After starting the season with only two wins in nine duals, the Tigers have quietly reeled off three consecutive dual wins and had a ranked upset today. The team has now gotten back Logan Gioffre and Cam Steed back into the lineup, but are still missing Keegan O’Toole and Colton Hawks. The hope is that both of those wrestlers are back for Iowa State and the postseason.
They have also continuously made improvements through the season, with a handful of wrestlers taking big steps forward recently. Kade Moore became UFC Fight Pass’ first 2x Outstanding Wrestler award winner with back to back bonus point wins. Josh Edmond has been opening up more and avenged a loss from last season. Logan Gioffre battled back from an early 0-7 deficit. While the dual record may still end up below 0.500, it is clear that this team is back to being a top 20 contender even without their two highest ranked wrestlers.
125lbs: #14 Jett Strickenberger Dec. #32 Gage Walker (7-6)
The end result of this match wasn’t shocking, but the path to get there was unexpected. The two didn’t have any scoring in the first period, with Strickenberger the aggresor. In the second Walker actually got an excellent wrist tilt for four nearfall but wasn’t able to complete the rideout. The third Strickenberger rode him just long enough to eliminate riding time and was again the aggressor in neutral, getting two takedowns and keeping Walker down for the last 10 seconds to ride him out.
The strategy that Strickenberger used was the exact one I thought Walker could do to win. Wear him down with handfighting and extended scrambles early, work from top, then in the third start taking more committed attacks in a tight match. I think this will be a good learning experience for Walker against a Big 12 title threat. The fact that he was able to get a turn from top is impressive. If he can continue to take steps forward in neutral I think he could flip this match in the future.
133lbs: Kade Moore Fall Tommy Maddox (3:20)
This was all Moore here, as he again got to his offense in the first period to score before creating chaos in the second. Moore is clearly getting more comfortable from neutral, and having more success at getting to legs and creating action. The second period he was on bottom and got to his feet before Maddox tried to return him. Maddox snagged a leg while Moore turned in and locked up a cradle to take him over for the fall. Now having bonus point wins and five falls in his past six matches, it seems like the Moore we saw last season has arrived. He will continue to get big challenges going forward, but he has momentum.
141lbs: #15 Josh Edmond Dec. #33 Jordan Titus (5-2)
The score doesn’t tell the story, as this was an exciting match for seven minutes. Edmond got a first period takedown with good movement to get a go behind. From there both wrestlers took attacks and had upper body exchanges but no scores. The impressive part from Edmond came in the third period.