Return to the mat golden for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M; Norsemen win 2014 wrestling title
March 1, 2014
CHAMPIONSHIP HOME – FINAL RESULTS -
The 2013-14 wrestling season marked the return of the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Golden Norsemen after a 20 year hiatus. NEO was serious in re-launching its nationally competitive program and tabbed two-time national champion head coach Joe Renfro with the responsibility of leading a new era of Golden Norsemen wrestling.
Renfro didn’t disappoint.
Thanks to four Golden Norsemen advancing to the finals in their respective weight classes, in addition to a pair of third place finishes, NEO tallied 169 team points to outpace Northwest College (Wyo.) and Clackamas (Ore.) to capture the 2014 NJCAA Wrestling Championship in Spokane, Wash., late Saturday night.
Payne Hatter was the lone individual national champion for the Golden Norsemen, defeating Jared Johnson of Colby (Kan.) with a 6-3 decision in the 174-pound title bout. Josh Walker (125-pounds), Michael Williams (141-pounds) and Zack Dobbins (149-pounds) all finished as national runners-up in their respective weight classes.
Mark Hobson defeated Eleazar DeLuca of Clackamas (Ore.) 6-3 to clinch third place in the 157-pound division for NEO. Evan McGee also took home third place honors, pinning John Griswold of Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) in the heavyweight class.
Shelby Krout (197-pounds) captured fifth place in the 197-pound consolation bracket with an 8-2 decision over Stephon Rudicil of Lincoln (Ill.).
The national title is the first for NEO’s wrestling program, which was a prominent NJCAA wrestling program from 1975-93. Meanwhile, it is the third national championship for Renfro in as many seasons after leading Labette (Kan.) to the 2012 national title and a share of the 2013 championship trophy with North Idaho. He is the just the second head coach in NJCAA wrestling history to lead two colleges to national titles (Rex Branum – Lincoln, Ill. and Lassen, Calif.) and the first to accomplish the feat in back-to-back seasons.
Complete brackets and full team standings can be found by visiting the official website of the 2014 NJCAA Wrestling Championship. The final 10 championship bouts can be seen via video archive on NJCAA TV.
2014 NJCAA Wrestling Championship – Final Top 15 Team Standings
1. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M - 169.0
2. Northwest College, Wyo. - 149.0
3. Clackamas, Ore. - 139.0
4. Colby, Kan. - 84.5
5. Neosho County, Kan. - 83.0
6. North Idaho - 72.0
7. Iowa Central - 66.0
8. Ellsworth, Iowa - 65.5
9. Muskegon, Mich. - 62.0
10. North Iowa Area - 60.0
11. ^Rochester CTC, Minn. - 52.5
12. Iowa Lakes - 51.5
13. Iowa Western - 51.0
14. Lincoln College, Ill. - 50.0
15. Southwestern Oregon - 45.0
^Non-Scholarship Champions
125 Results
1st Place - Alfredo Rodriguez, Iowa Lakes
2nd Place - Josh Walker, NE Oklahoma A&M
3rd Place - Da`Wayne Robertson, Ellsworth
4th Place - Cody Vichi, Northwest
5th Place - Tim Prescott, Neosho County
6th Place - Matthew Nguyen, Southwestern Oregon
7th Place - Jake Bellis, Harper
8th Place - Hunter Price, Colby
1st Place Match
Alfredo Rodriguez (Iowa Lakes ) def. Josh Walker (NE Oklahoma A & M) - Dec 6-1
3rd Place Match
Da`Wayne Robertson (Ellsworth ) def. Cody Vichi (Northwest) - MD 13-5
5th Place Match
Tim Prescott (Neosho County ) def. Matthew Nguyen (Southwestern Oregon )- TF-1.5 6:24
7th Place Match
Jake Bellis (Harper) def. Hunter Price (Colby ) - Fall 6:29
133 Results
1st Place - Cary J Palmer, Clackamas
2nd Place - John Dillon, Mercyhurst
3rd Place - Zachary Cooper, Muskegon
4th Place - Lemuel Johnson, Neosho County
5th Place - Davion Caston, Darton
6th Place - Jake Nicholson, Jamestown
7th Place - Darrell Pampkin, Iowa Central
8th Place - Josh Ailey, NE Oklahoma A&M
1st Place Match
Cary J Palmer (Clackamas ) def. John Dillon (Mercyhurst) - Dec 4-0
3rd Place Match
Zachary Cooper (Muskegon) def. Lemuel Johnson (Neosho County ) - Fall 2:28
5th Place Match
Davion Caston (Darton) def. Jake Nicholson (Jamestown ) - Dec 12-7
7th Place Match
Darrell Pampkin (Iowa Central ) def. Josh Ailey (NE Oklahoma A & M) - SV-1 8-6
141 Results
1st Place - Zac Loveless, Northwest
2nd Place - Michael Williams, NE Oklahoma A&M
3rd Place - Ronald Wells, Colby
4th Place - Joe Munos, Rochester CTC
5th Place - Matt Gay, Southwestern Oregon
6th Place - Robbie Rizzolino, Clackamas
