Iowa State's Sanderson: 121-0

If Cael Sanderson wanted to brag, who'd stop him?

He's a 197-pound Iowa State wrestler. He's won three straight NCAA Championships. He's posted a 121-0 career collegiate record.

Heck, he's even got his own bobble head doll -- given away to Cyclones season ticket holders this year.

But Sanderson, a guy who'll be competing at the Palestra in the Keystone Classic on Sunday, won't brag.

"I've lost plenty of times," he said.

Yeah, plenty. In high school, Sanderson was 127-3. He may have won the 2000 World University Championships gold medal. He may have been the top member of the U.S. team to compete at worlds this year. But it's true, Sanderson hasn't won everything -- it just seems that way.

"He's really established himself as the premier wrestler at this time and maybe ever," Penn sophomore Mike Faust said.

And that poses a problem to Faust, who might end up facing Sanderson in the finals on Sunday. The Iowa State senior will be the top seed in the 197-pound bracket, while the Penn sophomore is a likely No. 2 or 3.

So what if Faust, a first team All-Ivy selection last year, does wrestle Sanderson? How can he beat the Goliath of NCAA wrestling?

"I think you've got to be real aggressive and focused," Faust said. "Don't let him dictate the match.

"That's my best guess, but I guess no one's figured it out yet."

Faust's teammate, Marcus Schontube, came close.

Schontube gave Sanderson his closest match at the Midland Open last season -- the then-Penn-freshman actually led the match 4-2 after an escape to start the second round. But to no one's surprise, Sanderson quickly reverted to form and won, 16-10.

"[Schontube] is just kind of a funky dude and I got a little sloppy," Sanderson said.

A funky dude?

"Yeah, he got me on some goofy points in the first period, things where he seemed like he knew what he was doing."

Knew what he was doing? Does that mean Schontube knows how to beat Sanderson, the guy who broke Dan Gable's 32-year-old record of 99 straight collegiate wins last year?

Not exactly, but Schontube has a few ideas.

"You definitely have to stay in good position, especially in neutral because he's so good in that," he said. "I would suggest trying to keep pressure on him."

So, is there something to exploit, some kind of weakness?

"If he has a weakness, it's that he's not the best at bottom," Schontube said. "I was able to ride him out from the bottom for a while [at Midlands]."

Penn senior Yoshi Nakamura has a similar idea of how to beat Sanderson, and of who could beat him.

"If I were to pick someone with the style to beat Cael Sanderson, it would be Rick Springman," Nakamura said, referring to his teammate, an All-American in 2000. "Rick is very physical, very strong. I see that type of person beating Cael.

"Although I don't know if it's going to happen."

It's not like no one thinks Sanderson can be beaten, though. Either that, or they hide it well when they face the Iowa State senior.

"People either go real hard and try to beat me up or hold on and keep things close," Sanderson said.

There will likely be a bit of both strategies utilized in Sunday's Keystone Classic, when Sanderson -- whom Schontube said "really just looks like another wrestler" -- will be favored to sweep through the 197-pound bracket in the Penn-hosted, nine-team tournament.

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