National Duals in Ames

This Sunday starting at 11 AM

The rankings of the teams most likely on our side of the bracket
Wisconsin has Ben Jordan ranked #9 at 165 (He beat Sorenson at Midlands)

That is most likely our 11 AM matchup and the only guy they have ranked.

The semi final matchup will probably be Oregon State.
They have
Mangrum ranked #4 at 141 (Would wrestle Goettl)
Sakaguchi is ranked #15 at 149 (Would wrestle Cozart)
Pena is ranked #18 at 157 (Would wrestle Moreno)
Meeks is ranked #17 at 197 (Would wrestle Voelker, Shafer, or Ward)
Jack is ranked #5 at Hwt (Would wrestle Gibson)

We have not wrestled any Oregon State guys this year, we did meet some Wisconsin guys at Midlands.

Just listened to KJ on the weekly press conference and he stated that Ward will go at 197 on Sunday and that Beard did not do any live wrestling last week. Also KJ thought we would get 3rd seed behind Iowa and Oregon State. Official seeding comes out Wednesday.

Posted by Tractorboy on Cyclone Report.com

Per Andy Hamilton's chat today:

Andy Hamilton: Good afternoon. I just got off the phone with Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson and the Cyclones have some good news. Chris Spangler has been cleared to get back on the mat today and Jackson is hopeful he'll be able to compete Sunday. Jerome Ward is expected to wrestle Sunday in the National Duals.

Q. What Ward needs to do to qualify for Nationals?

Andy Hamilton: He's going to have to earn his way in at the conference meet. This is purely a guess on my part, but I suspect the Big 12 will get three qualifying spots at 197 and I think I'm correct in saying Ward would have to beat Rosholt/Byers, Haynes or Hall.

That will be huge to have Spangler back. Not only for the national duals, but also to have him healthy for Big 12's and NCAA's.

Any idea on whether Ward has been conditioning? That's my biggest concern with him, given that even when he'd been conditioning for a full season, he'd gas out in the third period (or sometimes the second). It should help that he's back up at 197.

Woo hoo! Bring it, Jerome!!

Best wishes, thanks, and I hope you are healthy and can finish out your career strong.

No comment of Finch at the press conference. Hopefully that means no concussion.

Same here Judoka. I heard Finch might of got racked. That tends to slow a person down for a little bit

Judoka, Do you remember how long Jerome has been in the room working out? I think KJ addressed it in the press conference.

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Originally Posted by buf87

Same here Judoka. I heard Finch might of got racked. That tends to slow a person down for a little bit

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Whatever the reason for Finch faltering down the stretch, Sorenson was not happy. He spent pretty much the whole 3rd period in his ear matside, and escorted him out of the gym as soon as the match was over. That's what I call senior leadership! It was cool to see him take on the roll of the 2nd assistant with Paulson and Reader both competing elsewhere. I really hope we can find a role for him to keep him around the program after graduation.

Good news on Ward and Spangler Conditioning is my only big worry with Ward. He has the ability to hang with about anyone but if as he goes into the 2nd or 3rd with low gas, it wont be good. Wards conditioning has almost always been an issue and with him out the whole year, it becomes a real question.

Say we get the 3 seed. Do we hold spangler and ward out against wisky and keep them fresh for osu? Of course score will depend some with them being in the back half. What do you think?

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Originally Posted by Judoka

No comment of Finch at the press conference. Hopefully that means no concussion.

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That's unpossible. A Cyclone wrestler take a shot to the head and NOT get a concussion. Unheard of.

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Originally Posted by BCClone

Say we get the 3 seed. Do we hold spangler and ward out against wisky and keep them fresh for osu? Of course score will depend some with them being in the back half. What do you think?

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Interesting thought. I doubt they hold them out because more importantly than the team score (lets face it, ISU isn't going to win the national duals this year) is that those guys get some matches under their belt.

Not sure BCClone. Do you think Spangler and/or Ward are ready for 3 matches in 1 day. Ward can't earn a auto berth for Big 12's, so he is going to have to take somebody elses in order to get to Nationals. Spangler might be a different situation for 2 reasons, 1. We want to do everything possible to get England auto qualified, in case, and 2. Spangler needs to work on his seed for Nationals.

See this new blog post for more of KJ's comments on both Spangler and Ward (relates to Andy Hamilton chat), more than what I copied below:

Ward set to return for ISU, Cyclones hopeful for Spangler | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

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... Iowa State’s banged-up wrestling lineup appears set to receive a boost this weekend when the Cyclones host the National Duals regional tournament at Hilton Coliseum.

Jackson said senior Jerome Ward is on track to make his season debut and fifth-ranked 174-pounder Chris Spangler could make his first his first appearance since Dec. 29 when he sustained a concussion at the Midlands Championships.

“It’s exciting to think about it,” Jackson said. “But we’ve got to wait until Sunday. Hopefully the doctors release Spangler. But Ward is a go and I’ve already communicated with him that we’re going to wrestle him, and he’s good with that. His training has been the last four weeks and his back has been improving steadily, so we’re going to get him out there.” ...

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Quote:

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Ward, a three-time NCAA qualifier, fell one victory short of earning all-America honors last year at 197 pounds. A back injury sidelined him for the first three months of the season, and while Ward sat out, the Cyclones lost 197-pound starter Kyven Gadson to season-ending shoulder surgery and reserve Cole Shafer to a concussion. ...

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That would be great if Shafer is back. We have no idea how Ward is going to perform and Shafer needs to be ready.