Top-ranked Penn State rolls over No. 3 Iowa, 29-6

IOWA CITY – Drake Ayala provided Iowa with an early spark.

Caleb Rathjen stoked the flames briefly a few matches later.

Outside of that, top-ranked Penn State scorched No. 3 University of Iowa, 29-6, in a Big Ten Conference dual Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 14,487 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Cael Sanderson collected his 200th dual win at Penn State and the Hawkeyes suffered consecutive dual losses for the first time since January 2018.

“We weren’t ready and, the thing is, you’re wrestling guys like that and they have a high-powered team,” Iowa Coach Tom Brands said. “They score a lot of points. We have to be ready, like beyond ready. And, if you just think you’re ready and it’s normal, it’s not normal. That’s not a normal team.

“That’s not me putting them on a pedestal. That’s not me conceding anything. We’ve got to be better when we go out there.”

Penn State (9-0, 6-0) won eight matches and posted bonus points in five.

“We’re just trying to get better every match,” Sanderson said. “Obviously, Iowa does a great job of preparing for your guys. They always do a good job of showing you what you need to work on.

“We can walk from here knowing what we need to work on to get better.”

The Hawkeyes (10-2, 5-2) seemed ready at the start. Seventh-ranked Ayala scored in the first 30 seconds of his 125-pound bout against No. 2 Braedon Davis. The takedown was enough in a 4-2 decision that handed Davis his first loss and give Iowa a short-lived 3-0 lead.

“He needed that,” Brands said. “He had a little adversity and he needed that.”

The only other bright spot came at 149 when 12th-ranked Rathjen upended No. 10 Tyler Kasak in a wild 11-8 decision in sudden victory.

Rathjen built a 6-2 lead after two periods, scoring takedowns in each of the first two frames. Kasak stormed back with two takedowns in the third and force overtime.

Rathjen hit a high-crotch single leg attack and limp-armed out of a whizzer to go behind for the winning score.

“Looked like he was fading,” Brands said. “Guy scored two takedowns on us in the third and we get the takedown in sudden victory and he sure didn’t look like he was fading. He liked to whoop it up and, I’ll tell you what, I was whooping it up with him.

“It shows you can score. You can score when you’ve got to score, so keep scoring. Widen that gap.”

The celebration didn’t last long as deafening cheers turned to murmurs after Penn State pulled away and closed with six straight wins.

Penn State’s top-ranked trio Levi Haines (157), Carter Starocci at 174 and heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet all won by major decision. No. 7 Mitchell Messenbrink topped No. 6 Michael Caliendo, 12-6.

Top-ranked 197-pounder Aaron Brooks handed Iowa’s No. 11 Zach Glazier his first loss of the season. Brooks won, 5-1.

The Nittany Lions owned a 21-5 advantage in takedowns. They also secured riding-time points in six victories.

“We have to score more takedowns,” Brands said. “We have to get off the bottom in five weights. I don’t know how much riding time there was combined but it was a lot.”

In a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, Penn State’s top-ranked Beau Bartlett scored takedowns in the first and third periods to beat No. 2 Real Woods, 7-2, at 141. It is the second straight loss for Woods, a 2023 NCAA finalist.

“All of our guys wrestled pretty well,” Sanderson said. “A lot of good wins. I thought that was big (at 141). Really happy for Bartlett. He looked good. Wrestled great. Obviously, a tough opponent.”

The loss was Iowa’s worst since a 27-12 defeat to Oklahoma State in 2019. It was also Iowa’s lowest point total since a 21-9 loss to Ohio State on Jan. 20, 2012. Iowa suffered its first 20-point loss since a 30-10 setback to Oklahoma State on Jan. 11, 2004, under former Hawkeyes Coach Jim Zalesky.

Iowa hosts Wisconsin for Senior Day on Feb. 18.

“We have to put the pieces to together,” Brands said. “We have to be better. We have to be stronger. We have to be smarter as coaches and we have to come back strong. All of us.”

AT IOWA CITY

Penn State 29, Iowa 6

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

125 pounds – Drake Ayala (I) dec. Braedon Davis, 4-2 (1,0)

133 – Aaron Nagao (PSU) major dec. Cullan Schriever, 11-0 (2,0)

141 – Beau Bartlett (PSU) dec. Real Woods, 7-3 (2-0)

149 – Caleb Rathjen (I) dec. Tyler Kasak, 11-8 (3,2)

157 – Levi Haines (PSU) major dec. Jared Franek, 12-0 (3,0)

165 – Mitchell Messenbrink (PSU) dec. Michael Caliendo, 12-6 (3,1)

174 – Carter Starocci (PSU) major dec. Patrick Kennedy, 13-5 (4,0)

184 – Bernie Truax (PSU) major dec. Aiden Riggins, 8-0 (2,0)

197 – Aaron Brooks (PSU) dec. Zach Glazier, 5-1 (1,0)

Hwt. – Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) major dec. Ben Kueter, 9-1 (2,0)

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Penn State 21, Iowa 5. Reversals – Penn State 0, Iowa 0. Escapes – Penn State 12, Iowa 13. Nearfall points – Penn State 3, Iowa 0. Penalty points (awarded) – Penn State 3, Iowa 2. Riding time points – Penn State 6, Iowa 0. Total match points – Penn State 87, Iowa 30. Attendance – 14,847.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com