NCAA champ Gross visits WJU camp

WHEELING -- To win an NCAA Division I wrestling national championship an individual has to win five matches. On some occasions, the road to the finals can be tougher than title tilt itself.

Just ask Seth Gross. The top-ranked South Dakota State senior-to-be claimed the 133-pound crown last March in Cleveland when he defeated Michigan's Stevan Micic, 13-8. However, in the semifinals Gross had to survive a stern test from unheralded Tariq Wilson, a North Carolina State red-shirt freshman from Steubenville, who he pinned in sudden-victory.

"It was crazy. He kind of came out of nowhere," Gross said Monday of Wilson, who was a 4-time OVAC Ron Mauck Tournament champion during his prep days. "He was unseeded and did okay during the regular season … nothing great, but he started to beat some good guys. I won my first three matches pretty easily and he was just wreckin' dudes. He beat Cade Brock, a really good wrestler, pretty handily. He majored him and I'm thinking 'who is this dude.'"

Gross, who was in the Ohio Valley to serve as a clinician at the annual Wheeling Jesuit University wrestling camp, said he really didn't know much about Wilson until the nationals.

"I sat around and watched a couple of films on him and he just attacks guys. He gets after it," Gross, who finished the season at 29-1 with his lone setback coming at 141 early in the season, noted. "He looked good, so I knew I had to be ready for that match.

"It was exactly what I had watched on tape. He came out shooting shots non-stop and just attacking," Gross recalled. "It actually threw me off my game a little bit. Usually when guys get to my legs I'm able to defend and scramble out of it, but he was good at getting in the air, finish quick and avoid those scrambles."

Gross, a national runnerup in 2017, led 4-3 after the first period and had his choice of what position he wanted to start the second period.

"I was about to take the bottom and get an escape and one point, but I remembered watching him on tape that he sometimes struggled on the mat, so I going to take top. I was able to get a turn on him and get some back points and riding time, so I had a little bit of a lead going into the third period."

That's when Wilson made his move, according to Gross.

"He chose neutral and right away he was attacking and getting into my leg. I couldn't figure out how to get my leg back or stop his shot because he was so quick. He ended up getting a takedown with about 10 seconds left that gave him a one-point lead. He actually thought he had won and even celebrated a little, but I had a riding-time point that pushed it into overtime."

Entering the extra session deadlocked at 12, Gross knew he had the match in hand.

"He was a little tired. I sprinted over to the middle of the mat and kind of waited on him," he continued. "He got to my leg, but I was able to do a move I do quite a bit and ended up getting the fall.

"It was a crazy match for sure. It was definitely the closest match I had."

The bout was a fun one for Gross.

"That's what college wrestling is all about … high-scoring matches where you're scrapping and scrambling, just letting it all hang out," he added. "It was fun wrestling him. He's a good competitor. he's not a guy that tries and keep it close, be defensive and win 2-1 matches. He's going to go out there and let it fly. I was just able to capitalize on a few things."

Motivation was a big factor in Gross taking the next step on the podium after finishing second as a sophomore.

"Getting second really hurt," he said. "Dreams got crushed right there, so I had a chip on my shoulder coming into the season. I trained a lot harder and on the days when I was tired or didn't feel good, I thought back about that match. I'm never going to let that happen again."

Other than winning championships, his other love is coming to camps like the one at Wheeling Jesuit.

"This is one of my favorite parts, getting the opportunity that I've been given like traveling all over the country, and even the world sometimes. Right now during the summer I'm going state-to-state being able to put on camps and give back to wrestling. It's something that I love doing and I loved being around those top guys in the country when I was young.

"I love seeing the smiles on the kids faces. It's a special feeling."

The future is bright for Gross.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to finish on top again in my senior season. Then it's on to try and win some World titles and Olympic titles."