CEDAR FALLS, IOWA – Top-ranked Grand View competed on day two of the NWCA Multi-division championship bracket yesterday, January 6^th. The Vikings met with Menlo College as the final checkpoint before their 12^th straight championship appearance. The Vikings picked off No. 3 Menlo, 33-10, advancing to the final round versus second-ranked Life University. The dual would come down to the last three matches - an upset would draw the Vikings into falling short to the Running Eagles by a score of 24-17. Despite the shortcoming, the Vikings will have hit their 162^nd consecutive dual-win milestone in addition to their second placing. Grand View defeated (RV) William Penn University 49-0, (10) Ottawa University 45-3, (3) Menlo College 33-10, and fell to Life University by inches, 24-17. 

Although the shortcoming, the Vikings now hold the longest dual win streak in the NAIA. Grand View wrestling built its dynasty on 162 straight dual wins against NAIA opponents, Dating back to January 2011 - more than 4,730 days ago. 

 
SEMIFINALS VERSUS (3) MENLO COLLEGE

No. 1 ranked Grand View opened day two of the NWCA Multi-division Duals, participating in their 12^th straight semifinals appearance. The Vikings met with 3rd-ranked Menlo College Oaks; the Vikings saw an early lead highlighted by a battle from 3rd-ranked Cockrell as he took on Jeremiah Steele, the usual 133-pounder. Cockrell controlled the match through and through to finish with a well-deserved decision win. Tony Mendoza fell in the following match, opening the door slightly for the Oaks to creep back into things. The next bout would comfort the Viking's lead as undefeated on the weekend and top-ranked at 149; Blake Gonzalez picked up a scrappy win over 16^th-ranked Ezekiel Lara via tech fall, 19-4. Menlo would once again give the Vikings a run, picking up the following two bouts by major and a decision. 4^th ranked Alex Reynolds came up big for the Vikings with a massive pin on 10th-ranked Maximus Zamora. Earlham native Caleb Swalla controlled his match early with a takedown and would maintain to upset the 10^th-ranked oak at 184. 7^th ranked Garavous Kouekbakilaho pinned Michael Rhea to set teammate and top-ranked heavyweight Greg Hagan for the finisher. Hagan recorded a major 9-0 decision win against the 7th-ranked Oak heavyweight. The Vikings knocked off the 3^rd ranked Menlo Oaks, 33-10 to secure their spot in the final match.
 
125 - Lucas Rodriguez over Unknown (Unattached) Forf.
133 – Jackson Cockrell over Jeremiah Steele Menlo Dec 7-5
141 – Michael Torres (Menlo) over Tony Mendoza Dec 13-10
149 – Blake Gonzalez over Ezekiel Lara (Menlo) TF 19
157 – Kanaipono Tapia (Menlo) over Dylan Whitt Maj 11-2
165 – Rysan Leong (Menlo) over Justin McCunn Dec 2-0
174 – Alex Reynolds over Maximus Zamora (Menlo) Fall 2:18
184 – Caleb Swalla over Isaiah Morales (Menlo) Dec 6-2
197 – Garavous Kouekabakilaho over Michael Rhea (Menlo) Fall 4:34
285 – Greg Hagan over Antonio Dacosta (Menlo) Maj 9-0

FINAL  
Grand View – 33 | Menlo – 10


CHAMPIONSHIP VERSUS (2) LIFE UNIVERSITY

No. 1 ranked Grand View has held an all-time 5-0 record over the Running Eagles heading into the championship. The Dual started on a high note for the Vikings. 125-pounder and 2nd-ranked overall wrestler Aden Reeves collected a 13-4 major decision win over Orum. At 133, the Vikings would be without top-ranked Carson Taylor, but 4th-ranked Cockrell stepped in to fill the bout. Cockrell, who was 2-0 before the match, would battle for three periods but would eventually be defeated for the first time this weekend late by a tech fall. Unranked, Tony Mendoza fell in a near-decision win, 4-0. Blake Gonzalez, another Viking ranked at the top and collected an undefeated weekend, collected a momentum-shifting major decision win over 9^th-ranked Reese Jones. With the match tied up at eight all, unranked Dylan Whitt faced a challenge against defending multi-champion Brevin Balmaceda; the Running Eagle would defeat Whitt on a major decision 9-0. Another Viking who would get a chance for the defending national champions was unranked Jovon Mitchell; Mitchell's match started promising as he recorded a takedown early but was put in a bad position on the mat edge. Mitchell would fall by a pin, and the Eagles would rack up to an 18-8 lead. Dropping the bout at 174, No. 1 Isaiah Luellen was up next. Luellen would control his match to keep the light for the Vikings as they trailed 21-11 with the title riding on the final two matches. Defending National Champion Owen Braungardt eyed 10th-ranked Demarco Lee. The Vikings needed a tech fall or pin to win; the two would remain scoreless for the first period. Braungardt recorded a point to start the second period, but a critical takedown by Lee followed by an escape would lead to the upset over Braungardt. Top-ranked Hagan recorded a pin to finish the weekend undefeated, but the Running Eagles held a lead unreachable nonetheless, and the Vikings fell 24-17.
 
125 - Aden Reeves over Brandon Orum (Life University) Maj 13-4
133 – Thaddeus Long (Life University) over Jackson Cockrell TF 19-3
141 – Tyree Johnson (Life University) over Tony Mendoza Dec 4-0
149 – Tyree Johnson (Life University) over Tony Mendoza Dec 4-0
157 – Brevin Balmeceda (Life University) over Dylan Whitt Maj 9-0
165 – Jaden New (Life University) over Jovon Mitchell Fall 1:30
174 – Riley Smucker (Life University) over Alex Reynolds Dec 5-1
184 – Isaiah Luellen over Kyle Homet (Life University) Dec 8-6
197 – Demarco Lee (Life University) over Owen Braungardt Dec 4-2
285 – Greg Hagan over Cohle Feliciano (Life University) Fall 0:22

FINAL  
Life – 24 | Grand View – 17