Dislocated shoulder fells North Carolina State's Caldwell

A BUM SHOULDER beat out a big heart last night, as a champion wrestler's career came to an end inside an X-ray room in the bowels of the Wells Fargo Center.

Darrion Caldwell, a three-time New Jersey state champion for Rahway and 2009 NCAA national champion for North Carolina State, was tied 0-0 in his second match of the NCAA finals when an old enemy - his left shoulder - came calling.

Caldwell was the top seed at 149 pounds and 15-0 heading into the match against Michigan's Eric Grajales, an unseeded, redshirt freshman. With 58 seconds left in the first period, Caldwell dislocated the shoulder at the edge of the mat and was unable to continue. The crowd cheered as he was helped off the mat and minutes later, his coach, Carter Jordan, and mother were pacing the halls outside the X-ray room.

Caldwell emerged, his eyes bleary and his shoulder in a sling.

"I gave it everything I had. I'm satisfied with my . . . " the redshirt senior said before taking a long pause. "I'm satisfied with my season.''

In 2009, Caldwell upset Iowa's defending champ, Brent Metcalf, in the 149-pound NCAA finals but missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. Jordan said Caldwell had dislocated his shoulder at least "10 or 12 times'' this season but probably lied about other dislocations and refused to quit. He said Caldwell was basically wrestling with "one arm'' recently.

"What'ya say, can you go back out there tomorrow,'' Carter asked jokingly.

"Sure, just tape me up,'' his star replied, crouching into position with a bag of ice on his shoulder.

Jordan said he wouldn't be surprised to see Caldwell, a member of the U.S. National Freestyle team, make the Olympics after another shoulder surgery. When asked how it felt to see Caldwell's career end with an injury, Jordan said, "I'm a parent.''

"Like that,'' he said, biting his lip. "It feels like that.''

Another Jersey native, Penn State's Frank Molinaro, was seeded second at 149. Molinaro, of Barnegat, advanced to this morning's quarterfinals with a 6-3 win over Derek Valenti, of the University of Virginia.

Penn State's Andrew Long, a No. 3 seed at 133 pounds, scored a sudden-death takedown against Minnesota's David Thorn for a 7-5 victory.

Jordan Oliver, an Easton High School graduate and All-America for Oklahoma State, didn't spend much time on the mat, pinning both his opponents and remaining perfect at 26-0 for the Cowboys. He's the top seed at 133.

"I just came here to dominate,'' he said afterward.

Molinaro and Long were among the seven Nittany Lions to advance into the quarterfinals.

The Nittany Lions held the top spot in the team competition for most of the evening, followed by Cornell and Iowa. The three teams swapped spots most of the morning. Cornell and Iowa advanced five wrestlers apiece.

Penn State was the last Eastern team to win a title, way back in 1953, and its fans reacted each time their No. 1 position was announced.

"We are - Penn State,'' they chanted repeatedly.

Penn State coach Cael Sanderson, a four-time NCAA champion, said it was still too early to worry about team scores.

"If we're going to win this thing, it's going to happen on Friday and Saturday,'' he said. "We're doing well. I'm proud of the guys.''

Penn State hosted the NCAA championships in 1999 and has hosted five times since 1929. The tournament also has been held in Bethlehem, Lancaster and Pittsburgh.

Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs, a Winslow Township, N.J. High product, remained unbeaten at 33-0 yesterday. In his first match, Burroughs dominated on his feet, scoring a 22-7 technical fall over Pittsburgh's Ethan Headlee. Burroughs gave Headlee all his points, letting the wrestler up for one point so he could take him down and score two.

"I do what I have to,'' Burroughs said. "He was going to lay on his stomach the whole time, so I had to adjust.''

University of Virginia senior Chris Henrich, a Landsdale native, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-5 victory over Oklahoma State's Mike Benefiel.

Drexel legend Jack Childs lived to coach another day as his only wrestler in the tournament, Joe Booth, went 2-1 and advanced in the consolation round. Childs, who won 421 matches in 35 years as the Dragons' coach, will retire after Booth is finished.

Arizona State's Anthony Robles, the undefeated top seed at 125 pounds, showed Philadelphia what a one-legged wrestler was capable of yesterday, scoring a basketball-like 32 points in his two technical-fall victories.