No. 11 NIACC to send nine wrestlers to nationals
COUNCIL BLUFFS - No. 11 NIACC will send nine wrestlers to Friday and Saturday's NJCAA national tournament at the Mid-America Center.
NIACC, which placed fifth at the NJCAA North Central district tournament on Feb. 14, was led by third-ranked 133-pounder Shiquan Hall, who placed second at the district tournament.
The Trojans also received third-place finishes from Paul Mascarenas (125), Jake Niichel (149), seventh-ranked Kyler Mathews (197) and Mario Pena (285).
Also qualifying for nationals for the Trojans were Taylor Lehman (141), seventh-ranked Quincy Kalkbrenner (157), Tristan Luther (174) and Ben Wallace (184).
Mascarenas earned all-American honors last season with his sixth-place finish at 125 pounds. Hall was also an all-American a year ago when he placed fourth at 133 pounds.
Kalkbrenner, Wallace and Mathews will also be wrestling at the national tournament for the second time.
Ticket information:
An adult tournament pass is $45 for two days/four sessions. An adult session pass is $18.
A student tournament pass is $30 for two days/four sessions. A student session pass is $10 per session.
Children under the age of three are admitted free.
Tickets are available at the door.
Friday's schedule
9:30 a.m. - Frst-round preliminaries.
Noon - Second-round preliminaries, first-round consolation, second-round consolation.
6:15 p.m. - Championship quarterfinals, third-round consolation, fourth-round consolation.
Saturday's schedule
10:30 a.m. - Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals.
Noon - Consolation semifinals.
1:15 p.m. - Consolation finals (third-place matches, fifth-place matches, seventh-place matches).
6:30 p.m. - Parade of All-Americans and Wrestling Coaches Association awards presentation.
7 p.m. - Championship finals.
NIACC's first-round matches
125 - NIACC's Paul Mascarenas (14-6) has a first-round bye. Mascarenas faces winner of James Gallardo (Triton)/Jay Maxville (Neosho).
133 - NIACC's Shiquan Hall (11-4) has a first-round bye. Hall faces winner of Nicholas Arroyo (Springfield Tech)/Dy'Juan Carney (Pratt).
141 - NIACC's Taylor Lehman (12-14) vs. James Henry (Bergen).
149 - NIACC's Jake Niichel (15-12) vs. Pedro Martinez (Triton).
157 - NIACC's Quincy Kalkbrenner (14-6) vs. Jeff Fresch (Lincoln).
174 - NIACC's Tristan Luther (11-7) vs. Tamchybai Turusbekov (Harper).
184 - NIACC's Ben Wallace (1-5) vs. Ean Eichert (Triton).
197 - NIACC's Kyler Mathews (6-6) has a first-round bye. Mathews faces winner of Travis Quarterman (Pratt)/Philip Jackson (Northland).
285 - NIACC's Mario Pena (17-8) vs. DeVante Ragland (Colby).