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Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Third Heading into Finals
03.22.2008 | Men's Wrestling
ST. LOUIS ? Iowa State's seven All-Americans were busy Saturday morning, rolling up points in the consolations as the Cyclones moved into third place at the NCAA Championships in the Scottrade Center. ISU's Nick Gallick placed fifth at 141 pounds and heavyweight David Zabriskie finished sixth. The Iowa State trio of Nick Fanthorpe (125), Cyler Sanderson (157) and Jon Reader (165) each finished seventh in their respective weight classes. David Bertolino placed eighth for the Cyclones at 197 pounds. ISU is in third place with 72 points. Iowa leads the team race with 109.5 points, followed by Nebraska with 74. Ohio State and Penn State are tied for fourth with 71 points to round out the top-five.
Jake Varner is Iowa State's lone finalist at 184 pounds. Iowa and Ohio State will send three grapplers to championship matches, while Penn State has two in the finals. Saturday night's championship bouts will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN. Live stats will be available on cyclones.com.
Gallick surpassed his No. 9 seed by garnering All-American status with a fifth-place finish at 141-pounds, defeating Army's Matthew Kyler 3-2. It only took the ISU sophomore seven seconds to register a takedown, but Kyler responded with an escape to make the score 2-1 heading into the second period. Both wrestlers exchanged escapes in the second and third periods, but it was the first period takedown that earned Gallick the victory. Prior to the fifth-place match, Gallick suffered a 3-2 loss to Hofstra's Charles Griffin.
Gallick won his match as older brother and former Iowa State NCAA champion Nate watched from behind the mat. The Gallick name has combined for All-American status four times and four Big 12 titles. Nick finishes his second season as a Cyclone with a 28-13 record and was the Big 12 champ at 141 pounds. He holds a career record of 57-23.
Fanthorpe was the first of three ISU wrestlers to finish seventh place with a 7-6 decision over No. 11 Joe Baker of Navy at 133 pounds. Fanthorpe and Baker's heads collided mid-way through the first period, delivering gashes to both wrestlers.
“We both tried to take a shot,” Fanthorpe explained. “My head was low and he caught me right in my forehead above my eyes. I was on my back and felt some blood so I knew that they were going to have to clean me up. I don't know if the trainer put some strips on it or not, but he wrapped my head up and stitched it after.”
Despite the delay, Fanthorpe was not phased and attacked with a takedown for an early lead. He went up 6-3 on two second-period escapes and a takedown. Baker evened the bout with an escape to start the final period and took the Cyclone down, but Fanthorpe was able to break Baker's hold with 18 seconds left for the winning point. The sophomore All-American concludes the season with a 32-6 record, along with an individual Big 12 Conference title, and is 61-7 in his ISU career.
“It obviously feels good to go out with a win,” Fanthorpe said. “Ultimately I would have liked to be in the national finals, but the team has seven All-Americans. We're fighting back. I think overall the tournament was a good one and we'll be back next year to contend for the team title.”
Sanderson wrestled true to his seed by downing Bloomsburg's Matt Moley 7-5 for seventh place at 157 pounds. Sanderson held a 2-1 edge heading into the second period. He added two takedowns in the second stanza to go up 6-3, but Moley notched a takedown of his own to come within one point. A Sanderson escape denied Moley's upset attempt.
“It feels great to get that last win, especially coming off a loss last night,” the sophomore All-American said. “This is a tough tournament and it went pretty well, but I wanted to win it. I've got some stuff to work on this summer and try to get ready for next year.”
Sanderson closes out the season with a 33-6 mark and finished as the 157-pound Big 12 champion. He sports a 63-17 career record at Iowa State. To date, the Sanderson name has earned All-American honors seven times.
Reader placed seventh at 165 pounds by avenging a dual loss to Nebraska's fifth-seeded Stephen Dwyer via a 10-7 decision. Back points in the first period by the Cyclone were pivotal in the win as Reader raced out to a 5-0 lead in just over a minute in the opening period. He added a takedown to go up 7-1, but Dwyer got on the board with a reversal as the first period expired. In true Reader fashion from the down position, he reversed Dwyer to go ahead 9-4. The Huskers' final attempts, a takedown with 18 seconds to go, were not enough and Reader clinched the win.
