Metcalf strives for second straight U.S. Open crown

Brent Metcalf has won national championships and international titles.

He is driven to claim world gold and he won't be caught looking in the rearview mirror at previous achievements while on road to achieve that goal.

'You don't have the chance to rest on your laurels or that past success,” Metcalf said. 'You have to go prove it every single tournament, every single year.”

Metcalf will attempt to defend his U.S. Men's Freestyle national crown at the U.S. Open Friday at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. Metcalf captured his first U.S. Open title last year, winning the 143-pound bracket. He opens with Donovan Baker, of Desert Eagle Wrestling Club.

The U.S. World Team and Hawkeye Wrestling Club member has enjoyed a strong year, including a World Cup champion performance at the event in Los Angeles last month. Those results aren't worth any points this weekend.

'Here's the thing about the World Cup and maybe recent events and stuff, the perspective that I take is they don't really mean a whole lot at this point,” the nation's top-ranked 143-pounder said. 'At the time, it meant a lot to me to go and do that. Now, if you don't go and win the U.S. Nationals that doesn't matter.”

The influence from those events occurred during training that led up to the event. For Metcalf, the World Cup provided reminders to have a stingy defense and to widen his advantage on foes, pointing to a match where he had to settle for a one-point pushout instead of a two-point takedown. The focus is to tally plenty of points, forcing his opponents to compete at a pace they don't like.

'For me, it's an urgency to keep building,” said Metcalf, a two-time NCAA champion and three-time national finalist for the University of Iowa. 'It could sting you. I've been in that situation many times before and it didn't. I trained to be prepared for those circumstances, but you don't want to be there if you don't have to do.”

Metcalf has made strides in the last few years. He has worked closely with Iowa associate head coach Terry Brands, a two-time World champion who serves as USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Resident Coach before returning to Iowa City.

Metcalf praised Brands' technical ability.

'After 2012, I saw a lot of the work he was doing with some of our guys and some of the experiences I had with him at the Olympic Training Center,” said Metcalf, a runner-up at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. 'It's been great.”

More than a national championship is at stake. Metcalf said a lot is on the line. The U.S. Open winner awaits the World Team Trials challenge-tournament champion for a best-of-3 series June 12-14 in Madison, Wis., for the spot to represent the U.S. at the World Championships.

'It's one step closer to what you want, which is to be a world champion,” Metcalf said. 'To do that, you have to be on the World team and you can help yourself out a lot by winning this and putting yourself on top of the ladder.”

A group of younger competitors provides a different challenge. Wrestlers like Jordan Oliver and Ohio State's four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber are in the bracket, along with four-ranked Frank Molinaro, No. 7 Jason Chamberlain and Kellen Russell. They all know each other well.

'I feel good,” Metcalf said. 'They aren't foreigners. They are Americans, but know you very well and know what you're about and know what to expect, so it could help you or hinder you. It depends on how you approach it.”

Other HWC members who will compete are Tony Ramos and Matt McDonough, who are ranked first and second, respectively, at 125 ½ pounds. Daniel Dennis (134) and Derek St. John (154) also will wrestle. Former Iowa NCAA finalist Montell Marion is listed under Titan Mercury Wrestling Club at 154.

Iowa State NCAA champion Jake Varner will wrestle at 213 pounds and former Waverly-Shell Rock state champion and Grand View heavyweight Eric Thompson is at 275 for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Deron Winn, Michael Moreno, Logan Molina and Nate Carr are among wrestlers with Cyclone ties.

Panther Wrestling Club members competing include former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep Cruse Aarhus (125 ½), Joey Lazor (134) and two-time All-American Ryan Loder (189). Former University of Northern Iowa All-American Joe Colon will wrestle at 125 ½.

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