DES MOINES – Basil Minto is two wins away from his ultimate goal.
The NIACC 184-pound sophomore topped Dylon Braun of Colby Community College 3-2 in double overtime in the quarterfinals Friday night at the NJCAA national tournament at the Jacobson Exhibition Center on the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
Minto (26-2) faces Muskegon’s Zachary Johnston in the semifinals Saturday morning. The finals are set for Saturday night.
“I want to win so bad,” Minto said. “I’m going in guns blazing.”
Minto, who placed fifth last season at 184 pounds, said he was confident in the overtime that he was going to come out on top.
“I knew I was going to get the escape and I was going to get the reversal,” Minto said. “I had it all planned out in my head, but I didn’t plan to go to double overtime.”
Minto admits that he needs to be more aggressive early in matches.
“It shouldn’t have really been double overtime,” Minto said. “I should have gotten my offense going before that.
“I’ve had pretty good conditioning this year and I knew I was going to beat him. My parents are here and my high school coach is here. I really couldn’t lose in front of them.”
NIACC’s Shakheim Chapman (197) and Alex Stockton (285) will join Minto in Saturday morning’s semifinals.
Chapman topped Muskegon College’s Thomas Bolday 8-2 in the 197 –pound quarterfinals.
Chapman (22-9) faces Wyoming Community’s Riley Argyla in the semifinals.
“He’s just so tall and lanky,” NIACC coach Steve Kelly said of Chapman. “He’s tough to wrestle against.
Stockton (16-12) downed Larry Carter of Harper College 4-0 in the 285-pound quarterfinals.
Stockton faces Clackamas Community College’s Jacob Mitchell in the semifinals.
“I think every time he goes out there he feels a little bit better,” said Kelly, whose team is in 11th place with 40 points. “Look at the body he has. I tell him to use his body. He’s a tall lanky kid and they’re not used to that. He has an advantage.”
Minto, Chapman and Stockton are guaranteed to place in the top six meaning they’ve earned all-American status and will become Kelly’s ninth, 10th and 11th all-Americans since he took over the program in the 2009-10 season.
The three are bidding to become NIACC’s first national champion since 2008 when the Trojans claimed three individual national titles.
“It’s a big day,” Kelly said. “We’ll get some food in them (Friday) night, but not too much – they have to weigh in (Saturday).”
Saturday’s semifinals
184 pounds
Basil Minto (NIACC) vs. Zachary Johnston (Muskegon College).
197 pounds
Shakheim Chapman (NIACC) vs. Riley Argyla (Wyoming Community).
285 pounds
Alex Stockton (NIACC) vs. Jacob Mitchell (Clackamas Community College).
TEAM STANDINGS
North Idaho 80, Labette CC 73, Nassau CC 61, Clackamas CC 58.5, Iowa Central 48.5, Western Wyoming 47, Northwest College 45, Harper CC 44.5, Lincoln College 44.5, Rend Lake College 42, NIACC 40.
Friday’s results
NIACC first-round results
125
Chris Lantz (Bergen CC) pinned JP Gamez (NIACC), 6:47.
133
Brandon Owens (Darton College) pinned Zach Welter (NIACC), 1:52.
141
Steven Ruppert (Muskegon College) tech. fall Blake Spotts (NIACC), 16-1.
149
Sha-Keno Jenkins (NIACC) dec. Kyle Graumenz (Neosho County), 11-5.
157
Dillon Coe (NIACC) major dec. Don McGregor (Triton College), 15-5.
165
Ryan Zumalt (North Idaho) pinned Parker Sturges (NIACC), 2:39.
184
Basil Minto (NIACC) pinned Steve Conn (Clackamas CC), 2:31.
197
Shakheim Chapman (NIACC) dec. Ramel Hill (Springfield Tech), 3-1.
285
Alex Stockton (NIACC) dec. Trey Page (Labette CC), 6-2.
Championship second round
149
Kyle Wade (Nassau) major dec. Jenkins, 8-0.
157
Adam Will (Thaddeus Stevens College) dec. Coe, 5-3.
184
Minto pinned Archie Williams (Lincoln), 6:43.
197
Chapman dec. Cash Drylie (Colby), 4-3.
285
Stockton dec. Zane Peterson (Ridgewater), 6-1.
Consolation round
125
Barney Prince (Niagara) dec. Gamez, 4-1.
133
Welter major dec. Frank Wilczek (Ridgewater), 13-2.
141
Spotts dec. Darius Henderson (Lincoln College), 2-1; Blake Santi (Harper) pinned Spotts, 2:16.
149
Jenkins dec. Nick Starzec (Muskegon), 9-6.
157
David Booth (Itasca) dec. Coe, 8-1.
165
Sturges dec. John Marino (Triton College), 9-2; Sturges pinned Sean Dulom (Iowa Western), 2:56.
Quarterfinal round
184
Minto dec. Dylon Braun (Colby CC), 3-2 (2OT).
197
Chapman dec. Thomas Bolday (Muskegon College), 8-2.
285
Stockton dec. Larry Carter (Harper College), 4-0.
Consolation second round
133
Nate Schwab (Mercyhurst North East) major dec. Welter, 16-5.
149
Ryan Guynup (Jamestown Community College) pinned Jenkins, 5:35.
165
Bryce Lewis (Colby Community College) pinned Sturges, 1:51.
