Pat Galbincea
Plain Dealer Reporter
Auburn Hills, Mich. — It takes a special athlete to enjoy competing in a sport as hard and brutal and mentally demanding as college wrestling.
Winners of NCAA titles experience a joy of euphoria, and title round losers suffer bitter depression or anger. That’s why normally happy-go-lucky North Royalton resident Ryan Lang was distraught after losing Saturday night in the 141-pound finals of the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in front of 17,780 at The Palace in Auburn Hills.
Minnesota beat out Iowa State, 98 to 88,½, for the team title and had five All-Americans including Ohio natives Dustin Schlatter (third at 149) and older brother C.P. (sixth at 157) — but that number was the lowest for a title winning team since Iowa had five in 1975.
Lang, a four-time state champion at St. Edward and a junior at Northwestern, dominated the first two minutes of his finals match with California-Davis senior Derek Moore, and then was beaten on a 17-2 technical fall in 5:41
“This was disappointing, that’s the best word I use to describe what I’m feeling, “Lang said. “Maybe I shouldn’t have gone out so fast and rode him so hard, “he said. “I went out to control the match and for two minutes, I did. The next thing I knew, [Davis] had 17 points and the match was over.”
“What happened? I’ll have to review the tape. Right now I’ll go home to be at peace with my family and recuperate, be in a circle of love and commiserate with my brother Kyle. Losing this match isn’t the end of the world.”
Only two true freshmen placed among the top eight at their weights — one of whom was Ohio State freshman and St. Edward graduate Lance Palmer, who was fourth at 149 pounds. Palmer lost to defending NCAA champ Schlatter of Minnesota — a fellow four-time state champ from Massillon Perry — 1-0 in their match for third place on riding time.
“College wrestling is not harder than high school unless you make it hard on yourself, “Palmer said. “It is a way bigger step, and I didn’t adapt to it very well at first. I didn’t get the takedowns I was used to getting in high school, and I had trouble getting out from the bottom. But now I find it easier to wrestle the college style.”
Mike Miller (165), a freshman from Central Michigan who was one of Ohio’s finest three-time state champs at Uniontown Lake, mirrored Palmer’s words. He earned All-American honors placing eighth, a remarkable achievement considering he wasn’t even starting for the Chippewas most of the season, and entered the tournament with an 8-5 record.
“I didn’t get a chance to start until our starter, Trevor Stewart, injured his ankle late in the season, “Miller said. “We’re equally matched, but in college you’ll find your technique has to be a lot better, 10 times better, than it was in high school.
“My goal here was to place in the top eight and be an All-American. I did it. Next year, I’m coming here to win the championship.”
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
Wrestling Gear
