Iowa’s Wrestlers Rule Again

Bill Zadick, Joe Williams and Daryl Weber added their names to Iowa’s storied wrestling legacy, winning national titles and helping the Hawkeyes wrap up another NCAA championship Saturday.

Zadick won at 142 pounds, Williams at 158 and Weber at 167 as Iowa piled up 122.5 points for its second straight team title and fifth in six years.

The Hawkeyes, who had four other medalists, actually clinched the team championship during the third-place matches Saturday afternoon. No other team had more than one individual champion.

It was the 14th national title for coach Dan Gable, in his 20th season as coach at Iowa.

Iowa State was runner-up with 78.5 points. Cal State Bakersfield was third with 66, followed by Penn State with 65 and Nebraska with 61.

Rounding out the top 10 were Oklahoma State 54.5, Michigan State 53.5, Oregon State 48.5, Michigan 47 and Arizona State 45.

Zadick improved his season record to 35-1 with a 4-2 victory over John Hughes of Penn State.

Williams survived a late rally by defending champion Ernest Benion to win 9-8. Time ran out as the two wrestlers were falling to the mat with Benion in control. A takedown by Benion would have given him the championship.

Weber’s title came after Oklahoma State’s Mark Branch injured his right knee in the first period and could not continue.

Penn State’s Sanshiro Abe won the 126-pound title, defeating Dwight Hinson of Iowa State 6-5.

Oregon State’s Les Gutches took his second straight 177-pound title and extended his win streak to 69 matches when he beat Reese Andy of Wyoming 8-2. Gutches was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.

Also taking individual titles were Clarion’s Sheldon Thomas at 118 pounds, Lock Haven’s Cary Kolat at 134, Iowa State’s Chris Bono at 150, Oklahoma’s John Kading at 190 and Wisconsin’s Jeff Walter at heavyweight.