COUNCIL BLUFFS – The No. 7 NIACC wrestling team will compete in the NJCAA Division I national championships Friday and Saturday at the Mid-America Center.
The tournament gets underway at 9:30 a.m. on Friday.
NIACC qualified nine of a potential 10 wrestlers for the two-day national tournament, including defending the defending national champion at 165 pounds in Christian Minto, who is ranked No. 1.
Other national qualifiers for the Trojans are Cruz Aguilar (125), ninth-ranked Clarence Lee-Green (133), Quentrevion Campbell (141), fifth-ranked Deville Dentis (149), Josh Barretta (157), Ein Carlos (174), seventh-ranked Chase McCleish (184) and second-ranked Jose Valdez (197).
In Friday’s first round matches, Carlos faces sixth-ranked Jameel Coles of Northwest Kansas Tech at 174 pounds. McCleish faces sixth-ranked Jarvis Echols of Bryant & Stratton.
The Trojans claimed the NJCAA North Central District Tournament title with 125 points on Feb. 13 in Centerville.
NIACC coach Steve Kelly was selected as the NJCAA North Central District coach of the year and Minto was the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.
It was the first district title for the Trojans since the school brought back the sport of wrestling in 2008. The Trojans placed second at the district tournament in 2015 and were also runner-up in 2009.
The last district title for a NIACC wrestling team was in the 1972 season when the Trojans claimed what was then called a regional title.
NIACC crowned three individual district champions. Campbell, Minto and Valdez all repeated as district champions.
NJCAA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
Friday, March 4
9:30 a.m. – First round.
Noon – Second round, first-round consolation.
6:15 p.m. – Championship quarterfinals, second-round consolation.
8:30 p.m. – Third-round consolation.
Saturday, March 5
10:30 a.m. – Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals.
Noon – Consolation semifinals.
1:15 p.m. – Consolation finals (3rd, 5th, 7th-place matches)
6:30 p.m. – Opening ceremoines.
6:50 p.m. – Parade of all-Americans.
7 p.m. – Championship finals.
NIACC’s first-round pairings
125 – Cruz Aguilar (9-5) vs. Jason Cruz (Camden County)
133 – Clarence Lee-Green (12-6) vs. Layne Shepard (Northeastern)
141 – Quentrevion Campbell (10-1) received a first-round bye.
149 – Deville Dentis (11-4) vs. Dawson Chavez (Barton)
157 – Josh Barretta (3-5) vs. Wilhelm Yasseri (Ridgewater)
165 – Christian Minto (11-0) vs. Justin Dougherty (RCSJ-Gloucester)
174 – Ein Carlos (4-3) Jameel Coles (Northwest Kansas Tech)
184 – Chase McCleish (16-6) vs. Jarvis Echols (Bryant & Stratton)
197 – Jose Valdez (12-0) vs. Jacob Moore (Camden County)
