By Mike Finn, W.I.N. Editor

Brandon Paulson could call Jake Deitchler his personal consolation prize after his star pupil became the story of the Trials.

            Deitchler, an 18-year-old Greco-Roman wrestler from Anoka, Minn., become the talk of the 2008 Trials when he won the 145.5-pound berth on the U.S. Olympic Team.

            Four years before this historic feat, Paulson was on the other side of a memorable Trials moment in 2004.

            At a time when Greco-Roman’s rules were different and matches normally lasted six minutes, Paulson spent an incredible 16 minutes and 54 seconds on the mat in the RCA Dome before he lost 4-3 in overtime to Dennis Hall in the 121-pound championship bout at the 2004 Trials.

            Obviously sad from the experience, which also ended Paulson’s dreams of returning to the Olympics, the native of Minnesota was met in the driveway of his home by the Anoka High School coach Todd Springer.

            “He said,  ‘I have this kid who is unbelievable. I don’t know what to do with him. He just wants more and more and more,’ ” recalled Paulson, who earned a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. “He said, ‘He’s the next Brandon Paulson.’ ”

            That “kid” was Deitchler, then a 14-year-old freshman at Anoka High School.  He went on to win three state high school championships for a community that sits 20 miles north of Minneapolis

            “I started working with him and making a long story short, he showed me he has so much passion for this sport. I knew from a few things that he wanted to be the best. It’s easy to coach a guy like that.

            “I still think about my match (with Hall) in 2004 and this helps a little bit. It helps bring back the memorable happy Trials.”

            Like Paulson, Deitchler will also attend the University of Minnesota, where he will wrestle folkstyle while competing in Greco-Roman during college’s off-season.

            “Up until my junior year, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” said Deitchler. “Brandon helped me out because he had such a great passion for Greco. I’d wrestle Greco and he’d get so excited. In this sport, you get to learn something new every day.”

            After winning the Junior National title in Greco-Roman last summer in Fargo, Deitchler represented the U.S. at the Junior Worlds in Beijing, where he lost his first match. Deitchler hoped to compete in this year’s Junior Worlds, but figured he would give it a shot at the U.S. Senior Nationals, April 25; three weeks after completing his academic requirements at Anoka.

            “My senior year was awesome,” said Deitchler, whose last day of high school classes was April 3. “My dad (Jason) helped me out. I wanted to focus being on the Junior World Team, but I wanted to do well at this level, too.

            “When time came closer, I asked myself, ‘Why can’t I make this (Olympic) team?’ ”

            Deitchler nearly earned the No. 1 seed at the Olympic Trials after he finished second to Mark Rial at the nationals, where Harry Lester, the former World bronze medalist, did not compete and chose to wait for the Trials. Lester’s decision to wait made him the No. 3 seed, which meant that he would face Deitchler in the semifinals.

            After dominating Deitchler, 5-0, in the first period of their bout, it was the former Minnesota prep who returned the favor with a 5-2 victory in the second period. That set up a third period where Lester led 3-2 before they entered the par terre phase. Lester, who struggled with his weight this season, tried to save his energy and did not try to score any offensive points during the first 30-second period of par terre, which allowed Deitchler to tie the match, 3-3. If Lester did not allow Deitchler to score with the par terre advantage, he would have won the final period, 4-3. Instead, Deitchler turned Lester and won 5-3, bringing many in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas to their feet.

            “He’s a phenomenal athlete and he’s very competitive,” said Paulson. “When he’s down, he has to score points and he has to win because he hates to lose.”

            A perfect fit for Paulson.