Once in a generation a star emerges that transcends the sport of wrestling in Ohio. Fans from the 1960’s will swear to you that the unbeaten Tom Milkovich was the best high school wrestler of all time. Those of us who remember the 1980’s will insist that Alan Fried was beyond comparison.
For the first decade of this century, there was one wrestler who stood out from the rest, the incomparable Dustin Schlatter.
OhioWrestlingSite.com spoke with Schlatter about the big matches he’s won, his rare disappointments, and where he’s going in the future.
Starting with National Duals, you have been on a tear, beating four All-Americans and the defending NCAA champ (now twice). One year ago, you were wrestling high school kids. Did you believe you would be able to step in and beat pretty much everyone, or has it been a surprise?
Schlatter: I really can’t say it has been a surprise, maybe it has been more of a surprise for the rest of the country “¦ at times I had my doubts, but for the most part I definitely thought I could do it, and so far it has worked out for me.
Did experiences you had wrestling college wrestlers in high school give you confidence?
Schlatter: Yeah, you know when I was a sophomore in high school, I went to the Slippery Rock Open. When I was a junior, I went to the West Virginia Open (Editor’s Note: Schlatter won both of these collegiate opens while still in high school). I think those experiences really opened my eyes to college wrestling, in college every opponent is physical and strong, they’re all tough to move, but I think those experiences helped me know what to expect, plus working out with college guys when they came home helped.
Yes, as I recall at the West Virginia Open your junior year you beat Michael Keefe (an NCAA All-American in 2005) and Frank Edgar (top 12 in the NCAA’s) — did that help you believe you could step in and compete?
Schlatter: Yeah, that and a lot of guys I beat in high school were doing a great job at 141 — though I really hadn’t wrestled anyone at 149.
Is it a tough cut for you to 149?
Schlatter: Actually, it’s not at all, which I think works out for me. In the summer, working out at Minnesota, I ran almost every day, so my weight stayed down. Right now, I’m only a couple pounds over every day, so I don’t have to worry about my weight until the day before. It’s nice because I can go to practice and think about wrestling not weight.
In the Minnesota wrestling room, you have former NCAA champs Jared Lawrence and Luke Becker, do they set an example for you? And how often do you get to wrestle with them?
Schlatter: I get to wrestle with them almost every day, as well as Chad Erikson (two-time NCAA All-American) — it’s really good to work out with all those guys, I think that was one of the biggest things about Minnesota, the training situation “¦ you couldn’t ask for a better one.
I’d like to talk about your coaching influences. Growing up, who would you say has had the biggest impact on your success?
Schlatter: I would say my dad. He has been there every step of the way, always wanting to learn and get involved with everything me and C.P. were doing. I’ve been lucky to have a variety of other good coaches, like Ken Chertow, Jeff Jordan, and Brian Dolph, so I’ve been able to get a “taste “of a lot of different styles. It’s worked out well.
Dustin, so far you have won four Ohio state titles, six national titles in Fargo (in six attempts), and Senior Nationals over Brent Metcalf — in addition to your big wins of this season. Is there a match or accomplishment that stands out as your career highlight?
Schlatter: I think there are a couple, first, winning state my freshman year, just stepping into the Schottenstein Arena was really something, then my fourth state title, it’s hard to have a better feeling than that. Then, I think my win against Esposito “¦ I don’t know if it was so much my win as the overall team win (Editors Note: Minnesota upset Oklahoma State for the National Dual championship).
Now, I’m sure that everyone wants to know about your matches with Brent Metcalf. Many observers felt that this was the biggest high school match of all-time “¦ with you and Metcalf being two of the most accomplished high school wrestlers ever. What was going through your head going into the Metcalf matches, knowing that he had technical falled great Ohio wrestlers like Ryan Lang and Jason Johnstone in freestyle?
Schlatter: One thing I always try to do in a big match, I try not to get hung up on what my opponents has done, or think about their accomplishments. I think about my stuff and what I’m going to do to them.
Did your strategy change at all for the second match?
Schlatter: Yeah, there were a few things, the first match I felt like I just didn’t train hard enough and was not in the shape I needed to be in. I focused a lot more on my conditioning for the second match. Also, I focused a lot more on my mat wrestling “¦ in the second match I rode him out for the entire first period which ended up being the difference.
Would you say that Metcalf’s wrestling style in any way presented difficulties for you?
Schlatter: I would say that in the first match it did. He’s a great brawler, he gets you tired, and like I said — my shape just wasn’t there. He’s also a great scrambler.
Dustin, after your freshman year of high school, many people thought you would be the first undefeated four-time state champion, but you lost to Jason Johnstone your sophomore year at the Ironman. You had beaten Johnstone many times before, what do you think went wrong that day?
