Photo - Austin Lindell
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – After the first day of the 2022 NJCAA Wrestling National Championships, the Jamestown Community College wrestling team is currently tied for 26th place out of 52 participating schools with 12.5 points.
Brendon Ramsey (133 weight class) – 1-2 (Eliminated)
Brendon Ramsey (Panama, NY/Panama Central) got the day off on the right foot, getting the fall over Dagan Sappington of Labette Community College. Ramsey worked Sappington for the first two periods and was able to finish him off at the 5:43 mark. Moving onto the round of 16, Ramsey was faced with the task of taking on the number one seed Caleb Meekins of Indian Hills Community College. Ramsey went toe-to-toe with Meekins but lost a 6-3 decision.
Moving onto the consolation bracket, Ramsey lost his match against Camden Russell of Iowa Western Community College by another 6-3 decision.
Joey Pillittieri (141 weight class) – 1-2 (Eliminated)
Joey Pillittieri (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS) started his day off on a tough note, falling to Michael Barfuss of Cloud County Community College by a 10-4 decision.
Moving onto the consolation bracket, Pillittieri got back in the win column by knocking off the 12th-seeded Jacob Vogel of Minnesota West Community & Technical College. In the next round, Pillittieri fought hard but fell to a 6-5 decision to Ryan Graves of Ellsworth Community College.
James Rankin (149 weight class) - 1-2 (Eliminated)
James Rankin (Cleveland, OH/Garfield HS) also had a tough start to his day, being bested by Rodney Richards of Mott Community College by an 8-5 decision.
Onto the consolation bracket, Rankin found his offense in his match against Andrew Knorr of Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester by a 16-4 major decision. Rankin's day came to an end against the 13th-seeded Troy O'Connor of Middlesex County College in a 16-0 tech. fall.
Ross Abram (174 weight class) – 1-2 (Eliminated)
Ross Abram (Eden, NY/Eden Central) had a thrilling match to start his day, defeating Adam Schulz of Otero Junior College by a 12-10 decision. Abram was trailing the match 10-9 with roughly 30 seconds left in regulation and was able to escape to tie everything up. With 13 seconds left in the match, Abram took his chance and got the takedown.
In the round of 16, Abram fell to the 7th-seed Navarro Nanpuya of North Idaho College by default due to an injury. Abram also medical forfeited in the consolation bracket against Cayden Atkins of Pratt Community College.
Brock Johnson (197 weight class) – 1-2 (Eliminated)
Brock Johnson (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS) had a quick start to his day, getting the fall over Tion Cherry of Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester in the first period. Moving onto the round of 16, Johnson was upended by Seth Seago of Northeast Oklahoma A&M College in the third period via fall.
In the consolation bracket, Johnson got caught in a bad position and was pinned by Isaiah Laguna of Ellsworth Community College in the first period.
Alex Christy (285 weight class) – 1-2 (Eliminated)
Alex Christy (Fredonia, NY/Fredonia HS) received a bye in the first round of competition and waited until the round of 16 to start his day. Christy squared up against Cohle Feliciano of North Idaho College where he was pinned in the closing seconds of the second period.
In the consolation bracket, Christy earned the fall over Sergio Bueno of Ancilla College in the first period. In the next round, Christy fell to Jacob Rahn of Iowa Lakes Community College in the closing seconds of the third period.
Andrew Bungar (157 weight class) – 0-2 (Eliminated)
Andrew Bungar (Hermitage, PA/Hickory HS) had a tall order in the first round, going up against Nolan Miller-Johnston of Iowa Central Community College, falling by a 19-5 major decision. Bungar's day came to an end in the consolation bracket, being best by Julian Jimenez of Muskegon Community College by an 11-5 decision.
The Jayhawks will now await their final placing as a team at the conclusion of tomorrow's championship matches.
