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Clackamas punches four into NJCAA Nationals finals, ahead of Iowa Central by 30.5 points after semifinals
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Keeton Geerts (Iowa Central) competing at the 2022 NJCAA Nationals. Photo by Johnnie Johnson.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Clackamas, winner of the last three NJCAA National Wrestling Championships, are in good shape to make it four in a row, after pushing four wrestlers into the finals set for Saturday night. Clackamas was 30.5 points ahead of Iowa Central after the semifinal round.
Clackamas finalists include Justin Mejia (133), Marckis Branford (141), Alex Ramirez (157) and Steele Starren (165).
Iowa Central will be represented in the finals by three wrestlers, Keaton Geerts (149), Jose Rodriguez (174) and Jorden Pryor (285).
Rodriguez is one of two 2021 NJCAA national champions who reached the finals, joined by Christian Minto of North Iowa Area CC (165). Rodriguez will face Josh Kenny of Muskegon, while Minto has Clackamas’ Starren in the title match.
One of the returning champions, Cloud County’s Zach Ferris (197), lost in the semifinals, falling to Jose Valdez of NIACC, 6-4.
Six No. 1 seeded wrestlers reached the finals: Branford, Ramirez, Minto, Valdez, Pryor and Deron Pulliam of Indian Hills.
The NJCAA gold-medal finals will be held at 7:00 p.m. MT, live on FloWrestling.
NJCAA NATIONALS
At Council Bluffs, Iowa
Finals pairings
125 - Garrett Ricks (Western Wyoming) vs. Jakason Burks (Iowa Western)
133 - Justin Mejia (Clackamas) vs. Jovan Garcia (Southwestern Oregon)
141 - Marckis Branford (Clackamas) vs. Jacob Mitchell (Pratt)
149 - Jake Beeson (Pratt) vs. Keaton Geerts (Iowa Central)
157 - Alex Ramirez (Clackamas) vs. Fabian Padilla (Iowa Western)
165 - Christian Minto (Niacc) vs. Steele Starren (Clackamas)
174 - Josh Kenny (Muskegon) vs. Jose Rodriguez (Iowa Central)
184 - Deron Pulliam (Indian Hills) vs. Josh Mcfarland (Iowa Western)
197 - Jose Valdez (Niacc) vs. Massoma Endene (Iowa Lakes)
285 - Jorden Pryor (Iowa Central) vs. Devon Dawson (Pratt)
Team Standings immediately after semifinals
1 Clackamas 140
2 Iowa Central 109.5
3 Western Wyoming 97.5
4 Iowa Western 95.5
5 Niacc 94.5
6 Northeast Oklahoma A&M 94
7 North Idaho 91.5
8 Indian Hills 79.5
9 Pratt 75
10 Ellsworth 47.5
11 Cowley 43
12 Harper 41.5
13 Southwestern Oregon 40.5
14 Rochester Community & Technical College 38.5
15 Nassau 37.5
16 Iowa Lakes 36.5
17 Muskegon 36
18 Niagara County 25.5
19 Cloud County 24.5
20 Triton 22.5
Semifinal results
125
Garrett Ricks (Western Wyoming) F Nicolas Aguilar (Clackamas), 3:34
Jakason Burks (Iowa Western) DEC Jett Strickenberger (North Idaho), 2-0
133
Justin Mejia (Clackamas) F Caleb Meekins (Indian Hills), 2:37
Jovan Garcia (Southwestern Oregon) DEC Dalen Moore (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 11-10
141
Marckis Branford (Clackamas) DEC Parker Dobrocky (Rochester Community & Technical College), 3-1 SV
Jacob Mitchell (Pratt) DEC Caleb Nathan (Western Wyoming), 9-8
149
Jake Beeson (Pratt) DEC Victor Jacinto (Clackamas), 3-2
Keaton Geerts (Iowa Central) F Dylan Brown (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 2:31
157
Alex Ramirez (Clackamas) DEC William Vonruden (Rochester Community & Technical College), 8-2
Fabian Padilla (Iowa Western) DEC Nolan Miller-johnston (Iowa Central), 4-1
165
Christian Minto (Niacc) MD Ledger Petracek (North Idaho), 12-4
Steele Starren (Clackamas) M FOR Damn Ashworth (Minnesota West Community & Technical College), 10-2 4:15
174
Josh Kenny (Muskegon) F Trent Silva (Clackamas), 1:34
Jose Rodriguez (Iowa Central) DEC Ein Carlos (Niacc), 5-3
184
Deron Pulliam (Indian Hills) DEC Tyce Raddon (Western Wyoming), 7-3
Josh Mcfarland (Iowa Western) DEC Jackson White (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 6-3
197
Jose Valdez (Niacc) DEC Zach Ferris (Cloud County), 6-4
Massoma Endene (Iowa Lakes) DEC Demarco Lee (Harper), 6-2
285
Jorden Pryor (Iowa Central) F Shane Whitney (Camden County), 3:21
Devon Dawson (Pratt) F Dan Baker (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 0:21
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Clackamas, winner of the last three NJCAA National Wrestling Championships, are in good shape to make it four in a row, after pushing four wrestlers into the finals set for Saturday night. Clackamas was 30.5 points ahead of Iowa Central after the semifinal round.
