Click to view photo slideshow (36 photos)
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OMAHA, Neb. — Two Iowa seniors shared the spotlight with an up-and-coming freshman Saturday night.
Brent Metcalf, Jay Borschel, and Matt McDonough each won an individual NCAA title to help the Hawkeyes to their third-straight national championship and 23rd overall.
As a team, Iowa amassed 134.5 points — 44.5 more than second-place Cornell. Iowa State finished third with two champions and 75 points.
McDonough edged Iowa State true freshman Andrew Long, 3-1, in the 125-pound title bout, effectively capture his first national championship on a takedown midway through the second period.
In the 149-pound finals, Metcalf avenged his 9-3 Big Ten championship loss to Ohio State senior Lance Palmer, besting the Buckeye, 3-2, thanks in large to a riding time advantage he generated on an early first-period takedown.
Borschel, meanwhile, left nothing to chance in his 174-pound matchup against No. 1 seed Mack Lewnes of Cornell. After taking a 2-0 lead on a first-period takedown, the undefeated senior rolled to a 6-2 win.
Senior 133-pounder Daniel Dennis and sophomore 141-pounder Montell Marion couldn’t follow suit, however.
Dennis held a 4-2 lead over Minnesota senior Jayson Ness heading into the final minute. But with under 15 seconds remaining in the match, Ness lifted and planted the Hawkeye on his back for a takedown and two-point near-fall for the 6-4 go ahead win.
Marion, though, never lead in his match with Cornell freshman Kyle Dake and fell, 7-3.
Be sure to read Monday’s edition of The Daily Iowan for more coverage of the 2010 NCAA wrestling championships, including a complete photo slide show.
— by Ryan Young
