The South Dakota State wrestling team returns to action Sunday, hosting Minnesota in a dual matchup between top-25 teams.
Action is set for a 1 p.m. start at Frost Arena. The dual will be available for viewing through FloWrestling.org (subscription required). Sunday’s match has been designated as the annual Takedowns and Teddy Bear Toss event, with proceeds from that event, as well as monetary donations collected at the door, supporting Brookings-based Project Joy for the holiday season.
The 25th-ranked Jackrabbits enter Sunday’s dual with a 1-0 record after opening the dual season with a 40-4 home victory over Augustana on Nov. 18.
Minnesota, ranked 13th in the latest NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, also holds a 1-0 dual record after posting a 19-15 home win against Binghamton on Nov. 20.
THE SERIES: Minnesota has held the upper hand over the Jackrabbits in dual action, leading the all-time series, which dates back to the 1949-50 season, by a 27-4 count.
SDSU’s last victory over the Golden Gophers was a 23-18 triumph during the 1974-75 campaign. Minnesota has won the last 10 meetings overall.
In last season’s meeting, Nov. 28, 2021, at the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis, the Jackrabbits opened an early lead, but 12th-ranked Minnesota came storming back to claim a 27-13 victory. The win by the Golden Gophers was their 1,000th dual victory in program history.
The Jackrabbits got out of the gates quickly by winning a pair of matchups between nationally ranked wrestlers. With the dual starting at 165 pounds, 17th-ranked Tanner Cook of SDSU and No. 20 Andrew Sparks traded takedowns and near-falls in a high-scoring opening period that ended with Sparks leading 11-7. Cook regained control in the second period, recording a pin midway through the stanza.
Cade DeVos, ranked 17th at 174 pounds, pushed the SDSU lead to 9-0 with a 6-1 decision over No. 21 Jared Krattiger. After a scoreless first period, DeVos tallied takedowns in each of the final two periods and added points via escape and riding time to improve to 5-0 on the season.
Minnesota reeled off wins in each of the next five matches to build an insurmountable 20-9 lead. Isaiah Salazar started the string with a 10-1 major decision over Jacob Schoon at 184 pounds, followed by Michial Foy’s 9-3 decision over the Jackrabbits’ sixth-ranked Tanner Sloan in Sloan’s season debut in the 197-pound matchup.
Each of the next three Golden Gopher victories were of the bonus-point variety: a technical fall by defending NCAA and Olympic champion Gable Steveson at heavyweight and major decisions from Patrick McKee (125) and Jake Gliva (133).
Returning All-American and seventh-ranked Clay Carlson ended the streak with a convincing 12-3 major decision for SDSU over 23rd-ranked Jake Bergeland in the 141-pound matchup.
Two more ranked wrestlers for Minnesota, Michael Blockhus (149) and Brayton Lee (157), closed the dual with victories to give the Golden Gophers wins in seven of the 10 bouts.
#12 MINNESOTA 27, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 12 (Nov. 28, 2021, at Minneapolis, Minn.)
165: #17 Tanner Cook (SDSU) def. #20 Andrew Sparks, by fall 3:52
174: #17 Cade DeVos (SDSU) dec. #21 Jared Krattiger, 6-1
184: Isaiah Salazar (MINN) major dec. Jacob Schoon, 10-1
197: Michial Foy (MINN) dec. #6 Tanner Sloan, 9-3
285: #1 Gable Steveson (MINN) tech. fall #19 A.J. Nevills, 21-6 (5:00)
125: #9 Patrick McKee (MINN) major dec. #23 Tanner Jordan, 13-1
133: Jake Gliva (MINN) major dec. Trayton Anderson, 10-2
141: #7 Clay Carlson (MINN) major dec. #23 Jake Bergeland, 12-3
149: #22 Michael Blockhus (MINN) dec. #29 Zach Price, 13-7
157: #5 Brayton Lee (MINN) major dec. Kenny O’Neil, 13-5
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits flip back to tournament action by sending a contingent of wrestlers to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Competition runs Dec. 2-3, with action beginning at 11 a.m. Central Time (9 a.m. Pacific) each day.
Clay Carlson is the tournament’s defending champion in the 141-pound division.
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