Kokesh Finishes Third at NCAA Championships

Des Moines, Iowa – Sophomore Robert Kokesh (174) avenged a pair of losses from earlier this season on Saturday to finish third at the NCAA Championships.

As a team, the Huskers finished 13th with 38 points. Penn State captured its third consecutive NCAA team title, edging runner-up Oklahoma State by four with 123.5 points.

Kokesh, the No. 4-seed, opened his morning against No. 3-seed Mike Evans of Iowa in a rematch of the Husker sophomore’s 9-6 loss on Feb. 10. After a scoreless first period this time around, Kokesh and Evans traded escapes for a 1-1 tie in the third period. In the closing minute, Kokesh took down Evans for a 3-1 lead and held on for a 3-2 win over the Hawkeye.

In the third place match, Kokesh faced fellow South Dakota native and No. 6-seed Logan Storley of Minnesota. Kokesh earned an escape in the second period and Storley matched it in the third period after a scoreless first three minutes. They headed to sudden victory in a 1-1 tie, similar to their matchup on Nov. 16, which the Gopher won 3-1. But this time around, Kokesh earned the takedown and a 3-1 sudden victory to finish third at the NCAA Championships.

Kokesh achieved All-America honors for the first time in his career and finished the 2012-13 campaign with a 38-4 record. The 38 wins put him in a tie for seventh on Nebraska’s top-20 season victories list with Brad Vering (1999-00), Bill Scherr (1982-83) and Tolly Thompson (1993-94). It also gives the Wagner, S.D., native the second-most wins in a season by a sophomore behind Bryan Snyder’s 43 victories in 1999-00.

Sophomore James Green, the No. 4-seed at 157 pounds, battled No. 5-seed James Fleming of Clarion in the seventh place match on Saturday after earning All-America status for the second consecutive year on Friday. Green dominated throughout the match en route to a 14-4 major decision. He places seventh at the NCAA Championships, matching his finish from 2012. Green completes the season with a 25-6 record and a 5-2 showing in Des Moines.

The NCAA Championships conclude Nebraska’s 2012-13 season. Session VI’s championship finals begin at 7 p.m., and will be aired on ESPN.

NCAA Championships
March 21-23, 2013
Wells Fargo Arena
Des Moines, Iowa

Complete Results
First Round
141: #10 Charles Cobb (PENN) by dec. over Ridge Kiley (NEB), 2-0
149: #9 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) by major dec. over Ronnie Garbinsky (PITT), 16-3
157: Kyle Bradley (MIZZ) by tiebreaker-2 over #4 James Green (NEB), 6-5
165: Zach Toal (MIZZ) by dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 6-2
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by pin over Ian Korb (PENN), 4:08
184: #8 Josh Ihnen (NEB) by dec. over MacKain Stoll (NDSU), 6-0
197: #4 Alfonso Hernandez (WYO) by major dec. over Caleb Kolb (NEB), 15-5

Consolation Bracket Pigtail Round
165: Austin Wilson (NEB) by dec. over Mike Ottinger (CMU), 6-2

Championship Bracket Second Round
149: #9 Jake Sueflohn (NEB) by dec. over #8 Nick Brascetta (VT), 4-2
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by dec. over Cody Walters (OHIO), 8-3
184: Max Thomusseit (PITT) by dec. over #8 Josh Ihnen (NEB), 3-1

Consolation Bracket First Round
141: Daniel Neff (LOCK) by dec. over Ridge Kiley (NEB), 8-5
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by tech. fall over Bobby Barnhisel (NAVY), 21-6
165: Austin Wilson (NEB) by pin over Mark Lewandowski (BUFF), 2:01
197: Caleb Kolb (NEB) by sudden victory over Alex Polizzi (NW), 3-1

Consolation Bracket Second Round
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over Taylor Walsh (IND), 19-8
165: Austin Wilson (NEB) by dec. over Josh Condon (CHATT), 10-7
184: #8 Josh Ihnen (NEB) by dec. over Stephen Doty (Virginia), 7-5
197: Richard Perry (BLOOM) by dec. over Caleb Kolb (NEB), 7-3

Championship Bracket Quarterfinals
149: #1 Jordan Oliver (OKST) by major dec. over #9 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 11-3
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over #5 Josh Asper (MD), 11-3

Consolation Bracket Third Round
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by pin over Tommy Churchard (PUR), 3:31
165: #5 Steven Monk (NDSU) by major dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 9-1
184: #8 Josh Ihnen (NEB) by dec. over Tony Dallago (ILL), 9-6

Consolation Bracket Fourth Round
149: #6 Dylan Ness (MINN) by dec. over #9 Jake Sueflohn (NEB), 5-3
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over #8 Dylan Alton (PSU), 14-4
184: #6 Ryan Loder (UNI) by dec. over #8 Josh Ihnen (NEB), 5-2

Championship Bracket Semifinals
174: #1 Chris Perry (OKST) by sudden victory over #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB), 4-2

Consolation Bracket Quarterfinals
157: #12 Jedd Moore (Virginia) by pin over #4 James Green (NEB), 6:15

Consolation Bracket Semifinals
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by dec. over #3 Mike Evans (IOWA), 3-2 

Seventh Place Match
157: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over #5 James Fleming (CLAR), 14-4

Third Place Match
174: #4 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by sudden victory over #6 Logan Storley (MINN), 3-1