Jack Cochrane records two pins to help Mount Vernon sweep opening duals

MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon's Jack Cochrane was catching passes and tackles just 17 days ago in the Class 2A state football semifinals.

The first-team all-state linebacker made the quick switch to getting pins and takedowns.

Cochrane had two falls, helping the Mustangs sweep Cedar Rapids Washington and Marion in the season-opener at home Tuesday night. Mount Vernon beat the Warriors, 63-14, and Marion, 51-21.

"It's a bit of an adjustment,' the 220-pounder senior said. 'It's an adjustment for everyone. It's early. Everyone's rusty. It's not going to be perfect this time of year.'

Some skills transfer from football to wrestling. One that doesn't is conditioning. Cochrane said wrestling shape takes some time and improvement throughout the year.

'It's a lot different,' Cochrane said. 'In football, you're going hard for three to four seconds and then you have a break. For wrestling, it's six minutes, giving everything you have.'

Cochrane won his first match at the state tournament last year at 195, but lost his next two matches to miss the podium. He isn't satisfied with that finish and is focused on getting better at one thing every day in hopes to earn a state medal. Mount Vernon Coach Vance Light said Cochrane is as good as anyone at his weight.

'He's improved every year,' Light said. 'I'm sure his goals are high. He's a motivated individual.'

Mount Vernon (2-0) won 21 of 28 weights in two duals, recording 12 falls. The Mustangs won the final seven matches against Marion, which led 21-18 at the midway point. Coy Martin (170), Cam Woodley (182), Sam Moore (195) and Cochrane broke it open with four straight pins.

'We have a few weights who are inexperienced and some who have been in the lineup,' Light said. 'I think we have quite a few pinners on our team. We have a few that could place at the state tournament.

Marion (1-1) defeated Washington, 57-21, in the opener. Brothers Caleb and Colin Conway went 2-0 at 145 and 152, respectively. Trey Clifton was also unbeaten for the Indians.

Washington's Will Foreman (126) and Chris Karamitros (138) went 2-0. Foreman had two pins. Karamitros posted a come-from-behind win, beating Mount Vernon's Class 2A seventh-ranked Tony Garcia, 9-7, in sudden victory.

'We know how good the kid is,' Washington Coach Matt Hatcher said. 'He just needed some mat time. He took advantage of it in the summer.

'He got some confidence. He had a good match.'

AT MOUNT VERNON

Marion 57, C.R. Washington 21

106 pounds — Niyo Grady (Mar) pinned Aden Abram, 2:38; 113 — Gavin Hiler (Mar) won by forfeit; 120 — Jack Eichhorn (Mar) pinned Jason Techau, 3:27; 126 — Will Foreman (CRW) pinned Braden Garringer, 1:13; 132 — Zach Cochran (Mar) pinned Hashim Herz, 2:36; 138 — Chris Karamitros (CRW) dec. Alex Gillaspie, 7-1; 145 — Caleb Conway (Mar) pinned Logan Sears, 5:33; 152 — Colin Conway (Mar) won by forfeit; 160 — Trey Clifton (Mar) dec. Ty Johnson, 7-3; 170 — Brady Bartz (Mar) won by forfeit; 182 — Joey Pearson (Mar) won by forfeit; 195 — Jared Scherrman (CRW) pinned Kavin Nguyen, 2:15; 220 — Billy Faulkner (CRW) pinned Caleb Wagner, 1:41; Hwt. — Carson Webster (Mar) pinned Ethan Traugh, 2:48.

Mount Vernon 63, C.R. Washington 14

113 pounds — Ryan Clark (MV) won by forfeit; 120 — Connor Bilden (MV) pinned Techau, :47; 126 — Foreman (CRW) pinned Graham Bradbury, 2:56; 132 — Justin Light (MV) pinned Herz, :16; 138 — Karamitros (CRW) dec. Tony Garcia, 9-7 SV; 145 — Paul Ryan (MV) dec. Sears, 4-0; 152 — Andrew Louwagie (MV) won by forfeit; 160 — Johnson (CRW) tech. fall Nolan Hinrichs, 23-8; 170 — Coy Martin (MV) won by forfeit; 182 — Cam Woodley (MV) won by forfeit; 195 — Sam Moore (MV) pinned Scherrman, :58; 220 — Jack Cochrane (MV) pinned Billy Faulkner, 3:34; Hwt. — Preston Shultz (MV) won by forfeit; 106 — Jack Streicher (MV) pinned Abram, 1:23.

Mount Vernon 51, Marion 21

120 pounds — Bilden (MV) pinned Eichhorn, 3:17; 126 — Garringer (Mar) pinned Bradbury, 1:11; 132 — Light (MV) pinned Cochran, 3:41; 138 — Garcia (MV) pinned Gillaspie, :52; 145 — Ca. Conway (Mar) dec. Ryan, 5-0; 152 — Co. Conway (Mar) pinned Mitchell Louwagie, 3:02; 160 — Clifton (Mar) pinned Hinrichs, 2:48; 170 — Martin (MV) pinned Bartz, 3:23; 182 — Woodley (MV) pinned Pearson, 2:59; 195 — Moore (MV) pinned Nguyen, :20; 220 — Cochrane (MV) pinned Wagner, :52; Hwt. — Shultz (MV) dec. Webster, 3-1 SV; 106 — Streicher (MV) dec. Grady, 6-3; 113 — Clark (MV) dec. Hiler, 4-2.

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