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NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSMarch 23, 2013Jesse DelgadoDES MOINSE, IOWA THE MODERATOR: To my left is 125‑pound champion Jesse Delgado of Illinois. Tell us about that 5‑point move. JESSE DELGADO: He was pushing the pace actually more than I wanted to. He was throwing the match where he wanted it to be. I knew if I could get him in a scramble, I was going to catch him with something sooner or later. Q. You said you knew you'd catch him sooner or later. Is it because of his length that the cradle is more susceptible there? JESSE DELGADO: I wasn't necessarily looking for a cradle, but I knew I was a better scrambler than he was. I know he's really flexible, but I knew I was better than him in the scramble. Q. Jesse, describe that cradle a little bit. Normally you get a leg and a head, but you had the arm on the opposite side. I don't think I've seen it done in quite that way in such a pressure situation. Didn't look like you could pin him, but looked like you had a vice on there. JESSE DELGADO: Yeah, I knew it was my shot to win the match. I didn't know if I was going to get another shot. I had to take it, and I got in that position. He was doing the full split. So his head was right by his knee, so I just took it. Q. Jesse, last night you talked a little bit about when you made the move from Cal Poly to Illinois with Mark. Can you talk about that, why it was important to come out here and not stay in California. JESSE DELGADO: I think it was important for a number of reasons. It gave me an opportunity to grows not only a wrestler but as a person. I had to deal with not seeing my friends or family for two, three years. Everybody has their own personal problems, and when you're in college, it's just kind of hard when your parents and your friends aren't there, but it gave me an opportunity to grow. Obviously, as a wrestler, I get to work out with Jeremy every day. I got a lot more partners too than I did at Cal Poly. So it was probably what changed my life. Q. Jesse, do you think there was a point in the season that was the turning point for you? Obviously, you've been a contender, and you knew you had an opportunity to maybe be a champion, but were there any situations where you really felt that you turned the corner and your confidence was in a position where you could take it this far? JESSE DELGADO: Yeah, definitely. I was having a rough season the first half, and I was‑‑ maybe against Nebraska, I was on the phone with my mom, and she just gave me a talk. After that, I feel like my season turned around. I started focusing on all the right things and committed to what Mark and Jeremy were telling me to do. That was the turning point, I feel like. Q. Jesse, there was also a tough time when Penn State came to visit. He pinned you, right? JESSE DELGADO: Yeah, I was learning that one too. I guess he came on that scramble. Yeah. He actually got in on my leg. I went to go roll through and ended up catching me on my back. There was like 15 seconds left. I was winning that match. Q. Talk a little bit about Coach Hunter. As a lightweight, you always are looking for someone who can really teach you the ropes and make a difference in your preparation. JESSE DELGADO: Yeah, like I said, what Mark showed me, since I got to Cal Poly, to believe in myself. He really planted the idea that I could be a national champion into my mind. Jeremy is the one who took me to the next level. I got to work with him every day. Everything in that match maybe wasn't going the way I wanted it to, but up to this point, it was all working with Jeremy every day. Not to say that Coach Heffernan and Mark‑‑ they definitely helped me a lot too, but Jeremy is more like a personal coach. THE MODERATOR: All right, Jesse. Congratulations. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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