Wrestler keeps calm, takes 4th place

By Randy Sachs

Special to the Journal

Wrestlers come up with all kinds of ways to prepare themselves for six minutes of strenuous, aggressive battle. Some will stare blindly at inanimate objects or slap themselves about their own body, preparing for the physical challenge ahead.

Then there is Carroll senior Cody Lindberg, who sings to himself.

On the mat, Lindberg wrestles methodically, calmly, and almost unemotionally.

His opponents know that’s not to be mistaken for being meek or uninspired.

Lindberg wrestled in the state tournament last weekend, riding his calm approach to a fourth-place finish in the 195-pound weight class.

“I’m pretty calm,” Lindberg said. “I don’t get too emotionally invested in each match. I don’t hit myself in the face to get up for a match,” he said.

In fact, Lindberg said he’s more prone to sing or hum to himself prior to stepping onto the mat.

“I usually sing whatever tune I’ve heard that day,” he said.

“I keep it to myself,” Lindberg added. “I’m not a good singer.”

As a 140-pound freshman trying out a sport for the first time, Lindberg was drawn to the intensity of wrestling and all it seemed to offer.

Lindberg has left more than a timid mark and legacy at Carroll en route to a 33-3 record this year heading into the state tournament.

Lindberg dropped a 7-6 decision to Daniel Roland of Rockwall in the second round. Lindberg pinned his first opponent.

Lindberg knows that his maturity over the last year has been the key ingredient in his progress.

“It’s been a big benefit,” Lindberg said of the additional year of experience on the mat. For his wrestling career, that year accounts for 25 percent of his time in the sport.

The difference in Lindberg’s wrestling this year can also be attributed to his work ethic, said head coach Joe Hathaway.

Hathaway started his tenure at Carroll during Lindberg’s freshman year and said he’s an example of a wrestler who has bought into what the program has asked them to do.

“What he has done in the off-season is what has made him so good,” Hathaway said. “He saw some success on JV as a freshman was back-and-forth as a sophomore and worked in the off-season and his junior year came back and was a hammer,” Hathaway said of Lindberg’s relentless drive.

The calm, laid-back style is also an advantage for Lindberg.

“His style is even-keeled and has contributed to his success,” said Hathaway. “It helps him out late in matches as he maintains a pace and doesn’t fall into an emotional dump.”

His late-match composure almost allowed Lindberg to come back on Roland. Trailing 6-3 late in the third period, Lindberg scored a reversal and forced a stalling point. With no other option, Lindberg gave up an escape in hopes of scoring a takedown in the final seconds for a win.

Robert Prigmore won a state title for the Dragons in 2008 at the 189-pound class at the time.

“Carroll has started a tradition,” Lindberg said, noting the Dragons’ youth program has blossomed and recently won the Rookie State Tournament.

“We’ve been able to place 2-3 wrestlers at state every year,” he said. “I’m happy to be a part of it and hoping it continues.”

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