“Those back points early were important,” Reader said. “I don't even know how we got in that scramble. It was a goofy scramble and I had his arm. I had never been in that situation before, maybe in practice goofing around. I am happy with everything and our team is happy as well. We'll be in the hunt next year.”
A redshirt freshman All-American from Davison, Mich., Reader ends his rookie season with a 30-9 record and leads the team in bonus point wins with 16.
“It was fun and that's is what we wanted to do,” Reader said. “We wanted to have fun, give your best effort and leave it all on the mat. I think I did that in all my matches. I could have changed a little bit of my strategy in some of my matches, but overall I gave my best effort for Iowa State. That's what I wanted to do and let the cookies crumble the way that they do.”
For the second time this season, heavyweights David Zabriskie and Iowa's Matt Fields pushed their match into overtime, but it was a takedown by No. 4 Fields in the second sudden victory period that earned the Hawkeye a win for fifth place. Zabriskie finished the tournament by hitting his seed right one by as the sixth-place big man to earn All-American status. Prior to the fifth-place match, the ISU sophomore suffered a 6-1 decision to Oklahoma State's fifth-seeded Jared Rosholt. Zabriskie, a Branchville, N.J., native, ends the season with a 29-8 record and carries a career record of 56-16.
Bertolino had upset on his mind by pushing fifth-seeded Max Askren of Missouri into sudden victory, but a counter by the Tiger resulted in a takedown and an 11-9 seventh-place match win for Mizzou grappler. Askren scored an early takedown, but Bertolino answered with a reversal to tie the bout at 2-2. He took a 4-3 lead on a takedown with 40 seconds left in the first period, only to have Askren escape and even the score. In the second period the Missouri sophomore moved ahead 7-4. Bertolino battled back for a takedown as time expired, forcing the match into sudden victory.
Bertolino, a senior on the ISU squad, entered his first NCAA Championships unseeded and excelled throughout the tournament. Wrestling up two weight classes from the three previous seasons, Bertolino provided one of the tournament's biggest upsets in quarterfinal action by knocking off All-American and third-seeded Mike Tamillow of Northwestern 6-4 in sudden victory. Hailing from Mount Pleasant, Ohio, Bertolino wrapped up his ISU career by going 25-14 this season and finished with a 69-40 overall record.
Most All-America Performers the Last Two Years
1. Iowa State 11
2. Iowa 10
3. Michigan 9
Minnesota 9
5. Oklahoma State 8
Cornell 8
Ohio State 8
Jake Varner is Iowa State's lone finalist at 184 pounds. Iowa and Ohio State will send three grapplers to championship matches, while Penn State has two in the finals. Saturday night's championship bouts will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN. Live stats will be available on cyclones.com.
Gallick surpassed his No. 9 seed by garnering All-American status with a fifth-place finish at 141-pounds, defeating Army's Matthew Kyler 3-2. It only took the ISU sophomore seven seconds to register a takedown, but Kyler responded with an escape to make the score 2-1 heading into the second period. Both wrestlers exchanged escapes in the second and third periods, but it was the first period takedown that earned Gallick the victory. Prior to the fifth-place match, Gallick suffered a 3-2 loss to Hofstra's Charles Griffin.
Gallick won his match as older brother and former Iowa State NCAA champion Nate watched from behind the mat. The Gallick name has combined for All-American status four times and four Big 12 titles. Nick finishes his second season as a Cyclone with a 28-13 record and was the Big 12 champ at 141 pounds. He holds a career record of 57-23.
Fanthorpe was the first of three ISU wrestlers to finish seventh place with a 7-6 decision over No. 11 Joe Baker of Navy at 133 pounds. Fanthorpe and Baker's heads collided mid-way through the first period, delivering gashes to both wrestlers.
“We both tried to take a shot,” Fanthorpe explained. “My head was low and he caught me right in my forehead above my eyes. I was on my back and felt some blood so I knew that they were going to have to clean me up. I don't know if the trainer put some strips on it or not, but he wrapped my head up and stitched it after.”
