PROVIDENCE, R.I.– Coast Guard, ranked 23rd nationally in NCAA Division III, placed second at the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Dual Championships. The Bears had their seven match winning streak snapped in the championship match.

Top-seeded and host Johnson & Wales, ranked second nationally, beat the second-seeded Bears 31-9 in the championship match. Coast Guard was fourth last season and third in 2017.

Freshman 184-pounder Paul Detwiler, a Fleming Island High graduate and undefeated Class 3A champion in 2018 at 170 pounds, had a career afternoon for the Coast Guard Academy with wins over the numbers one and two seeds in the NEWA rankings. Detwiler, unbeaten in the tournament, was named Most Outstanding Wrestler with his 3-0 record at 184 pounds.

“Paul had a special weekend for any wrestler, let alone a freshman,” said Coast Guard wrestling coach Kevin Bratland. “He lost to both guys; the No. 1 and No. 2, earlier in the season and he asked me during the week if he would get a second shot at the number one guy, John Boyle. He’s that kind of athlete that wants to compete against the best.”

Coast Guard, which is now 7-2 in dual matches this season, beat Western New England 29-10 in the quarterfinals and third-seeded Roger Williams 25-13 in the semifinals.

Detwiler won an overtime 3-1 match over number one seed John Boyle of Western New England to avenge an earlier season loss also in overtime.

“In their first match, Paul was hand-fighting hard, but I think not being offensive and attacking,” said Bratland. “That was his fourth college match ever. Now that he has a bunch of matches under him, his confidence is showing up and his skill set is phenomenal.”

Against Roger Williams, Detwiler scored a 19-5 technical fall over Ryan Deloach to set up his final match against Johnson and Wales’ All-American Khamri Thomas.

In their first match, Thomas scored a takedown two points in overtime to defeat Detwiler, but the tables got turned on Sunday as Detwiler took down the elusive Thomas in the overtime period after the score got knotted at 1-1 with both wrestlers scoring escapes in period two and three.

“Paul has a great training partner in teammate Phil Rogers and that helps any wrestler,” said Bratland. “They have some pretty good scrambles in practice.”

The Bears are back in action on Saturday at the All-Academy Championships at Norwich University. The All-Academy event is unique because the service academies and military academies represent a variety of NCAA Division I, II and III level wrestling all in one arena.

Last year, Coast Guard finished fifth overall and as top Division III school with Navy (Div I) winning the overall title ahead of Army (Div. I). The Air Force Academy took third with The Citadel fourth. Coast Guard finished ahead of Merchant Marine and Norwich in the Division III teams and also beat Div. I-Virginia Military Institute (VMI).