Top-seeded Jon Wagner is one of four Coast Guard wrestlers in the semifinals of the NWCA Div. III tournament in Iowa. (Photo courtesy Coast Guard Academy wrestling)
Four Coast Guard wrestlers are in the semifinals of the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s (NWCA) Division III championship tournament and six Bears have earned All-American honors after the first day of action in Coralville, Iowa.
No. 1 seeds Paul Detwiler (184) and Jon Wagner (197) each advanced to the semifinals along with unseeded A.J. Pagliarulo (141) and No. 2 seed Phil Rogers (165).
No. 8 seed Noah Caskey (149), the sophomore from Montville and No. 11 seed Tony Ulaszek (157) are alive in the consolation round but advanced far enough to clinch All-American honors – finishing in the top eight of their respective weight class.
No team scores are being kept in the tournament.
Rogers had a pair of pins to advance to the semifinals. Detwiler had three wins, including two pins. Pagliarulo beat No. 3 seed Jalen Schropp of Loras, 5-4 in the round of 16 and topped No. 11 Tyler Difiore, 5-3, with a takedown with 16 seconds left in their quarterfinal match.
Rogers had a pin and a 19-8 decision before outlasting Donald Moss III of Adrian, 3-2, thanks to a takedown with 1:35 left in his quarterfinal bout.
Ulaszek went 4-1 on the day with three pins and a two-point decision. He had two pins under a minute (19, 32 seconds) and a pin in 1:06. Caskey went 3-1 on Friday with a pin.
Southington’s Caleb Brick, wrestling for Milwaukee School of Engineering at 157 pounds, lost his two matches in the tournament by pin and an 8-2 loss.
The tournament can be seen live on FloWrestling. Wrestling begins on Saturday at noon with the championship finals at 6 p.m.
