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Didn't see it coming ...

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matter7172

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Nov 14, 2012
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Most national champions are pretty much on the radar for a long time - from youth wrestling on.

One guy I coached against at the junior high level who I didn't see coming was Indiana's Joe Dubuque, a champ in 2005 and 2006. He was a really good wrestler, but unlike some other kids who we all thought would become state contenders, he didn't hit me that way. He won two NJ titles and I was a little surprised.

But a two-time NCAA champion? I never would have predicted that.

Anyone else have a similar experience?
 
I can't I recall a wrestler like Phil Davis striking me as a 4 time AA, runner up and one time champ coming out of Harrisburg High.
 
...John Fritz never won a State title...
...finished 3rd, 3rd,1st at NCAAS...
...in 3 years he lost a TOTAL of 2 matches at the NCAA Tournament...!
 
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Ed Ruth being a 3 timer and only 3 losses I believe. I thought he'd be good but not that good.
 
Sylvester Terkay never qualified for states. NCAA champ as a SR, year before runner-up to Kurt Angle.
 
Then you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess.
 
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jrd23psu said:
Then you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess.
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Honestly, didn't realize Nolf had that successful of a HS career? What did he place the year he didn't win the title and who did his loss come from?
 
PSUoh90 said:
Honestly, didn't realize Nolf had that successful of a HS career? What did he place the year he didn't win the title and who did his loss come from?
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Ryan Diehl, who currently attends the University of Maryland. He beat Nolf in the state semis. Nolf came back to take 3rd and then avenged the loss at Disney duals the following summer.
 
jrd23psu said:
Then you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess.
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I know this was sarcasm but it got me thinking about a high school wrestler in Iowa who had tremendous success in high school and very little in college due to injury. David Kjelgaard from Council Bluffs, IA went 173-4 in high school and won 3 state titles. His biggest claim to fame is being a 6 time Fargo champ. His junior year he beat TJ Williams in freestyle and then his senior year he beat Joe Heskett, a 4 time top 3 finisher at NCAA's in the semi-finals and then beat Cael Sanderson in the finals.
 
jrd23psu said:
Then you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess.
Click to expand...
FIUR CARL!!!!!!! ;)
 
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PA Power said:
Ryan Diehl, who currently attends the University of Maryland. He beat Nolf in the state semis. Nolf came back to take 3rd and then avenged the loss at Disney duals the following summer.
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Is he currently wrestling there? See he is on the roster but doesn't look like he has wrestled any matches this year? Assuming he has been beat out at wrestle offs?
 
PSUoh90 said:
Honestly, didn't realize Nolf had that successful of a HS career? What did he place the year he didn't win the title and who did his loss come from?
Click to expand...

Here is the state semi-final match between Ryan Diehl and Jason Nolf (his lone HS loss).

http://www.flowrestling.org/video/6...ls-jason-nolf-kittaning-vs-ryan-diehl-trinity

To note, at the time Ryan Diehl had moved from WV to PA where he was a 2X WV state champ as a freshman and sophomore. That was his first season wrestling in PA. Ryan Diehl went on to win a 4th state title the next year as well making him a 4X state champ (2X WV and 2X PA).

Here is the Disney Duals match about a year later. Jason almost rips his arm off his body in this match. Diehl was an absolute animal when he came to PA and horsed Jason in the semis in Hershey. That was one of the matches I was REALLY looking forward to watching that year with Diehl being a 2X WV champ and Nolf being a returning PIAA state champ. I wanted to see how a WV champ stacked up. That match should have been the final matchup and those two were the two best wrestlers at that weight that year in PA.

 
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jrd23psu said:
Here is the state semi-final match between Ryan Diehl and Jason Nolf (his lone HS loss).

http://www.flowrestling.org/video/6...ls-jason-nolf-kittaning-vs-ryan-diehl-trinity

To note, at the time Ryan Diehl had moved from WV to PA where he was a 2X WV state champ as a freshman and sophomore. That was his first season wrestling in PA. Ryan Diehl went on to win a 4th state title the next year as well making him a 4X state champ (2X WV and 2X PA).

