By Kyle Klingman, W.I.N. Writer

By making this year’s World team at 145.5 pounds, Doug Schwab made his case for wrestling story of the year.

And why shouldn’t it be? Schwab wasn’t even seeded at this year’s U.S. Nationals and his seventh-place finish barely got him into the World Team Trials in Las Vegas, June 10. And it’s been so long since the 2000 NCAA champion from Iowa won anything at this level that the native of Osage, Iowa, can’t even remember when it was.

So prior to the Trials, even Schwab couldn’t blame someone for thinking the current Hawkeye assistant was just another wrestler in a weight class log-jammed with talent. But the real story of Schwab’s grueling seven-match performance wasn’t his competition. Rather, it was his own ability to stay focused; something he has been able to do in years’ past.

“I think it’s very personally satisfying for him,” said Hawkeye Wrestling Club coach Tom Brands. “He’s beaten everybody in the weight and everybody in the weight has beaten him. It’s been back and forth and he knows he’s capable and the bottom line difference is motivation. He’s very motivated and he’s training with a purpose.”

Ultimately, Schwab had to beat everybody. His first two matches were straight period victories over former NCAA champions Teyon Ware and Jared Lawrence. But it was during the first period of each of the next two matches that the prospects of winning didn’t look promising.

Against Zack Esposito in the semifinals, Schwab lost the first period, 5-0, before winning the next two periods 1-1, 1-0. In the Challenge Tournament finals against Jared Frayer, Schwab lost 7-2 before winning the second and third periods, 3-0 and 1-0.

“With the way the rules are, you have to win two out of three periods,” said Schwab. “No matter what happens in one period, unless you get pinned, I just believed that it was a fresh start. Every two minutes is a fresh start. No matter happened in that period, whether I won or lost, I still had to take the same approach and stay on the offense and on the attack and try to score points.”

Schwab went on to win two straight matches against veteran Chris Bono after dropping the first match in the best of three series. But it was during the second period of the second match that Schwab was at his aggressive best.

After winning the first period 2-1, Schwab held a 2-1 lead in the second period with a few seconds to go in the match. Conceding that the match was over, Bono started walking to his corner before the clock had expired. Schwab immediately went after Bono and scored another takedown to win the period, 3-1.

“I looked on the clock and there were three seconds left and he turned his back to me,” said Schwab. “One thing I learned from my first day in the Iowa wrestling room is when I turned my back on Terry Brands and he said ‘you don’t ever turn your back on anybody’.

“He blasted me from the back just like that so that’s the way it is. You can look at it as a cheap shot but I’m going to wrestle until the last tick.”

Although his attention turned immediately toward winning the Pan American Games and the World Championships, Schwab was able to enjoy the biggest two wins of his career.

“I love Mountain Dew,” said Schwab. “I think I’ll have myself one. Maybe a couple.”


66K/145.5LB Notes
• 2006 World champion Bill Zadick, who missed the Nationals because of an injury, lost to Frayer in the Challenge tourney semifinals and ended up fourth when he lost to 2003 Dan Hodge Trophy winner Eric Larkin in the consolation final.

• With the exception of Brent Metcalf, every wrestler in this weight class had made it to the finals of the NCAA tournament at least once. Metcalf, who will wrestle for the University of Iowa next year, has never competed in an NCAA tournament.

• At the age of 39, Kendall Cross — an Olympic champion in 1996 at 125.5 pounds — competed in this weight class after he was unable to get his weight down to 132 pounds. He lost consecutive matches to Phillip Simpson and Brent Metcalf.

Additional features can be found in Vol. 13, Issue 10 on Wrestling International Newsmagazine. To subscribe to W.I.N. select "Subscribe" button on this page or call 1-888-305-0606.