Brackets released for NJCAA national wrestling tournament
COUNCIL BLUFFS - Seven NIACC wrestlers will compete in the NJCAA Division I national tournament Friday and Saturday at the Mid-America Center.
The Trojans placed third at the NJCAA Central District with 115.5 points on Feb. 10 in the NIACC gym.
At the district meet, NIACC had three second-place finishers in Mark Gonzales (125), Brock Luthens (133) and Tony Mendoza (149).
Also qualifying for the national meet were Hunter Luke (3rd at 141), Mason Carpenter (third at 174), Reldon Miller (4th at 184) and Zach Santee (3rd at 285).
The first round of the national tournament begins at 9:30 a.m. on Friday. The second round and first and second-round consolation matches are slated for noon on Friday.
NIACC's Mendoza (17-6) enters the national tournament ranked sixth at 149 pounds. Mendoza faces fourth-ranked Enkhbold Sukhbaatar of Northwest Kansas in the first round.
NIACC'S FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS
(National rankings in parentheses)
125 - Mark Gonzales (6-6) received a first-round bye. Gonzales faces winner of Dylan Wilkins (Muskegon)/(2) Zeth Brower (Clackamas) in second round.
133 - Brock Luthens (9-7) vs. (4) Gage Gomez (Barton)
141 - Hunter Luke (13-6) vs. Corbin Nirschl (Northeast Oklahoma A&M)
149 -(6) Tony Mendoza (17-6) vs. (4) Enkhbold Sukhbaatar (Northwest Kanasas)
174 - Mason Carpenter (8-3) vs. Dalton Bernett (Itasca)
184 - Reldon Miller (9-11) vs. (6) Alex LaPierre (RCTC)
285 - Zach Santee (10-11) vs. (5) Landon Brown (Western Wyoming)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday
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
10:30 a.m. - Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals.
Noon - Consolation semifinals.
1:15 p.m. - Consolation finals (3rd, 5th and 7th place matches)
6:30 p.m. - Parade of all-Americans and Wrestling Coaches Association awards presentation
7 p.m. - Championship matches.