St. Mark's heavyweight Telford commits to Iowa

Hawks gain heavyweight

Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen

This time a year ago, Bobby Telford was a wrestler with a big frame, a set of lightweight skills and a 35-39 career record.

He knew all about Iowa from its storied wrestling history, but competing for the Hawkeyes seemed further away in his mind than the 950-mile drive to Iowa City from his home in Wilmington, Del.

"Every kid who gets into wrestling figures out real quick what Iowa is all about," said Telford, a 6-foot-5, 265-pound heavyweight. "It's the greatest wrestling school in America, and it's every kid's dream to wrestle for Iowa. At the beginning of last year, I wouldn't have even dreamed of having this opportunity in front of me."

Telford's meteoric rise during his junior season launched him to the top of the national heavyweight rankings this summer and attracted the interest of the Hawkeyes and nearly a dozen other programs. He eventually trimmed that list to Iowa and Illinois before verbally committing Wednesday night to the Hawkeyes.

"My decision came down to history, the coaches, the people I'm going to be surrounding myself with, and my workout partners," Telford said. "I don't think anybody could beat Iowa. They had the best history, the best coaches, the best workout partners, everything. It's a privilege to wrestle for the Hawkeyes, and I can't wait to get out there."

Telford is rated the No. 43 prospect nationally in the Class of 2010 by InterMat. He's the third high school senior to verbally commit to Iowa's class, joining West High's Nick Moore (No. 14 on InterMat's list) and Waverly-Shell Rock's Jake Ballweg (No. 41).

Telford has been perhaps the fastest-rising prospect in the country during the last 12 months. He compiled a 13-23 record at 135 pounds as a freshman, fitting into a hole in his St. Mark's High School team's lineup that didn't necessarily fit his growing frame.

"A couple good guys moved up, they couldn't make the weight anymore, so the only way I could make the team was to cut down and wrestle 135," he said.

Telford moved up to 189 as a sophomore and went 22-16. He spent the following summer working out with former Penn State heavyweight Joel Edwards. Wrestling at heavyweight and weighing 230 as a junior, Telford went 38-0 and won the prestigious Beast of the East tournament.

"He's got such a great style for a heavyweight because he learned how to wrestle as a lightweight, kind of similar to (Ohio State's former two-time NCAA champion) Tommy Rowlands," St. Mark's coach Jay Basetianelli said. "He's not as quick or as explosive as Tommy Rowlands is, but Tommy Rowlands isn't 6-5, 270 and still growing. He might not be as strong as (former Minnesota two-time NCAA champion) Cole Konrad, but I bet you by the time he's 21 years old he's going to be that big."

October 15, 2009

Spartans' Telford to wrestle at Iowa

Hawkeye program among best in country

By BUDDY HURLOCK
The News Journal

It was inevitable that Bobby Telford was going to wrestle some place big in college. But not long ago, it would have been hard to see the St. Mark's High senior ending up at one of the most accomplished programs in college history.

Telford -- who went from having a losing record as a freshman to an undefeated, state championship season last season as a junior -- made a verbal commitment Wednesday night to accept a wrestling scholarship from the University of Iowa, which has won the last two NCAA Division I wrestling championships and 22 overall.

During his freshman season at St. Mark's, Telford broke his finger in going 13-23 and wrestling from 135 to 152 pounds. He was 22-16 as a sophomore, qualifying for states, but junior year was his breakout season -- a 38-0 season that included a 285-pound (heavyweight) state championship and titles at several national tournaments, including the Beast of the East tourney at the University of Delaware.

"It's every kid's dream," Telford said about wrestling at Iowa. "With their history, I'm privileged to be a part of the program. Two years ago, wrestling 135 pounds as a freshman, I would have never believed I'd be at this point."

Iowa is coached by 1996 Olympic gold medalist and wrestling Hall of Fame member Tom Brands. The Hawkeyes have had 48 wrestlers combine to win 74 individual national titles, including three by Brands. Twenty of their 22 national titles came in a 26-year span from 1975 to 2000. The Hawkeyes only trail Oklahoma State (38) for most national titles won with Iowa State (eight) a distant third.

"Where he has come, from freshman year to today, is just incomparable," St. Mark's coach Jason Bastianelli said. "It is believable, because of how hard he works, but unbelievable from where he was as a freshman, to where he is now."

Telford's decision came Wednesday night after one more talk with family and his coaches, when he "finally got comfortable enough" that Iowa "was the best thing for my future. ... I'd have to thank my dad, my mom and my coaches for everything."

As far back as middle school, Telford said his father, Bob, took him to youth events near and far to get him started in wrestling.

"My dad has just helped me since fourth grade, taking me to tournaments, taking me to every tournament he could. He always supported me and believed in me, and that's the best thing," Telford said.

Telford (6-foot-5, 270) is also a two-way lineman for the St. Mark's football team.

He also seriously considered wrestling scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, Old Dominion and Illinois, and other programs to recruit him included North Carolina, Northwestern, Wyoming, Northern Colorado, Virginia and Penn.

"It's amazing," Bastianelli said. "Amazing for Bobby, and unbelievable for his family, and for wrestling Delaware."

St. Mark's mat champs commit to colleges

Boylan bound for Bloomsburg, Dolan headed to N.C. State

By KEVIN TRESOLINI, THE NEWS JOURNAL

Two of St. Mark’s High’s 2009 state wrestling champions who are now seniors have made their college commitments for next year, coach Jason Bastianelli said today.

Sean Boylan will attend Bloomsburg (Pa.) University and Sean Dolan is bound for North Carolina State.

Boylan was state 112-pound champion in 2009 after winning at 103 as a sophomore in 2008, when he was also Beast of the East champion. He finished last season ranked seventh nationally among 112-pounders by Amateur Wrestling News.

Boylan has gone 87-4 in two seasons at St. Mark’s after transferring from Holy Spirit (N.J.) and is 112-7 in his high school career.

Maryland, Arizona State and Edinboro were also among Boylan’s final choices, Bastianelli said. Bloomsburg is coached by John Stutzman, the former William Penn High wrestler.

Dolan is a three-time state champion, winning at 103 as a freshman, 112 as a sophomore and 119 in 2009 as a junior, when he missed the early part of the season with an injury.

He has an 89-13 career mark. Missouri, Maryland and Hofstra were other possible destinations.

Both are projected 125-pounders, which is the lowest collegiate weight class.