Chad Stroh is all business.
The Holyoke Dragons senior has breathed fire on the mat since he was pinned late in the championship bout of his Class 2A 112-pound match three years ago as a freshman.
Stroh may as well hand his opponent a business card with his considerable credentials when they meet at the center of the mat — he’s efficient, workmanlike and possesses a can-do attitude, as in he can and usually does defeat you.
“He didn’t like getting beat then and has lost only three matches since,” said Duane Stroh, his father and Holyoke’s head coach.
Like Colorado’s legions of elite wrestlers, Stroh — who advanced to today’s quarterfinals at the Pepsi Center with a pin in 5 minutes, 12 seconds against Rangely’s Blake Wanstedt at 135 on Thursday — learned from his setbacks. He finished the 2006-07 season 32-6, but has responded with consecutive state championships (at 119 and 125) as well as a 106-3 record since.
“I just tried to turn it into a positive,” Stroh said. “It was upsetting for sure, but after a while it just turns into motivation.”
Always the aggressor, Stroh displayed his top-notch strength, speed and balance against Wanstedt. Stroh never trailed and held a double-digit lead before pinning Wanstedt.
“I thought I did pretty good,” Stroh said, “but he was wrestling not to lose, and those matches are always tough.”
It’s part of the long game of wrestling, said Duane Stroh, who’s thrilled to be coaching his only son.
“You beat your brains out against each other all week, then you go hang out on Sunday,” the father said.
The Strohs as a family also overcame personal tragedy tied to wrestling. Earlier in his Dragons career, Larry Stroh, Duane’s brother, a Holyoke assistant and Chad’s wrestling partner, was killed in a farming accident.
“(Chad) stuck it out and three days later he went out and was the (outstanding wrestler) of our tournament,” Duane Stroh said. “He never said anything about it, but if you watched him wrestle, you knew he was thinking about it.”
He still is, which is a little extra motivation.
“There are a lot of good kids here, but I guess I am pretty confident,” Chad Stroh said.
Owner of a 3.6 grade-point average, don’t be surprised to hear of Stroh’s college major.
Business.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
