COUNCIL BLUFFS – The NIACC wrestling team will send three wrestlers to the semifinals at the NJCAA national wrestling tournament.
NIACC’s Christian Minto (165), Ein Carlos (174) and Jose Valdez (197) all picked up quarterfinal victories Friday night at the Mid-America Center. The championship semifinals are set for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
NIACC’s Clarence Lee-Green (133), Quentrevion Campbell (141) and Deville Dentis (149) also secured themselves all-American honors with wins in the consolation side of the bracket Friday night after dropping their quarterfinal round matches.
Minto (14-0) edged Ellsworth’s ninth-ranked Mirzo Khayitov 4-2 in three overtimes to move to Saturday morning’s semifinals.
The two ICCAC wrestlers were 1-1 after regulation and still were tied at 1-1 after the first 2-minute extra period. Khayitov escaped in the first 30-second period to take a 2-1 lead.
Minto, who is ranked No. 1 and is the defending national champion at 165 pounds, then escaped in the second 30-second session to tie the match at 2-2 and then took down Khayitov to gain the victory.
Minto, who has a career record of 49-1, now owns three wins over Khayitov this season. Minto topped Khayitov 7-2 in a dual meet and by fall in 6:57 at the district tournament.
Minto, who has not lost since the national finals in 2020, faces North Idaho’s 10th ranked Ledger Patracek in Saturday’s semifinals.
In the 174-pound quarterfinals, Carlos (7-3) topped Northeast Oklahoma A&M’s second-ranked Dayton Fields 6-4. Carlos topped sixth-ranked Jameel Coles of Northwest Kansas Tech 8-6 in overtime in his first round match.
Carlos faces Iowa Central’s top-ranked Jose Rodriguez in the semifinals. Carlos and Rodriguez did not meet in the regular season or at the district tournament.
In the 197-pound quarterfinals, the second-ranked Valdez (15-0) stopped Western Wyomin’s sixth-ranked Tyler Scheurn 9-4.
Valdez faces Cloud County’s third-ranked Zach Ferris in the semfinals. The semifinal match is a rematch of the 2021 197-pound title match won by Ferris in three extra sessions.
In the 125-pound quarterfinals, Western Wyoming’s second-ranked Garrett Ricks topped NIACC’s Cruz Aguilar by medical forfeit.
In the 133-pound quarterfinals. Indian Hills’ top-ranked Caleb Meekins topped NIACC’s Lee-Green, who is ranked ninth, 5-2. Lee-Green (14-7) bounced back in his next match to top Iowa Central’s Davian Gowens 5-1 to secure himself all-American honors for the first time in his three-year career.
It was the third victory this season for Meekins over Lee-Green.
Lee-Green faces Cowley’s unranked Ryan Smith in his next consolation match on Saturday.
In the 141-pound quarterfinals, Pratt’s ninth-ranked Jacob Mitchell stopped NIACC’s Campbell 7-2. Campbell (12-2) topped Cloud County’s Michael Barfuss in his consolation match to stay alive and earn all-American honors.
Campbell faces Niagara County’s fourth-ranked Frankie Gissendanner in his next consolation match on Saturday.
In the 149-pound quarterfinals, Pratt’s top-ranked Jake Beeson downed NIACC’s Dentis, who is ranked fifth, 6-0. Dentis (14-5) rebounded with a 9-4 win over Cowley’s Brandon Kidd securing himself all-American honors for the third time in his junior college career.
Dentis takes on Bryant & Stratton’s ninth-ranked Jalin Connor in the consolation round on Saturday.
In the 184-pound consolation bracket, NIACC’s Chase McCleish pinned RCTC’s Antonio Davis in 5:35 and then was eliminated from the tournament with a 12-2 loss to Southwestern Oregon’s Jr. Scott.
NIACC enters the second day of the national tournament in seventh place with 70.5 points. Clackamas is the tournament leader with 99 points and Iowa Central is in second with 86.5 points.
