University of Iowa wrestling coach considered the 141 and 149-pound weight classes the most competitive weights in the Hawkeye wrestling room, Mark Ballweg and Brody Grothus made a claim to the starter at 141 and 149, respectively, winning wrestle-off finals Saturday at the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

Ballweg edged Josh Dziewa, 3-1. Grothus handled Pat Rhoads, 8-2. Rhoads defeated last year’s 149-pound starter Mike Kelly on Friday.

Freshman Nathan Burak beat Tomas Lira, 5-3, at 197. Brands mentioned at the team’s annual media day event Wednesday Burak could see action as early as this season.

Below is the official news release from UI SID:

IOWA WRESTLING

TELFORD OPENS, CLOSES FINAL ROUND OF WRESTLE-OFFS

IOWA CITY, Iowa – More than 800 fans filed into the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex to watch the final round of the 2012 University of Iowa wrestle-offs Saturday morning. Sophomore Bobby Telford headlined and closed the event with a pair of first period pins in the 285-pound bracket.

Telford flattened sophomore Josh Haug in 2:15 and put freshman Artie Bess on his back in 1:12 to win the heavyweight bracket. He was one of five All-Americans to climb to the top of their respective bracket. Returning All-Americans Matt McDonough (125), junior Tony Ramos (133), senior Grant Gambrall (174) and junior Ethen Lofthouse (184) also won their respective weight class.

McDonough, a senior and two-time NCAA champion, scored a reversal with five seconds left in the match to defeat freshman Cory Clark, 3-2, at 125 pounds. McDonough opened the scoring with a second period escape before Clark grabbed the lead with a reversal with 30 seconds left in the final period. McDonough returned the favor 25 seconds later to regain the lead and earn the one-point win.

Ramos didn’t allow an offensive point and totaled eight takedowns, one escape and 4:25 of riding time to earn an 18-7 win over freshman Topher Carton at 133. Gambrall sandwiched a pair of takedowns between two second period escapes and earned 1:06 of riding time to defeat redshirt freshman Kris Klapprodt, 7-2, at 174.

Lofthouse earned a 4-3 win over freshman Sammy Brooks at 184. After a scoreless opening period, Brooks bid for an upset by building a 3-0 lead in the second period. Lofthouse eventually answered with an escape and tied the match, 3-3, by scoring a takedown with three seconds left on the second period clock. He then opened the third frame with an escape to grab a final 4-3 lead.

Senior Mark Ballweg (141), redshirt freshman Brody Grothus (149), sophomore Mike Evans (165) and freshman Nathan Burak also scored victories in today’s final round. Ballweg scored a takedown with 30 seconds left in the match to earn a 3-1 win over sophomore Josh Dziewa.

Evans used one takedown, one reversal and 1:40 of riding time to blank sophomore Nick Moore, 5-0, at 165. Grothus used a takedown and two near-fall points to jump to an early lead and cruise to an 8-2 win over freshman Patrick Rhoads at 149. Burak scored a pair of takedowns and added an escape to defeat Tomas Lira, 5-3, at 197.

The Hawkeyes open the season Friday at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Beginning at 2:30 p.m. (CT), Iowa will wrestle consecutive duals against Cumberland (Tenn.), Virginia and Tennessee-Chattanooga. All three matches will be broadcast on AM-800 KXIC and streamed live at hawkeyesports.com via Hawkeye All-Access.

2012 WRESTLE-OFFS

THURSDAY RESULTS

149 – Patrick Rhoads major dec. Jake Kadel, 15-6

FRIDAY RESULTS

125 – Matt McDonough tech. fall Matt Gurule, 19-3

125 – Cory Clark dec. Thomas Gilman, 3-1 SV

141 – Mark Ballweg tech. fall Connor Ryan, 18-2

141 – Josh Dziewa dec. Ethan Owens, 7-3

149 – Patrick Rhoads dec. Michael Kelly, 7-4

149 – Brody Grothus win by forfeit over Joe DuCharme

165 – Nick Moore dec. Walt Gillmor, 5-3

184 – Ethen Lofthouse major dec. Alex Meyer, 13-4

184 – Sammy Brooks dec. Jeremy Fahler, 8-3

SATURDAY RESULTS

285 – Bobby Telford pinned Josh Haug, 2:15

125 – Matt McDonough dec. Cory Clark, 3-2

133 – Tony Ramos major dec. Topher Carton, 18-7

141 – Mark Ballweg dec. Josh Dziewa, 3-1

149 – Brody Grothus dec. Patrick Rhoads, 8-2

165 – Mike Evans dec. Nick Moore, 5-0

174 – Grant Gambrall dec. Kris Klapprodt, 7-2

184 – Ethen Lofthouse dec. Sammy Brooks, 4-3

197 – Nathan Burak dec. Tomas Lira, 5-3

285 – Bobby Telford pinned Artie Bess, 1:12