CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The fourth-ranked Coe wrestling team split a pair of duals with nationally-ranked opponents Friday night at Eby Fieldhouse. The Kohawks opened with a 42-2 win over number 19 Luther before falling 26-15 to third-ranked Delaware Valley.
Second-ranked sophomore
Clayton Rush (Aledo, Ill./Aledo) started the Luther dual off with a 20-4 technical fall at 125 pounds. Seventh-ranked sophomore
Brandon Ball (Columbus Junction, Iowa/Columbus Junction) followed Rush's technical fall with one of his own by a 17-0 score. 10th-ranked freshman
Johny Siegel (New London, Iowa/New London) earned the Kohawks third-straight win 8-3 at 141 pounds.
Sophomore
Seth Pugh (Columbus Junction, Iowa/Columbus Junction) put the Kohawks back on the winning track at 157 pounds with a 19-6 major decision over Ryan Bouslog. Defending National Champion
Tyler Burkle (Coggon, Iowa/North-Linn) won by major decision at 165 pounds before senior
Bryon Grothus (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) won by forfeit at 174 pounds. It was the 102 career win for Grothus.
Senior
Greg Lalla (Iowa City, Iowa/City) picked up his 100th career win at 184 pounds with a fall over Nic Barclay in 4:53. Seventh-ranked junior
Rob Kramer (Swisher, Iowa/Prairie) won by forfeit at 197 pounds before fifth-ranked junior
Mitch Sander (Clarence, Iowa/North Cedar) beat eighth-ranked Allyn Plattner 10-5. The Norse were deducted a team point following the heavyweight match for unsportsmanlike conduct by Plattner to make it 42-2 in favor of the Kohawks.
Rush and Ball came up with two huge wins for the Kohawks to start the Delaware Valley dual. Rush beat fourth-ranked Chris Sheetz 6-3 to start the meet before Ball pinned sixth-ranked Brandon Clemmer with :01 remaining in the match.
The Kohawks were only able to come away with two more wins the rest of the match as Burkle won 7-3 at 165 pounds and Kramer won 8-3 at 197 pounds.
Coe returns to action next Friday as they host their final dual meet of the season. Action with nationally-ranked Cornell begins at 7 p.m. in Eby Fieldhouse.