What: #21 Iowa State 5-3 (2-0) vs North Dakota State 3-3 (0-1)
Where: Ames, Iowa | Hilton Coliseum
When: POSTPONED – TBD
Watch: Flowrestling (Subscription Required)
Following a 22-17 top 25 win over South Dakota State the Iowa State Cyclones will return to their home mat for the first time in over a month to host the Bison of North Dakota State. The Cyclones are off to a 2-0 start against their conference competition and will look to extend that to three in a row on Sunday.
This weekend’s dual will feature nine ranked wrestlers with two matches – the 133-pound and heavyweight bouts – being a ranked head-to-head meeting The Cyclones’ competition will also feature several wrestlers with ties to the state of Iowa.
For starters, there are the two Iowa natives who are prominently featured in the Bison lineup. Senior Cordell Eaton is a four-year starter at 197 pounds and will set up a former Iowa prep showdown between either of Iowa State options, Joel Shapiro or Francis Duggan. Eaton is a native of North Scott high school in Iowa.
The Bison’s 125-pound starter McGwire Midkiff is a western Iowa product from Council Bluffs-Thomas Jefferson. Midkiff has had an interesting career that began as his team’s 141-pound starter as a true freshman. Last season he cut down to 133 pounds while redshirting, and this year he has emerged as the team’s 125-pound option. Midkiff was a 2017 state champion at 126 pounds in Class 3A.
The final tie to Iowa in the Bison lineup is the team’s starter at 141 pounds Sawyer Degen. If the name doesn’t tip you off the Montana native is brother to Cyclone All-American Jarrett Degen.
The big matches will occur at 133 and heavyweight where we will see two top 20 meetings. Todd Small will face off with Cam Sykora, who has been one of the lynchpins in this Bison lineup for the last four seasons. Sophomore Brandon Metz was a big prospect coming out of high school and will be faced with a tough task facing Southern Scuffle champion Gannon Gremmel. Some may remember that Metz competed in the first-ever War at West Gym event back in 2017.
#21 Iowa State vs NDSU
125: #13 Alex Mackall (Iowa State) vs McGwire Midkiff (NDSU)
133: #15 Todd Small (Iowa State) vs #10 Cam Sykora (NDSU)
141: #5 Ian Parker (Iowa State) vs Sawyer Degen (NDSU)
149: Ryan Leisure or #7 Jarrett Degen (Iowa State) vs Jaden Van Maanen (NDSU)
157: #3 David Carr (Iowa State) vs Jared Franek (NDSU)
165: Chase Straw (Iowa State) vs #10 Andrew Fogarty (NDSU)
174: #11 Sammy Colbray (Iowa State) vs Lorenzo De La Riva (NDSU)
184: Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) vs TJ Pottinger (NDSU)
197: Joel Shapiro or Francis Duggan (Iowa State) vs Cordell Eaton (NDSU)
285: #14 Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) vs #20 Brandon Metz (NDSU)