Upper weights power Coe to win over Cornell

MOUNT VERNON - It was a tale of two meets between Coe and Cornell, but overall it ended in the Kohawks' favor.

Third-ranked Coe claimed the last five bouts and seven of 10, dropping No. 8 Cornell, 33-10, last night in Iowa Conference action at Small Multi-Sport Arena. It was the first top-10 battle between the two teams since joining the IIAC.

Coe Coach John Oostendorp has been getting a good vibe from his team lately and he was pleased with this latest showing.

“I saw a lot of things I like at this part of the year,” Oostendorp said. “I think they're hungry and they're focused.”

The Kohawks came out after the intermission at the midway point and dominated the rest of the dual. They scored bonus points in each of the remaining matches, getting pins from Seth Rehn at 174 and 197-pounder Robbie Kramer, which sandwiched Tyler Burkle's technical fall at 184. Nick LeClere and Mitch Sander added major decisions at 165 and heavyweight, respectively.

Coe (16-3, 7-1) held an advantage, especially in experience, in the upper weights with three senior All-Americans closing the dual. The Kohawks still had to the earn the victories.

“It still doesn't matter,” Oostendorp said. “You can't just assume that you're going to win those matches, because you might have a senior in there that has done well in the past.”

LeClere gave Coe a lead it didn't surrender, tallying five takedowns in a 18-4 win over Alex Riniker. Rehn followed with a pin in 2:58, getting a takedown and turking Joe Hambleton to his back. Kramer built an 11-0 lead before decking Andrew Anderson in 4:38, and Sander capped the night off with a 12-3 win over Wyatt Bauman.

The Kohawks fed off each other once they seized the momentum.

“You start seeing your teammates attacking out there the whole time,” Burkle said. “It sets the tone. When you go out there you want to do the same thing.”

Burkle was dominant in his win, gaining praise from Oostendorp and even Cornell Coach Mike Duroe. Burkle, who became Coe's first national champ in 2008, handled Andrew Roberts, 18-2.

“Burkle's wrestling in the right frame of mind right now,” Oostendorp said. “He's wrestling hard (and) physical.”

Chris LeClere provided a key win early for the Kohawks, knocking off All-American Kevin Donahue, 10-5, at 141 pounds. LeClere opened by coming out on top of a scramble for the first takedown and then earned a reversal in the waning seconds of the first for a 4-2 lead.

“Everyone's always told me the more I move the better I am and the more I end up on top,” LeClere said. “So I kept moving.”

LeClere appeared to get stronger in the third, started tied at 4. He scored a reversal with a standing switch and tilted Donahue, who was ranked No. 1 earlier this season. for three nearfall points.

“I found an extra level and capitalized off it,” LeClere said.

Coe's top-ranked Clayton Rush scored a 19-3 technical fall at 125.

Cornell (14-11, 5-3) received wins from Nick Nothern (133), Jacob Schwebke (149) and fourth-ranked Nicholas Loughlin at 157. Loughlin gave the Rams a 10-8 lead at the break, earning his 23rd straight win with a 6-1 decision over Dale Handley.

Nothern, a returning national finalist ranked seventh, controlled Drew Hinschberger, opening up late with three takedowns in the third for an 11-3 major decision.

Duroe said the difference was intensity.

“They came out and fought hard,” Duroe said. “It showed right from the very first match.

“They have better guys right now. They're just a better team.”