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    Iowa State/Iowa dual expected to be tight

    On Sunday at 4 p.m. (CST), No. 3 Iowa State (2-0) will travel to Iowa City to take on No. 11 Iowa (2-0) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in what will mark the 72nd meeting between these two collegiate wrestling powers. It will pit two Olympic champions, who are now head coaches, against one another, Cael Sanderson for Iowa State, Tom Brands for Iowa.

    Last season, Iowa defeated Iowa State, 20-15, on Dec. 2 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. This season's dual should be tight. Here's how I see it playing out …

    125: Nick Fanthorpe (Iowa State) vs. Charlie Falck (Iowa)

    Fanthorpe, one of six freshmen in Iowa State's lineup, is 10-2 this season. He was runner-up at the Harold Nichols Open and placed third at the Fullerton Open. Falck, a four-time Minnesota state champion, redshirted last season as he recovered from a motorcycle accident. As a true freshman in 2004-05, Falck posted a record of 18-12. He has only wrestled two matches this season, going 1-1. Both Fanthorpe and Falck share a common opponent loss, by similar scores, to Kyle Anson of Northern Iowa.

    Prediction: Falck decision over Fanthorpe

    133: No. 13 Nick Gallick (Iowa State) vs. No. 10 Mario Gallanakis (Iowa)

    Gallick, the younger brother of Iowa State NCAA champion Nate Gallick, was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country two years ago after winning four Arizona state titles. Like Fanthorpe, Gallick was runner-up at the Harold Nichols Open and placed third at the Fullerton Open. One of his losses was to Gallanakis' teammate, Joey Slaton, a transfer from Virginia Tech who is competing unattached this season. Gallanakis, who sat out last season, has wrestled like a man on a mission this season. He defeated Slaton, 10-3, in a preseason wrestle-off. In competition this season, Gallanakis is 6-1, with his only loss coming at the hands of two-time All-American Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State, 2-1, at the Kaufman-Brand Open.

    Prediction: Galanakis decision over Gallick

    141: No. 7 Mitch Mueller (Iowa State) vs. No. 11 Alex Tsirtsis (Iowa)

    This could be the match that determines the outcome of the dual. Mueller, a freshman phenom, is 10-1 this season. He was a Harold Nichols Open champion and runner-up at the Fullerton Open. The lone blemish on Mueller's record this season is a one-point loss (1-0) to No. 2 Derek Moore of UC-Davis. Tsirtsis, a returning All-American, has battled injuries throughout his career at Iowa. He's also bit of a Jekyll & Hyde. It will be interesting to see which Tsirstis shows up on Sunday. Will it be the one who beat Josh Churella and wrestled one-point matches with Teyon Ware and Nate Gallick? Or the one who lost a preseason wrestle-off?

    Prediction: Mueller decision over Tsirtsis

    149: No. 10 Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State) vs. Alex Grunder (Iowa)

    Cyler Sanderson (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)
    Sanderson, the youngest of the Sanderson clan, has the talent, work ethic, and heart to do some great things in a Cyclone singlet. He possesses an aggressive, attacking style that is exciting to watch. He comes into the dual against Iowa with a 10-2 mark. Grunder, a senior has paid his dues at Iowa City, backing up NCAA runner-up Ty Eustice. He has posted an overall career record of 18-10 … with a 4-3 mark this season. Grunder may not have the accolades of many of his teammates, but he has certainly proven to be a solid, consistent performer throughout his career. Last season, Grunder notched a victory over Big Ten runner-up Troy Tirapelle of Illinois.

    Prediction: Sanderson decision over Grunder

    157: No. 1 Trent Paulson (Iowa State) vs. No. 10 Ryan Morningstar

    Paulson has gotten off to a great start in his senior campaign. The two-time All-American is 8-0 … with six of those wins coming by major decision, technical fall, or fall. He has two victories this season over NCAA runner-up Brian Stith of Arizona State, one coming at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 20 and one in a dual last Sunday. Morningstar, a freshman, is expected to deliver big things for the Hawkeyes. After posting a 14-1 record as a redshirt last season, he has begun his freshman season 5-3. His only losses have come to Chris Oliver of Nebraska (twice) and Stith (3-1 SV). Paulson should win this match (probably by 3-5 points), but Cyclone fans shouldn't expect bonus points against a tough and talented freshman.

