Top-ranked Coe duo draw best from each other

CEDAR RAPIDS — Farai Sewera and Ryan Harrington won't face any bigger challenge in competition than what they experience daily in the Coe wrestling room.

They already train with one of the nation's best when they practice together.

Coe is the only NCAA Division III program with two top-ranked wrestlers with defending 165-pound national champion Sewera owning the No. 1 spot and Harrington first at 174.

'I've been wrestling Ryan the whole season and he's been my toughest opponent,' Sewera said after the 14th-ranked Kohawks handled Augustana (Ill.), 32-6, Friday night at Eby Fieldhouse. 'I haven't wrestled anyone tougher than him.'

Neither faced much of a challenge Friday. Sewera dominated Trace Timmons, 17-4, before Harrington followed with a 19-0 technical fall over Nick Torres in just 3:36, giving Coe a 20-6 lead with three matches left.

They improved to a combined record of 37-2, including a 20-1 mark for Sewera. His lone setback this season was an eye-opener. He realized he had to wrestle without worrying about wins and losses.

'I was wrestling cautious,' Sewera said. 'I had a lot of close matches. You just have to go out there and wrestle. I'm a lot more open.'

The pair went to the NCAA tournament together last year and trained together through the off-season.

'It's amazing,' Harrington said. 'Farai and I have been working hard, putting the time in and doing everything right. It's paying off.'

Daily workouts are exciting. The high-pace that they drill and wrestle at is mutually beneficial, causing them to think on their feet. They have different views on who comes out on top in practice.

'Farai's style matches up better with mine,' Harrington said. 'Farai gets the better of me most days.

'He's a big ball of muscle. It's hard to move him around. The only way I can get Farai is if I get him on the mat and wrestle him there.'

Sewera said he was used to winning practice goes until Harrington stepped in the room. Now, it depends on who is more prepared on any given day.

'It's hard to say,' Sewera said. 'We each have our days. He can win two days and then I'll come back and win two days. It depends who wants it more that day.'

They want to finish the season No. 1 instead of settling for a midseason stop at the top. Rankings don't matter much as how they earn that honor. They have thought about claiming national titles together at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids in two months.

'We both plan on it,' Harrington said. 'We both plan on raising our hands on that center stage in March right on our home turf.'

The Kohawks (8-3) avenged a loss on criteria to the Vikings (5-6) last season. Coe won eight bouts, receiving a technical fall from 141-pounder Trey Schuler and a fall from heavyweight Creighton Fox.

'Up and down the lineup we were wrestling hard,' Sewera said. 'As we go up the weight classes, everyone gets more pumped to get in there.

'It was a fun dual. Last year, we lost to them. We were ready to bring it this year.'

AT EBY FIELDHOUSE

Coe 32, Augustana (Ill.) 6

(Individual takedowns in parentheses)

125 pounds — Jimmy Panozzo (A) dec. Jan Rosenberg, 8-5 (2-2); 133 — Mike Gussarsonn (C) dec. Brendan Gould, 7-1 (2,0); 141 — Trey Schuler (C) tech. fall Dale Charlier, 17-2 (5,0); 149 — Frank Carrozza (C) dec. Collin Tomkins, 9-5 (2,1); 157 — David Tessiatore (A) dec. Jake Voss, 6-3 (2,0); 165 — Farai Sewera (C) major dec. Trace Timmons, 17-4 (3,0); 174 — Ryan Harrington (C) tech. fall Nick Torres, 19-0 (2,0); 184 — Casey Rohret (C) dec. Alexander Bowers, 4-2 (1,0); 197 — Andrew Holladay (C) dec. Chris Giatras, 10-5 (3,0); Hwt. — Creighton Fox (C) pinned Jack Seaman, 4:28 (1,0).

MEET STATISTICS

Takedowns — Augustana 5, Coe 22. Reversals — Augustana 3, Coe 1. Escapes — Augustana 16, Coe 9. Nearfall points — Augustana 0, Coe 30. Penalty points (awarded) — Augustana 0, Coe 3. Riding time points — Augustana 2, Coe 5. Total match points — Augustana 34, Coe 93.

l Comments: (319) 368-8679; kj.pilcher@thegazette.com