NJCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP: A hungry flock ... Cardinals prepared for another run at NJCAA Championships

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Sure, the arena might be bigger.

The stakes might be higher.

But — when you wrestle at North Idaho College, owners of 14 NJCAA team titles — it’s nothing that this program can’t handle.

“We’re well prepared right now,” said Booth, in his first full season as NIC coach after leading the Cardinals to a fifth-place finish last season. “We went out and found the best competition we could find. Our guys are excited and ready to compete.”

NIC qualified all 10 wrestlers from the West District Championships on Feb. 11, winning the program’s first regional title since 2013, when the Cardinals later went on to win their last national title in 2013.

“I think we’re right there again,” Booth said. “Our guys are going to compete the best we can. But we’re a team that can hunt for a title this weekend.”

Regional champions were freshmen Hunter Bidelman (141 pounds), Porter Craig (157), Conan Northwind (174) and Noah Poe-Hatten (184), as well as sophomore Bradley Whitwright (197). Freshman Elijah Cater (125), freshman Jermiah Zuniga (149), sophomore Travis Waldner (165) and sophomore Tominiko Takafua (285) were runner-up at regionals. Sophomore Kobi Johnson was third at 133 at regionals.

Johnson and Whitwright also qualified for nationals last year, but did not place.

“Those guys that have been there before, they know what it’s like,” Booth said. “It’s nothing we haven’t seen before. They’re ready to go.”

Western Wyoming of Rock Springs won the team title last year.

“They return seven All-Americans, so on paper, they’re probably the favorite,” Booth said. “But, in this sport, there’s a lot of crazy things that could happen.”

Championship finals are scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. PST.

“We’re healthy, happy and in good spirits,” Booth said. “We’re in a good spot, hungry and ready to scrap.”