Northern Colorado's Rocco DePaolo (blue) tries to score in a scramble against North Dakota State's Mac Stoll on Sunday in Greeley, Colo. (Photo by Dean Popejoy/UNC Sports Information)
It's a good thing for first-year Northern Colorado head coach Ben Cherrington that he has a wrestler like Rocco DePaolo on his team.
Why?
DePaolo, a junior from Aurora, Colo., is a wrestler who loves to get in there and scrap, and when the time comes, is ready to fill a gap in the Bears starting line-up. Any gap.
So when Cherrington found both of his 174-pounder unable to compete in Sunday's match against North Dakota State in Greeley, he called upon DePaolo … his backup 149-pounder.
To say DePaolo is a backup at 149 would technically be inaccurate. He's ready to fill spots at 149, 157, 165 -- and in the Bears 21-19 loss - 174 pounds.
"I asked Rocco last night, 'Do you want to wrestle?', and Rocco's always game," said Cherrington. "He's one of those kids who will do anything he's asked. He's not scared. I knew he was the guy I could go to and go in there and do a good job."
Some people might look at the box score and wonder how getting beat 6-0 by Mac Stoll is doing a good job, but for DePaolo, he's ready and willing to get time in the lineup anytime, anyhow and at any weight.
"I found out (Saturday) night that I was going to be wrestling 174 (Sunday), and I got pumped," said DePaolo.
North Dakota State, fresh off its upset over sixth-ranked Boise State two nights earlier, worried about the matchup problems Northern Colorado posed.
A guy like DePaolo could be a difference maker. Should bonus points be a factor, and with both teams forfeiting a weight, Cherrington was going to make sure he wasn't going to give away another six.
"I think it's better almost, less pressure, when people don't expect anything out of you and you go out there and wrestle with nothing to lose," said DePaolo.
It's not been anything new for him this season. Last week, DePaolo wrestled at 157 and 165, picking up a forfeit in the Bears' 35-3 win over Menlo College, but getting teched and pinned by Oregon State's Dan Brascetta and Stanford's Nick Amuchastegui.
He started the season losing a wrestle-off to Justin Gonzalez, but still hopes to battle for the starting spot. In the meantime, he'll go wherever Cherrington needs him.
"Originally, I had my eye set on the 149 spot, Justin, he beat me for it, he's my teammate, I have to give him credit for it, he wrestled better than me," said DePaolo. "I'm still keeping my eye on that spot, I have to keep my weight down to see if I can get that spot and have a chance."
Last week, DePaolo weighed in just over 149 to wrestle up, in order to still be able to make weight at 149 should he be needed there.
To say DePaolo was undersized against Stoll would be an understatement. The long reach advantage is one thing, the weight was another. DePaolo battled, but ultimately lost, not surprisingly.
"My original goal was to win, I wanted to win," said DePaolo. "Ben Cherrington told me before the match, 'Go out, hand fight, stay tough with him and give yourself opportunities to win, keep it close', and that's what I tried doing, but he was too big for me."
Around the nation, wrestlers like DePaolo are crucial. Not crucial for teams like Iowa or Oklahoma State, but for smaller programs like Northern Colorado, Franklin & Marshall, Appalachian State, and Gardner-Webb. Programs which have to get creative in order to avoid forfeits and give themselves a fighting chance to compete in duals.
Often times, wrestlers in DePaolo's position, unable to start and struggling to win at other weights given the opportunity, quit.
That's not the case for DePaolo.
"The team, we're tight. That's what motivates me. If I have to bump my weight up three weights, I'm more than happy to do that," said DePaolo.
But when things start getting out of hand on the scoreboard, DePaolo acknowledges the difference between wrestling just to wrestle and wrestling for his team.
"Coming into the third period, I was down 3-0, 5-0 something like that, I was like, I want to win this match, I have to win this match," said DePaolo. "When (Stoll) got that last takedown on me, then my mindset changed from trying to win this match to conserving bonus points for my team. I wasn't going to let him turn me. I wasn't going to give up bonus points."
Cherrington didn't seem worried about a certified 149-pounder going out to wrestle a bigger opponent, one where a fall could be a distinct possibility.
"Honestly, that didn't go through my head until he was actually out there," said Cherrington. "I didn't think of that situation, but I just wanted him to go out there and wrestle as hard as he could, that's all I asked of him, and he did that."
Wrestlers like DePaolo are increasingly scarce in an era where entitlement runs rampant among the nation's youth; an era where wrestlers quit or transfer if they can't start three or four years. DePaolo still has goals to try to make the NCAA championships, but he's got to beat his teammate out for the starting spot first.
