Panthers in Cruse control at 125

CEDAR FALLS - The road has been bumpy at times. It has come with some pot holes along with some twists and turns.

Cruse Aarhus stayed on course despite injury and general frustration, and now he's in the driver's seat at 125 pounds to start the season for the University of Northern Iowa wrestling team. Second-year head coach Doug Schwab confirmed Aarhus will be the starter during the Panthers media day Thursday at West Gym.

Aarhus, a Class 3A 103-pound state champion for Cedar Rapids Kennedy in 2007, is excited for the opportunity to open the season in the lineup after battling injury the last two seasons.

"It's been a long (road)," said Aarhus, who rebounded from elbow surgery last season. "It's been up and down."

He received a ringing endorsement from Schwab, who has seen the results of his efforts in the room including his work with assistant coach Mark Schwab.

"He's our guy," Schwab said. "Technically, he's extremely sound. My brother spent a lot of time with him the last year and a half. You can see that work come through. It's never been a case of the guy isn't willing to work and not do those things. I know he is."

Aarhus cracked the lineup as a red-shirt freshman, posting a 9-12 record. He was 16-5 as a sophomore and 7-1 last year in open tournaments. The elbow injury cut last season short. Aarhus received a boost from summer wrestling, having success in freestyle, and from the support of his coaches.

"Doug and Mark have been really good keeping me positive last year, keeping me busy and getting my mind off things and on things," Aarhus said. "It means a lot. It feels good to have two coaches who have faith in you."

Frustration set in while trying to reclaim his pre-injury form. Aarhus said he was slow at first, taking time to regain his technique and being slow to react to certain situations while wrestling. Once he shed the rust he was better than ever.

"The gains I made before I got hurt were pretty exponential," Aarhus said. "The gains I've made since I've came back have been even greater." 

He does have a winning overall record (43-27) in college, including his red-shirt year wrestling unattached. Schwab said Aarhus, one of only three seniors on the team, is a good leader for the team and is "best of the best senior example" for hard work and perseverance in the program.

"He's done the work to earn that spot," Schwab said. "I feel confident putting him out there, and how he's going to compete. I know he's going to compete hard. He's going to compete hard. He's going to do some things people are going to be impressed with."

Obstacles still remain and hurdles cleared. Aarhus has been an undersized 125-pounder his entire career and still battles that problem, weighing 130 consistently according to Schwab. He is outweighed by 15 pounds by most of his practice partners, so he is forced to set up angles of attack and be strategic, relying on his conditioning to beat opponents.

"My biggest thing is trying to get strong and keep my conditioning," Aarhus said. "These guys tell me my conditioning is at the right place. The first period is going to be a battle, but I should be winning the second and third periods."

Schwab, a former University of Iowa national champion, said he remembered a Hawkeye senior (Jesse Whitmer at 118 in 1997), who won a national title in his only season wrestling varsity. He uses that as an example for Aarhus.

"Those are the things you talk to the guy about," Schwab said. "Here's your opportunity. Let's make the most of it. I know he's going to. I know that he looks forward to it."

Aarhus is realistic, but determined to to climb the ladder rung by rung. He has the goal of getting to the NCAA Championships in March, and putting himself in position to be the best.

"It's Division I wrestling," Aarhus said. "Everyone wants to win it. I have to get there first. I'm taking it one tournament at a time."