GROVE CITY — Caleb Kolb couldn't sleep.

On the eve of the biggest match of his wrestling life, the Grove City High senior tossed and turned in his Hershey hotel room bed.

Instead of counting sheep, he was counting wins — all 38 of them— and thinking about how to notch No. 39.

"That night, that was all I thought about," Kolb said. "I tried to get to sleep, but I kept rolling over and rolling over."

Losing was not an option for the 38-0 wrestler. He won 39 matches as a junior but finished third at the state tournament.

He didn't want his first loss of his senior season to come in his final match. People rarely remember one-loss state runners-up. Everyone remembers undefeated state champions.

"I think just placing the first time (as a junior) makes you go out there more hungry," Kolb said. "My sophomore year, I just qualified for states, but I remember thinking I can place here.I can win here."

Two years later, he did.

But it didn't come easy for the 171-pounder.

Kolb won a 3-2 decision in a grueling PIAA Class AA championship match against Josh Smith of Octorara Saturday.

Kolb earned a quick takedown in the first period for a 2-0 lead, but Smith was able to counter Kolb's every offensive move.

"He was good on defense," Kolb said.

What resulted was a match marred by stalemates and stalling points.

Ultimately, though, Kolb held on for the win to culminate a perfect season.

When Kolb stood atop the podium, everything he had done, all the sacrifices he had made for the better part of two years, became worth it.

"I couldn't even believe it," Kolb said. "I was just standing up there thinking everything has paid off."

Kolb, who will wrestle in college at the University of Nebraska, was dominant in his senior season.

When he wasn't pinning his foes, he was piling up points on them, thanks to an uncommon aggressiveness.

Kolb won decisions by eye-popping scores more reminiscent of a football game final than a wrestling match result.

In the state quarterfinals, Kolb won 25-10. Scores like that were more the norm than the exception for Kolb.

Kolb wasn't always that aggressive.

By watching college matches on the Internet and by attending a University of Iowa practice, he learned quickly that to be successful at the next level, he had to change his style.

"I thought, 'That's what I have to do,'" Kolb said. "'I want to wrestle like that.'"

The trip to Iowa with Grove City assistant coach Deven Dietrich was an eyeopener.

While sitting in the bleachers of the Hawkeyes' wrestling room, Kolb watched a 20-minute grind session — a no-holds-barred, non-stop free for all designed to build endurance, toughness and aggressiveness.

"We were like, 'Wow, this is nuts,'" Kolb said. "We thought 'We should practice like those guys.'"

So, he did.

Changing his approach wasn't the only tough choice Kolb has had to make.

A standout football player, Kolb gave up the sport this fall to focus solely on wrestling.

Kolb's father, Jon, was an offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"It was hard not playing football with all of my friends," Kolb said.

But it was worth it.

So was his state championship celebration.

After his win, he went to dinner at a Hershey restaurant.

When Kolb walked in, he caught a glimpse of a television showing his 171-pound championship match on tape delay.

"I tried not to watch," Kolb said. "But I ended up watching the whole thing."

His waitress recognized him from the match and gave Kolb his meal for free.

She took it a step further.

"In front of everyone she said, 'Attention. Caleb Kolb is a state champion," Kolb said, laughing. "That's something that doesn't happen every day."