lewis (OSU) dec. Ben Shirk (I), 9-4
174: Tyler Nixt (I) dec. Ty Wilcox, (OSU), 5-2
