South Dakota State topples Iowa State

South Dakota State won two matches by technical fall and added a pair of major decisions to defeat 18th-ranked Iowa State, 27-9, in a season-opening wrestling dual for both teams Friday night before a record crowd of 1,814 at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits, who were the top team receiving votes in the preseason USA Today/National Wrestling Coaches Association rankings, won seven matches overall, starting with a 14-2 major decision over Colston DiBlasi at 165 pounds.

The 174-pound matchup featured a pair of returning national qualifiers in Iowa State's seventh-ranked Lelund Weatherspoon and the Jackrabbits' David Kocer. Weatherspoon recorded a second-period escape to take a 1-0 lead into the final period, but Kocer evened the match with an early escape, then recorded the lone takedown of the bout with two seconds remaining to give SDSU a 7-0 lead and send the crowd into a frenzy.

Redshirt freshman Martin Mueller gave SDSU more bonus points with a dominating 19-6 major decision over Carson Powell in which he recorded six takedowns, a reversal and a four-point near-fall.

Iowa State got on the board in the 197-pound division as Patrick Downey, the seventh-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds, wrestled up a weight class and took down the Jackrabbits' ninth-ranked wrestler at 197, Nate Rotert, in an 8-6 decision.

SDSU closed out the first half of the dual with a 3-1 decision at heavyweight by Alex Macki over Iowa State freshman Nick Nolting.

The Jackrabbits' Seth Gross prevented Iowa State from gaining any further momentum after the Cyclones' won the 125-pound bout by turning in the first technical fall of the night with a 16-0 shutout of Nathan Boston.

Alex Kocer added the second technical fall win two bouts later with a 17-2, two-period victory over Blayne Briceno at 149 pounds, securing SDSU's first-ever dual victory over Iowa State in 10 tries.

Colin Holler closed out the Jackrabbit victory with a 5-2 decision over Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer at 157 pounds.

The Jackrabbits close out the weekend by hosting the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open on Sunday. Action begins at 9 a.m. at Frost Arena.

Results:
165: Luke Zilverberg (SDSU) major dec., Colston DiBlasi (ISU), 14-2
174: David Kocer (SDSU) dec. #7 Lelund Weatherspoon (ISU), 3-1
184: Martin Mueller (SDSU) major dec. Carson Powell (ISU), 19-6
197: Patrick Downey III (ISU) dec. #9 Nate Rotert (SDSU), 8-6 [Note: Downey ranked 7th at 184 pounds]
285: Alex Macki (SDSU) dec. Nick Nolting (ISU), 3-1
125: Kyle Larson (ISU) dec. Ben Gillette (SDSU), 6-1
133: #6 Seth Gross (SDSU) tech. fall Nathan Boston (ISU), 16-0 (7:00)
141: John Meeks (ISU) dec. Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU), 5-3
149: Alex Kocer (SDSU) tech. fall Blayne Briceno (ISU), 17-2 (5:00)
157: Colin Holler (SDSU) dec. Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer (ISU), 5-2