Team USA cruises to win over Team Iowa in 2012
West High senior Phil Laux defeats Gunnar Woodburn from Claremore, Okla., at 113 pounds Friday during the 15th annual Dream Team Classic Dual Meet between Team Iowa and Team USA at West High
Team USA cruises to win over Team Iowa
TEAM USA 40, TEAM IOWA 7
Nate Skonieczny wondered what type of greeting he’d receive Friday night as he stepped into Iowa to wrestle for the last time as a visitor.
It’s safe to say the future Hawkeye gained some fans.
Skonieczny, who signed a letter of intent in November to wrestle at Iowa, posted a 23-10 major decision at 138 pounds against North Linn two-time state champion Logan Mulnix, helping Team USA to a 40-7 victory against Team Iowa in the Dream Team Classic in front of a packed gym at West High.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to get cheers or some boos, but they cheered for me — I know they’re behind me,” Skonieczny said. “I had a lot of people come up and wish me good luck even though I was wrestling one of their kids, one of the guys they’ve been watching the last four years.”
Team USA won 11 of the 13 bouts, collecting bonus points in five of its victories and coming from behind in the third period to win three others. It also won the dual’s only overtime match and Penn State recruit Jimmy Gulibon, a Pennsylvania native, defeated Southeast Polk’s Cory Clark 5-2 in a battle of four-time state champions at 126.
“The first takedown was huge,” Clark said. “And he got it.”
West High’s Phillip Laux and Creston/Orient-Macksburg’s Collin Bevins provided Team Iowa with its two victories.
Laux handled Oklahoman Gunnar Woodburn 13-4 in the first bout of the night. Team USA reeled off eight consecutive victories before Bevins, an Iowa State football recruit, beat fifth-ranked Austin Goergen 12-9.
“Our team fought and we were right there at the end (of matches),” Laux said. “One move or two (was the) difference between winning and losing.”
Stanford recruit Zach Nevills scored a reversal and tacked on three back points in the final 40 seconds to pull out a 7-6 win against Southeast Polk’s Alex Meyer at 170.
Top-ranked Devin Peterson, a Wisconsin recruit, needed a reversal with 12 seconds remaining to win a 7-6 decision at 195 against Valley’s Tarin Phillips.
Top-ranked Virginia recruit George DiCamillo scored a third-period takedown and rode out three-time state champ Dylan Peters of Denver-Tripoli to win 5-4 at 120.
There was no late suspense for Skonieczny. The nation’s third-ranked 138-pounder racked up 11 takedowns on his way to victory against Mulnix.
“He’s tough,” Clark said of his future Iowa teammate. “I would’ve loved to have seen (John) Meeks wrestle him, but it didn’t happen. But he’s a tough kid and it’ll be nice being on his team.”
Meeks, a four-time undefeated state champion from Roosevelt, declined an invitation to compete in the event. Skonieczny said he was disappointed when he learned he wouldn’t get the opportunity to wrestle the second-ranked Iowa State recruit.
But now he’s training for the next level.
“You never want someone to pass you. I’ve got a phobia of that,” Skonieczny said. “I try to take a week off and then (I’m thinking) these guys are probably working out. I’m looking at the (college) ‘41s and ‘49s thinking I’m not going to pass these guys if I’m just sitting around. Now it’s training to beat the college guys, not just the high school guys.”
TEAM USA 40, TEAM IOWA 7
113 – Phillip Laux (Iowa City West) major dec. Gunnar Woodburn (Claremore, Okla.) 13-4
138 – Nate Skonieczny (Stow, Ohio) major dec. Logan Mulnix (North Linn) 23-10.
182 – Jordan Rogers (Spokane, Wash.) major dec. Jared Bartel (Mason City) 12-4.
170 – Zach Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) dec. Alex Meyer (Southeast Polk) 7-6.
152 – Brian Realbuto (Somers, N.Y.) major dec. Zach Witte (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 15-4.
132 – Mark Grey (Blair (N.J.) Academy) dec. Kyle Larson (Valley) 3-1.
160 – Zac Brunson (Eugene, Oregon) dec. Justin Koethe (Iowa City West) 3-1 OT.
195 – Devin Peterson (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) dec. Tarin Phillips (Valley) 7-6.
145 – Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Ind.) major dec. Gabe Moreno (Urbandale) 22-8.
Hwt. – Collin Bevins (Creston/Orient-Macksburg) dec. Austin Goergen (Caledonia, Minn.) 12-9.
120 – George DiCamillo (Highland Heights, Ohio) dec. Dylan Peters (Denver-Tripoli) 5-4.
220 – Michael Kroells (Belle Plaine, Minn.) injury def. Willie Miklus (Southeast Polk)
126 – Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.) dec. Cory Clark (Southeast Polk) 5-2.
The lineups are set for the April 20 Dream Team Classic at Iowa City West
The lineups are set for the April 20 Dream Team Classic at Iowa City West. Four-time state champ Cory Clark and two of his Southeast Polk teammates are in. Roosevelt’s unbeaten four-time champ John Meeks and Ankeny pinning machine Ross Larson are out. Nonetheless, it’s still a powerful Iowa team with 10 Division-I recruits.
Clark, ranked sixth nationally, is scheduled to wrestle Penn State recruit Jimmy Gulibon, the nation’s top ranked 126-pounder, in one of the five bouts featuring a pair of wrestlers ranked seventh or better. The others are at 120, 145, 170 and 220.
This is the fourth Dream Team stop in Iowa since 2001. The event showcased current and past college stars such as Jake Herbert, Mark Perry, Troy Letters and Jordan Oliver. This year’s dual features three Iowa recruits (Clark, Alex Meyer and Dream Teamer Nate Skonieczny), three UNI recruits (Dylan Peters, Zach Witte and Jared Bartel) and two future Iowa State Cyclones (Dakota Bauer and Gabe Moreno).
