Iowa heavyweight Ben Kueter is back and feels better than ever

IOWA CITY – Ben Kueter was back in competition and said he feels better than ever.

After more than a month without matches, University of Iowa’s All-American heavyweight returned to the lineup with a top-10 victory.

Fifth-ranked Kueter scored a takedown in sudden victory to defeat No. 9 Braxton Amos, 4-1, and No. 4 beat No. 18 Wisconsin, 23-12, in the Big Ten Conference dual opener Friday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“I told coaches the other day this is the best I’ve ever felt – physically and mentally – this time of the year,” Kueter said. “That’s good but you have to keep feeling that way. Keep thinking the right things and making sure everything’s good.”

So, what has been the catalyst for Kueter being so strong and fresh as Iowa hits the bulk of its season?

“I just wake up every day trying to get better,” Kueter said. “We had some time off the mat, competing-wise, but I’ve been able to train pretty hard this last month and get ready for this Big Ten season, Big Tens and nationals. A big reason why.”

Kueter has endured injury and offseason surgery. His last bout was a loss to open the Iowa State dual on Nov. 30. He was ready to toe the line again, especially in front of the home crowd.

Kueter admitted absence from meets made him hungrier but he has been battling with good partners in practice.

“I’ve been training hard,” Kueter said. “Kind of had a sour taste in my mouth with that last match that I had, so I’ve working hard. Decided I needed to go out and compete.”

Kueter has never been one to be idle. He became one of Iowa’s most accomplished high school athletes, playing football and baseball, running track and wrestling. Often doing multiple sports during the same time period, like wrestling in World Championships during football, playing in an All-American football game during wrestling season or wrestling during baseball.

He’s had to develop patience and that stems from faith he has in coaches, trainers and strength and conditioning staff.

  Buy Photo

“The biggest thing is trusting my coaches,” Kueter said. “I have a lot of trust in them I’d run through a brick wall because it would help my wrestling I would do it.”

Kueter and Amos exchanged escapes in regulation. Amos offered a half-shot and Kueter counter with a re-shot, snagging a low single and finishing to the roar of the Hawkeye crowd.

“I think I just felt it,” Kueter said. “I think matches go my way when there’s a lot of wrestling and a lot of stuff going on. When matches don’t go my way, it’s because there are two, three, four exchanges instead of 10 to 15.

“We kind of got in a little flurry there and I think that benefits my wrestling when we do more wrestling instead of just hanging out at heavyweight where guys are big and they just kind of like to hang out and keep stuff close and keep it to a one-point match.”

Kueter moved to just 3-1 this season. All three wins have come in home duals. Iowa Coach Tom Brands said he knew this was an important bout.

“Ben Kueter was a key match in my mind all week,” Brands said. “He wrestled a patient match. I think we can do more scoring there but he got in and came up with the leg and finished.

“It wasn’t like an easy finish where the guy just fell down. The guy was trying to do some gymnastics there and we got both legs together.”

The rest of the dual for Iowa was a roller coaster of lackluster finishes and an offensive outburst from Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy at 174 and top-ranked 184-pounder Angelo Ferrari.

The Hawkeyes lost three decisions in the third period or sudden victory, including Wisconsin’s Zan Fugitt’s comeback against Drake Ayala in a rematch of the 133-pound NCAA semifinals. Ayala scored a takedown with 47 seconds remaining for a 5-4 lead. In the final seconds, Ayala received a stall warning for not returning Zugitt, hit again for a penalty point for clinching the leg while grounded and then allowed an escape on the edge in a 6-5 loss.

Harvey Ludington (197) gave up a third-period takedown in a loss to start the dual and Joseph Zargo scored takedowns in the third and sudden victory-1 periods for 9-6 decision over No. 7 Ryder Block at 149.

“There are different reasons for fading,” Brands said. “You can’t fade. It doesn’t matter what the reasons are.

  Buy Photo

“Ludington, we are going to get better there; we have improved a lot. Block, you’ve got to deal with what you are dealing with. If you are a green light for the bout, you have to deal with things.”

Kale Petersen (141) and 157-pounder Jordan Williams added decisions setting up the final three weights.

Caliendo tallied seven takedowns in a 21-6 technical fall over Cody Goebel. Kennedy had three takedowns and 2:16 riding-time advantage in a 14-3 major decision against Luke Condon. Ferrari closed out the dual with six takedowns in a 19-4 technical fall over Caleb Dennee.

Iowa scored 39 match points and nine team points through the first seven weights. Caliendo, Kennedy and Ferrari combined for 54 match points, 14 team points and 17 of the Hawkeyes 26 takedowns.

“The pace they wrestle, how they approach,” Brands said. “That looks a lot like their practices. A lot of scoring.

“Good examples all the way around.”

Iowa moved to 8-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten. It sets up a showdown with top-ranked rival Penn State. The defending national champion Nittany Lions are 6-0, hosting Rutgers Saturday.

“We’ve got Penn State coming to town,” Brands said. “We’ve got to be better. I can tell you that.”

AT IOWA CITY

Iowa 23, Wisconsin 12

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

197 pounds – Wyatt Ingham (W) dec. Harvey Ludington, 10-8 (1,2); 285 – Ben Kueter (I) dec. Braxton Amos, 4-1 SV-1 (1,0); 125 – Nicolar Rivera (W) dec. Keyan Hernandez, 11-4 (2,1); 133 – Zan Fugitt (W) dec. Drake Ayala, 6-5 (1,1); 141 – Kale Petersen (I) dec. Carson Exferd, 8-3 (2,0); 149 – Joseph Zargo (W) dec. Ryder Block, 9-6 SV-1 (2,1); 157 – Jordan Williams (I) dec. Luke Mechler, 4-2 (1,0); 165 – Michael Caliendo (I) tech. fall Cody Goebel, 21-6 (7,0); 174 – Patrick Kennedy (I) major dec. Luke Condon, 14-3 (4,0); 184 – Angelo Ferrari (I) tech. fall Caleb Dennee, 19-4 (6,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Iowa 26, Wisconsin 6. Reversals – Iowa 2, Wisconsin 1. Escapes – Iowa 10, Wisconsin 27. Nearfall points – Iowa 0, Wisconsin 5. Penalty points (awarded) – Iowa 0, Wisconsin 2. Riding-time points – Iowa 1, Wisconsin 1. Attendance – 11,549. Officials – Conrad Duffy, Jeron Quincy.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com