National Duals

[brett108]

So the brackets are out for the National Duals. Up first is Boise State. Not knowing a lot about Boise, and knowing that a lot of our starting middle weights are not certain for this tournamnet, how do wrestling fans feel we stack up? I think we can still beat Boise, and possibly Minnesota in the second round. Cornell in the third would be another story.

[1100011CS]

I really have never and will never care about National Duals. There's only one tournament that matters (and the qualifying tournament I guess).

[GoCubsGo]

Thanks for posting - I was wondering when the brackets would be released. It's interesting that we beat VT in a dual, yet VT is seeded and we are not. However, I think I remember reading that VT took the redshirt off one of their big recruits, and we are facing some injury issues now.

There are several tough teams in the field. My bold prediction is that we will finish 8th, with matches as follows: losing to Boise, beating Northern Illinois, winning a coin-flip match against Oregon State, losing to Virginia Tech and then losing to Missouri.

[Cycsk]

Thanks for posting - I was wondering when the brackets would be released. It's interesting that we beat VT in a dual, yet VT is seeded and we are not. However, I think I remember reading that VT took the redshirt off one of their big recruits, and we are facing some injury issues now.

There are several tough teams in the field. My bold prediction is that we will finish 8th, with matches as follows: losing to Boise, beating Northern Illinois, winning a coin-flip match against Oregon State, losing to Virginia Tech and then losing to Missouri.

Wow! It hurts to read all those predictions about "losing" matches. At least we don't have to lose to Iowa again. I look forward to getting the program rebuilt and finally getting to the very top.

[Cycsk]

Wow! It hurts to read all those predictions about "losing" matches. At least we don't have to lose to Iowa again. I look forward to getting the program rebuilt and finally getting to the very top.

In true CF fashion, let's through logic to the wind. According to my predictions, all we have to do to win is beat Boise State, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma State. It seems that there is more parity in wrestling this year and since we have beaten most of them in recent history, so let's do it again.

[buf87]

Wow! It hurts to read all those predictions about "losing" matches. At least we don't have to lose to Iowa again. I look forward to getting the program rebuilt and finally getting to the very top.

We need a healthy team 1st. Jones (trying to cut to 125) or Hunter at 125, Sorenson (High ankle sprain) or Spangler (Cut/broken bone on face?) at 165, Ward at 197 (Knee), Weatherman was just sick at Midlands sure he will be back.
Boise State has 4 wrestlers in the top 3, but Smith at 184 hasn't wrestled yet this year. Tossup at 141, then they drop off. Great tournament team, average dual team. They are beatable. We should be sound favorites in 4 and and they are sound favorites in 3 (4 if Smith wrestles). Bonus points and tossup matches will decide it.

[Cycsk]

We need a healthy team 1st. Jones (trying to cut to 125) or Hunter at 125, Sorenson (High ankle sprain) or Spangler (Cut/broken bone on face?) at 165, Ward at 197 (Knee), Weatherman was just sick at Midlands sure he will be back.
Boise State has 4 wrestlers in the top 3, but Smith at 184 hasn't wrestled yet this year. Tossup at 141, then they drop off. Great tournament team, average dual team. They are beatable. We should be sound favorites in 4 and and they are sound favorites in 3 (4 if Smith wrestles). Bonus points and tossup matches will decide it.

And the best part is that we don't have to watch EIU win all day!

[Judoka]

Boise is the favorite for sure, they are ranked between second and tenth depending which poll you look at.

Looking at how we match up by weight, with the ISU wrestlers in bold:
(assuming similar lineup to our last dual)

125 - Patrick Hunter (NR/NR) vs Alan Bartelli (NR/17)
133 - Brandon Jones (NR/NR) vs Andrew Hochstrasser (2/2)
141 - Chris Druin (12/14) vs Levi Jones (8/11)
149 - Nate Carr (NR/NR) vs Jason Chamberlain (3/3)
157 - Trent Weatherman (NR/NR) vs Adam Hall (2/2)
165 - Andrew Sorenson (10/NR*) vs Unranked
175 - Jon Reader (1/1) vs Jake Swartz(10/13)
184 - Cole Shafer (NR/NR) vs Kirk Smith, (NR/1)
197 - Jerome Ward (12/12) vs Unranked
285 - Matt Gibson (17/16) vs . Unranked

Note: Intermat has Spangler at 16th, but I'm guessing we'll see Sorenson this weekend based on Spanglers injury at Midlands

So basically there are five matches where Boise is the heavy favorite (125, 133, 149, 157, 184). So we would have to win every single match where we have more than a prayer and beat them in bonus points. Our line-up holes are going to be too much this weekend, I think. I'll be perfectly happy if we take 7th. We just are not a dual team this year.

[Cycsk]

Boise is the favorite for sure, they are ranked between second and tenth depending which poll you look at.

