ISU’s heavyweight, David Zabriskie, pulled off another stellar victory by defeating returning NCAA champion Mark Ellis by decision, 6-4, in the Midlands quarterfinals. The No. 3-seeded Cyclone fought off the larger, sixth-seeded Tiger opponent on several takedown attempts to prevail as the winner.
The victory puts Zabriskie at 100 wins for his Cyclone career. He joins his teammate Jake Varner (197) in the “100-Win Club” as the 34th member. The Branchville, N.J., native moves forward to the Midlands semifinals for the second time in his career.
“I was just happy to advance,” Zabriskie said. “I didn’t even know that was my 100th career win. It is definitely rewarding to get that win. The most important aspect of the victory is advancing in the tournament and getting team points.”
Three-time NCAA finalist Varner moved onward in the Midlands Championships with a major decision over Matt Wilps of Pitt, 13-2. The win puts Varner into his fourth-straight Midlands semifinals.
Redshirt freshman Andrew Long vaulted into the semifinals with an emphatic pin at 125 pounds. The fourth-seeded Cyclone scored a defensive fall over Central Michigan’s fifth-seeded Matt Steintrager after putting him in a risky position from neutral.
ISU 133-pound top-seed Nick Fanthorpe returns to the Midlands semifinals for the fourth-straight year. The Naperville, Ill., native advanced with a 6-2 decision of No. 8 Billy Ashnault of Rutgers.
Cyclone Jon Reader continued his path towards his third-straight Midlands finals with a major decision of 10th-seed Josh Asper of Maryland. Reader, seeded second at 165 pounds, showed off his offensive prowess en route to the 16-4 victory.
Iowa State 174-pounder Duke Burk advanced to the semifinals after grinding out a 9-8 decision against Illinois’s Jordan Blanton. Fifth-seed Burk, a senior, hails from Peoria, Ill.
ISU’s Mitch Mueller (149), Boaz Beard (184-Unatt.) and Jerome Ward (184) will wrestle in Tuesday’s consolation action after being bounced in the quarterfinals.
The second session of the Midlands began with consolation action. Cyclones Mike Finch (165) and Eric Thompson (HWT) battled to stay alive in the tournament and will wrestle in the fifth consolation round tomorrow, starting at 12 p.m.
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