Schlatter: Man I don’t know “¦ Johnstone obviously was a teammate of mine the next year and is a friend and a great wrestler “¦ but I look back, my sophomore year the entire year until state I just wasn’t myself. I think the pressure of maintaining my record got to me somewhat. When I lost it really took a lot of pressure off my shoulders, like “OK, now I can just go wrestle.”
So, maybe you were wrestling “not to lose?”
Schlatter: Yeah, exactly.
Junior Nationals after your sophomore year was really a breakthrough for you. At the time you wrestled Alex Tsirtsis, he was considered almost a god of high school wrestling. Few gave you a chance, yet you dominated him. Did you perhaps surprise even yourself?
Schlatter: I think that situation was a lot like what I have been doing this year “¦ I try not to think about how great my opponents accomplishment are, but just think about what I am going to do. You know, I just trained real hard for the entire tournament, and with having to beat Tsirtsis, Dan Friskhorn, and Ryan Lang, I just had to take it one match at a time.
I’d like to ask about the Ryan Lang match. It was an all-Ohio final, Lang, of course, was a four-time state champ and you were halfway to becoming a four-time state champ. What can you tell us about that match?
Schlatter: It was kind of something, I think we both knew throughout that summer that it could end up being us in the finals. You know, we were on the Junior Duals team together and trained together throughout that summer. With Lang, he is so great at creating scrambles, you need to think about staying real solid at all times or you will end up on your back.
This winter at the Southern Scuffle you defeated Jeff Jaggers, 1-0. Ohio fans are used to lots of action and big points from both of you. What do you think was the cause of such a conservative match?
Schlatter: Well, I think that a couple of things, we’ve been seeing each other wrestle for so many years, but have never really wrestled — even in youth wrestling or much in practice. I knew that he was a really good at getting in and out of sticky situations, and finding back-points, just a great scrambler. So I think I may have held back a little bit — there is not much to say I guess, it was just a boring match.
Well, I’m sure you guys will have plenty more matches.
Schlatter: Yeah.
Is there any possibility that we might see you at U.S. Nationals this summer, or are you going to be focusing purely on folkstyle for now?
Schlatter: I don’t know. I’ve really been so focused on NCAA’s that I haven’t thought about it “¦ there’s a chance. I definitely do not want to just completely eliminate freestyle and greco while I’m in college.
I see C.P. still has a huge wrap on his knee, does the knee still bother him?
Schlatter: It does every now and then but overall, it’s a lot better. He doesn’t have any major problems with it, it’s coming along OK.
Minnesota has been somewhat of a surprise this season, winning National Duals. How do you think the team looks down the homestretch? Is a national title a realistic possibility?
Schlatter: I think it is. Some might say that on paper Oklahoma State is a better tournament team, but I’m really confident in how hard we’ve been training and feel that when March comes, that’s when we are going to peak. We’ve been feeding off each other’s success. I think we have a really good chance of beating them and winning the national title.
Can you share any insights into why Matt Koz left the program?
Schlatter: I honestly don’t know for sure. It came as a total shock. When my brother told me that Matt left, it came as a complete surprise to me. I really don’t know why- but I’m sure he’ll do well at Chattanooga.
How much of an impact to both you and C.P.’s success has it been to be back on the same team for the first time in two years?
Schlatter: It’s been tremendous. From the wrestling aspect of it, getting to train together to the other aspects — he’s my best friend. We motivate each other and really feed off each other, so it’s been great to be back on the same team.
Growing up, you were always a lot lighter than CP, now you’re about the same size, what’s that like, being able to go head to head with your older brother consistently for the first time?
Schlatter: Yeah, you know even when C.P. was a senior, I was 125 and he was 152, so we couldn’t really wrestle against each other that much. Now that we are a weight class apart, it’s a lot better, we’re drill partners, wrestling live”¦
Is it hard to go against your big brother “¦ would you say there is somewhat of a “big-brother syndrome “when you go up against each other?
Schlatter: I think there is. I’m not sure what it is, he’s tough, he’s just so strong, it’s hard for me to wrestle him. He’s my toughest match in the room.
Having wrestled Esposito once before, have you picked up anything that you will use for the second match?
Schlatter: A couple of small things. In the first match, he got those two reversals “¦ I’ve been working on my riding and would like to ride him harder (Editor’s note: this interview was conducted shortly before the match, but Schlatter actually scored two three point near-falls and riding time so apparently the work paid off!). Second, finishing my takedowns. In the second period I shot in and he countered me with sort of a “rubber-knee “type move for a stalemate.
As a four-time state champion, what advice do you have for current Ohio wrestlers as they head to the tournaments?
Schlatter: I would say, when you go to the state tournament, don’t worry about who you’ve got, worry about your match and what you’re going to do to him, don’t overlook anyone — take it one match at a time. Other than that, leave it all out on the mat, you don’t want to look back and have any regrets!
Dustin, thanks for taking the time to talk to us, and good luck this weekend and for the rest of the season!
Schlatter: Thanks!
Wrestling Gear
