Christopher "Topher" Carton appreciation thread

[championhawk]

Continuing the senior salute. I picked Topher to be ranked by mid season and game for a high finish in March. He has a lot of skill and is still improving. He has been a great practice partner his first years in the room. He has helped make Clark and Gman what they are. He wrestled aggressive the first half of the season but lost some scrambles to Heil and appeared to back off on the offense.

Topher is another hard working senior that is easy to root for. How his final chapter is written is in his hands. My belief is he just needs to get back to his aggressive style that he wrestled with the first half of the season. He normally has exceptional cardio and needs to force the actions for 7 minutes. It is time for his switch to flip and make a strong post season run. I truly believe he can beat any guy in the country. It is time for him to believe that as well. Go out there these last few weeks and let the fur fly. Your pursuit of the top of the podium will only happen if you push the action. Thank you Topher for all you have done for the program.

 

[Stanley75]

Kudos to Topher.

 

[LaxHawk174]

Topher showed flashes of brilliance last year, but never could close out against the ranked opponents. This year, hes improved dramatically in that sense, he still has some issues no doubt, but he's much better, majoring ranked opponents, beating who he should. If he's 'on' I don't think its out of the question that he gets on the podium. The same could be said for a lot at 141, so he's gonna have to flip that switch and wrestle with the will to win every match especially in the post season.

But there is something about being a SR, heck, Dziewa took a lot of flack on these boards but he flipped a switch and was wrestling great in the post season his SR year. He lost two tough matches to complete style mismatches at NCAAs in Jack and Mayes, but he was wrestling at an AA caliber level. Heres to Carton going on a run at B1G's and NCAAs, finishing with a sweet prize and bringing the total to 5 SR AA's instead of 4. Thanks for your contributions to the team Topher! Lets cap off the dual season with some signature wins and keep it rolling into the post season!

 

[#10Hawk]

Topher, it was fun to watch your progress, particularly this year. I think you can compete with the best of them. Just believe in yourself and make some noise in March!

 

[LutherAce]

For a guy that some thought wasn't even going to make the lineup this year, you've shown many that you shouldn't be counted out. I think you're starting to gain the confidence you need to continue the upward trend and reach the podium. We know you have it in you....now is your time to show us that you believe you have it too.

 

[Ihawkd9times]

There isn't a kid in better shape in the program and that's saying a lot. Topher would be my first pick out of all the elite programs to win a Muck Run obstacle course marathon whatever they call them. I've always thought he was a 133 that was forced up due to Clark and to stick in the room like Iowa's where he could have started elsewhere long ago. For that I thank him!

 

[slicone]

There isn't a kid in better shape in the program and that's saying a lot. Topher would be my first pick out of all the elite programs to win a Muck Run obstacle course marathon whatever they call them. I've always thought he was a 133 that was forced up due to Clark and to stick in the room like Iowa's where he could have started elsewhere long ago. For that I thank him!

I would put Ironside up vs anyone in that room in a mud run even today ..Laux would be tough too

 

[minnhawkeye]

At the beginning of the year I thought Turk would be the 141#. Congrats to Topher for stepping in and doing a great job..Keep on improving and you will make the podium in St. Louis..Let the fur fly, open up your offense earlier you have it so use it and you are as strong as any of them...Thanks for the 5 years of hard work and representing the U of Iowa with class..

 

[iwinagain]

I am not a wrestling expert by any means, but watching Topher he looks like he is very close to putting a nice run together to finish out the season. I think he will be the big surprise in both the BIG tourney and Nationals, finishing much higher than his ranking.

 

[Sandor45]

A ton of respect for this kid, Christopher Carton.
Doesn't see the starting lineup til his senior year. He probably could have been a multi year starter somewhere else, but he chose the toughest room in the country and gutted it out. 4 years of sitting in the back seat, grinding it out, being the practice partner, getting beat up, all for one year of glory wearing the black and gold.
Carton is a great example of how great coaches develop their guys. He wasn't even in the top 150 prospective high school recruits, and now he's ranked and has the realistic potential of AAing his senior year.

 

[JohnBasedow]

Add me to the list of people who thinks he can make a deep run. He is so close to breaking through. Hope he can!