Despite the delay, Fanthorpe was not phased and attacked with a takedown for an early lead. He went up 6-3 on two second-period escapes and a takedown. Baker evened the bout with an escape to start the final period and took the Cyclone down, but Fanthorpe was able to break Baker's hold with 18 seconds left for the winning point. The sophomore All-American concludes the season with a 32-6 record, along with an individual Big 12 Conference title, and is 61-7 in his ISU career.
“It obviously feels good to go out with a win,” Fanthorpe said. “Ultimately I would have liked to be in the national finals, but the team has seven All-Americans. We're fighting back. I think overall the tournament was a good one and we'll be back next year to contend for the team title.”
Sanderson wrestled true to his seed by downing Bloomsburg's Matt Moley 7-5 for seventh place at 157 pounds. Sanderson held a 2-1 edge heading into the second period. He added two takedowns in the second stanza to go up 6-3, but Moley notched a takedown of his own to come within one point. A Sanderson escape denied Moley's upset attempt.
“It feels great to get that last win, especially coming off a loss last night,” the sophomore All-American said. “This is a tough tournament and it went pretty well, but I wanted to win it. I've got some stuff to work on this summer and try to get ready for next year.”
Sanderson closes out the season with a 33-6 mark and finished as the 157-pound Big 12 champion. He sports a 63-17 career record at Iowa State. To date, the Sanderson name has earned All-American honors seven times.
Reader placed seventh at 165 pounds by avenging a dual loss to Nebraska's fifth-seeded Stephen Dwyer via a 10-7 decision. Back points in the first period by the Cyclone were pivotal in the win as Reader raced out to a 5-0 lead in just over a minute in the opening period. He added a takedown to go up 7-1, but Dwyer got on the board with a reversal as the first period expired. In true Reader fashion from the down position, he reversed Dwyer to go ahead 9-4. The Huskers' final attempts, a takedown with 18 seconds to go, were not enough and Reader clinched the win.
“Those back points early were important,” Reader said. “I don't even know how we got in that scramble. It was a goofy scramble and I had his arm. I had never been in that situation before, maybe in practice goofing around. I am happy with everything and our team is happy as well. We'll be in the hunt next year.”
A redshirt freshman All-American from Davison, Mich., Reader ends his rookie season with a 30-9 record and leads the team in bonus point wins with 16.
“It was fun and that's is what we wanted to do,” Reader said. “We wanted to have fun, give your best effort and leave it all on the mat. I think I did that in all my matches. I could have changed a little bit of my strategy in some of my matches, but overall I gave my best effort for Iowa State. That's what I wanted to do and let the cookies crumble the way that they do.”
For the second time this season, heavyweights David Zabriskie and Iowa's Matt Fields pushed their match into overtime, but it was a takedown by No. 4 Fields in the second sudden victory period that earned the Hawkeye a win for fifth place. Zabriskie finished the tournament by hitting his seed right one by as the sixth-place big man to earn All-American status. Prior to the fifth-place match, the ISU sophomore suffered a 6-1 decision to Oklahoma State's fifth-seeded Jared Rosholt. Zabriskie, a Branchville, N.J., native, ends the season with a 29-8 record and carries a career record of 56-16.
Bertolino had upset on his mind by pushing fifth-seeded Max Askren of Missouri into sudden victory, but a counter by the Tiger resulted in a takedown and an 11-9 seventh-place match win for Mizzou grappler. Askren scored an early takedown, but Bertolino answered with a reversal to tie the bout at 2-2. He took a 4-3 lead on a takedown with 40 seconds left in the first period, only to have Askren escape and even the score. In the second period the Missouri sophomore moved ahead 7-4. Bertolino battled back for a takedown as time expired, forcing the match into sudden victory.
Bertolino, a senior on the ISU squad, entered his first NCAA Championships unseeded and excelled throughout the tournament. Wrestling up two weight classes from the three previous seasons, Bertolino provided one of the tournament's biggest upsets in quarterfinal action by knocking off All-American and third-seeded Mike Tamillow of Northwestern 6-4 in sudden victory. Hailing from Mount Pleasant, Ohio, Bertolino wrapped up his ISU career by going 25-14 this season and finished with a 69-40 overall record.
Most All-America Performers the Last Two Years
1. Iowa State 11
2. Iowa 10
3. Michigan 9
Minnesota 9
5. Oklahoma State 8
Cornell 8
Ohio State 8
Players Mentioned
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