Wiltz

Monday, February 18, 2008



Hawkeyes go out at home with big win

Beatty's win rescues Iowa




By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen



Iowa coach Tom Brands jumps with excitement after watching sophomore Chad Beatty defeat Michigan freshman Anthony Biondo in their 197-pound match to give Iowa the lead Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Iowa won the dual meet 20-16. Press-Citizen / Dan Williamson



Chad Beatty was holding the weight of the Iowa wrestling team on his shoulders one moment.

He was holding the Big Ten championship trophy in his hands the next.

Beatty's last second takedown rescued the Hawkeyes from defeat Sunday night and turned the undersized sophomore into an instant hero to the announced crowd of 5,099 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena after top-ranked Iowa secured a 20-16 victory against No. 10 Michigan.

Everybody wanted hugs and handshakes from Beatty after his 2-1 win against 15th-ranked Anthony Biondo in the 197-pound match.

"It was a lot of fun, but we're supposed to do that," said Beatty, who started the season at 174 pounds and has been trying to pack on weight since January to help the Hawkeyes fill what was the biggest void in a powerful lineup. "We're supposed to win -- maybe not that close of a match. I'm glad I can win for them and for myself."

The victory pushed the Hawkeyes (20-1, 7-0 Big Ten) to the 20-win plateau for the third time in school history.

"We were in a scrap for our life and things don't look good, but you've got guys who go out and compete hard, and it's a tribute to our guys," Iowa coach Tom Brands said. "Last year, that probably wouldn't have happened. Guys were putting their head down a lot more. That's not a knock on those guys, it's how you train months in a row, days in a row and not days that are in the teens or twenties or thirties, but days that are in the hundreds in a row."

The Hawkeyes were on the brink of defeat after dropping four matches by a takedown. Michigan won four consecutive matches to take a 16-12 lead going into the final two matches. All the Wolverines (15-8, 2-5) needed was for Biondo to beat Beatty like he did in January when the Michigan freshman won an 8-0 major decision at the National Duals.

It appeared as if the Wolverines would win another close one to seal the dual. Biondo led 1-0 as the final seconds ticked down.

"I kept trying to go to my attacks," Beatty said. "I kept going."

Beatty had been unable to finish several scoring opportunities, but a desperation duck-under created an opening for him to get to Biondo's left leg. Beatty lifted, kicked Biondo's other leg out from underneath him.

Biondo hit the mat with Beatty on top of him. The final horn sounded and pandemonium followed. With two leaps, Brands was in the center of the mat with both hands extended to congratulate Beatty.

Seventh-ranked heavyweight Matt Fields, in his final home meet as a Hawkeye, won a 20-5 technical fall against Chad Bleski to wrap up a victory that sealed the Big Ten dual title for Iowa.

"It's not how you want to go out and perform in your last home dual, but it sure was exciting," Iowa 125-pounder Charlie Falck said. "I haven't gotten that excited in a long time."

Falck felt relief, too. The third-ranked junior started the Hawkeyes with a 15-3 major decision win against Michael Watts. Falck built a 14-2 lead after two periods by putting Watts on his back twice but didn't score in the final two minutes. As the dual unfolded, he started to wonder if the extra bonus points he couldn't collect would prove costly.

"I said, 'If we lose by one point, I'm going to freak out on myself,'" Falck said.

Joey Slaton followed Falck with a major-decision win against Chris Diehl at 133. Top-ranked 149-pounder Brent Metcalf racked up 11 takedowns on his way to a 25-8 match termination win against Justin Chrzanowski, but the Iowa sophomore couldn't pick up near-fall points to secure five team points.

Those extra points seemed inconsequential until the Wolverines reeled off four straight victories starting at 157.

Iowa beat Michigan 23-13 Jan. 13 in the semifinals of the National Duals. But the Wolverines reversed the outcomes at 157, 165 and 174.

Jeff Marsh, ranked 20th at 157, used an overtime takedown to win a 10-8 decision against No. 12 Ryan Morningstar. Marsh erased Morningstar's 2 minute, 16-second riding time advantage in the third period, shaving it under a minute when he scored a takedown with 15 seconds left to take an 8-6 lead before Morningstar reversed the Michigan senior with three seconds left to force overtime.

Third-ranked Eric Tannenbaum scored six takedowns on his way to a 13-4 major decision win against Iowa freshman Jake Kerr, who was filling in for top-ranked and defending NCAA champion Mark Perry Jr.

Fourth-ranked Steve Luke used a takedown in each of the first two periods on his way to a 5-3 win against second-ranked Iowa sophomore Jay Borschel at 174.

Michigan also repeated its January victories at 141 and 184. Kellen Russell held off seventh-ranked Dan LeClere for a 6-4 win at 141 and third-ranked Tyrel Todd used a takedown with eight seconds remaining to win a 3-1 decision against No. 7 Phil Keddy at 184.

This put the Hawkeyes in a bind in their final home showing of what has been a brilliant season.

"I was thinking, 'You're coming on, you're doing all of these good things, everything's looking bright and then you lose your last dual meet?'" Falck said. "That would've put a big damper on the season."

But Beatty came through for the Hawkeyes -- and not a second too late.

"We can't give him enough credit, but it's time to move on, too," Brands said. "We're going to go upstairs, and we're going to give him a lot of credit, and we'll see a smile on his face. He's got to be feeling great, but we've got work to do and that weight class is huge for us in the postseason."

Iowa 20, Michigan 16

125 -- Charlie Falck (UI) maj. dec. Michael Watts 15-3.

133 -- Joe Slaton (UI) maj. dec. Chris Diehl 14-4.

141 -- Kellen Russell (M) dec. Dan LeClere 6-4.

149 -- Brent Metcalf (UI) tech. fall Justin Chrzanowski 25-8, 5:10.

157 -- Jeff Marsh (M) dec. Ryan Morningstar 10-8.

165 -- Eric Tannenbaum (M) maj. dec. Jake Kerr 13-5.

174 -- Steve Luke (M) dec. Jay Borschel 5-3.

184 -- Tyrel Todd (M) dec. Phillip Keddy 3-1.

197 -- Chad Beatty (UI) dec. Anthony Biondo 2-1.

Hwt. -- Matt Fields (UI) tech. fall Chad Bleske 20-5.


Reach Andy Hamilton at 339-7368 or ahamilton@press-citizen.com.

__________________
"He quits, not because he wants to, but because he has to. He has no choice.
" -Tom Brands 01/20/08