Why Iowa wrestling recruit Kolby Franklin moved to Iowa City early

IOWA CITY — Kolby Franklin, one of many stars within the Iowa wrestling program’s 2022 recruiting class, has been dwelling in Iowa for almost 4 months, and earlier than we get into why he moved right here from jap Pennsylvania, he has one thing he needs to handle.

“There’s no pickled eggs out right here,” Franklin stated with amusing after a Wednesday night exercise. “I don’t know what the heck you guys are pondering. You bought Casey’s breakfast pizza, and that’s good, however I like pickled eggs.

“Again residence, you’ve received massive tubs of them at grocery shops. It’s a great protein snack. I can’t discover them on the grocery shops right here.”

Franklin traded the Pennsylvania mountains for Iowa cornfields when he dedicated to the Hawkeyes in October. He’s thought-about the No. 49 total prospect within the 2022 class, in response to MatScouts, and one in all 5 top-250 recruits Iowa signed this yr.

It has been an attention-grabbing and adventurous senior yr for Franklin, who began at Wyoming Seminary however will graduate from Iowa Metropolis Excessive subsequent month. He’s additionally wrestled rather a lot — at high-level highschool occasions and even some collegiate open tournaments.

Subsequent week, Franklin will wrestle on the U20 males’s freestyle nationwide championships in Las Vegas. In June, he’ll go to the U20 males’s freestyle world crew trials in Ohio. Come August, he’ll enroll at Iowa and start his collegiate profession with the Hawkeyes.

The grind doesn’t cease.

“I’m all the time wanting to check myself in opposition to the subsequent stage of competitors,” Franklin stated. “I’m staying within the second, however at the back of my head, I’m prepared for that subsequent factor, and ensuring that each step I take is towards that subsequent purpose.”

Franklin started this yr with lofty expectations. He completed the ’20-21 season ranked fifth within the nation at 195 kilos, and adopted that by taking fourth on the 2021 Junior freestyle nationwide championships in July. In October, he took third on the Tremendous 32 Problem, thought-about the hardest preseason highschool event within the nation.

► Southeast Polk wrestler Nate Jesuroga wins prestigious Tremendous 32 Problem

All through November and December, whereas attending Wyoming Seminary, Franklin wrestled at a handful of collegiate opens. He gained two: the Lock Haven Open and the Bob Quad Cyclone Open at Centenary College in New Jersey. He additionally competed on the Findlay Open in Ohio and Matmen Open in Illinois.

Sandwiched between all of that was a runner-up end on the Walsh Jesuit Ironman, some of the prestigious highschool tournaments. He made the finals as an undersized heavyweight — Franklin not too long ago weighed 210 — a run punctuated by an 8-6 semifinal win over Colorado’s Matthew Moore, who’s ranked tenth nationally at 285.

“I’m undoubtedly no stranger to greater tournaments,” Franklin stated. “I discover calmness and energy in these tournaments in opposition to college-level guys. Each stage of wrestling is completely different. I’ve gotten so many alternative appears to be like over time. I really feel like I’m prepared.

“I discovered that I can compete with the highest guys, and people tournaments taught me that while you do all of the little issues proper, on the mat and off the mat, every little thing comes collectively. That’s while you’ll achieve success.”

By way of the autumn semester, Wyoming Seminary was in a small transition interval. After a profitable 11-year run, head coach Scott Inexperienced left to change into an assistant at Military West Level. Cornell Robinson, a embellished coach from St. Louis, was employed to switch Inexperienced, and led Wyoming Seminary to the No. 1 nationwide crew rating this season.

Franklin felt it was greatest for him to depart at semester, and enrolled at Iowa Metropolis Excessive in January. He had his sights set on profitable a Class 3A state title in February. His addition would have made an already-loaded bracket much more bonkers.

Think about who was already there:

• Waverly-Shell Rock’s McCrae Hagarty, now a two-time state champ, a 16U All-American who’s ranked No. 17 nationally at 195;
• Bettendorf’s Bradley Hill, a 2021 state champ, two-time state finalist, a Junior nationwide finalist and Cadet world crew trials finalist who’s ranked No. 21 nationally;
• North Scott’s AJ Petersen, a two-time state medalist and Junior All-American;
• and Southeast Polk’s Andrew Reed, who beat Petersen 10-2 for third-place.

► Southeast Polk outlasts Waukee NW, Waverly-Shell Rock for Class 3A crew title

“I used to be on the state championships watching all these guys,” Franklin stated. “I might’ve cherished to have been in that bracket.”

Fairly enjoyable thought, yeah?

Besides … one drawback.

Franklin was dominated ineligible by the Iowa Excessive College Athletic Affiliation as a result of he had wrestled in faculty opens. Iowa Code says high-schoolers cannot play a highschool sport in the event that they participated in an occasion with or in opposition to faculty athletes’ sanctioned groups. That very same rule stripped Nice Valley of a ladies state monitor championship in 2014.

By the point Franklin totally understood the state of affairs, and after consulting with Iowa Metropolis Excessive coach Cory Connell, he felt he didn’t have sufficient time to enchantment the ruling. The 3A district tournaments started Feb. 12, simply 43 days after he moved in. It took Arland Bruce 35 days to overturn his eligibility ruling to play for Ankeny soccer in 2020.

“Wrestling in these faculty opens type of bit me within the butt this yr,” Franklin stated. “I needed to win a state title, however I’ve no regrets. After I decide, I’m going to personal that call. The principles are what they’re.”

As such, Franklin couldn’t rep Metropolis Excessive after shifting in. However he has labored out usually with Ben Kueter, a three-time undefeated state champ for the Little Hawks. Kueter dedicated to Iowa for each wrestling and soccer in September. He’s ranked No. 2 nationally at 220 and is taken into account the No. 13 total 2023 prospect by MatScouts.

“Ben’s been an important buddy to me since I’ve been out right here,” Franklin stated. “Wrestling him has been superior. His model is a unique look. He has a totally completely different physique model. However we work properly collectively. He’s very like-minded.”

Now that the faculty season is over, Franklin has frolicked coaching with the Hawkeye Wrestling Membership below the regional coaching heart guidelines set forth by the NCAA and USA Wrestling. That’s helped him put together for the upcoming U20 nationwide championships.

Due to the transfer, Franklin says he is extra prepared for the faculty transition when he begins lessons within the fall. He is excited to work with the numerous profitable heavier weights within the Iowa room — Jacob Warner, a current NCAA finalist; Zach Glazier, a Junior world crew trials finalist; and Tony Cassioppi, a U23 males’s freestyle world champ.

He hopes so as to add his personal high-level accomplishments to that checklist quickly — and maybe discover some pickled eggs alongside the best way.

“It is completely different, however there’s lots of similarities,” Franklin stated. “I am used to the mountains, and now there is a bunch of farms, however I just like the change of surroundings. It is good to be in a spot with those that care about me and can look out for me. No higher place.”

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and highschool sports activities for the Des Moines Register. Observe him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.