NIACC men set for nationals
COUNCIL BLUFFS - The NIACC men's wrestling team is set to compete at the NJCAA Division I national tournament Friday and Saturday at the Mid-America Center.
NIACC qualified nine wrestlers for the two-day national tournament. Earning national tournament berths for the Trojans are McKenley Charelus (133), Isaac Church (141), Cordell White (149), Tanner Warden (157), Emmanuel Celestin (165), Marco Guzman (174), Jessey Colas (184), Xander Kenworthy (197) and LB Neloms (285).
The national tournament gets underway at 9 a.m. Friday with first and second-round preliminaries and first-round consolation matches.
Church (13-2) earned the fourth-seed at 141 pounds, Colas (14-2) is the ninth-seed at 184 pounds and Warden (7-4) is the 15th seed at 157 pounds.
NIACC, which placed fourth at the NJCAA North Central District Tournament, picked up four second-place finishes at the district tournament. Placing second for the Trojans were Church (141), White (149), Warden (157) and Colas (184).
Placing third for the Trojans were Guzman (174) and Kenworthy (197). Earning fourth-place finishes were Celestin (165) and Neloms (285).
NIACC'S FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS
133 - McKenley Charelus (N) vs. Luis Suriel (Middlesex)
197 - Xander Kenworthy (N) vs. Josh Womack (Northwest)
SECOND-ROUND MATCHUPS
141 - (4) Isaac Church (N) vs. Will Korth (Snow)
149 - (10) Cordell White (N) vs. Dakota Taavialma (Otero JC)
157 - (15) Tanner Warden vs. Griffin Jones (Union College)/Reese Hamblen (Ancilla)
165 - Emmanuel Celestin (N) vs. (8) Michael Myers (Iowa Central)
174 - Marco Guzman (N) vs. (4) Lawrence Rosario (Iowa Central)
184 - (9) Jessey Colas (N) vs. Bruce Lukehart (Iowa Western)
285 - LB Neloms (N) vs. (6) DJ Moehring (Iowa Central)
NJCAA MEN'S WRESTLING SCHEDULE
Friday, March 1
9 a.m. - First and second-round preliminaries, first-round consolation round.
6:15 p.m. - Championship quarterfinals, consolation second and third round.
Saturday, March 2
9:30 a.m. - Championship semifinals, consolation quarterfinals, consolation semifinals, consolation finals (third/fourth, fifth/sixth, seventh/eighth place matches).
5:30 p.m. - Opening ceremonies.
5:50 p.m. - Parade of All-Americans.
6 p.m. - Championship finals.