Rather than being disgruntled with a sub-standard win-loss record, DePaolo just wants to wrestle. Despite wrestling across four weights this season, the loss dropped DePaolo to 9-9 on the season and 27-29 over his career - one that has, again, spanned five weight classes the last two seasons.
"That's why I love Rocco, I can always go to him," said Cherrington. "Last week, he was up at 165, and he weighed in just a couple over 149 if we needed him back down. He'll do whatever I ask, he's just one of those kids."
Northern Colorado assistant coach Austin DeVoe concurs.
"A team has to have some people like that," said DeVoe. "Someone who's willing to run through a brick wall for you, tackle a bulldozer. We just have to have it in this program without having the depth right now. We're trying to build on everything. I think it boosted the confidence for the guys to see someone step up like that with that confidence and with that motivation."
Not giving up bonus points was the key to keeping the Bears in the dual, and giving teammate Eric Brennan a chance to pull off what would have been a solid upset for Cherrington and his squad. Brennan ultimately lost to Kenny Moenkedick at 184, but the match would have been out of reach had DePaolo not been ready to roll.
DePaolo won't make wrestling headlines trying to compete up a few weights, something he got into the habit of doing last year, wrestling anywhere from 141 to 157, but he's just happy to be a part of the Northern Colorado program. He represents a group of wrestlers who won't win the NCAA championships, who get beat on dual after dual, but still come back each day because they love their team and they love competing.
DePaolo sums his role on the team very simply.
Said DePaolo: "Whatever role coach wants me to play, whatever role he gives me, I'll take."
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 21, NORTHERN COLORADO 19
285- Justin Tuell (UNC) dec. Joe Arthur 6-3.
125- Tony Mustari (UNC) MD Justin Solberg 14-3.
133- Casey Cruz (UNC) won by forfeit.
141- Ryan Adams (NDSU) dec. Kenny Hashimoto 8-2.
149- Justin Gaethje (UNC) FALL Vince Salminen 1:11.
165- Tyler Johnson (NDSU) dec. Kevin O'Brien 8-4.
174- Mac Stoll (NDSU) dec. Rocco DePaolo 6-0.
184- Kenny Moenkedick (NDSU) dec. Eric Brennan 5-4.
197- Drew Ross (NDSU) won by forfeit.
It's a good thing for first-year Northern Colorado head coach Ben Cherrington that he has a wrestler like Rocco DePaolo on his team.
Why?
DePaolo, a junior from Aurora, Colo., is a wrestler who loves to get in there and scrap, and when the time comes, is ready to fill a gap in the Bears starting line-up. Any gap.
So when Cherrington found both of his 174-pounder unable to compete in Sunday's match against North Dakota State in Greeley, he called upon DePaolo … his backup 149-pounder.
To say DePaolo is a backup at 149 would technically be inaccurate. He's ready to fill spots at 149, 157, 165 -- and in the Bears 21-19 loss - 174 pounds.
"I asked Rocco last night, 'Do you want to wrestle?', and Rocco's always game," said Cherrington. "He's one of those kids who will do anything he's asked. He's not scared. I knew he was the guy I could go to and go in there and do a good job."
Some people might look at the box score and wonder how getting beat 6-0 by Mac Stoll is doing a good job, but for DePaolo, he's ready and willing to get time in the lineup anytime, anyhow and at any weight.
"I found out (Saturday) night that I was going to be wrestling 174 (Sunday), and I got pumped," said DePaolo.
North Dakota State, fresh off its upset over sixth-ranked Boise State two nights earlier, worried about the matchup problems Northern Colorado posed.
A guy like DePaolo could be a difference maker. Should bonus points be a factor, and with both teams forfeiting a weight, Cherrington was going to make sure he wasn't going to give away another six.
"I think it's better almost, less pressure, when people don't expect anything out of you and you go out there and wrestle with nothing to lose," said DePaolo.
It's not been anything new for him this season. Last week, DePaolo wrestled at 157 and 165, picking up a forfeit in the Bears' 35-3 win over Menlo College, but getting teched and pinned by Oregon State's Dan Brascetta and Stanford's Nick Amuchastegui.
He started the season losing a wrestle-off to Justin Gonzalez, but still hopes to battle for the starting spot. In the meantime, he'll go wherever Cherrington needs him.
"Originally, I had my eye set on the 149 spot, Justin, he beat me for it, he's my teammate, I have to give him credit for it, he wrestled better than me," said DePaolo. "I'm still keeping my eye on that spot, I have to keep my weight down to see if I can get that spot and have a chance."
