JAMESTOWN – After a solid week of training and hitting the road west, the No. 19 Jamestown Community College wrestling team will be taking seven wrestlers to compete in the 2022 NJCAA Wrestling National Championships at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
"This is why we compete all season long," said head coach Kris Schimek. "The journey is not done yet. Getting here is an accomplishment but our guys have bigger goals once the week is over."
The Jayhawks have three wrestlers who will be making the trip back to Council Bluffs including the 157-pounder Andrew Bungar (Hermitage, PA/Hickory HS), 174-pounder Ross Abram (Eden, NY/Eden Central), and heavyweight Alex Christy (Fredonia, NY/Fredonia HS).
"This year bolds well for our returners," Schimek said. "Last year with the whole COVID-19 situation, we didn't compete in invitationals or opens where our guys would wrestle up to three or four times throughout the day. Not doing that and then having to wrestle three or four times in a day at nationals, that's a tough ask. This year our guys are feeling god and are in the right mind set.
Bungar will bring an overall record of 4-10, making nationals with a wild card bid. Bungar is set to take on the second seeded Nolan Miller-Johnston out of Region 11 Iowa Central Community College.
Abram breezed his way into nationals, winning the Northeast District Championship in his weight class and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Abram, who was also named to the Region 3 All-Region Team and will be the 10th seed in the tournament, will take his 19-5 record up against Adam Schulz out of Region 9 Otero Junior College.
Christy also won his weight class at the Northeast District Championships and was named to the Region 3 All-Region Team with an overall record of 19-11. The 11th-seeded Christy will receive a bye in the first round and will face the winner of Ibrahim Ameer of Region 6 Cloud County Community College and the six-seeded Cohle Feliciano of Region 18 North Idaho College.
When it comes to first-time national qualifiers, the field consists of 133-pounder Brendon Ramsey (Panama, NY/Panama Central), 141-pounder Joey Pillittieri (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS), 149-pounder James Rankin (Cleveland, OH/Garfield Heights), and 197-pounder Brock Johnson (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS).
"This group of guys have grown tremendously over the course of the season," said Schimek. "These guys, like any incoming freshmen, needed work because college wrestling is a different beast compared to high school wrestling. These guys have bought in to what myself and coaching staff have implemented."
Ramsey accumulated an overall record of 8-13 and received the 16th seed in the tournament. Ramsey will face Dagan Sappington of Region 6 Labette Community College.
Moving onto the 141 pound weight class, Pillittieri has had a solid first season on the mat, accumulating an overall record of 24-9 to earn the fifth seed. Pillittieri will face Michael Barfuss out of Region 6 Cloud County Community College.
Rankin has also had a solid season thus far, winning the Northeast District Championship and was being named to the Region 3 All-Region Team with an overall record of 13-11. Rankin, who is the 14th seed in his weight class, will face Rodney Richards of Region 12 Mott Community College.
Last but not least, Brock Johnson was rewarded the 14th seed after winning the Northeast District Championship and was named to the Region 3 All-Region Team. Johnson, who has an overall record of 13-11, will face Tion Cherry of Region 19 Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester.
Action will start tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m.
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