By DAN McCOOL
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Ames, Ia. – Eric Akin still has it, and the former Iowa State all-America wrestler proved it Saturday at Hilton Coliseum.
Akin, 34 and seeded fifth in the tournament, beat three ranked individuals on his way to the 121-pound freestyle championship of the challenge tournament at the World Team Trials. He clinched a berth in today’s best-of-three series against Sam Henson of the Sunkist Kids with a combined 6-1 victory over Michigan State wrestler Nick Simmons in Saturday’s finale.
Two wrestlers with Iowa State ties won titles in the challenge tournament. Nate Gallick, a Cyclone senior-to-be, won a 3-3 criteria victory over Mike Zadick of Iowa City. Gallick won two of the three 2-minute periods to get the right to face Michael Lightner of Norman, Okla., who beat him at the National Open in Las Vegas in April.
Another championship was won by former Decorah state champion and Iowa NCAA champion Lee Fullhart at 185 pounds. Fullhart, 29, beat Chris Pendleton of Stillwater, Okla., 2-1, to earn a best-of-three series in either the world or Olympic trials for the fourth consecutive year.
Akin’s urge to compete in a familiar setting was too strong to ignore.
“I still got the ability, I still got the strength and the drive, “Akin said. “To not come here and take this opportunity would be an insult to the gifts God’s given me. I know I’m tougher than most of these guys.”
He opened with 7-0 and 4-0 wins over fourth-seeded Luke Eustice of Iowa City, then beat top-seeded Matt Azevedo, a former Cyclone, 7-3 and 2-0, before meeting Simmons.
Akin is an assistant coach at Nebraska. He said he lost 21 pounds in five weeks to make weight Friday night. After stepping on the scale, Akin was given fluids intravenously.
“My dad always told me that the hard work I did, he said that’s what separates the race horses from the mules, “Akin said.
Akin has a tough assignment in Henson, who beat him in the NCAA 118-pound championship match in 1994.
“He might be the toughest man in the world under 5-foot-4, “Akin said of Henson.
Fullhart has never won the best-of-three battle. He lost to eventual Olympic gold medalist Cael Sanderson of Ames in last year’s trials.
“There is never a time to be No. 2, “Fullhart said. “It’s always time to be No. 1.”
Three wrestlers with ties to Iowa’s three NCAA Division I wrestling programs need two wins today. Iowa State assistant coach Chris Bono is the No. 1 man at 145.5 pounds; Joe Williams of Ames, a three-time NCAA champion at Iowa, is at 163; and Northern Iowa assistant coach Tolly Thompson will face former Iowa NCAA champion Steve Mocco in the heavyweight finale.
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