Team on his back/ Senior wrestler has been an Air Force leader since

When Air Force wrestler Scott Frohardt beat Mike Parsons of the Virginia Military Academy on Sunday the co-captain became the first Falcon to capture his weight class all four years.

It didn't come as much of a surprise that Frohardt won the meet or that he helped secure Air Force's third consecutive all-Academy wrestling championship. He has a 37-4 record and leads the team with 93 takedowns, 13 major decisions and 11 pins. In his four-year career, Frohardt has a 136-33 record.

"He's been our leader since he got here," coach Wayne Baughman said.

Undefeated in dual meets for the past two seasons and one of two NCAA qualifiers on the team, Frohardt was recruited after a stellar high school career at Parker's Ponderosa High. Frohardt was a three- time state champion and was sought after by several national programs.

"I decided that I wanted to come to the Air Force Academy when I was 8 years old and my parents brought me here for a soccer tournament," Frohardt recalls. "I saw all the airplanes and guys jumping out of them and I told them right then that this was the place I wanted to be."

Wrestling at 149 pounds, Frohardt said he likes the individual aspects of his sport.

"I like the physical challenge that wrestling offers," Frohardt said. "This is a sport where the tougher guy is always going to win."

Frohardt is preparing for the conference and NCAA championships later this spring. Part of that preparation involves a home dual meet Sunday (1 p.m.) with nationally ranked Northern Iowa.

Highly popular and involved with his high school wrestling program as a volunteer at Ponderosa, boosters and Frohardt's fans got together earlier this season and chartered a pair of busses to watch their standout alumnus wrestle against Big12 Conference foe Nebraska in December.

"It was great for that group of about 90 people to come down to watch," he said. "There was a little more pressure on me that day, but I was fortunate to win my match."

Frohardt said being a team captain and a cadet means there are always people watching him.

"Every time I go to a practice to help out, kids come up to me and ask about the academy and what it's like," he said. "I tell them about the friendships that you make and the opportunities you have that few people get to do. I also tell them that being here takes sacrifice."

Frohardt is eyeing his first all-American ranking as well as a national title, something Air Force has not had since Don Henderson in 1968. Since Air Force and Wyoming are the only Mountain West wrestling schools, the Falcons compete with a group of independents in the Western Region.

The top eight national finishers in each weight class are named all-Americans.

"Some people say the NCAA meet is tougher than the Olympics," Baughman said. "Scott's in a tough weight class but we're hoping he's one of those surprise wrestlers that sneaks up and gets some upset wins."

When his collegiate career is over, Frohardt's sights are set on flying C-17s.

"I want to be an all-American. This year is my last chance to do that. But after it's over, I'll be getting ready for flight training."

- Scott D. Jones may be reached at 636-0250 or gtsports@gazette.com

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