All Cardinal eyes on Iowa, NJCAA success
In the second week of the season, members of the North Idaho College wrestling team traveled to Iowa to get a look at some of the best teams in the NJCAA in preparation for the NJCAA tournament.
“I wrestled horrible,” said NIC sophomore Bryce Parson, who went on to win the 149-pound title at the West District championships on Feb. 10 at North Idaho College. “So it’s time to go and redeem myself.”
NIC qualified seven to nationals, which begins Friday at the Mid-American Event Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Other NIC qualifiers include: Cooper McCullough (157 pounds), Izaiah Duran (165), Nicholas Hara (133), Hunter Gregerson (197), Connor Sullivan (285) and Esco Walker (125).
NIC has won 14 national titles, the last coming in 2013, when the Cardinals tied with Labette.
“The group of guys we’ve got headed back is a good group,” NIC interim coach Brandon Richardson said. “The guys are ready and well-prepared for the next stage. They’ve been training and working for this all year.”
In preparation for the regional tournament, Richardson held practices ranging from two hours and more.
“My shape is better right now than it has ever been,” Parson said. “I could go for 100 years if they wanted me to.”
On its first trip to Iowa this year, NIC swept duals against Iowa Western (30-19) and Iowa Central (20-19). Iowa Central was the fourth-ranked team in the most recent NJCAA poll, released Feb. 20. NIC is in a four-way tie for ninth.
“My goal is to win a national title,” Parson said. “It’s just one step closer to making that goal.”
McCullough claimed a regional title over Joel Romero of Clackamas.
“Basically, when I got done with the Eastern Oregon dual, I just flipped a switch and knew I had to keep working hard,” McCullough said. “I wasn’t doing what I needed to do. If I wasn’t going to do it, I wasn’t going to end up where I wanted to.”
Clackamas was the top-ranked team in the latest NJCAA poll. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M is the defending champion, with Clackamas finishing as runner-up in 2018.
Championship finals are scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. PST.