Kenton Ridge High School seniors Seth and Elijah Cochran share the bond of being identical twins. They want to double up at the Division II district tournament held in Wilmington today and Saturday. The top four finishers advance to state.
The Cochran brothers are certainly battle-tested. With Elijah in the 126-pound weight class and Seth at 132, the brothers compete daily as drill partners at the Cougars’ wrestling practices.
“It just depends on the day,” Kenton Ridge coach Cameron Doggett said of who usually wins. “Some days Seth gets the better of Elijah. Some days Elijah gets the better of Seth. Some days they’re ready to fight each other.”
And fight for each other.
Both acknowledge they are almost always competing against each other in sports and other activities. But nothing would be better than sharing the state experience in Columbus next weekend. Both enter district as sectional runners-up.
Elijah (36-3) qualified for state in 2013. Seth (36-8) soaked in the experience from the stands.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. You walk through the tunnel and it’s all dark. You come out and it’s all lights and loud noises,” said Elijah, who went 1-2 at state last year. “Once you get on the mat you kind of focus in.”
Added Seth: “It gives you motivation watching my teammates walking out (of the tunnel). I want to do the same thing.”
Certainly Elijah wouldn’t hold his state appearance over Seth’s head, right?
“Oh no, he does that a lot actually,” Seth said with a laugh. “He teases me about it. Sometimes we’ll be talking about who’s better at wrestling. He’ll say, ‘Well, I made it to state last year.’”
Seth, however, will always have bragging rights for being older by 17 minutes.
Only those who really know them can tell Seth and Elijah apart. Seth has a birthmark on his right arm. Elijah still has his braces.
Their wrestling styles, according to Doggett, can also help identify them. Doggett said Elijah is more physical and Seth is more technical. Doggett is confident both can make it to state.
“Elijah, wrestling at state last year, definitely gives him the feeling of what it’s like the first time on the floor,” Doggett said. “It can be kind of nerve-wracking walking out there with the crowd looking down at you. With Seth going and watching, it should help them when they get there this year.”
As will those drill sessions at practice.
“We get close to fist fights at practice. It gets pretty competitive,” Elijah said. “If one of us takes the other down it inspires us to get back up and go back at them. Being twins, it definitely ups the ante.”
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