isuuni
Photo: Iowa State Athletics

Iowa State tops Northern Iowa in Ames

AMES, Iowa -- No. 4 Iowa State took care of No. 17 UNI, 27-14, in wrestling dual action Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones improve to 12-2 overall and 5-1 in the Big 12, while the Panthers fall to 6-6 overall and 5-2 vs. Big 12 competition.

The Cyclones won six matches and recorded bonus point victories in five of them, including a quartet of technical falls en route to their fifth-straight victory over the Panthers. Evan Frost (133), Casey Swiderski (149), David Carr (165) and Yonger Bastida (285) each ended their matches early with technical fall triumphs to highlight the win.

Iowa State held a 28-13 advantage in the takedown column.

At 133 pounds, No. 8 Evan Frost registered a technical fall vs. UNI's Julian Farber, 19-4. Farber got a first-period takedown and later got in on a single leg and appeared to take a big lead. But Frost countered, notched a takedown, a four-point near fall, and cruised the rest of the way.

Iowa State's lone non-bonus-point victory was perhaps its most important, as No. 9 Anthony Echemendia prevailed in the top-10 matchup at 141 pounds, defeating No. 6 Cael Happel, 9-6. Echemendia fell behind early but tied the score at 6-6 when he lifted Happel and tallied the takedown. He chose neutral to start to third with the score still knotted and won the match with a takedown with 19 seconds left.

The win was sweet for Echemendia, who avenged a previous loss to Happel (9-3) at the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas.

Seventh-ranked Casey Swiderski wasted little time in his dominating 19-4 technical fall victory over Cael Rahnavardi at 149 pounds. Swiderski's three takedowns and a 2-point near fall in the first period set the tone, as Swiderski improved to 16-2 on the season.

No. 2 David Carr's sixth takedown in the third period gave the Cyclone a 20-3 technical fall victory against Jack Thomsen at 165 pounds. It was Carr's 11th win by technical fall or pin this season, improving his record to 18-1.

No. 19 MJ Gaitan's second-period four-point near fall against UNI's Jared Simma was the difference in his 10-2 major decision win at 174 pounds.

No. 3 Yonger Bastida put on another takedown clinic at 285, registering seven takedowns in the first period where he ended the match with a 25-6 technical fall victory with four seconds left. Bastida remains perfect on the year at 19-0.

Iowa State's final dual of the season is Feb. 25, playing host to Missouri. Next weekend, the Cyclones compete at the Last Chance Open.

Results:
125: Trever Anderson (UNI) dec. #24 Kysen Terukina (ISU), 8-5 SV1
133: #8 Evan Frost (ISU) TF #24 Julian Farber (UNI), 19-4 (6:09)
141: #9 Anthony Echemendia (ISU) dec. #6 Cael Happel (UNI), 9-6
149: #7 Casey Swiderski (ISU) TF Cael Rahnavardi (UNI), 19-4 (4:58)
157: #15 Ryder Downey (UNI) dec. #14 Cody Chittum (ISU), 12-9
165: #2 David Carr (ISU) TF Jack Thomsen (UNI), 20-3 (5:50)
174: #19 MJ Gaitan (ISU) MD #30 Jared Simma (UNI), 10-2
184: #1 Parker Keckeisen (UNI) TF Tate Naaktgeboren (ISU), 20-4 (6:39)
197: #23 Wyatt Voelker (UNI) dec. Julien Broderson (ISU), 4-2
285: #3 Yonger Bastida (ISU) TF Adam Ahrendsen (UNI), 25-6 (2:56)