Coe looks to unseat Wartburg as IIAC champs

The Coe wrestling team has a shot to dethrone the Wartburg Knights from their perch atop the Iowa Conference.

The third-ranked Kohawks, and their five ranked wrestlers, will attempt to end No. 2 Wartburg's conference tournament win streak today at Buena Vista University.

The Knights have won the last 17 IIAC tournaments, but Coe has beat them in one tournament this season and given the Knights their closest conference dual contest in years. The Kohawks know they need to be aware of stumbling blocks in the way of chasing down the Knights.

“It's about performing, getting through those semis getting your guys in the finals and then winning enough of those finals that would help put you where you need to be,” Coe Coach John Oostendorp said. “We have a lot of big matches along the way to put ourself in position to be able to win it.”

The focus isn't on winning as a team. Instead, handle your own battle and the war will work itself out.

“We really don't talk about the team thing,” said Oostendorp, whose team's best IIAC finish was second in 2008. “What we preach all the time in the room is our style we want to wrestle. We want to dictate the action and pace and when we're wrestling aggressively that's when most of our kids are going to be successful.”

Coe is led by top-ranked Clayton Rush and Tyler

Burkle at 125 and 184, respectively. Nick LeClere, who is ranked second to Wartburg's Carrington Banks at 165, Robbie Kramer (197) and heavyweight Mitch Sander, who are both ranked sixth, have also had solid seasons. Oostendorp said the team has been performing well and has had the right attitude for the stretch run.

“Overall, I feel pretty good from what I've seen out of our guys here the last two to three weeks,” said Oostendorp. “I think they're hungry. I think they're loose and they want to go out and compete hard.”

Rush is attempting to win his second straight IIAC crown, joining Dubuque's Josh Terrell (165) and Wartburg heavyweight John Helgerson in the same quest. Burkle, as well as Wartburg's Matt Kelly, are looking to add titles to the ones they earned in 2008.

Rush, a two-time All-American and 2008 national runner-up, has No. 2 Mark Kist of Wartburg and Buena Vista's No. 7 Austin Mogg in his bracket.

“He epitomizes what we look for in our athletes,” Oostendorp said of Rush. “They prepare well, do things correctly in the practice room ... and it carries over to our competitions.”

The top three placewinners at each weight and an additional three wild-card selections will advance to the NCAA Division III Championships March 5-6 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.