NIC WRESTLING: Cards top No. 4 team in NJCAA

LAS VEGAS — Jeremy Merryweather (197 pounds) and Bryson Beard (133) picked up key decisions for the North Idaho College wrestling team in a 26-18 win over the Western Wyoming Mustangs, the fourth-ranked team in the NJCAA, on Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Merryweather beat Aspen Naylor 14-12, and Beard scored a late takedown and near fall to top Tanner Cox 6-3.

“Jeremy’s match was back and fourth,” NIC coach Pat Whitcomb said. “He just continued to wear him out and was able to come away with a win. With Beard’s match, Bryson just kept at him and got a late takedown. It was a good dual. They’re a tough team and it was big for us to come down and get a win.”

Thomas Stevenson (149) won by technical fall, Trey Meyer (165) and Levi Perry (184) by pin for NIC (4-3), which competes in the Cliff Keen Invitational starting today at 9 a.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The tourney features schools from Division I, Division II, NAIA and NJCAA.

125 — Cole Verner, WW, d. Garrett White, 7-2. 133 — Bryson Beard, NIC, d. Tanner Cox, 6-3. 141 — Kenny Astle, WW, p. Hassan Hawthorne, :20. 149 — Thomas Stevenson, NIC, tf. Samuel Freeman, 19-3. 157 — Ryan Winger, WW, p. Jaren Sumauang, 6:20. 165 — Trey Meyer, NIC, p. Marco Frias, 2:51. 174 — Alex Aguilar, NIC, d. Matt Hebel, 7-5. 184 — Levi Perry, NIC, p. Shane French, 1:47. 197 — Jeremy Merryweather, NIC, d. Aspen Naylor, 14-12. 285 — Wade French, WW, d. Cooper Thomas, 8-6.