NJCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Still in the title fight ... Cardinals, with three semifinalists, tied for fourth after first day

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — In the eyes of North Idaho College wrestling coach Derrick Booth, it was just your run of the mill opening day.

Some good, some bad.

Same Cardinals in the mix for another national title.

Elijah Cater, Porter Craig and Conan Northwind — all freshmen — went unbeaten on Friday to advance to the semifinal round of the NJCAA Championships at the Mid-American Center.

“We had some real good matches and some real high-highs,” said Booth, who wrestled on the program’s last national championship team in 2013. “We had some really good matches and I’m so proud of our guys.”

Cater (125 pounds) beat Joseph Petrone of Nassau in the quarterfinals.

“We fully believe that Elijah is the best at that class,” Booth said. “He came out firing and was on the offensive all day. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do tomorrow.”

Craig, who won a state 5A title in 2021 at Coeur d’Alene High as a senior, pinned Western Wyoming’s Chris Lopez.

“He just puts on a workman-like performance each time he steps on the mat,” said Booth of Craig. “We’re excited to see what he can do as well.”

Northwind is in the 174 semis.

“Our young guys are really getting it done,” Booth said. 

Sophomore Bradley Whitwright (197) and freshmen Jermiah Zuniga (149) and Noah Poe-Hatten (184) are still alive in the consolation bracket. All six competitors from NIC are All-Americans after placing at nationals.

“There’s a lot of points out there tomorrow,” Booth said. “We’ve got to go out and get points where we can. Those guys in the back, they’re going to be huge for us.”

Western Wyoming of Rock Springs leads with 103 points, followed by Iowa Central in second with 97.5 points. NIC and Clackamas are tied for fourth with 91.5 points

TEAM SCORES (Top 30) —  1, Western Wyoming 103. 2, Iowa Central 97.5. 3, Pratt 93. 4 (tie), Clackamas, North Idaho 91. 6, Iowa Western 86. 7, Indian Hills 79.5. 8, Labette 68. 9, Carl Albert State 57.5. 10, Northwest 57. 11, Southeast 55. 12, Rochester 54. 13, NIACC 51. 14, Northwest Kansas 50.5. 15, Harper 48.5. 16, Nassau 47. 17, Ridgewater 46.5. 18, Triton 46. 19, Snow 45.5. 20, Minnesota North-Itasca 40. 21, Southwestern Michigan 38.5. 22, Cowley 37.5. 23, Northeast Oklahoma 30.5. 24, Ellsworth 28. 25, Niagara 27. 26, Iowa Lakes 26. 27, Southwestern Oregon 21. 28, Cloud County 16. 29, Northeastern 15.5. 30, Ancilla 14.5.

NIC RESULTS 

Championship bracket

First round

125 — Elijah Cater, NIC, tf. Brady Foster, Cloud County, 17-0.

133 — Kobi Johnson, NIC, p. Johnny Colon, Minnesota North-Itasca, 4:49.

141 — Hunter Bidelman, NIC,  p. Samuel Lemp, Harper, 1:39.

149 — Jermiah Zuniga, NIC, d. Yaveion Freeman, Indian Hills, 4-2.

157 — Porter Craig, NIC, p. Channing Warner, Northeastern, 4:16.

165 — Travis Waldner, NIC, d. Michael Ager, Southwestern Oregon, 4-2.

174 — Conan Northwind, NIC, d. Mac Chambers, Cloud County, 6-1.

184 — Noah Poe-Hatten, NIC, p. Hunter Leonard, Muskegon, :18.

197 — Bradley Whitwright, NIC, p. Bavly Nashed, Gloucester, :17.

285 — Tominiko Takafua, NIC, d. Kazz Hyson, Southeast, 4-1.

Second round

125 — Cater, NIC, d. Kolton Misener, Labette, 4-1.

133 — Paul Ruff, Iowa Western, md. Johnson, NIC, 11-0.

141 — Bidelman, NIC, d. Kyle Lewis, Northeastern, 7-5.

149 — Zuniga, NIC, d. Victor Garcia, Minnesota North-Itasca, 8-1.

157 — Craig, NIC, p. Kace Cook, Niagara, 4:05.

165 — Michael Myers, Iowa Central, d. Waldner, NIC, 2-1.

174 — Northwind, NIC, md. Rice Robins, Muskegon, 13-2.

184 — Chandler Thompson, Snow, d. Poe-Hatten, NIC, 12-7.

197 — Isaac Pearce, Minnesota North-Itasca, p. Whitwright, NIC, 1:09.

285 — Shane Edwards, Southwestern Michigan, md. Takafua, NIC, 12-4.

Quarterfinals

125 — Cater, NIC, p. Joseph Petrone, Nassau, 2:04.

141 — Isaac Church, NIACC, d. Bidelman, 4-2.

157 — Craig, NIC, p. Chris Lopez, Western Wyoming, 4:38.

174 — Northwind, NIC, d. Aiden Cohen, Harper, 8-2.

Consolation bracket

Second round

133 — Johnson, NIC, d. Parker Hayes, Ellsworth, 9-6.

165 — Waldner, NIC, p. Dallas Porter, Ortero, 1:06.

184 — Poe-Hatten, NIC, p. Bryce Goucher, Cowley, 4:44.

197 — Whitwright, NIC, d. Gavin Dodge, Northwest Kansas, 8-2.

285 — Riley Butt, Northeastern, d. Takafua, NIC, 5-1.

Third round

149 — Zuniga, NIC, d. Trevor Reinke, Southeast, 4-3.

165 — Waldner, NIC, p. Varrius Scanlan, Umpqua, 4:42.

184 — Poe-Hatten, NIC, p. Ali Adel, Harper, 7:00.

197 — Whitwright, NIC, d. Martin Prieto, Rochester, 10-3.

Fourth round

141 — River Wardle, Western Wyoming, p. Bidelman, NIC, 1:13.

165 — Cole Price, Iowa Western, p. Waldner, NIC, 5:55.

184 — Poe-Hatten, NIC, p. Jessey Colas, NIACC, 4:51.

197 — Whitright, NIC, md. Geoffrey Freeman, Northeast Oklahoma, 15-4.

    ELI MICHAEL/North Idaho College North Idaho College freshman Elijah Cater takes on Kolton Misener of Labette during the second round of the NJCAA Championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa.