CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Third-ranked Southeastern University took three of its four matches and garnered a program-best third place finish in the NWCA National NAIA Duals this weekend.
After prevailing over a pair of ranked opponents on Friday, SEU took on the defending national champion and top-ranked Grand View in the Semifinals. The Fire stayed close in three matches, but were ultimately shut out by the Vikings, 42-0, in their first loss of the season. SEU bounced back in a big way with a resounding victory over No. 7 Campbellsville University with nine wins of the 10 bouts for a 39-5 win.
The Fire finished in fourth place in the National Duals final standings each of the past two seasons and improve to 8-1 with the three wins this weekend.
Grand View 42, SEU 0
After No. 3 Gabe Gonzales for Grand View registered a tech fall at 125, the first of five bouts of ranked individuals took place. In the 133-match, the Vikings No. 3 Jackson Cockrell went out to a 3-0 lead over SEU's No. 9 Aaron Lucio with a first-period takedown. The match's score remained 3-0 until Lucio reversed the action and pulled to within a point, 3-2, but Jackson escaped and the match finished in his favor, 4-2.
With Grand View leading 13-0, No. 7 Elijah Larsen prevailed over No. 11 Chris Kelly of SEU by a 11-2 major decision. The top-rated team added tech fall wins at both 157 and 165 to extend the score.
One of the two marquee matchups came at 174. No. 1 Alex Reynolds of the Vikings and No. 2 Graham Calhoun of the Fire took to the mat. Calhoun started strong with a takedown and a 4-point near fall midway through the first period and held a 7-1 lead. Reynolds won the second with two points and trailed 7-3 heading to the final two minutes. On bottom, Calhoun escaped right away, but Reynolds registered two takedowns and an eventual penalty point tied the match, 10-10. Reynolds kept the momentum with a match-deciding takedown with 10 seconds left for the 13-10 decision.
Moving to the final 285-pound weight class, No. 1 Greg Hagan of Grand View and No. 3 Gage Braun of SEU met again in a rematch of their 2022 National Championship bout. It did not disappoint. After a scoreless first period, Braun escaped in the second for a slim lead, 1-0. Hagan equaled him at 1:29 remaining with an escape and then at 1:18 gained a penalty point, which decided the 2-1 final outcome.
SEU 39, Campbellsville 5
After a sudden victory opening-match win, SEU rattled off six more wins in a row and never looked back in the win over Campbellsville. Tied at 5-5 at the end of three periods, Brodie Christmas took down Amari Harden at 1:19 and took away the 8-5 first sudden victory win and started the Fire run of success.
Aaron Lucio (133), Drew Jones (141) and Mario De La Torre (149) all started fast in their bonus-point victories in the ensuing three matches. Lucio started a two first-period takedowns and added three more in the next four minutes on the way to a 15-5 major decision over Wyatt Hinton.
After he was taken down at the start, Jones escaped, took down the Tigers' Shane Watson, and gained four back points and 8-3 lead. Jones never let up and won his bout by a 12-4 major decision.
De La Torre burst out of the opening moments with a takedown and two 4-point near falls for a 14-1 margin. The Fire wrestler went on for an 18-1 tech fall over Jose Milord at 149.
No. 7 ranked Ryan Bennett (157) and No. 3 Trace Braun (165) both posted matching 14-6 major decisions for a 24-0 SEU team advantage.
Lenny Feliciano made the most of his one match of the weekend with four first-period takedowns of Brady Jarvis in the 174-pound match. Feliciano coasted to a 19-4 tech fall.
Following the lone Campbellsville victory at 184, No. 10-ranked Gentry Smith had his way with Joel Hatcher by a 12-2 major decision final in the 197 match.
Noah Winder had his hand raised for a forfeit in the 285 match and completed the SEU win.
SEU returns to Lakeland next Saturday when they host the Southeastern Open at The Furnace starting at 9 a.m.
Match #3 Semifinal
Grand View (Iowa) defeated Southeastern 42-0
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125 - No. 3 Gabe Gonzales (GV) over Brodie Christmas (SEU) TF 18-1 – GV 5-0
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133 - No. 3 Jackson Cockrell (GV) over No. 9 Aaron Lucio (SEU) Dec 4-2 – GV 8-0
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141 - No. 2 Carson Taylor (GV) over Drew Jones (SEU) TF 16-0 – GV 13-0
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149 - No. 7 Elijah Larsen (GV) over No. 11 Chris Kelly (SEU) Maj 11-2 – GV 17-0
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157 - E`lan Heard (GV) over Michael Shannon (SEU) TF 16-0 – GV 22-0
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165 - No. 4 Cam Robinson (GV) over Izac Martinez (SEU) TF 21-4 – GV 27-0
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174 - No. 1 Alex Reynolds (GV) over No. 2 Graham Calhoun (SEU) Dec 13-10 – GV 30-0
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184 - Jameel Coles (GV) over Jonathan Vanderbilt (SEU) Maj 15-5 – GV 34-0
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197 - No. 1 Garavous Kouekabakilaho (GV) over No. 19 Trillyon Fils-Aime (SEU) TF 19-3 – GV 39-0
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285 - No 1 Greg Hagan (GV) over No. 3 Gage Braun (SEU) Dec 2-1 – GV 42-0
Match #4 3rd Place Match
Southeastern defeated Campbellsville (Ky.) 39-5
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125 - Brodie Christmas (SEU) over Amari Harden (UC) SV-1 8-5 – SEU 3-0
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133 - No. 9 Aaron Lucio (SEU) over Wyatt Hinton (UC) Maj 15-5 – SEU 7-0
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141 - Drew Jones (SEU) over Shane Watson (UC) Maj 12-4 – SEU 11-0
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149 - No. 18 Mario De La Torre (SEU) over Jose Milord (UC) TF 18-1 – SEU 16-0
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157 - No. 17 Ryan Bennett (SEU) over Tyler Muldrew (UC) Maj 14-6 – SEU 20-0
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165 - No. 3 Trace Braun (SEU) over Lody Cheatham (UC) Maj 14-6 – SEU 24-0
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174 - Lenny Feliciano (SEU) over Brady Jarvis (UC) TF 19-4 – SEU 29-0
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184 - Brice Parks (CU) over Jeffrey Geller (SEU) TF 22-5 – SEU 29-5
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197 - No. 10 Gentry Smith (SEU) over Joel Hatchett (UC) Maj 12-2 – SEU 33-5
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285 - Noah Winder (SEU) over Unknown (UC) Forf – SEU 39-5
