Iowa opens their home dual meet season Saturday November 9th in at 1 pm Iowa City, as the #2 ranked Hawkeyes host the #12 Ranked Stanford Cardinals. The dual features 14 ranked wrestlers, and 1 match that will feature top 3 wrestlers from both programs.

Don’t Miss: Michael Caliendo  VS Hunter Garvin  at 165 should be a fantastic match, pitting two top ranked wrestlers against each other.

Keys To Victory:   For Iowa, the key to victory is easy, win the matches they are favored in and pick up bonus points where possible. For Stanford, they need to win the close matches. If they can pick up wins at 141, 149, 157, 165, and score a bonus point at 125, they do have a narrow path to victory. For this to happen, just about everything needs to go wrong for the Hawkeyes, which isn’t likely.

125 Kale Peterson or Joey Cruz VS Nico Provo #11 or forfeit

133 Drake Ayala #3 VS Tyler Knox #18

141 Ryder Block VS Jake Consiglio or  Chayse Lajoie

149 Kyle Parco #4 VS Jaden Abas #11

157 Jacori Teemer #1 or Caleb Rathjen VS Grigor Cholakyan

165 Michael Caliendo #2 VS Hunter Garvin #3

174 Nelson Brands #5  VS Lorenzo Norman #19

184  Gabe Arnold #6 VS Brook Byers or Luke Duthie

197 Steven Buchanan #1 VS Nick Stemmet #13

285 Ben Kueter #11 VS Peter Ming or Jackson Mankowski

Conclusion: While Iowa is favored in 9 of the 10 matches. There are several bouts that could go either way. I expect Stanford to show up with something to prove and wrestle Iowa real tough. Caliendo vs Garvin has the potential to be the match of the night. Interesting Fact: Stanford 165 lb Hunter Garvin is a former Iowa City West wrestler, where he was a 3X Iowa State Champion. I could see Iowa winning all 10 bouts and taking a 33-0 victory.

Iowa State opens the dual meet season on Friday November 8th, hosting the 12th ranked Stanford Cardinals, in Ames. The dual features 11 ranked wrestlers with 4 ranked matchups.

History: These teams have only competed against each other on one prior occassion. With Iowa State picking up a hard fought 23-18 win. Iowa State leads the series 1-0.

Don’t Miss: The 197 lb bout should be highly competitive. I have been very high on Christian Carroll, since I first heard he was moving to Ames, and Nick Stemmet looked impressive in the first week of wrestling. Don’t be surprised with an upset here.

Keys To Victory: On paper the dual looks to be very competitive, Iowa State is favored in 5 matches, while Stanford is favored in just 2, possibly 3 matches. The big question is if Stanford will wrestle Nico Provo or forfeit the 125 lb bout. Iowa State needs wins at 133, 141, 149, 174, and 184. All bouts they are favored to win. Picking up a swing bout at either 157 or heavyweight is equally important. The opportunity for bonus points does exist at 141 and 165.

So without any further ado let’s take a look at each match and I will do my best to give you a winner and team score.

125 Adrian Meza vs Nico Provo #11 or Forfeit

133 Evan Frost #5 vs Tyler Knox #18

141 Casey Swiderski vs Chayse Lajoie or Jack Consiglio

149 Anthony Ecemendia #7 vs Jaden Abas #11

157 Kane Naaktgeboren vs Grigor Cholakyan

165 MJ Gatin #9 or Connor Euton vs Hunter Garvin #3

174 Aiden Riggins #11 vs Lorenzo Norman #19

184 Evan Bockman #21 vs Luke Duthie

197 Christian Carroll vs Nick Stemmet #13

285 Daniel Herrera vs Jackson Mankowski

Conclusion: This dual is very close on paper, however the biggest factor is if Stanford will forfeit 125. This alone could change the dual outcome. I believe they forfeit and Iowa takes 6 of the 10 bouts and wins the dual 22-13. My confidence isn’t very strong on this one. I do believe the Cyclones will win, however with so many new faces in the lineup on both teams it has become very hard to predict. This one could come down to the wire.

Grinder’s Ferry is an amazing and scenic swim spot located in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. This world class swimming hole is located in sight of the U.S. 65 Bridge about two miles up river from the village of Gilbert Arkansas. For GPS directions, click here.

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So what makes Grinder’s Ferry so special? For starters a 50 foot bluff rises out of the water on the North bank of the river. At the base of the bluff is an incredible swim-in-cave! This cave is a wonderful place to hangout and escape the summer sun.

Grinder’s Ferry, nestled in tbeautiful Ozark country, is a hidden gem boasting a stunning swimming hole perfect for summer escapes. The crystal-clear waters of the Buffalo River invite visitors to dive into its refreshing depths, surrounded by lush greenery and rugged rock formations. As the river gently flows over smooth stones, it creates a soothing melody, adding serenity to this picturesque spot. Whether you seek relaxation or adrenaline-packed fun, Grinder’s Ferry offers an idyllic setting for swimming, snorkeling or simply soaking up the sun-drenched beauty.

