NIACC's Minto, Valdez earn finals berths
COUNCIL BLUFFS - NIACC's Christian Minto and Jose Valdez are heading back to the national finals Saturday night in the Mid-America Center.
Minto, who will be wrestling in his third national final, will be seeking his second national championship at 165 pounds and Valdez will be seeking his first national crown. It is the eighth time in the last nine years that the Trojans have had at least one wrestler in the finals.
The top-ranked Minto (15-0) took a 12-4 major decision from North Idaho's 10th ranked Ledger Petracek in the 165-pound semifinal match Saturday morning. Minto improved his collegiate record to 50-1.
The second-ranked Valdez (16-0) took down Cloud County's third-ranked Zach Ferris in the final seconds to claim a 6-4 victory in the 197-pound semifinal match. Ferris nipped Valdez 3-2 in three extra sessions in the 2021 197-pound national title match.
Minto faces Clackamas' second-ranked Steele Starren in the Saturday night 165-pound title match.
Valdez takes on Iowa Lakes' Massoma Endene in the 197-pound title match Saturday night.
NIACC's Quentrevion Campbell (141) topped Western Wyoming's Caleb Nathan (21-6 technical fall) and placed fifth. Campbell finished the 2021-22 season with a record of 14-3.
NIACC's Deville Dentis (149) does not wrestle his final match and placed sixth. Dentis finished the 2021-22 season with a record of 15-7.
Ein Carlos (174) placed fifth with no match. Carlos finished his freshman season with a record of 8-5.
NIACC's Clarence Lee-Green (133) did not wrestle his final match and placed eighth. Lee-Green finished the 2021-22 season with a record of 14-9.
NIACC enters Saturday night's finals in sixth place in the team standings with 100 points.Clackamas leads with 132.5 points and Iowa Central is in second with 118 points.
