Brackets released for national wrestling tournament

NIACC's 149-pounder Tony Mendoza is ranked second heading into the March 6-7 national tournament in Council Bluffs.
NIACC's 149-pounder Tony Mendoza is ranked second heading into the March 6-7 national tournament in Council Bluffs.
February 28, 2020

COUNCIL BLUFFS - The NIACC wrestling team will send nine wrestlers to the NJCAA Division I national wrestling tournament March 6-7 at the Mid-America Center.

Qualifying for the Trojans are Clarence Lee-Green (125), third-ranked Brock Luthens (133), eighth-ranked Hunter Luke (141), second-ranked Tony Mendoza (149), Kendall Sandifer (157), top-ranked Christian Minto (165), Cody Klettheimer (174), Reldon Miller (184) and ninth-ranked Holton Truax (197).

Minto enters the national tournament as the top seed at 165 pounds. Minto (19-0) beat Iowa Central's Ashton Eyler 9-6 to claim the 165-pound title at the NJCAA Central District tournament.

Mendoza enters the national tournament as the No. 2 seed at 149 pounds. Mendoza (15-3) edged Ellsworth's Cardionte Wilson 3-2 to win the 149-pound title at the district tournament.

The tournament begins with first-round matches at 9:30 a.m. on March 6.

The following are the Trojans' first-round matchups:

125 - Clarence Lee-Green (N) vs. Dawson Barfuss (Northwest)

133 - (3) Brock Luthens (N) vs. JaJuan Daniels (Northwest Kansas)

141 - (8) Hunter Luke (N) vs. (3) Matt Hofenbredl (Southwest Oregon)

149 - (2) Tony Mendoza (N) vs. Parker Price (Labette)

157 - Kendall Sandifer (N) vs. Braydon Johnson (Minnesota West)

165 - (1) Christian Minto (N) received first-round bye

174 - Cody Klettheimer (N) vs. Dane Colza (Triton)

184 - Reldon Miller (N) vs. Nick Mihajlovich (Harper)

197 - (9) Holton Truax (N) vs. Jayden Bortz (Lackawanna)

NJCAA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, March 6

9:30 a.m. - First-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, March 7

10:30 a.m. - Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals

1:15 p.m. - Third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place matches

6:30 p.m. - Parade of All-Americans, Wrestling Coaches Association awards presentation

7 p.m. - Championship finals