Iowa (5-1) at
Oklahoma State (6-0)
  January 16, 2005  Gallagher-Iba Arena  Stillwater, Okla.
    There have been 74 NCAA Division I wrestling tournaments. 52 of those tournaments have been won by either Oklahoma State or Iowa. The last two by Oklahoma State.    For two decades, the Cowboys strived to be what Iowa was - national champions. The Hawkeyes were one of the most dominant college programs in all of sports history. But now, the tide has turned. Oklahoma State has won four consecutive dual meets over Iowa to take a 20-16-1 edge in a series filled as much with hatred as the Dark Side.    It will not be tough for either school to find emotion in this year's matchup either. For Iowa, NCAA heavyweight champion Steve Mocco transferred to Oklahoma State after taking an Olympic Redshirt last year. The man brought in to replace him, Matt Fields, will have a chance to avenge an earlier loss to Mocco.    For Oklahoma State, it's own beloved son, Mark Perry, chose Iowa over the Cowboys. Perry is John Smith's nephew, and his father Mark was a two-time Big XII champion for Oklahoma State and then an assistant coach for eight seasons in Stillwater.    Last year, Oklahoma State came out on top with a 30-10 drubbing in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Can the Hawkeyes gain revenge on the Cowboys home mat?    125: Charlie Falck (Fr., Iowa, 10-5) vs. Coleman Scott (Fr., Oklahoma State, 16-2)  Falck is a true freshman that was placed into the lineup this year after Lucas Magnani struggled. This proves that Iowa is out to win this year, not settling for second place. This appears to be the right move, as this team will contend for a national title next season, and the development of young wrestlers such as Falck is essential. Falck struggled at the start of the season, losing a lot of close matches, but he has since rebounded and is now getting better with every single match. Scott is also a true freshman, which should make this matchup more intriguing. His record shines brighter than Falck's, but his opponents have not been as strong either. Both wrestlers are very talented and quick on the mat. With both being young, also expect a lot of action here. A lot of offense equals more opportunity for mistakes, which means this match is wide open.  TheMat.com Prediction: Scott    133: Mario Galanakis (Jr., Iowa, 7-2) vs. Nathan Morgan (Fr., Oklahoma State, 17-0)  Galanakis has already provided coaches with much more than originally expected when this season started. He has posted some solid wins, especially after a couple of tough losses at the Midlands. Galanakis likes to score points, but he doesn't take too many bad shots, a big reason he has been successful this season. Morgan, another true freshman, is as good as they come, though he has not gotten much publicity this season. He has not been tested so far this season, however, making this the biggest match of his young career. His quickness and body make him very tough to score on, and he can get in deep on just about any wrestler in the nation right now. This will be a tough matchup for Galanakis. Not only will Morgan have a home crowd behind him, but he is a better overall wrestler as well. Expect Galanakis to play a lot of defense and attempt to keep Morgan off his legs.  TheMat.com Prediction: Morgan    141: Alex Tsirtsis (Fr., Iowa, 14-3) vs. Ronnie Delk (Sr., Oklahoma State, 9-5)  Tsirtsis is another one of the talented freshmen in the Iowa lineup. His compact body frame makes it very tough for him to be scored on. Against most opponents, though, he is able to still get deep on his shots. He has great quickness, and it allows him to score a lot of points. Delk is expected to get the start, but freshman Daniel Frishkorn could also be in the lineup. Delk has more experience, and in a big dual meet such as this, experience is invaluable. Against more defensive wrestlers, Tsirtsis has a tendency to shut his offense down. He is not much of a risk-taker. If Delk stays in the center of the mat, don't expect many shots to be attempted throughout this match. Tsirtsis has already wrestled in big matches this year in front of big crowds. This will be just another match for him.  TheMat.com Prediction: Tsirtsis    149: Ty Eustice (Jr., Iowa, 15-1) vs. Zack Esposito (Jr., Oklahoma State, 15-0)  Eustice is having a major breakout season, beating nearly everyone in his path. The key for him this year is that he has initiated more offense. In past years, Eustice played strictly a defensive game on the mat. While he is still a primarily defensive wrestler, he has done a better job this year of creating space and shooting when he sees an opening. Esposito is a heavy favorite to win the NCAA title at this weight class this season. He is quick, wormy and good in every position. He is a great scrambler as well, which could get Eustice in trouble if anything wild breaks out in this match. Last year, Esposito won a 4-1 match. Eustice needs to revert to a strictly defensive mode and hope to frustrate Esposito into taking some bad shots, which can happen. This match should stay close, especially with as well as Eustice has been wrestling lately, but it would be a major upset if the Hawkeye came out on top.  TheMat.com Prediction: Esposito    157: Joe Johnston (Jr., Iowa, 13-3) vs. Kevin Ward (Jr., Oklahoma State, 11-1)  Johnston is an up-and-down wrestler. He usually gets on a hot streak right about this time of year and it carries until the postseason. He is also a third-period wrestler, something coaches have tried to change over the last three years. If he wrestles every period like it's the third, he should be an All-American no problem this year. Ward is finally getting his chance to shine in the spotlight, and so far this season, he has not disappointed. His only official loss this year is to Johnston. And that was a 21-7 match. Ward really needs to improve defensively from that match, though it did take place in November. The Hawkeyes really could use some bonus points in this dual meet. Without them, this team is doomed. This will be a big opportunity for Johnston to deliver for his team.  TheMat.com Prediction: Johnston    165: Mark Perry (Fr., Iowa, 13-1) vs. Johny Hendricks (So., Oklahoma State, 14-1)  One of the most anticipated rematches of the season will take place between Perry and Hendricks. Perry is as good of a mat wrestler as there is in the country - at any weight class. He has great size, athleticism and quickness, but he is deceptively strong. He has a very lanky body, but he has horsed numerous opponents to their backs already this season, and his drive to win may be unmatched. Hendricks is also a strong wrestler. He struggled with weight last year at 157, so he moved up this year and has put his name in the national title hunt. One of Hendricks' 14 wins this season is a 7-5 overtime decision over Perry in Omaha. Unlike Perry, though, Hendricks seems to many times be satisfied when he gets a lead in a match. He won't be able to get away with that here. Expect some sparks to fly in this bout, but Perry is a much better wrestler now than he was in November.  TheMat.com Prediction: Perry    174: Luke Lofthouse (Fr., Iowa, 8-8) vs. Chris Pendleton (Sr., Oklahoma State, 14-1)  Lofthouse is a freshman. Pendleton is a senior… a real good one. Simply put, this is going to be a tough bout for Lofthouse. He has struggled throughout this season, though he has put up some gutsy performances against Eric Hauan and Nick Passolano. Defense is not Lofthouse's strongest suit, and