Iowa State Overcomes Scary Moment to Beat Minnesota
Iowa State Overcomes Scary Moment to Beat Minnesota
On a cold and rainy afternoon in Minneapolis, the Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Minnesota Gophers 57-7 in Heart of America action.
The game started with ISU stealing the opening kickoff, running through the phases quickly, and putting senior prop Nolan LeBreck in under the sticks. Senior flyhalf Justin Johnson added the extras to make it 7-0 two minutes into the game.
Minnesota responded immediately with violent carries from their forward back before their center duo of Alex Morton and Carter Roth got the Gophers inside the 22. That was capped off by flanker Jack Nielsen going in at the corner to make it 7-5.
Iowa State answered. Justin Johnson raced in to make it 12-7, but that try was followed by a scary moments—while the Gophers were going back to work with their ball-control offense, Iowa State players Nolan LeBreck and Edric Coleman collided in a tackle. LeBreck was off to the ER to have his head stapled and Coleman taken to the hospital in an ambulance with a neck injury.
The good news is that both players would be discharged from the hospital later that day. As the time it all happened, Iowa State was shaken up, and they were also down two key players in what would be a physical match.
Senior CCaptain Alex Geisert rallied the group, along with Vice Captains Zach English and Ian Klein, during the extended break in action. When action returned it was Klein who fielded a clearance kick, spun out of a tackle in his own half, and sped off down the field. He sold a dummy and while he tripped over a worm near the tryline, Klein was able to offload to freshman Jacob VanderLiden, who scored.
The Ogphers ramped up the intensity but a turnover forced by English saw Johnson again use his legs to go in under the sticks. Johnson added the extras to make it 24-7 Cyclones. Not to be outdone, Klein was able to break almost immediately off the kick off and dot down with Johnson adding the extras to make it 31-7 with halftime approaching.
Minnesota would string together a 20-plus-phase possession as halftime approached before Geisert forced a handling error to end the first 40. Going into the break Iowa State had been forced to use two subs early and move some players around. With their primary lineout target out and Geisert forced to move from lock to tighthead, their had some adjustments to make.
In the second half, the Gophers again probed the Cyclones with big carries via No. 8 Sam Angell and also Carter Roth before the Cyclones forced a turnover. From there utility manTucker Lehman scored from the wing and Johnson added the conversion to make it 38-7. Lehman was promptly moved to flanker to cover needs in the pack.
With a fresh batch of subs on at the 55th minute mark the younger Cyclones gave a glimpse of the future with sophomore wing Marcus Teed,second-year prop Carter Smith, and freshman Jacob VanderLinden putting the game away for a 57-7 win.
“Really proud of the effort guys today, the last few weeks have been riddled with sickness and injury coupled with the passing of Grandpa which left different players and coaches to stepping up in different roles," said ISU Head Coach Ant Frein. "Most people know how incredible of a player Alex Geisert is but his character today and over the last couple weeks makes this all possible. Johnson and Klein’s ability to control field position shouldn’t be taken for granted along with Zach English’s unwavering intensity. Thankfully Edric Coleman is going to be fine after a few weeks with the best case scenario diagnosis after great care at HCMC’s Trauma Unit.”
