NC State's Darrion Caldwell apparently didn't get the memo.
Caldwell took the defending national champion down twice in the first period and was in control of the match throughout, defeating Metcalf 11-6 to become NC State's fifth national wrestling champion and its first since Sylvester Terkay in 1993. And the final score does not indicate just how one-sided the match was. Caldwell, who improved to 38-1 with the decision, took Metcalf down just seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead.
Metcalf escaped, but Caldwell got him in a headlock and threw him to the mat for the second takedown of the period, the first time Metcalf had been taken down twice in a period in more than a year. Metcalf escaped again near the end of the period and Caldwell took a 4-2 lead into the second period. Caldwell started in the down position in the second period, escaped, then scored a takedown on a counter move off a Metcalf shot to take a 7-2 lead.
Caldwell cruised from there. He got one more takedown in the third and led 9-3. Metcalf got an escape and a late takedown in the third period, but the issue was decided by that time.
"He's human," Caldwell said of Metcalf. "It's not like we went into a fight and he has a gun and I have a knife."
Caldwell never wavered in his belief that he could beat Metcalf, regardless of what popular opinion said.
"I felt that I was going to win, because I envisioned myself as a national champion when I prepared for that match," Caldwell said. "I believe in my abilities and I thank God to give me the ability to do what I did.
Following the match, as Caldwell began his victory celebration, Metcalf gave Caldwell a big shove and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing Iowa a valuable team point in its quest to repeat as team champions.
The loss is only the second of Metcalf's career and ended a 69-match winning streak. Metcalf's other loss also was to Caldwell, who pinned him on November 24, 2007. Metcalf finished the season 37-1.
No doubt in part thanks to the victory over the heavily favored Metcalf, Caldwell was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. He won once by fall and three times by major decision during the tournament, and allowed just 12 points in five bouts, all on escapes. He did not allow a takedown in the entire tournament. Counting the 7-1 lead he had when he pinned Penn's Cesar Grajales in the opening round, Caldwell outscored his five opponents by a combined 52-12.
Darrion Caldwell notebook
• Caldwell joins Terkay (heavyweight in 1993), Scott Turner (150 pounds in 1988), Tab Thacker (heavyweight in 1984) and Matt Reiss (167 pounds in 1980) as heavyweight champions from NC State.
• Caldwell finished the season with a 10-match winning streak: six by major decision, one by technical fall and one by pin.
• Caldwell is NC State's first All-American since 1996 (Mike Miller) and its first two-time All-American since 1992-93 (Sylvester Terkay).
• Caldwell now has a career record of 95-12 with 50 pins.
• He ranks third in school history in career pins, 14 behind career leader Terkay and four behind second-place Tab Thacker (1981-84), both of whom were NCAA heavyweight champions.
• Caldwell is one of just six wrestlers in NC State history to break the 90-win plateau and ranks fourth in school history in career victories with 95 (Terkay leads with 122 and is the only one with more than 100).
• Caldwell ranks second in school history in career winning percentage at .888 (Terkay leads at .897).
• Caldwell is one of just two Wolfpack grapplers, along with Terkay, to win 30 or more matches in a season twice.
• Caldwell's season total of 38 wins ties for second most in a single season by an NC State wrestler. Terkay won 41 in 1993, and Brian Jackson won 38 in 1989.
• Caldwell now is 10-1 this season against ranked opponents, and 21-7 vs. ranked opponents for his career.
• Caldwell has never lost to an ACC opponent in 28 career matches vs. league foes.
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