Here is the Disney Duals match about a year later. Jason almost rips his arm off his body in this match. Diehl was an absolute animal when he came to PA and horsed Jason in the semis in Hershey. That was one of the matches I was REALLY looking forward to watching that year with Diehl being a 2X WV champ and Nolf being a returning PIAA state champ. I wanted to see how a WV champ stacked up. That match should have been the final matchup and those two were the two best wrestlers at that weight that year in PA.

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"Moved."
 
Jarrod King. Looked like a bust. He couldn't stay healthy. Finally had one solid year (but no AA), and then put it all together for a title the next.
 
Eric Voelker. Eric and I had careers that somewhat intersected. I was more successful (by far) at the high school level, but Eric put even more distance between us the other direction in college. 2 NCAA titles, and 3 AA finishes for the animal! He went to state in our smallest class and placed 3/rd as a senior. I don't think anyone saw him coming. One of the great Cyclones of all time and a very good friend to Cael.
 
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PSUArnie said:
Impressive. For Rob's sake it's a good thing the ref from the OK State match wasn't calling it. TIC.
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Rohn was nearly teched because the official incorrectly awarded multiple back points. While tilting Rohn with ease, every time Rohn managed to belly out the Oklahoma kid would let go of the bar, but he never released wrist control. Back points should not have been granted until the pinning combo was released entirely.
 
How about Stan Dziedzic? He is originally from Allentown, and I don't think he got any further than districts in HS. He was an NCAA champion for Slippery Rock in 1971, won the bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and was World champion in 1977.
 
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A little history for those of you that did not click on link. Rohn was 8th seed, who only had 2 pins entering Nationals. He was from Nazareth and won state title at 189 in 1997. In the NCAA finals he was losing 14 -3 third period . Most of the areana was not really into match because next bout was Cael Sanderson going for 159 against Rohn's teammate Jon Trenge from Parkland . Rohn was wrestling with a injured shoulder but hit a cement mixer and took almost a minute to get the fall. If you click on link start watching it at the end of the 2nd period and put volume and listen to the shock of announcers. If you watch the end, the happiest guy in the celebration is Lehigh Asst. Kerry Mckoy.There has been some improbable pins in the finals, such as Jenkins catching Taylor and Snyder getting planted on leg trip , but no pin in NCAA finals was more shocking than Rohn's pin.
 
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PSUoh90 said:
Honestly, didn't realize Nolf had that successful of a HS career? What did he place the year he didn't win the title and who did his loss come from?
Click to expand...
With that line of thought.....Same with Mark Hall...a six time state champ and not once an All American in college.
 
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PA Power said:
Ryan Diehl, who currently attends the University of Maryland. He beat Nolf in the state semis. Nolf came back to take 3rd and then avenged the loss at Disney duals the following summer.
Click to expand...

And Jimmy beat Ryan this year when we wrestled Maryland.
 
royboy said:
The comparison a little above that Jason Nolf had a very successful HS career but had NEVER won an NCAA title. He could still win multiple NCAA titles; his college career thusfar is pretty darn good.
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Oh, got it. Excellent point.
 
royboy said:
The comparison a little above that Jason Nolf had a very successful HS career but had NEVER won an NCAA title. He could still win multiple NCAA titles; his college career thusfar is pretty darn good.
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I was actually replying to this post jokingly.

"you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess."

8 Tuesday at 12:44 PM
 
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PSU James said:
I was actually replying to this post jokingly.

"you have guys who were studs in HS but have never won an NCAA title.

Take Jason Nolf for example, the guy lost one match in high school and was a 3X PIAA state champ and has never won an NCAA title. Nick Suriano is another great example of of this. He was 159-0 in high school, and a 4X NJ champ and he's never won a national championship either. Some guys just don't live up to the hype, I guess."

8 Tuesday at 12:44 PM
Click to expand...
gotcha.....sometimes, sarcasm doesn't translate well to message boards

thanks for clarifying, and I agree
 
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