Taking “one thing at a time” is a theme for the Northwestern wrestling team this season.
The phrase has been echoed by the coaches and wrestlers before every meet and tournament.
And with a perfect 6-0 record in dual meets coming into this weekend, no one wants to look ahead and risk a loss.
“You try not to look at your record and think of it as undefeated,” redshirt freshman Jake Herbert said. “If you look at ‘undefeated’ and start looking ahead of everything, that’s when all of a sudden you get a loss that comes out of nowhere.”
The Wildcats will have to take “one thing at a time” Saturday when they face Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. at Patten Gymnasium in their final match before the start of the Big Ten season.
Although it is the final match before the conference opener, it is still important because it is an in-state rivalry against a quality opponent, NU coach Tim Cysewski said.
“Every match is going to be important,” Cysewski said. “You don’t get a do-over (if you lose).”
The Cats’ 6-0 record is the best start for Cysewski in his 15-year tenure as coach, and a win Saturday will mean the first 7-0 start for an NU team since 1986-87.
With the Big Ten season approaching, records are the last things on the minds of coaches.
“We’re going to really ratchet it up as a staff and make sure these guys understand that the Big Ten duals that are coming up are very, very important in the Big Ten seeding,” Cysewski said. “Not just for the Big Tens, but (also) the national seeding and the national championship.”
The Cats have national championship expectations for the season. And with several wrestlers ranked in the top 20 going into this weekend’s match, including three freshmen, the expectations are not unfounded.
Ryan Lang (141 pounds) and Mike Tamillow (184 pounds) are ranked 15th and 16th respectively, and Herbert has risen to No. 4 in the polls. Junior Matt Delguyd is a perfect 6-0 in dual meets and is ranked 15th at 197 pounds.
Herbert, however, will have a tough test this weekend in the 174-pound division. The star wrestler, who recently went 3-0 at the Buckeye Duals, will be pitted against No. 19 Kenny Robertson.
Herbert said he wasn’t shaken by the challenge. Instead he reiterated the team’s theme.
“I’m treating him like I’m treating any other guy,” Herbert said. “I can’t overlook him. He’s going to be tough, but all the matches are tough. Treat every match as if it was a national final, that’s how you have to look at it.”
Reach Paul Tenorio at [email protected].
