KC's big mat attack
After enjoying success in high school, area wrestlers are making major contributions to Division I programs
By DEREK SAMSON
The Kansas City Star
COLUMBIA — Oklahoma freshman Justin Dyer, an Olathe South graduate, locked up with Missouri's Matt Pell, and a Sooner teammate hollered: “OK, do your stuff, Dyer.”
Hear that? Dyer already has stuff at Oklahoma.
It didn't take long for Dyer and a handful of other Kansas City-area wrestlers to make an impact in college. A total of 11 area wrestlers are starting for Division I programs. At No. 5 Missouri, freshman Brett Watkins of Grandview started Sunday at 133 pounds for the fourth time and sophomore Jeff Foust of Blue Springs South is ranked 16th nationally at 197.
Oak Grove's Keith Dickey starts at 141 for No. 15 Cornell. Dickey, a true freshman, upset 12th-ranked Max Meltzer of Harvard on Feb. 13. Chase Verdoorn, a redshirt freshman from Platte County, serves as No. 3 Michigan's 197-pounder.
But Dyer's start appears to be the most impressive. Just a redshirt freshman, Dyer is ranked 10th nationally at 184 pounds for No. 8 Oklahoma.
Dyer wrestled Sunday at the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse, where his Sooners fell to Missouri 21-15. Dyer didn't show his best stuff in an 8-3 loss to Pell, but he's still meeting expectations much earlier than expected.
Dyer left Olathe South as a three-time state champion with a 141-3 career record. He redshirted last season, and went to school in the wrestling room.
“There's no substitute for the amount of learning you'll receive in the first couple of months in the wrestling room with these guys,” Dyer said. “Every day is incredible with your workout partners.”
The year of practice paid off. Among Dyer's accomplishments this season was his pin of third-ranked Travis Pascoe of Nebraska on Friday.
“The year comes with ups and downs,” said Dyer, who was chosen The Star's Scholar-Athlete in 2002. “I started the season slow, but I always set my goals as high as they could be. My goal is to be a national champion and All-American, to be on top of the stand at the end of the year regardless of being a freshman.”
Dickey produced one of the greatest Missouri high school wrestling careers ever, going 155-1 and winning four state titles. Dickey became the eighth wrestler in Missouri history to win a fourth state championship when he took the 130-pound title last year.
At his first collegiate tournament, Dickey placed fourth. That's not a bad start. But Dickey dropped two matches in the tournament, doubling the losses he suffered in high school.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I just lost more in this one tournament than I did in four years of high school,' ” Dickey said. “It was a big adjustment to handle losing. Not accept losing, but just being able to handle it.”
Another adjustment for Dickey has been wrestling against grown men. Seriously. Dickey has wrestled a 28-year-old married guy and has rarely gone up against anyone under 22, with several opponents in the 24-year-old range.
“You're not going to come in at 18 or 19 years old and be as mature physically as a 23-, 24-, 25-year-old,” Dickey said. “Wrestling is such an individual sport, that if you're matched up against someone who is 24, you won't have the same physical maturity.”
Dickey, 13-11, has been in and out of the lineup lately because of a suspected hernia injury, which could require surgery after the season. He's expected to wrestle in the postseason, though.
“I knew he was a competitor,” Oak Grove coach Bob Glasgow said. “But to step up to that level as a true freshman, I am surprised.”
Verdoorn won three state championships at Platte County during 2000-02, then redshirted last season at Michigan. He's lost a handful of close matches and is 11-13 overall. But, like his Kansas City counterparts, he tasted immediate success in one of the top collegiate programs.
“You don't run into an easy match in college,” Verdoorn said. “If you're not prepared, don't expect to get your hand raised. … It's gone well, but not as well as I'd like. I strive to be the best. I'm used to being No. 1. I've taken my lumps. But this is D-I (Division I) and I'm battling. I'm making a name for myself.”
KC wrestlers starting in Division I
Name College Year Weight High school Record
Jeremiah Beltran Ohio Jr. Hwt Olathe South 16-7
Josh Carroll Appalachian St. So. 197 Olathe North 7-2
Matt Coffey James Madison So. Hwt Blue Valley North 8-7
Keith Dickey Cornell Fr. 141 Oak Grove 13-11
Justin Dyer Oklahoma Fr. 184 Olathe South 21-9
Jeff Foust Missouri So. 197 Blue Springs South 21-11
Joe Johnston Iowa So. 157 SM East 18-7
Bobbe Lowe Minnesota Jr. 125 Oak Grove 19-8
Zach Roberson Iowa St. Sr. 133 Blue Valley Northwest 24-2
Chase Verdoorn Michigan Fr. 197 Platte County 11-13
Brett Watkins Missouri Fr. 133 Grandview 13-13
