By Mike Finn, W.I.N. Editor

Darrion Caldwell may not have been the man-to-beat at 149 pounds this past year, but the sophomore from North Carolina State was the only wrestler to beat the man-to-beat when he handed eventual champion Brent Metcalf of Iowa his only loss.

And not only did Caldwell beat the eventual Hodge Trophy winner, the native of Rahway, N.J., pinned the Hawkeye sophomore.

“I know that when my opportunity comes, I’m going to take it,” said Caldwell shortly after he turned a shrug takedown into a spladle and pinned Metcalf in 1:40 during a Nov. 24 dual meet in Lakewood, Ohio, for the St. Edward Duals. “I’m in control of my destiny and it starts now.”

Caldwell’s second season ended with 23 pins in a 36-5 season that saw the three-time New Jersey state champion finish fifth in the NCAA tournament; claiming NC State’s first All-American honor since 1996. In fact, he tallied pins in two of his four wins in St. Louis; the first against Boston University’s Michael Roberts, who pinned him earlier in the season, and a 42-second flattening of Central Michigan’s Brandon Carter.

Caldwell’s pin percentage (.657) was higher than Minnesota’s 125-pound All-American Jayson Ness (20 pins in a 39-2 season at 51.3 percent) and Maryland’s Hudson Taylor (who pinned 18 foes in a 37-3 season or 48.6 percent).

And the fact that Caldwell’s pins came at memorable times was another reason why he was named the winner of the Schalles Award, presented annually since 1999 to the best college pinner.

“Darrion Caldwell is absolutely a card-carrying member of the United Brotherhood of Pinners,” said Schalles, who set a college record with 109 pins at Clarion, where he won two NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973. “Although he had as many loses as the other two athletes combined, if there is one wrestler who keeps fans from going to the concession stand to buy popcorn before he wrestles, it’s Darrion Caldwell. And that’s what’s so special about this young man; he’s got pizzazz!”

The Schalles Award is presented by the AAU and W.I.N. Magazine.

“Darrion is a true showman and headhunter on the mat,” said W.I.N. Publisher Bryan Van Kley. “He’s so fun to watch because anything can happen.

“He has the ability to get a pin at any time and that’s the reputation a Schalles Award winner should have.”

Caldwell has lived and died by the pin. That included his freshman season when he got pinned by Northwestern’s Ryan Lang in the 2007 NCAA tournament after first putting the Wildcat on his back in their quarterfinal match that season.

This season, his first three losses of this season came via the fall to Will Rowe of Oklahoma, Roberts and Appalachian State’s Scott Erwin, all before January.

That changed in the second half of the season when he won 19 consecutive matches. Of those, 14 ended with falls and Caldwell also pinned seven consecutive opponents, including two at the ACC tournament where he also captured that championship.

Caldwell followed his Metcalf pin with a championship at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational where he defeated Michigan’s Josh Churella and Harvard’s J.P. O’Connor.

At this year’s NCAA tournament, Caldwell showed that he was in better control of his moves when he defeated 2006 NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota, 4-1, in a very controlled match.

“I believe I matured as a wrestler,” said Caldwell.

But one must never forget Caldwell’s potential to pin. The Schalles Award winner proved that to opponents in 2008.