Courtesy of Iowa State athletic communications AMES, Iowa – The second-ranked Iowa State wrestling team rolled up the points early to power its way to a 28-10 victory over 17th-ranked Missouri Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. Five Cyclones scored bonus-point victories over the Tigers, including an overtime pin recorded by ISU’s Duke Burk at 174 pounds. Iowa State and head coach Kevin Jackson improve to 12-2 in his first season at the helm, along with a 3-0 mark in the Big 12 Conference. MU drops to 7-7, overall.
“If you have been watching us, you have seen that we are getter better,” Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. “Duke Burk gave us a big lift. We told him that we expected more of him this season. Duke got us bonus points. We will need bonus points to win the Big 12 meet.”
Cyclone Jon Reader has gotten a couple monkeys off his back in his junior campaign at 165 pounds. Reader struck again against Missouri, this time downing fifth-ranked Nicholas Marable by decision, 3-2. The Cyclone two-time All-American, previously 0-3 against the Tiger senior, improves his record to 20-3 overall, with a 12-2 mark in dual action. Marable falls to an overall record of 31-3. “Jon got a big one today,” Jackson said. “We are counting on him and winning this Big 12 match against a guy who had beat him was good for him and demonstrates that we are getting ready for March.”
Reader said it was great to be back wrestling in Hilton Coliseum. The match was the first on the Cyclones’ home in more than a month. “Our crowd get you going,” Reader said. “When you’ve been coast to coast recently like we have it is great to have the support in Hilton Coliseum.”
In one of the more exciting matches of the event, ISU’s Burk found a big way to win in overtime against Missouri’s 20th-ranked Dorian Henderson at 174 pounds. With the score at 2-1 in favor of Burk in the first tiebreaker period of overtime, the Cyclone reversed the Tiger to his back and recorded the fall in 8:29.
“Obliviously a win is good for your confidence,” Burk said. “The crowd was great. I could feel him relax after I got the reversal and so I took advantage.”
Cyclone heavyweight David Zabriskie has had the returning NCAA champion’s number every time throughout their careers. Zabriskie turned away Missouri’s Mark Ellis by decision, 3-2, to improve to 6-0 all-time against the Tiger. Zabriskie, a two-time All-American, betters his season mark to 18-2, with a 10-1 dual record.
“You always trust that Dave will get that takedown and win the match,” Burk said. “He wears the big guys down as the match goes along. For all of us, trust in each other is what holds this team together.”
ISU three-time NCAA finalist Jake Varner continued his winning ways against MU’s Brent Haynes, winning by major decision, 14-5. The Tiger, ranked 10th at 197 pounds according to Intermat, was no match for the undefeated Varner (23-0, 14-0 in duals). The victory was Varner’s seventh major decision victory this season.
Iowa State seniors Nick Fanthorpe (133), Mitch Mueller (149) and Andrew Sorenson (157) recorded major decision victories for the Cyclone team effort. Fanthorpe controlled MU’s Nathan McCormick for a 12-3 win. Mueller showed off his offensive technique with four third-period takedowns en route to a 20-7 victory. Sorenson blanked Patrick Wright of Missouri for the win, 8-0.
The Cyclones’ standout senior class will take the mat in Hilton Coliseum one last time next week (Feb. 21) in the regular season finale against Big 12 foe Nebraska. Competition starts at 2 p.m.
IOWA STATE 28, MISSOURI 10 149 pounds – No. 10 Mitch Mueller (ISU) major dec. Scott O’Donnell (MU), 20-7 157 pounds – Andrew Sorenson (ISU) major dec. Patrick Wright (MU), 8-0 165 pounds – No. 2 Jon Reader (ISU) dec. No. 5 Nicholas Marable (MU), 3-2 174 pounds – Duke Burk (ISU) pinned No. 20 Dorian Henderson (MU), 8:29 (TB1) 184 pounds – No. 3 Maxwell Askren (MU) major dec. No. 11 Jerome Ward (ISU), 9-1 197 pounds – No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. No. 10 Brent Haynes (MU), 14-5 HWT – No. 4 David Zabriskie (ISU) dec. No. 7 Mark Ellis (MU), 3-2 125 pounds – Eric Wilson (MU) dec. Trevor Dearden (ISU), 6-3 133 pounds – No. 10 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) major dec. Nathan McCormick (MU), 12-3 141 pounds – No. 19 Todd Schavrien (MU) dec. No. 16 Dalton Jensen (ISU), 5-1
