Cyclones Dominate Sooners in Road Dual, Set Tone for Oklahoma Swing
Iowa State wrestling opened its Oklahoma road trip with authority, steamrolling past the Sooners 29-10 in Norman on Jan. 30. Even without key starters Evan Frost (133) and Rocky Elam (197) in the lineup, the Cyclones showed off their depth and firepower, claiming seven of ten bouts-including five with bonus points.
From the opening whistle, Iowa State looked locked in. At 125 pounds, Stevo Poulin set the tone with a 5-1 decision over Conrad Hendriksen, thanks to a first-period takedown that gave him early control. At 133, Adrian Meza stepped in and delivered under pressure, using a clutch third-period reversal and riding time to edge out a 6-5 win over Carter Schmidt.
Then came the fireworks.
Anthony Echemendia lit the fuse at 141, overwhelming Tyson Charmoli with six takedowns-two in each period-for a dominant 20-4 technical fall. That win kicked off a flurry of bonus-point victories for the Cyclones. Jacob Frost followed with a 12-2 major decision over Hunter Hollingsworth at 149, and Vinny Zerban kept the momentum rolling at 157, racking up an 11-2 major over Layton Schneider.
After the break, Connor Euton came out firing at 165. Facing former NCAA All-American Peyten Kellar, Euton didn’t just win-he made a statement. A third-period takedown followed by four near-fall points sealed a 19-1 technical fall, pushing the Cyclones’ lead to a commanding margin.
Oklahoma did manage to punch back in the middleweights. Carter Schubert scored a 5-1 decision over MJ Gaitan at 174, and Brian Soldano edged Isaac Dean 4-1 in sudden victory at 184. At 197, DJ Parker added an 8-0 major decision over CJ Carter, giving the Sooners a brief spark.
But Yonger Bastida slammed the door shut at heavyweight. The Cyclone big man continued his dominant stretch, dismantling former Iowa Hawkeye Bradley Hill with a 20-4 technical fall in just over five minutes to cap the dual in emphatic fashion.
With the win, Iowa State stays hot and heads into a tougher test just down the road. Next up: a Feb. 1 showdown in Stillwater against Oklahoma State, who just handled Northern Iowa with ease. That matchup promises fireworks-and the Cyclones look more than ready.
Iowa State vs. Oklahoma - Full Results
- 125: Stevo Poulin (ISU) dec. Conrad Hendriksen (OU), 5-1
- 133: Adrian Meza (ISU) dec. Carter Schmidt (OU), 6-5
- 141: Anthony Echemendia (ISU) tech fall Tyson Charmoli (OU), 20-4 (6:17)
- 149: Jacob Frost (ISU) major dec.
Hunter Hollingsworth (OU), 12-2
- 157: Vinny Zerban (ISU) major dec.
Layton Schneider (OU), 11-2
- 165: Connor Euton (ISU) tech fall Peyten Kellar (OU), 19-1 (6:33)
- 174: Carter Schubert (OU) dec. MJ Gaitan (ISU), 5-1
- 184: Brian Soldano (OU) dec. Isaac Dean (ISU), 4-1 SV-1
- 197: DJ Parker (OU) major dec. CJ Carter (ISU), 8-0
- 285: Yonger Bastida (ISU) tech fall Bradley Hill (OU), 20-4 (5:09)
The Cyclones didn’t just win-they made a statement. And with the Cowboys up next, that statement might just echo through the Big 12.