    Prediction: Paulson decision over Morningstar

    165: No. 4 Travis Paulson (Iowa State) vs. No. 2 Mark Perry (Iowa)

    Mark Perry (Photo/John Sachs)
    Travis, like Trent, has begun his senior season undefeated. His current record stands at 9-0, which includes two close victories over Pac-10 champion Pat Pitsch of Arizona State. He also scored a 6-2 win over Midlands champion Nick Baima of Northern Iowa. Perry, a two-time All-American who has moved down from 174 pounds, remains on of the most exciting and unorthodox wrestlers in the country. Perry is 5-1 this season, with his only loss coming to two-time NCAA champion Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 20, 3-1. He also has a victory over Baima this season.

    Perry is 2-0 against Paulson for his career. In 2004-05, Perry won their first meeting in a December dual meet, 5-2, and then later that month notched a 6-4 decision over Paulson in the finals of the 2004 Midlands Championships.

    Prediction: Perry decision over Paulson

    174: David Bertolino (Iowa State) vs. No. 14 Eric Luedke (Iowa)

    Bertolino, a two-time Ohio state champion, posted a .500 record (15-15) last season as a sophomore. He has started his junior season 7-3, but has no notable victories. Luedke, a returning All-American at 165 pounds, has made the move up to 174 pounds. He is comes into this match with a 10-1 record, which includes a victory over NCAA Division II champion JD Naig of Nebraska-Omaha.

    Prediction: Luedke decision over Bertolino

    184: No. 8 Jake Varner (Iowa State) vs. Phillip Keddy (Iowa)

    Varner has emerged as one of the nation's top freshmen this season. He is not only winning his matches, but winning in impressive fashion. He is a perfect 9-0 with six of his wins coming by fall. Keddy, also a freshman, is 4-2 this season. Keddy's biggest victory this season came against NCAA qualifier Steve Borja of Virginia Tech, 4-3, at the Kaufman-Brand Open. Last season, the two faced off at the Northern Iowa Open, where Keddy headbutted Varner and was subsequently disqualified.

    Prediction: Varner major decision over Keddy

    197: No. 8 Kurt Backes (Iowa State) vs. Dan Erekson (Iowa)

    Kurt Backes (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)
    Backes came to Iowa State from Blair Academy in 2001 with great expectations. As a freshman, he became an All-American, placing seventh. However, the past two seasons have ended on sour notes for Backes as he has yet to get back to the All-American podium. He has added weight to his frame (comes in around 210 pounds) and says that he feels comfortable and confident in his new weight class. He is undefeated at 9-0, but hasn't really been tested to this point. His only notable win this season came against NCAA qualifier Matt Monteiro of Cal Poly in the finals of the Fullerton Open. Erekson took some lumps last season wrestling as a true freshman for the Hawkeyes, posting a 19-19 record. He won the amateur division at the Kaufman-Brand Open, but has yet to beat a quality Division I opponent this season.

    Prediction: Backes major decision over Erekson

    Hwt: David Zabriskie (Iowa State) vs. No. 6 Matt Fields (Iowa)

    Zabriskie is a freshman for the Cyclones who is a bit undersized at 230 pounds. He has competed well in the early part of the season, finishing runner-up at the Harold Nichols Open and placing third at the Fullerton Open. Fields is a big, strong heavyweight who was on track to become an All-American last season before a season-ending injury against Minnesota's Cole Konrad. Fields is 5-1 this season, with his only loss coming in the finals of the Kaufman-Brand Open to Division II runner-up Tervel Dlagnev of Nebraska Kearney. Zabriskie should be able to keep the match close, but will have a hard time winning the bigger, stronger Fields.

    Prediction: Fields decision over Zabriskie

    ***Final Score Prediction: Iowa State 17, Iowa 15***
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