Last week, DePaolo weighed in just over 149 to wrestle up, in order to still be able to make weight at 149 should he be needed there.
To say DePaolo was undersized against Stoll would be an understatement. The long reach advantage is one thing, the weight was another. DePaolo battled, but ultimately lost, not surprisingly.
"My original goal was to win, I wanted to win," said DePaolo. "Ben Cherrington told me before the match, 'Go out, hand fight, stay tough with him and give yourself opportunities to win, keep it close', and that's what I tried doing, but he was too big for me."
Around the nation, wrestlers like DePaolo are crucial. Not crucial for teams like Iowa or Oklahoma State, but for smaller programs like Northern Colorado, Franklin & Marshall, Appalachian State, and Gardner-Webb. Programs which have to get creative in order to avoid forfeits and give themselves a fighting chance to compete in duals.
Often times, wrestlers in DePaolo's position, unable to start and struggling to win at other weights given the opportunity, quit.
That's not the case for DePaolo.
"The team, we're tight. That's what motivates me. If I have to bump my weight up three weights, I'm more than happy to do that," said DePaolo.
But when things start getting out of hand on the scoreboard, DePaolo acknowledges the difference between wrestling just to wrestle and wrestling for his team.
"Coming into the third period, I was down 3-0, 5-0 something like that, I was like, I want to win this match, I have to win this match," said DePaolo. "When (Stoll) got that last takedown on me, then my mindset changed from trying to win this match to conserving bonus points for my team. I wasn't going to let him turn me. I wasn't going to give up bonus points."
Cherrington didn't seem worried about a certified 149-pounder going out to wrestle a bigger opponent, one where a fall could be a distinct possibility.
"Honestly, that didn't go through my head until he was actually out there," said Cherrington. "I didn't think of that situation, but I just wanted him to go out there and wrestle as hard as he could, that's all I asked of him, and he did that."
Wrestlers like DePaolo are increasingly scarce in an era where entitlement runs rampant among the nation's youth; an era where wrestlers quit or transfer if they can't start three or four years. DePaolo still has goals to try to make the NCAA championships, but he's got to beat his teammate out for the starting spot first.
Rather than being disgruntled with a sub-standard win-loss record, DePaolo just wants to wrestle. Despite wrestling across four weights this season, the loss dropped DePaolo to 9-9 on the season and 27-29 over his career - one that has, again, spanned five weight classes the last two seasons.
"That's why I love Rocco, I can always go to him," said Cherrington. "Last week, he was up at 165, and he weighed in just a couple over 149 if we needed him back down. He'll do whatever I ask, he's just one of those kids."
Northern Colorado assistant coach Austin DeVoe concurs.
"A team has to have some people like that," said DeVoe. "Someone who's willing to run through a brick wall for you, tackle a bulldozer. We just have to have it in this program without having the depth right now. We're trying to build on everything. I think it boosted the confidence for the guys to see someone step up like that with that confidence and with that motivation."
Not giving up bonus points was the key to keeping the Bears in the dual, and giving teammate Eric Brennan a chance to pull off what would have been a solid upset for Cherrington and his squad. Brennan ultimately lost to Kenny Moenkedick at 184, but the match would have been out of reach had DePaolo not been ready to roll.
DePaolo won't make wrestling headlines trying to compete up a few weights, something he got into the habit of doing last year, wrestling anywhere from 141 to 157, but he's just happy to be a part of the Northern Colorado program. He represents a group of wrestlers who won't win the NCAA championships, who get beat on dual after dual, but still come back each day because they love their team and they love competing.
DePaolo sums his role on the team very simply.
Said DePaolo: "Whatever role coach wants me to play, whatever role he gives me, I'll take."
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 21, NORTHERN COLORADO 19
285- Justin Tuell (UNC) dec. Joe Arthur 6-3.
125- Tony Mustari (UNC) MD Justin Solberg 14-3.
133- Casey Cruz (UNC) won by forfeit.
141- Ryan Adams (NDSU) dec. Kenny Hashimoto 8-2.
149- Justin Gaethje (UNC) FALL Vince Salminen 1:11.
165- Tyler Johnson (NDSU) dec. Kevin O'Brien 8-4.
174- Mac Stoll (NDSU) dec. Rocco DePaolo 6-0.
184- Kenny Moenkedick (NDSU) dec. Eric Brennan 5-4.
197- Drew Ross (NDSU) won by forfeit.
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