Wrestling action resumes today
COUNCIL BLUFFS - Three NIACC wrestlers will compete on day two of the NJCAA Division I national tournament Saturday at the Mid-America Center.
NIACC's 285-pounder Zach Santee faces Northeast Oklahoma A&M's top-ranked Antonio Andrade in Saturday's semifinals.
Santee(13-11) pinned Northwest Kansas' Elwin Trejo in four minutes, 58 seconds in the quarterfinals on Friday night.
Andrade pinned Santee in 3:00 at the University of Nebraska-Kearney duals in January.
Santee entered the national tournament below .500 with a record of 10-11 but the former Central Springs' standout is now one win from wrestling for a national title. Santee upset Western Wyoming's fifth-ranked Landon Brown 3-2 in the first round and pinned Triton's Christopher Colvin in the second round.
Heading into Saturday's sessions, NIACC is in 13th place with 35 points.
NIACC's Brock Luthens (133) and Tony Mendoza (149) stayed alive in the consolation round Friday night and guaranteed themselves all-American honors. Mendoza (21-7) dropped his opening round match and won four straight consolation matches to advance to Saturday's consolation quarterfinals.
Luthens (12-8) faces Iowa Western's Jacob Ruiz in the consolation quarterfinals.
Luthens and Ruiz split a pair of matches earlier this season. Ruiz won 11-4 in a dual meet and Luthens topped Ruiz 4-2 at the district tournament.
Mendoza, who is ranked sixth, takes on Barton's Kolby Drogenmeier in his 149-pound consolation match.
The championship semifinals and consolation quarterfinals are set for 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