Kameron Richter

Float trips on the Buffalo River are a summer tradition in Arkansas, and for good reason. This is one of the most scenic rivers in the country with its towering bluffs and crystal clear water, a day on the water is a day you will never forget. Its really that good! The river, designated by Congress 52 years ago as America’s first national river, may be the Natural State’s foremost natural treasure.

kk.strong / IG

Grinder’s Ferry swimming hole near Saint Joe Arkansas is a must visit destination for summer fun, situated along the Buffalo National River the area features a beautiful landscape of riverbanks and wooded areas. There are numerous outfitters on the Buffalo River offering canoe, and kayak rentals along with shuttle service in the area. I have used Buffalo River Outfitters,  and Wild Bills Outfitters, in the past and they both have done an outstanding job.

For more of the best adventures in the United States, click here. For the best nearby parks and amazing locations, click here. For the best Hotels, Resorts, and Vacation Homes, click here.

The Iowa Hawkeyes got the season started on the right track Saturday night in Corvallis Oregon! This was the first dual of the season for both teams and the Hawkeyes Improved to 1-0, while Oregon State dropped to 0-1.

Iowa VS Oregon State

125 Joey Cruz  VS  Maximo Renteria: Renteria wins 7-3                                                      0-3 Oregon St. Leads

133 Drake Ayala VS Damion Elliot: Ayala wins 26-10                                                            5-3   Iowa Leads

141 Ryder Block VS Nash Singleton: Block wins 5-4                                                              8-3   Iowa Leads

149 Kyle Parco  VS Victor Jacinto:    Parco wins 5-1                                                               11-3 Iowa Leads

157 Caleb Rathjen  VS Ethan Stiles: Stiles wins 12-3                                                            11-7 Iowa Leads

165 Michael Caliendo VS Kekana Fouret: Caliendo wins 18-3                                        16-7 Iowa Leads

174 Nelson Brands VS Sean Harman: Brands wins 2-1                                                        19-7 Iowa Leads

184 Gabe Arnold VS TJ Mcdonnell:  Arnold wins 20-5                                                          24-7 Iowa Leads

197 Steven Buchanan  VS Trey Munoz: Buchanan wins 9-5                                               27-7 Iowa Leads

:85 Ben Kueter  VS Brett Mower: Kueter wins 10-4                                                                30-7 Iowa Wins

My thoughts:

Drake Ayala looks great at 133, i feel he has really grown into the weight.

Really impressed with Ryder Block at 141, as he battled back, down 3-0 and gutted out the 5-4 win. This was a tough first match after missing an entire year of competition. He’s only going to get better as the season progresses.

Caleb Rathjen  at 157 has looked better, but I feel the  match just got away from him. Stiles is a solid wrestler with a 16-3 record and  a 70% bonus rate. Caleb will learn from this and bounce back.

165 Michael Caliendo, looked great I loved his urgency in the match . He looks much improved from last year. Last year he beat this kid 15-10 this year 18-3, great start to his season.

Steven Buchanan at 197 was impressive and had the most exciting match of the night. Really impressed with his will to win and no quit attitude. He is seriously a top contender.

Ben  Kueter looked to be in football shape, look forward to seeing him in wrestling shape.

The final score has Iowa winning the meet 30-7. It was a fantastic start to the season and the Hawkeyes are back in action right away next Saturday  November 9th at 1 PM in Iowa City vs Stanford.

Even after 10 of the top competitors either leaving 57 or graduating, those 10 do not include Levi Haines or a redshirting Daniel Cardenas. You also have 5 AA’s out of eligibility but even with all of that going on there is still a lot of depth at this weight. Notable moves from Tyler Kasak and Antrell Taylor along with big expectations from Ryder Downey after making blood round as a freshman, Jacori Teemer moving in to Iowa, there are lot of factors to consider and a whole lot of shaking up.

#1. Meyer Shapiro- This is a tough one, when considering the top 2 at 157 it’s a discussion of which one will remain healthy and how have they bounced back in the past from injury. Shapiro has demonstrated his ability to do so, with three losses last season, 2 at the CKLV to Trevor Chumbley and Dylan Cardenas, where it is rumored he struggled with a concussion through the tournament. His second loss to Cardenas and 3rd of the season at nationals he was leading 3-0 and again suffered a head injury after being tossed. So with that in mind, Shapiro payed back 2 out of those 3 matches with a 10-4 dec. over Cardenas in the 3rd place match at nationals. None of us can disregard the facts outside of these losses though, at one point in the season he went on a 20 match win streak, had a 70 percent bonus rate, and had 16 wins over ranked opponents which was the most in the country. To add he also bonused 11 of those 16, we think if his head can remain healthy and with Cardenas out of the way, there is no one that can stop him. On paper, not so much going 8-3 against like opponents with Jacori Teemer who’s 14-0 and we’ll break down Teemer next, so after just one year he has a 29-3 record at 90 percent win rate. A #2 preseason rank from Flo and #1 from Wrestlestat.

