LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern overcame a slow start to its dual against No. 2 Life to cut what was a 17-point deficit to just two with two matches left.
The Fire dropped the final two matches to fall to the Running Eagles 23-15 in a match between two of the top three teams in the latest coaches' poll.
In the third match of the day, No. 8
Stephen Kelle gave No. 4 Asher Eichert quite a challenge but was unable to come up with the needed takedown in a 3-2 decision loss. The Fire lost a second consecutive one-point match at 184, which was followed by the second major decision of the night for Life to go up 17-0 at the intermission.
Eleventh-ranked
Gage Braun started to turn momentum the way of the Fire, needing just 28 seconds to pin his opponent.
Isaac Crowell scored an 8-2 win at 125 and
Xavier Williamson's first-period pin in just 41 seconds against No. 12 Hunter Sparks made it 17-15.
Chris Kelly came up just a point short of No. 8 Julian Hernandez at 141 and No. 11
Sal Silva came up on the short end of a 4-1 decision to No. 2 Denver Stonecheck.
The Fire will be back on the mats next Thursday at home for Senior Night against Brewton-Parker.
NO. 2 LIFE 23, NO. 3 SOUTHEASTERN 15
157: Jack Bass (LIUN) over
Trace Braun (SOEA) (MD 15-2)
165: Sid Ohl (LIUN) over
Wyatt Kirkham (SOEA) (Dec 5-1)
174: Asher Eichert (LIUN) over
Stephen Kelle (SOEA) (Dec 3-2)
184: Myles Starke (LIUN) over
Blake Rypel (SOEA) (Dec 5-4)
197: Zane Lanham (LIUN) over
Trillyon Fils-Aime (SOEA) (MD 8-0)
285:
Gage Braun (SOEA) over Spencer Dacus (LIUN) (Fall 0:28)
125:
Isaac Crowell (SOEA) over Chase Ayers (LIUN) (Dec 8-2)
133:
Xavier Williamson (SOEA) over Hunter Sparks (LIUN) (Fall 0:41)
141: Julian Hernandez (LIUN) over
Chris Kelly (SOEA) (Dec 3-2)
149: Denver Stonecheck (LIUN) over Salvador Silva (SOEA) (Dec 4-1)
