IIAC wrestlers eye league titles, NCAA berths

INDIANOLA - The names have changed over the years. The results have not.

Wartburg College enters today's Iowa Conference wrestling championships at Simpson ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division III and seeking its 18th consecutive league title.

And the Knights looked poised for No. 19.

Wartburg has eight wrestlers ranked nationally, led by defending conference and national champion Byron Tate at 197 pounds and heavyweight John Helgerson, a former North Fayette prep who won a league title and finished second in the NCAA meet last year.

The Knights have 2008 league champion and three-time All-American Matt Kelly at 141. And Mark Kist at 125, Tommy Mirocha at 133, Jacob Groth at 149, Carrington Banks at 157 and Dylan Azinger at 184 all have more than 20 wins.

Coe gave Wartburg a big scare last season, scoring 167 points to the Knights' 176 1/2 - the most for an Iowa Conference runner-up.

The Kohawks will challenge with two-time defending league champion and 2010 NCAA titlist Clayton Rush at 125. Rush is 28-1 with his loss to Iowa's NCAA Division I champion Matt McDonough. Coe has contenders in Drew Hinschberger at 133, Chris LeClere at 141, Dale Handley at 157, Nick LeClere at 165, Seth Rehn at 184 and Alex Burkle at heavyweight. Chris LeClere was an IIAC runner-up last year, Hinschberger, Nick LeClere and Rehn placed third. Burkle is ranked fifth nationally.

Cornell has returning champions in two-time All-American Kevin Donahue at 141 and Nicholas Loughlin at 157. The Rams have Jacob Schwebke at 149, Joe Hambleton at 165, Andrew Roberts at 184 and Robert Widmer at heavyweight.

Luther is led by Kevin Bokoski, a two-time fourth-place finisher at 141 and an NCAA qualifier last season.