Coe’s Farai Sewera earns chance to defend national title

DUBUQUE — Farai Sewera wants to end his career as a two-time national champion.

The top-ranked 165-pounder from Coe will get a chance to defend his title in front of his home fans in two weeks.

Sewera won a 6-4 decision in sudden victory over Wartburg's third-ranked Nicholas Michael in the 165-pound championship match at Sunday's NCAA Division III Central Regional meet at Five Flags Center, advancing to his third national tournament.

'This time around everyone's kind of gunning for me,' said Sewera, who was named the regional's most outstanding wrestler. 'They've been studying all my moves, so it's been a little bit harder each match. But, it's going to be at home and it's my last year, so I'm just going to give it all I have and just go out there and wrestle.'

Top-ranked Wartburg advanced a meet-high nine wrestlers to nationals. No. 3 Luther qualified six, Central sent four and No. 10 Coe three.

Both Jan Rosenberg (125) and fourth-ranked Ryan Harrington (174) earned their second berths to nationals for the Kohawks.

Harrington, the fourth-place medalist at 174 a year ago, lost to top-ranked Eric DeVos of Wartburg 3-1 in the championship match. Rosenberg won a 12-8 decision to place third.

Sewera outscored his opponents 39-10 in three matches Sunday in advancing to nationals — held March 11-12 at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'I know that the second (title) is the hardest one, and this one would mean even more than the first one,' Sewera said. 'Right now I'm just fighting not being satisfied, because I know I've won and I could settle for just placing, but I really want to win it.'

Luther crowned a pair of champions, including top-ranked Drew Van Anrooy, the returning national runner-up at 141, who returned for a chance to win the crown with a 6-2 victory in the 141 final.

'Pretty pumped for (the opportunity),' Van Anrooy said. 'The goal this year is definitely that national title. It slipped away last year. I was pretty heartbroken after that. I'm just going to leave my all out there this last time around.'

Justin Kreiter won a 6-4 decision in the 184 final for the Norse, who also advanced No. 4 Dakota Gray (149), Tristan Zurfluh (157), Javier Reyes (174) and No. 10 Connor Herman (285).

Central's C.J. Pestano (125) and A.J. McBroom (184) both lost their championship matches and will be joined at nationals by Ryan Vandall (157) and Matt Seabold (197). Seabold was eighth last year.