Clackamas finalists include Justin Mejia (133), Marckis Branford (141), Alex Ramirez (157) and Steele Starren (165).
Iowa Central will be represented in the finals by three wrestlers, Keaton Geerts (149), Jose Rodriguez (174) and Jorden Pryor (285).
Rodriguez is one of two 2021 NJCAA national champions who reached the finals, joined by Christian Minto of North Iowa Area CC (165). Rodriguez will face Josh Kenny of Muskegon, while Minto has Clackamas’ Starren in the title match.
One of the returning champions, Cloud County’s Zach Ferris (197), lost in the semifinals, falling to Jose Valdez of NIACC, 6-4.
Six No. 1 seeded wrestlers reached the finals: Branford, Ramirez, Minto, Valdez, Pryor and Deron Pulliam of Indian Hills.
The NJCAA gold-medal finals will be held at 7:00 p.m. MT, live on FloWrestling.
NJCAA NATIONALS
At Council Bluffs, Iowa
Finals pairings
125 - Garrett Ricks (Western Wyoming) vs. Jakason Burks (Iowa Western)
133 - Justin Mejia (Clackamas) vs. Jovan Garcia (Southwestern Oregon)
141 - Marckis Branford (Clackamas) vs. Jacob Mitchell (Pratt)
149 - Jake Beeson (Pratt) vs. Keaton Geerts (Iowa Central)
157 - Alex Ramirez (Clackamas) vs. Fabian Padilla (Iowa Western)
165 - Christian Minto (Niacc) vs. Steele Starren (Clackamas)
174 - Josh Kenny (Muskegon) vs. Jose Rodriguez (Iowa Central)
184 - Deron Pulliam (Indian Hills) vs. Josh Mcfarland (Iowa Western)
197 - Jose Valdez (Niacc) vs. Massoma Endene (Iowa Lakes)
285 - Jorden Pryor (Iowa Central) vs. Devon Dawson (Pratt)
Team Standings immediately after semifinals
1 Clackamas 140
2 Iowa Central 109.5
3 Western Wyoming 97.5
4 Iowa Western 95.5
5 Niacc 94.5
6 Northeast Oklahoma A&M 94
7 North Idaho 91.5
8 Indian Hills 79.5
9 Pratt 75
10 Ellsworth 47.5
11 Cowley 43
12 Harper 41.5
13 Southwestern Oregon 40.5
14 Rochester Community & Technical College 38.5
15 Nassau 37.5
16 Iowa Lakes 36.5
17 Muskegon 36
18 Niagara County 25.5
19 Cloud County 24.5
20 Triton 22.5
Semifinal results
125
Garrett Ricks (Western Wyoming) F Nicolas Aguilar (Clackamas), 3:34
Jakason Burks (Iowa Western) DEC Jett Strickenberger (North Idaho), 2-0
133
Justin Mejia (Clackamas) F Caleb Meekins (Indian Hills), 2:37
Jovan Garcia (Southwestern Oregon) DEC Dalen Moore (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 11-10
141
Marckis Branford (Clackamas) DEC Parker Dobrocky (Rochester Community & Technical College), 3-1 SV
Jacob Mitchell (Pratt) DEC Caleb Nathan (Western Wyoming), 9-8
149
Jake Beeson (Pratt) DEC Victor Jacinto (Clackamas), 3-2
Keaton Geerts (Iowa Central) F Dylan Brown (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 2:31
157
Alex Ramirez (Clackamas) DEC William Vonruden (Rochester Community & Technical College), 8-2
Fabian Padilla (Iowa Western) DEC Nolan Miller-johnston (Iowa Central), 4-1
165
Christian Minto (Niacc) MD Ledger Petracek (North Idaho), 12-4
Steele Starren (Clackamas) M FOR Damn Ashworth (Minnesota West Community & Technical College), 10-2 4:15
174
Josh Kenny (Muskegon) F Trent Silva (Clackamas), 1:34
Jose Rodriguez (Iowa Central) DEC Ein Carlos (Niacc), 5-3
184
Deron Pulliam (Indian Hills) DEC Tyce Raddon (Western Wyoming), 7-3
Josh Mcfarland (Iowa Western) DEC Jackson White (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 6-3
197
Jose Valdez (Niacc) DEC Zach Ferris (Cloud County), 6-4
Massoma Endene (Iowa Lakes) DEC Demarco Lee (Harper), 6-2
285
Jorden Pryor (Iowa Central) F Shane Whitney (Camden County), 3:21
Devon Dawson (Pratt) F Dan Baker (Northeast Oklahoma A&M), 0:21