Coe’s Bo Koedam earns ranked victory, Kohawks down rival Cornell, 32-7

CEDAR RAPIDS – Bo Koedam might be his harshest critic.

The Coe freshman isn’t easy to please, demanding a lot from himself and looking to constantly improve.

Koedam was happy but far from satisfied with his 10-3 decision over No. 6 Brian Petry at 165 pounds, helping No. 8 Coe defeat rival Cornell, 32-7, in the Bremner Cup Series men’s wrestling dual Wednesday night at Kohawk Arena.

“I like when a freshman goes out there and he's disappointed that he didn't get the major and won 9-3,” Kohawk Coach John Oostendorp said. “That’s the way you want him thinking.”

Koedam, ranked 11th, wasted little time, searching out Coe assistant Kane Thompson to break down his second victory over Petry. He actually critiqued himself as the match progressed.

“I was just like beating up with myself,” said Koedam said. “That was not the best match I've wrestled by a long shot. I was out of position a lot, and there's a lot of stuff I need to fix it in the room.”

Koedam praised his parents for instilling a drive to be his best. Common trait of a coach’s son, wrestling for his dad, Clint, at Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

“Part of that is just kind of how I was raised by my father and how he brought me up,” Koedam said. “There are times you can pat yourself on the back, but also not taking that win and running with it, thinking I don't have to improve. Just go back and look at the details of the match and asking myself what I could have done better. That just clicked as soon as I got off the mat.”

Their November meeting haunted Koedam, who needed a takedown and two nearfall for 6-1 decision in sudden victory. He said he thought about that match for most of the week, focusing on a quick start to set the tone.

“Definitely taking more risks to get into his legs a little more, allowing myself to get more opportunities to score points was a huge key and needed to be done to get the win,” said Koedam, whose brother, Ty, posted a12-5 decision over Owen Adlfinger at 149. “If I want wrestle at my best, I’ve got to be on point, right away. If I just kind of sit back and ease off for the first 30 seconds that usually determines how I'm going to be the rest of the match. I knew if I wanted to go out there and be dominant, I had to be on him right away.”

Koedam recorded a takedown off the opening whistle. He pulled away with a six-point third, using a takedown and nearfall sucking Petry to his back for a two count. Koedam added a riding-time point.

“It really does come down to can you fight and compete when you're uncomfortable,” Oostendorp said. “That's what those top guys can do. He loves to win and hates to lose.”

Coe (9-5) closes with a dual against University of Dubuque on Friday and the national qualifier Feb. 27-28. Koedam said he is getting right back to work on conditioning and fine-tuning details for a strong finish.

“Yeah, it was a nice win tonight, but it wasn’t the most satisfying match for me. Going back, looking at film, critiquing myself to the max. Pat myself on the back when I need to, but just keeping the hammer down.”

The Kohawks won eight bouts, including four by bonus points. Former Linn-Mar prep Brayden Parke provided the initial spark for Coe. No. 9 Parke scored double-digit points in the first period and finished with a 19-4 technical fall over Jase Van Pelt.

“He’s just an incredible competitor and that's what it takes,” Oostendorp said. “Wrestling is a fight out there for every second, every position. it's nice to have a guy like that to start you off.

“I think, up and down the line up, guys competed pretty well.”

Dresden Grimm had a pin at 141, Anthony Montez won by major decision at 174 and Justin Wirtz added a 17-2 technical fall over Landen Schemmel at 184, securing the dual victory.

“Bo Koedam coming out and beating the (sixth)-ranked guy, getting to the leg in the first five seconds of the match,” Oostendorp said. “Then, Justin Wirtz, our freshman 184-pounder going out there and working for seven minutes to get the technical fall against the senior. I think we got some guys that are setting a good example in the room.”

Jean Ngoma, who joined Coe at semester, used two takedowns for an 8-6 decision over No. 18 Jackson Brinker at 197. Wyatt Smith capped the dual with an 8-3 decision over Braydon Hoffman. Coe has won 14 of the last 16 in the series and avenged a loss at Cornell last year.

“Last year we got beat and ended up taking sixth in the nation with four all-Americans,” Oostendorp said. “I talked to the guys after the dual about that exact thing. This time we got the better of them by quite a ways, but we're going to have that same mindset these next three weeks going into the regional. We're going get better in the big picture stuff and little individual things, too.”

AT COE

Coe 32, Cornell 7

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

125 pounds – Brayden Parke (Coe) tech. fall Jase Van Pelt, 19-4 (3,1); 133 – Eli Sneed (Cor) major dec. Brody Neighbor, 11-1 (3,0); 141 – Dresden Grimm (Coe) pinned Dylan Heater, 5:46 (2,0); 149 – Ty Koedam (Coe) dec. Owen Adlfinger, 12-5 (2,1); 157 – A.J. Parrish (Cor) dec. Zachary Montez, 4-1, sudden victory-1 (1,0); 165 – Bo Koedam (Coe) dec. Brian Petry, 10-3 (2,0); 174 – Anthony Montez (Coe) major dec. Nolan Howell, 14-6 (2,1); 184 – Justin Wirtz (Coe) tech. fall Landen Schemmel, 17-2 (5,0); 197 – Jean Ngoma (Coe) dec. Jackson Brinker, 8-6 (2,1); 285 – Wyatt Smith (Coe) dec. Braydon Hoffman, 8-3 (2,0)

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns – Cornell 8, Coe 20. Reversals – Cornell 2, Coe 1. Escapes – Cornell 14, Coe 13. Nearfall points – Cornell 0, Coe 17. Penalty points (awarded) – Cornell 2, Coe 1. Riding-time points – Cornell 0, Coe 4. Total match points – Cornell 44, Coe 97.

Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com