#2. Jacori Teemer- Nobody else really fits here among the rest of the list, honestly being the number 2 isn’t completely correct here, it’s more like a tie for 1st place. We could easily put him at the top based on his performance against Cardenas. They’ve faced off four times, Teemer winning them all. One of our biggest concerns is the same that we have for Parco, coming into the Big Ten is a whole different pace so will he be able to keep up. Probably the biggest concern is a pesky shoulder injury that has been well documented, will it reappear and sap his performance? Will he finally be able to close out this year after numerous top 5 finishes in the wake of many big names that have come to Iowa in the past only to have a substandard season. If he gets in a title match with Shapiro who’s on his game and we see the same Teemer that faced Haines with no offense, it’s a sure loss. We want the best for arguably the greatest wrestler that the state of New York ever produced. 85-17 record overall at 83 percent win rate. #1 preseason rank from Flo and #3 from Wrestlestat.

#3. Tyler Kasak- We have yet to see what Kasak can do without any prior history with Teemer or Shapiro, making a move from 49 settling for a 3rd place match against Ty Watters. This will have to be a year where he finishes somewhere in the top 5, otherwise eyes will start to turn to Alex Facundo who probably won’t want to stay behind Mitchell Messenbrink, so the obvious move is to go down. We will get our chance to see how ready he is with a preview at the NWCA All Star Classic against Peyton Kellar. 24-5 record overall at 90 percent win rate. A #4 preseason rank from Flo and #2 from Wrestlestat.

#4. Antrell Taylor- This guy is an absolute unit when he’s on, everyone seen how well he did against Messenbrink. Probably will be the same against Kasak if he gets the chance. Struggled a little bit at nationals last year losing to Peyton Hall and Izzak Olejnik, but looking beyond the past will he be able to handle the weight cut is what we are normally interested in. He has always been super strong, hopefully his brute strength can be maintained through this cut. 27-15 record overall at 64 percent win rate. A not so favorable #7 preseason rank from Flo and #7 from Wrestlestat.

#5. Payton Keller- debatably should rank higher on this list, in a world full of flashy NIL deals this man has stuck with Ohio from day 1 which is highly respectable. Placed 5th at nationals last year with a tight loss to Jared Franek in round 2, then blew through the consolations until Cardenas pinned him in the semis, ultimately settling for 5th over Bryce Andonian by fall 3 minutes in. More than ready to see him matchup against Tyler Kasak in a couple weeks at the NWCA. Really hope to see him and Taylor move higher than what the professional community predictions are. 58-17 record overall at 90 percent win rate. A #5 preseason rank from Flo and #4 from Wrestlestat.

#6. Ryder Downey- On paper we guess he belongs here, super technical wrestler that had a great freshman year capsizing a lot of guys to make a finish in the blood round. Not a dark horse contender as a lot of eyes are on him, but wouldn’t be surprised if he pushes his way into the top 5. Took the Big 12 title last year, majored 6 guys and tech’d 4 so no doubt a contender and will make the podium this year. 30-10 record overall at 75 percent win rate. A #6 preseason rank from Flo and #5 from Wrestlestat.

#7. Ed Scott- Seeking a second AA’s this year he’s been a 4X qualifier, Scott is kind of a wildcard. Great example are his matches against Bryce Andonian last year, majored him at the ACC Championships but then turns and almost gets majored by him at nationals. Flip flopped with Sonny Santiago losing 12-5 in February and turns around at ACC’s and wins 8-2. Those are some rather large swings, but to his credit he did beat Downey last and also beat out Cody Chittum for a Big 12 title in the past, wish he could move beyond the boom or bust reputation. 77-26 record overall at 74 percent win rate. A #8 preseason rank from Flo and #6 from Wrestlestat.

#8. Paniro Johnson- Losing a year of eligibility only to be found not guilty on gambling conspiracies that plagued the Iowa teams has to be gut wrenching for Iowa State even though it’s now considered a redshirt season. There are a lot of people that could fill out at #8 with guys like Paddy Gallagher, Teague Travis, or possibly a breakout year from Johnny Lovett who has more nationals experience than any one on this list. In 2022-2023 it seems that he handled his weight better at 57 than at 49 which reflects his performance, with this resolved he could move up higher on this list. 24-7 record overall at 77 percent win rate. A #11 preseason rank from Flo and #11 from Wrestlestat.

Overall this weight looks really solid even after counting out Cardenas and the departure of Haines this really isn’t a top 2 or top 3 race. The addition of Kasak and Taylor along with a move from Teemer and a hopeful ravenous return from Downey shows a storm of uncertainty brewing at 57.