 

[93hawkeye]

Love Topher's patience in getting into the lineup and his energy on the mat. I would say the same thing to him that I would to Gunther, Sorenson and Wilcke: trust your offense...you have good takedown skills...use em early and often

 

[HoundedHawk]

There isn't a kid in better shape in the program and that's saying a lot.

Sure didn't seem that way in the Gullibon match.

 

[championhawk]

Sure didn't seem that way in the Gullibon match.

Some posters on here just can't help themselves. You were probably one of the geniuses who said Kemdawg had gas tank issues after the ISU meet. Remember that thread?

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Again, love the thread. Great work on these, champion!

I see lots of references to "letting the fur fly" and "believing". Couldn't agree more. Topher is SO CLOSE to breaking through. He could taste that breakthrough win against Heil at Okie State. Yes, Heil often shuts down the offense after an early score, but I really felt that Topher wrestled him even outside of that early takedown and was close to scoring, himself, late in the match.

Wrestling is such a mental struggle, not to mention a physical one. Topher is built like a rock and does have a great gas tank. He did hit a wall against Gulibon, but normally he can wrestle for hours on end. I'm not at all concerned about him physically. It's all between the ears for him. He's definitely shown flashes of brilliance and signs that the proverbial "light switch" has almost flipped "on" in terms of his deep-down belief in himself.

Really pulling for Topher to get into a zone mentally and go on a Whitmer-like run in March. Honestly, he's in a great weight class for that kind of thing, as 141 isn't exactly stacked, and he knows he can go toe-to-toe with the #1 guy. Hoping he gets over the hump and finishes with a bang. No doubt, he has it in him.

 

[CumberlandHawk]

I see a "strongest man in the world" run coming in March also. Go get'em Topher.

 

[Grip220]

To me any "Room guy" deserves a thread especially a guy like Topher does he obviously works his tail off in the room and on the weights and not only breaks the lineup but IMO has a legit shot at making some noise in March. Guys like Topher are what make up the wrestling community hard working SOB's

 

[HoundedHawk]

Some posters on here just can't help themselves. You were probably one of the geniuses who said Kemdawg had gas tank issues after the ISU meet. Remember that thread?

So you're saying it did seem like he is in the best shape of them all in the Gullibon match?

Speaking of geniuses, it certainly doesn't take one to know my statement was factually correct.

 

[WildTurk]

So you're saying it did seem like he is in the best shape of them all in the Gullibon match?

Speaking of geniuses, it certainly doesn't take one to know my statement was factually correct.

Thjs is a positive thread thanking our Hawkeyes for the hard work and dedication they have put in. Can you say something nice about Carton instead?

 

[Ihawkd9times]

Sure didn't seem that way in the Gullibon match.

I haven't seen Topher lose a match to conditioning yet. I have seen him put a few elite guys on the ropes by shape. Problem is like that match, typically the more talented guy shows it in the 3rd and finishes him off.

 

[HoundedHawk]

I haven't seen Topher lose a match to conditioning yet. I have seen him put a few elite guys on the ropes by shape. Problem is like that match, typically the more talented guy shows it in the 3rd and finishes him off.

It appeared to me he gassed and broke in that match. Of course, I can't say what it was, but just what it looked like to me.

 

[HoundedHawk]

Thjs is a positive thread thanking our Hawkeyes for the hard work and dedication they have put in. Can you say something nice about Carton instead?

I could, but I'm still mad at him for the Gullibon match.

 

[93hawkeye]

It appeared to me he gassed and broke in that match. Of course, I can't say what it was, but just what it looked like to me.

He may have gotten tired in that match against Gulibon, but his main problem was tactical. You can't let strong kid like Gulibon get in deep on the high crotch/double/whatever it was that often.

 

[Azchief32]

I think we also forget that it's first year in the lineup and it takes a special mentality...he is learning stuff now that he would have learned four years ago had he been in the line up regularly. That he is not a speed bump and is a real tough out the talented and experienced speaks well of him and Iowa. I may not think Carton is always going to win but I know he'll be close. Not that much daylight between him and AA types. He is a tourney wrestler and I can see him beating some of those guys in the blood rounds.