CORALVILLE – He went from non-starter to non-seeded to now, a national semifinalist.
Cornell junior 157-pounder Killian Perrigon (JR/Oceanside, Calif.) made the most of his opportunity Friday, going 3-0 with a win over the No. 1 seed and secured all-America honors during a memorable Day 1 at the NWCA Division III Wrestling Championships inside Xtream Arena.
The Rams added a second all-American Friday night as junior Casey Allen (JR/Gilberts, Ill.) pinned his way to a top-eight finish in the 165-pound bracket.
Perrigon and Allen are Cornell's first all-Americans since 2018 and advance to Saturday's action, which gets underway at noon. The season ended for eight other Rams on Friday. Seniors John Marsh (SR/Denver, Colo.) at 174 and Trevor Trende (SR/Cresco, Iowa) at 197 both finished one win short of earning all-America status.
Perrigon (5-1), with only three matches under his belt this season prior to nationals, finds himself in a semifinal against Coe's fifth-seeded Brady Henderson. The other 157-pound semi pits No. 2 seed David Hollingsworth of Wartburg against No. 3 seed Tyler Shilson of Augsburg.
Allen (11-4), who went 4-1 on Friday, looks to continue his path through the consolation side with a matchup against Coe's eighth-seeded Ryker Kurimski.
Perrigon pulled off a stirring 9-6 upset over Millikin's top-ranked Tristan Birt in the second round. Tied 5-5 going into the third period, the Ram wrestler scored the decisive takedown with about 20 seconds left in regulation.
Perrigon then upended ninth-seeded Jack O'Donnell of Concordia Wisconsin, 8-6, in the quarterfinal. Perrigon scored an 11-4 win in his opening bout.
"Killian got his opportunity, gained some confidence and had nothing to lose," Cornell Coach Brent Hamm said. "He wrestled his butt off. Here he is now."
Allen put on a pinning clinic in the consolation rounds after losing by fall in his second match. He quickly took care of three consecutive opponents by fall in 2:09, :32 and 1:54. Allen's final pin came in the blood round against fourth-seeded Zarik Anderson of Dubuque.
"Casey was ready and determined," Hamm said. "He was not going to lose that (Dubuque) match. You could see it in his eyes."
Trende (9-4) celebrated his 22nd birthday with a strong 3-2 performance, highlighted by three straight first-period pins on the consolation side that ended in 1:50, :44 and 2:04. He lost 7-4 to Buena Vista's Don Phillips in the blood round.
The ninth-seeded Marsh (11-2) lost by fall in the quarterfinals to top-ranked Kyle Briggs of Wartburg. He was then denied all-America honors with a tough 7-4 setback to Coe's Tristin Westphal.
Evan Husko (SO/Wauconda, Ill.) (12-4) finished 2-2 at 133. Jonah Kokin (FR/Woodland Hills, Calif.), Quentin Howe, Jacob Ramirez (SO/Kankakee, Ill.), Jacob Sherzer (JR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Alex Heisdorffer (SR/Walford, Iowa) all went 0-2 on the day.
Cornell results
125 – Jonah Kokin (0-2) – lost 18-0 tech fall vs. Chavez (LUT); lost 4-3 dec. vs. Rosales (CAR). 133 – Evan Husko (2-2) – lost 20-2 tech fall vs. #2 Henderson (COE); pinned Babin (LUT) 5:16; dec. Jones (AVRT) 5-1; lost 14-2 maj. dec. vs. Hoerle (STE). 141 – Quentin Howe (0-2) – lost by fall :36 vs. Phelps (OLIV); lost 15-0 tech fall vs. Williams (GBRO). 149 – Jacob Ramirez (0-2) – lost by fall 2:12 vs. #1 Kaliner (STE); lost 19-8 maj. dec. vs. Regnier (CWI). 157 – Killian Perrigon (3-0) – dec. Cripe (LUT) 11-4; dec. #1 Birt (MIL) 9-6; dec. #9 O'Donnell (CWI) 8-6. 165 – Casey Allen (4-1) – maj. dec. Ruiz (CAR) 12-0; lost by fall 1:29 vs. #2 Rogers (USCGA); pinned Hudson (FRRM) 2:09; pinned #10 Peterson (SVU) :32; pinned #4 Anderson (DUB) 1:54. 174 -- #9 John Marsh (2-2) – dec. Altman (ADRN) 9-2 TB-1; dec. #8 Martin (FRRM) 4-2; lost by fall 2:12 vs. #1 Briggs (WAR); lost 7-4 dec. vs. #11 Westphal (COE). 184 – Jacob Sherzer (0-2) – lost 11-7 dec. vs. Perez (DUB); lost by fall 2:37 vs. Downs (MIL). 197 – Trevor Trende (3-2) – lost 8-5 dec. vs. Nielsen (DUB); pinned Martin (FONT) 1:50; pinned Mathias (SC) :44; pinned Kuschel (OLIV) 2:04; lost 7-4 dec. vs. Phillips (BVU). 285 – Alex Heisdorffer (0-2) – lost by fall 1:31 vs. Lunsford (IOWE); lost 5-3 dec. vs. Morel (USCGA).