Looking at how we match up by weight, with the ISU wrestlers in bold:
(assuming similar lineup to our last dual)

125 - Patrick Hunter (NR/NR) vs Alan Bartelli (NR/17)
133 - Brandon Jones (NR/NR) vs Andrew Hochstrasser (2/2)
141 - Chris Druin (12/14) vs Levi Jones (8/11)
149 - Nate Carr (NR/NR) vs Jason Chamberlain (3/3)
157 - Trent Weatherman (NR/NR) vs Adam Hall (2/2)
165 - Andrew Sorenson (10/NR*) vs Unranked
175 - Jon Reader (1/1) vs Jake Swartz(10/13)
184 - Cole Shafer (NR/NR) vs Kirk Smith, (NR/1)
197 - Jerome Ward (12/12) vs Unranked
285 - Matt Gibson (17/16) vs . Unranked

Note: Intermat has Spangler at 16th, but I'm guessing we'll see Sorenson this weekend based on Spanglers injury at Midlands

So basically there are five matches where Boise is the heavy favorite (125, 133, 149, 157, 184). So we would have to win every single match where we have more than a prayer and beat them in bonus points. Our line-up holes are going to be too much this weekend, I think. I'll be perfectly happy if we take 7th. We just are not a dual team this year.

Hey, this looks better for us than I thought it would. These are the times for our guys to step up.

[buf87]

Boise is the favorite for sure, they are ranked between second and tenth depending which poll you look at.

Looking at how we match up by weight, with the ISU wrestlers in bold:
(assuming similar lineup to our last dual)

125 - Patrick Hunter (NR/NR) vs Alan Bartelli (NR/17)
133 - Brandon Jones (NR/NR) vs Andrew Hochstrasser (2/2)
141 - Chris Druin (12/14) vs Levi Jones (8/11)
149 - Nate Carr (NR/NR) vs Jason Chamberlain (3/3)
157 - Trent Weatherman (NR/NR) vs Adam Hall (2/2)
165 - Andrew Sorenson (10/NR*) vs Unranked
175 - Jon Reader (1/1) vs Jake Swartz(10/13)
184 - Cole Shafer (NR/NR) vs Kirk Smith, (NR/1)
197 - Jerome Ward (12/12) vs Unranked
285 - Matt Gibson (17/16) vs . Unranked

Note: Intermat has Spangler at 16th, but I'm guessing we'll see Sorenson this weekend based on Spanglers injury at Midlands

So basically there are five matches where Boise is the heavy favorite (125, 133, 149, 157, 184). So we would have to win every single match where we have more than a prayer and beat them in bonus points. Our line-up holes are going to be too much this weekend, I think. I'll be perfectly happy if we take 7th. We just are not a dual team this year.

The key is #1 ranked Kirk Smith for Boise State has not wrestled yet this year. Their backup is a Larsen who is 6-8.

[Judoka]

The key is #1 ranked Kirk Smith for Boise State has not wrestled yet this year. Their backup is a Larsen who is 6-8.

That is good, especially since Shafer looks to have had a bit of a breakthrough at Midlands. Still not a probable AA or anything, but seems like he'll be fairly solid the next few months.

Is Kirk Smith recovering from knee surgery or something?

[heyguy85]

Drouin needs to step up and if Smith wrestles, Shafer can't give up the pin.

[DantheFan]

Drouin needs to step up and if Smith wrestles, Shafer can't give up the pin.

Agreed. I'm hoping for a no show for Smith. In my eyes that would give us the last 5 weights. Then it's just a matter of staying competitive in the first 5 weights and again, Drouin needs to step up. He looked pretty good at Midlands, so I think we'd easily have it...if Smith shows I don't think we're out of it, but it certainly makes things a lot more difficult.

On another note. I, for one, am a little bummed Iowa won't be at the Nat. Duals. Did anyone see how much they struggled at Midlands? I think we could beat them this season if we met up again and we're healthy. I think if they were at the duals this weekend, they'd be struggling a bit again. They'd probably fair better than us, they have a good dual team, but I certainly don't think they'd win it all. Just think it'd be fun to see what'd happen.

[hawkadoodledoo]

Agreed. I'm hoping for a no show for Smith. In my eyes that would give us the last 5 weights. Then it's just a matter of staying competitive in the first 5 weights and again, Drouin needs to step up. He looked pretty good at Midlands, so I think we'd easily have it...if Smith shows I don't think we're out of it, but it certainly makes things a lot more difficult.

On another note. I, for one, am a little bummed Iowa won't be at the Nat. Duals. Did anyone see how much they struggled at Midlands? I think we could beat them this season if we met up again and we're healthy. I think if they were at the duals this weekend, they'd be struggling a bit again. They'd probably fair better than us, they have a good dual team, but I certainly don't think they'd win it all. Just think it'd be fun to see what'd happen.

You guys will beat BSU if you can keep their top ranked guys from bonus points. I know it sounds elementary, but that is the key here. There's no reason ISU can't beat BSU at 125, 141, 165, 174, 197, and HWT. Reader can get bonus to make up for some of the other large gaps between 133, 149, and 157, but it really comes down to whether or not Smith wrestles.

[buf87]

You guys will beat BSU if you can keep their top ranked guys from bonus points. I know it sounds elementary, but that is the key here. There's no reason ISU can't beat BSU at 125, 141, 165, 174, 197, and HWT. Reader can get bonus to make up for some of the other large gaps between 133, 149, and 157, but it really comes down to whether or not Smith wrestles.

sounds like he will be there to wrestle according Boise State web site