Greiner bows out of NCAA wrestling tourney
Central College
LA CROSSE (WIS.)—Central College freshman Kalen Greiner (Keota) had the right chances to win two close matches, but he couldn’t get the points he needed to stay alive in the NCAA Division III wrestling championships Friday in La Crosse, Wis.
In a 125-pound opening match battle, freshman Mack Drees (33-15) of Wis.-Platteville scored a first-period takedown to maintain an advantage the rest of the match. Greiner responded with an escape but was held scoreless in the second period. Drees marked an escape in the second and Greiner rebounded with an escape in the third, but Drees came out one point ahead.
“The biggest thing in a tight match is getting the first score,” coach Eric Van Kley said. “Kalen really battled but he couldn’t get that final takedown. It was a decent effort considering it was his first time in a national wrestling match.”
Dropping to the consolation bracket, Greiner was down 11-2 after another scoreless second period against junior Max Cohen (19-9) of Ithaca College (N.Y.). Greiner didn’t give up. He scored a fall in the final seconds of the third period, but it was too late in the match and Greiner came up short in a 13-7 decision.
“Kalen had Cohen in a headlock and on his back with 15 seconds left,” Van Kley said. “He had a chance but he needed to get the pin to advance.”
Greiner closes the season with a 17-13 record.
“Overall, I think Kalen’s a little disappointed but when you look at the bigger scheme of things he’s done very well—making it to nationals as a freshman and beating the guys he had to beat to get there,” Van Kley said. “I’m extremely proud of him and the season he’s had.”
Van Kley recognizes the value of the national experience not just for Greiner, but also for the team.
“Kalen will definitely learn from having been here and he’ll have different expectations and goals for next year,” Van Kley said. “He’s set an example for the rest of the team to want to be wrestling in March and expecting to be wrestling in March.”
Greiner is the first Central wrestler to qualify for the national tournament since 2004.
The Dutch posted a 10-10 dual record and a seventh-place team finish at the Iowa Conference tournament, placing in the top eight at all 10 weights for the first time since 1996. The season brings the Dutch one step closer to reaching Van Kley’s goal of national prominence.
“There are a lot of positives to draw from the season – our second 10 win season, sending a freshman to nationals and our overall depth and quality in the program,” Van Kley said. “We’ll use these positives as a springboard for bigger things next year.”
