TULSA, Okla. – The initial idea was hoping the savvy, polished senior could rub off some of his wisdom on the brash, young and talented freshmen.
That was the big hope.
If some chemistry and extra energy was created, that would be the gravy.
In its own way, Kevin Dresser making all-American David Carr room on the road with freshmen Paniro Johnson has been pure gold.
Carr, three-time all-American and past national champ, is seeded first at 165 as he will begin chasing another title Thursday at the BOK Center in Tulsa.
Feeding off Carr’s energy, Johnson has backed up big talk with a Big 12 title and is the fifth seed at 149.
“We put those two guys together because they get along together really well,” Dresser said Wednesday. “I think they feed off each other, too.
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“We’ve tried to build good chemistry, even with our roommate (pairings).”
Both Carr and Dresser smile when talking about what Johnson has brought to the table.
“Paniro has incredible energy for a freshmen,” Dresser said. “And I think if you ask David, a demeanor and confidence level that is just kind of unheard of as a true freshmen. I think David even shakes his head and thinks that dude thinks he can will all the time.”
Carr, who carries an 89-2 career record into the tournament, says he has learned a lot from Johnson and says in a lot of ways the true freshmen from Erie, Pa was a lot like him when he was a freshmen.
That is except for one thing.
“I like that he is positive, out-going like me,” Carr said. “Just confident … I would say he speaks it a little more. Me (as a freshmen), I’d probably go I know I can win a lot, but not say it.
“Paniro, he is like, ‘I’m going to be the champ. I’m letting you know Dave now, I’m going to beat this guy, this guy and this guy. I’m like, ‘whoa, that was not me as a freshmen.”
That, Carr adds, is what he really likes about Johnson, though.
Johnson, for the most part, has backed up his brash talk.
Early in the season he took three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell to sudden victory, and he avenged one of his four losses in the Big 12 finals when he beat Missouri all-American Brock Mauller, 10-4, to win the Big 12 title.
“I feel like he reinforced some of the things I thought,” Johnson said of Carr. “It is a good energy. It is a good vibe and it is good for our heads. It builds confidence and we both feed off each other.”
Seeded fifth, Johnson’s confidence is high, but he also understands the difficulty of this tournament.
“It is everything I thought it was,” Johnson said of the championships. “It is the biggest, badest tournament in the world. The biggest, badest people are here and I think I am the biggest and badest.
“I know this is a tough tournament,” Johnson adds. “I know it is hard. I have learned this year that you got to want things to be hard. If it was easy, everybody would do it. I want the match to be hard. I want every match to be hard and I want every point to be hard and I’m ready for it.”
Carr’s confidence is high too, but he feels he has earned that.
He says he learned lot last year when he lost to Oregon State’s Hunter Willits in the second round one year after winning the 157-pound crown in St Louis. Carr rallied to win six straight matches and finish third, but that loss has added fuel to this year’s title chase.
“I feel like I am well prepared,” Carr said. “Whatever happens, happens. I’ve prepared the right way. I have trained very hard. And, I’m excited to show what that training and preparation is going to do when it comes on the national stage.”
Dresser feels the confidence is high for all eight of ISU’s qualifiers.
The Cyclones will also have Zach Redding at 133, Casey Swiderski at 141, Jason Kraisser at 157, Marcus Coleman at 184, Yonger Bastida at 197 and Sam Schuyler at 285.
“We had some really good workouts between the Big 12s and now,” Dresser said. “I really like…I love our team mojo and I love our health.”
