Hayden Hidlay finishes as 5-time All-American
He places third; Trent Hidlay fifth in NCAA
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DETROIT -- Sitting nearly shoulder to shoulder Saturday on raised stools just off the floor of Little Caesars Arena, the self-named Brothers of Destruction intermittently wiped tears from their eyes.
Hayden and Trent Hidlay have wreaked plenty of havoc on wrestling mats across the country, but on this day the tears were emblematic of relief, regret, frustration and the realization of unfulfilled dreams.
A short time earlier, Hayden had placed third at 174 pounds for North Carolina State at the 2022 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. He then gathered himself and slowly dressed as he watched Trent win his fifth-place bout.
Hayden beat Oklahoma State's Dustin Plott, 8-2, in the consolation semifinals and then notched a second win during the tournament over long-time nemesis Michael Kemerer of Iowa, 12-4, in the third-place bout.
Trent dropped a 7-5 sudden-victory decision to Northern Iowa's Parker Keckeisen in the consolation semifinals and then bounced back with a 3-2 win over Ohio State's Kaleb Romero in the fifth-place bout.
In a combined eight seasons in Raleigh, the Hidlays have produced eight All-America honors for the Wolfpack. Hayden was the first four-timer and first five-timer for NC State. Trent seems well on his way to more of his own.
"It's been a lot of work but it's really special," Trent said. "I think the bond that we have is worth much more than wins and losses. And, at the end of the day, I know I'm loved and it just means a lot to me."
Trent still has more time to try to reach the top of the podium. Hayden has exhausted his eligibility and said that while his wrestling career is over, he hopes his coaching career is about to begin.
"I hope so. I think they're gonna offer me a job. I'd love to stick around NC State for as long as I can. If they can make that happen, it'd be a dream come true. Not only would I get to mentor my brother, but we have a really great recruiting class coming up and I just want them to outdo whatever I did. It should be ranked second or third or whatever. And I think there's a lot of great kids and a lot of Pennsylvania kids that I'm close to and other kids that I really want to grow with. And there's no better place for me to start out. If I can join this staff and learn from them, that would be incredible," Hayden said.
After making a move from 157 to 174 this year, he said this season was more enjoyable.
"It was a restart. I wouldn't have been able to do a full season at 157. Last year, thankfully, it was a condensed season. It turns out at the end of the season I didn't get any better. I started my career off at 157 and got second and, result wise, I never made any improvements. I knew I was a better wrestler, so I was like, screw it, go up to 174 and whatever happens happens. At least you won't have any regrets about feeling terrible throughout the year," he said.
"This year I was able to enjoy every day. I was enjoying my teammates more. Enjoy the trips. To come away with third, I feel like this was my best season. This 74 weight class was so hard. It was just so tough. I said in my post-match interview, I've never been the best guy in my bracket. I was never the best guy. This week I obviously wasn't the best guy, but I tried to be the best. I lived every day in my lifestyle. I tried to do the best that I could. At the end of all of this, I can't hang my head."
Freed from the rigors of a severe weight cut, Hayden said he felt the tournament was easier until Friday night's semifinals.
"I thought it was easier until I wrestled last night. Then I got the crap kicked out of me and I had to rebound today. This tournament is always hard. It doesn't matter if you get older. This weekend made that case," he said.
"There's nothing I can't hold my head up about. I was outclassed last night in every way. I was able to wake up this morning and we were joking about this morning's rounds. I call it the wasteland invitational. Everybody's dead but everybody keeps coming back to life and fighting. Throw the record books out the window. In 25 years, not many people are going to remember these individual matches but for us it means a lot. It means a lot to have pride and show up. For me, it was the last time to wear this NC State singlet. It's the last time I'll ever compete."
Before he signaled the end to his brilliant career, Hayden had the satisfaction of ending an 0-9 drought against Iowa's Michael Kemerer that started in high school and carried into college.
"The guy always had my number. He was always better than me. I know he's going through some stuff right now (the Hawkeye wrestled with a cumbersome harness on his shoulder) and this isn't his best version of him. But we're two competitors laying it on the line and respect to him for toeing the line. I know that takes a huge man to do that. I said to him after the match it's been an honor to compete against you. I feel like he's the toughest guy in this building. It's a long story but it came full circle this weekend. I hope for him the best," Hayden said.
For Trent, an unexpected challenge arose that forced him to deal with the tournament in a way he wasn't planning for.
"It's just been one of the toughest weekends, maybe tournaments I've ever gone through. That's wrestling and you've got to find a way to win close matches. I did that a few times this weekend. I didn't do it a few times this weekend. Obviously, the two guys I lost to in overtime are really good. So, if you're not wrestling your best and you're not wrestling smart, it's gonna be hard to win those. But, at the end of the day, fifth place in the NCAA tournament is pretty badass," he said.
Trent then revealed that he was hit with some kind of illness on Thursday.
"Just some kind of sickness on Thursday. I felt like I was peaking. I felt the best I ever had in my life. I knew I was read to win this tournament. I was in great shape. I don't know if I ate something wrong or something happened, but I was just throwing up on Thursday. It's just a lot to deal with and it takes a toll on you emotionally. Winners find a way and at the end of the day I was able to do that a little bit but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth, I think, reaching the finals last year and not repeating that," he said.
Trent said he'll try to put this weekend behind him, get back to training, hit the freestyle circuit and hopefully get to experience his brother as a coach rather than a teammate. He said he doesn't think the dynamic between he and Hayden will change much.
"Honestly, I don't think so a whole lot. I mean, we trained a little bit this year, which was great. He's been a coach of mine forever for as long as I can remember. Everything I do basically comes from a variation of what he does. So, I think we're better together," he said.
"Obviously, he just finished off a great career and he's gonna have some choices. But I know whatever he does, if he's my coach or my partner or what(ever), he's going to be in my corner and I'll be in his so nothing changes a whole lot. We'll keep making gains either way."