NIACC's Mendoza, Santee place fifth at nationals

NIACC's Zach Santee controls Iowa Lakes' Andre Bissainthe in their 285-pound fifth-place match at the national tournament.
NIACC's Zach Santee controls Iowa Lakes' Andre Bissainthe in their 285-pound fifth-place match at the national tournament.
March 2, 2019

COUNCIL BLUFFS - NIACC'sTony Mendoza (149) and Zach Santee (285) both placed fifth at the NJCAA Division I national championships Saturday afternoon.

NIACC's Brock Luthens placed seventh at 133 pounds.

Heading into tonight's finals, NIACC is in 13th place with 44.5 points.

Santee (14-13) gained a 9-1 major decision over Iowa Lakes' Andre Bissainthe in the 285-pound fifth-place match. Bissainthe topped Santee 12-7 in a dual meet earlier this season.

Mendoza (23-8) won by medical forfeit over Northwest Kansas' Enkhbold Sukhbaatar in the 149-pound fifth-place match. Sukhbaatar had topped Mendoza 7-3 in a first-round match on Friday.

Luthens (13-9) gained a 5-3 sudden victory over Lackawanna's Nathaniel White in the seventh-place match.