NJCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP: Craig takes third as Cardinals slip to sixth at nationals
ELLI MICHAEL/North Idaho College North Idaho College freshman Porter Craig has his hand raised after finishing third in the 157-pound class at the NJCAA Championships on Saturday at the Mid-American Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
ELLI MICHAEL/North Idaho College North Idaho College head wrestling coach Derrick Booth shouts instructions to Porter Craig during his third-place match at 157 pounds at the NJCAA Tournament at the Mid-American Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Saturday.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Freshman Porter Craig, who won a state 5A wrestling title at Coeur d'Alene High in 2021, was the top local finisher for North Idaho College on Saturday, taking third at 157-pounds at the NJCAA Championships at the Mid-American Center.
NIC freshman Conan Northwind (174 pounds) and sophomore Bradley Whitwright (197) were fourth for the Cardinals, who finished sixth with 110 points.
Western Wyoming of Rock Springs repeated as national champion with 161 points.
Other NIC All-Americans were freshman Elijah Cater (sixth at 125), freshman Noah Poe-Hatten (seventh at 184) and freshman Jermiah Zuniga (eighth at 149).
Clackamas, which was tied with NIC for fourth after the first day, finished fourth with 134 points.
TEAM SCORES (Top 15) — 1, Western Wyoming 161. 2, Iowa Central 139.5. 3, Pratt 134.5. 4, Clackamas 134. 5, Iowa Western 123.5. 6, North Idaho 110. 7, Indian Hills 92.5. 8, Rochester 86. 9, Northwest 82.5. 10, Southeast 75.5. 11, Labette 74. 12, Carl Albert State 71. 13, Northwest Kansas 68. 14, NIACC 66.5. 15, Nassau 64.
NIC RESULTS
Championship bracket
Placing matches
Championship matches
No locals qualified.
Third-place
157 — Porter Craig, NIC, d. Chris Lopez, Western Wyoming, 6-3.
174 — Lawrence Rosario, Iowa Central, tf. Conan Northwind, NIC, 18-3.
197 — Connor Lorden, Harper, d. Bradley Whitwright, NIC, 8-5.
Fifth-place
125 — Joseph Petrone, Nassau, p. Elijah Cater, NIC, 6:36.
Seventh-place
149 —Caeleb Ishmael, Southwestern MIchigan, d. Jermiah Zuniga, NIC, 9-3.
184 — Noah Poe-Hatten, NIC, d. Chandler Thompson, Snow, 7-4.
Semifinals
125 — Ane’e Vigil, Clackamas, d. Cater, NIC, 4-1.
157 — Kristopher Ketchum, Nassau, tf. Craig, NIC, 17-0.
174 — Isaac White, Southeast, d. Northwind, NIC, 5-2.
Consolation bracket
Semifinals
125 — Kaden Spragis, Pratt, d. Cater, NIC, 3-0.
149 — Cohen Wiste, Rochester, p. Zuniga, NIC, 2:30.
157 ― Craig, NIC, p. Noah Smith, Carl Albert State, 2:50.
174 — Northwind, NIC, d. Paul Ortiz, Clackamas, 12-6.
ELLI MICHAEL/North Idaho College North Idaho College head wrestling coach Derrick Booth shouts instructions to Porter Craig during his third-place match at 157 pounds at the NJCAA Tournament at the Mid-American Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Saturday.