Grappler Hughes escapes shadows

By DAVID COMER
Collegain Sports Writer

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Even in victory, Lion wrestler John Hughes seems to have a difficult time. But that should be of little surprise, as adversity has shadowed him all season.

The shadow was there two weekends ago at the Big Ten Championships, but Hughes wasn't concerned. He captured the 142-pound title with a dramatic 6-4 overtime victory against Iowa's Bill Zadick.

Hughes (27-3), ranked No. 2 nationally, was 13 pounds over his weight the day before the championships started and needed to drop the weight by the next morning.

As the No. 1 seed in the tournament, he dominated competition that Saturday, March 4. He beat Purdue's Mickey Griffin 11-5 and Minnesota's Jeff Thompson 11-1 to earn a place in the semifinals. Hughes controlled Wisconsin's Ryan Lord en route to an 8-4 win and a spot in Sunday's championship match.

Then the shadow appeared. Hughes needed to shed 11 pounds before Saturday night ended to reach 142 pounds and wrestle Zadick in the finals.

"To say it took a long time would be an understatement," Hughes said of the two-and-a-half hours he spent losing the weight. "Making weight is kind of tough for me, but that is just one part of the sport you have to deal with."

Hughes has endured his share of problems this season. A suspension kept him out of the Iowa match on Dec. 2, and knee problems kept him from wrestling in the season's final two dual meets.

In between, the shadow didn't vanish. In January, Coach John Fritz ordered Hughes to take time off from wrestling to focus on academics.

But the Big Tens provided a clean slate.

Hughes watched and readied himself for his chance to win his first conference title. And what he saw was Iowa dominate the finals.

"I saw (the Hawkeyes) win at 118, 126 and 134," he said. "I was just like, 'Damn, when is this going to stop?' "

Hughes took matters into his own hands . . . and legs and shoulders, as he stopped the streak after Zadick jumped out to a 3-1 lead.

"I was well conditioned," Hughes said, "and I felt if I just kept on him and pressured him, sooner or later he'd fold."

Hughes tied the score at four and sent the match into overtime, where Zadick looked as if he was in position for a match-winning takedown.

"He relaxed," Hughes said. "His grip wasn't as tight. I was just trying to reach him with my hand and just get a stalemate."

Hughes got more than a stalemate, securing the takedown and the 142-pound title.

"Finally, he put everything all together," Assistant Coach Hachiro Oishi said.

But the Big Ten title didn't fix all of Hughes' worries.

"Not yet," he said. "I need a national title to correct all of those problems."

Hughes will get his shot this weekend in Iowa City at the NCAA championships, where Zadick will also have a chance at revenge.

"I don't think he really is a great wrestler," Zadick said of Hughes. "I feel that I'm better."