Sitting out was agony for UNI’s Colon

EVANSTON, Ill. - Three months of agony has powered Joe Colon.

Colon suffered a broken jaw which delayed his opportunity to wrestle for the University of Northern Iowa.

The 133-pounder persevered and was impressive in Thursday's opening session of the 49th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships at Northwestern's welsh Ryan Arena. Colon won his first three matches to reach the quarterfinals, knocking off No. 5-seed Bryan Orenzio of Penn and 12th-seeded Zach Horan of Central Michigan.

“I feel pretty good, but it's not done yet,” Colon said. “I'm not even placing yet, I just won three matches.”

Colon was sidelined for three months with a broken jaw that had to be wired shut. He wasn't able to return to competition until Dec. 17 when he won the Jim Fox Open in Dubuque with two pins and a technical fall. he had to settle for shadow drilling, riding a stationary bike and watching practice and video. It was frustrating, but provided a better appreciation of being able to wrestle.

“I feel like I give a little more effort in practice,” said Colon, who was a NJCAA national champion and Outstanding Wrestler of the 2010 NJCAA Championships for Iowa Central. “I don't think about how I wish I was the kid riding the bike because it sucks. I missed it the whole time.”

UNI Coach Doug Schwab has seen Colon since his prep days at Clear Lake - a rival of Schwab's alma mater Osage High School. He knew being limited was agonizing for Colon.

“He's never been injured before and never had to sit out,” Schwab said. “He loves to compete so it probably lit more of a fire underneath him.”

He wrestled that way Thursday. He opened with an impressive technical fall against UW-Parkside's Collin Crume. He fell behind 5-1 to Horan before scoring a takedown and two sets of nearfall points in the final minute for a 13-8 win.

“I just kept fighting. Never give up,” Colon said. “You just have to keep battling, even when you're tired.”

Colon said the only way to get in peak condition is to wrestle. Since he was sidelined for so long, that will come with time.

"it needs to get better," Colon said. "My gut hurts at the end of matches, but it's only my fifth match so it's going to get better as the year goes on and wrestle more live."

Colon followed it with a 5-4 win over Orenzio to face seventh-ranked B.J. Futrell of Illinois in the quarterfinals. He used his scrambling ability to notch a couple takedowns. The top position and scrambling are his strengths. Scrambling helped him score. Colon credits wrestling freestyle and Greco-Roman as a prep, but said it stems from instinct.

“I feel it a little bit,” Colon said. “It's kind of hard to learn.

Schwab said Midlands would be his coming out party. He has noticed a change in Colon on the mat.

“if he wants to be one of the best guys in the country, this is a good opportunity to do it,” Schwab said. “You can see a difference the last couple weeks with competition and that look in his face.”