FRESH FACES
Paulson twins have everyone looking at Cyclones
OMAHA, Neb. — There were more than 1,000 matches wrestled over 13 hours on 12 mats in two divisions during the largest Kaufman-Brand Open ever held. But one match in particular was the one everybody wanted to see late on Nov. 22.
It was the 157-pound semifinal bout on a mat tucked into the southeast corner of Nebraska-Omaha’s massive Sapp Fieldhouse. It featured battle-tested Tony Davis, an NCAA champion at Northern Iowa in 2000 who has aspirations of making next year’s U.S. Olympic freestyle team.
It also featured freshman Travis Paulson, a hot young prospect from Iowa State who already is making a name for himself just a few we
eks into his collegiate career. Wrestlers, coaches and fans crowded around the mat for a much-anticipated bout that certainly lived up to its billing.Paulson, a redshirt freshman from Council Bluffs, Iowa, appeared to have a clear edge in conditioning as he outlasted a weary Davis, 4-3, in double-overtime. Paulson, seeded fourth, went on to down No. 3-seed Joe Johnston of Iowa, 9-4, in the finals.
“It was a really tough tournament, but I was really pleased with my performance,” Paulson said. “We have been working really hard in practice, and I don’t do all that work for nothing.”
Paulson said he was not intimidated.
“A lot of freshmen would have been like, ‘Oh crap, I just hope I don’t look like a fool out there against a guy as good as Tony Davis,’ ” Paulson said. “I know he is not training as hard as I am right now and I heard him breathing pretty heavily during the match. He is still a great athlete. I probably won’t wrestle anybody else that good all year.”
Both Travis and twin brother Trent are ranked sixth in the nation.
“That was an unbelievable win for Travis,” said Trent, who matched his brother by winning the title at 149. “Travis really wrestled aggressively. I almost started crying after he beat Tony Davis, I was so proud of him.”
Travis was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
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