7th Place - Peter Stewart, Iowa Western
8th Place - Zach Wright, Darton
1st Place Match
Zac Loveless (Northwest) def. Michael Williams (NE Oklahoma A & M) - MD 9-0
3rd Place Match
Ronald Wells (Colby )def. Joe Munos (Rochester CTC ) - Dec 3-2
5th Place Match
Matt Gay (Southwestern Oregon ) def. Robbie Rizzolino (Clackamas) - Dec 3-1
7th Place Match
Peter Stewart (Iowa Western) def. Zach Wright (Darton) - MD 11-2
149 Results
1st Place - Nosomy Pozo, North Iowa Area
2nd Place - Zack Dobbins, NE Oklahoma A&M
3rd Place - Jeff McCormick, Northwest
4th Place - Daniel Pak, Gloucester
5th Place - Tyler Nation, Iowa Western
6th Place - Tyler Stenberg, Muskegon
7th Place - Elijah Davis, Northwest Kansas Tech
8th Place - Blake Santi, Harper
1st Place Match
Nosomy Pozo (North Iowa Area) def. Zack Dobbins (NE Oklahoma A&M) - MD 18-6
3rd Place Match
Jeff McCormick (Northwest) def. Daniel Pak (Gloucester) - Dec 3-2
5th Place Match
Tyler Nation (Iowa Western) def. Tyler Stenberg (Muskegon) - Dec 6-3
7th Place Match
Elijah Davis (Northwest Kansas Tech) def. Blake Santi (Harper) - Dec 3-1
157 Results
1st Place - Yoanse Mejias, North Iowa Area
2nd Place - Richie Lewis, Iowa Central
3rd Place - Mark Hobson, NE Oklahoma A & M
4th Place - Eleazar DeLuca, Clackamas
5th Place - Kyle Wade, Nassau
6th Place - Konnor Kriss, Colby
7th Place - Anthony Smith, Darton
8th Place - Greg Jacquez, Harper
1st Place Match
Yoanse Mejias (North Iowa Area) def. Richie Lewis (Iowa Central) - Dec 7-3
3rd Place Match
Mark Hobson (NE Oklahoma A&M) def. Eleazar DeLuca (Clackamas) - Dec 6-3
5th Place Match
Kyle Wade (Nassau) def. Konnor Kriss (Colby) - Dec 12-6
7th Place Match
Anthony Smith (Darton) def. Greg Jacquez (Harper) - Dec 3-2
165 Results
1st Place - Diorian Coleman, Northwest
2nd Place - Calvin Ochs, Colby
3rd Place - Kyle Bateman, Clackamas
4th Place - Ritchie Guillaume, Ellsworth
5th Place - O`shea Smith-Traylor, Neosho County
6th Place - David Frazier, Lincoln
7th Place - Jordan Engen, Northland CTC
8th Place - Ryan Niven, Iowa Central
1st Place Match
Diorian Coleman (Northwest) def. Calvin Ochs (Colby) - Dec 3-1
3rd Place Match
Kyle Bateman (Clackamas) def. Ritchie Guillaume (Ellsworth) - Fall 5:26
5th Place Match
O`shea Smith-Traylor (Neosho County) def. David Frazier (Lincoln) - Inj. 0:00
7th Place Match
Jordan Engen (Northland CTC) def. Ryan Niven (Iowa Central) - Dec 11-8
174 Results
1st Place - Payne Hatter, NE Oklahoma A&M
2nd Place - Jared Johnson, Colby
3rd Place - Garrett Miller, Rochester CTC
4th Place - Brandon Sorenson, Iowa Lakes
5th Place - Cole McArthur, Northwest
6th Place - Derrick Booth, North Idaho
7th Place - Cody Carson, Pratt
8th Place - Thomas Daniels, North Iowa Area
1st Place Match
Payne Hatter (NE Oklahoma A&M) def. Jared Johnson (Colby )- Dec 6-3
3rd Place Match
Garrett Miller (Rochester CTC) def. Brandon Sorenson (Iowa Lakes) - Fall 5:15
5th Place Match
Cole McArthur (Northwest) def. Derrick Booth (North Idaho) - Dec 5-1
7th Place Match
Cody Carson (Pratt ) def. Thomas Daniels (North Iowa Area) - Forfeit
184 Results
1st Place - Adrian Salas, Clackamas
2nd Place - Matt Hurford, Ellsworth
3rd Place - Miles Nixon, Northwest
4th Place - Tyler White, Labette
5th Place - Austin Warren, Neosho County
6th Place - Brandon Riggins, Springfield Tech
7th Place - Kolbjorn Skaflestad, Southwestern Oregon
8th Place - Caleb Cotter, NE Oklahoma A & M
1st Place Match
Adrian Salas (Clackamas) def. Matt Hurford (Ellsworth) - Fall 3:00
3rd Place Match
Miles Nixon (Northwest) def. Tyler White (Labette) - Dec 9-3
5th Place Match
Austin Warren (Neosho County) def. Brandon Riggins (Springfield Tech) - Inj. 0:00
7th Place Match
Kolbjorn Skaflestad (Southwestern Oregon) def. Caleb Cotter (NE Oklahoma A&M) - Dec 7-5
197 Results
1st Place - Vj Giulio, North Idaho
2nd Place - Jonathan Wixom, Northwest
3rd Place - Ihoghama Odighizuwa, Clackamas
4th Place - Donavan Fouchey, Muskegon
5th Place - Shelby Krout, NE Oklahoma A & M
6th Place - Stephon Rudicil, Lincoln
7th Place - Michael Amaro, Bergen
8th Place - Dillon Archer, Neosho County
1st Place Match
Vj Giulio (North Idaho) def. Jonathan Wixom (Northwest) - Fall 1:29
3rd Place Match
Ihoghama Odighizuwa (Clackamas) def. Donavan Fouchey (Muskegon) - MD 10-0
5th Place Match
Shelby Krout (NE Oklahoma A&M) def. Stephon Rudicil (Lincoln) - Dec 8-2
7th Place Match
Michael Amaro (Bergen) def. Dillon Archer (Neosho County) - MD 14-2
285 Results
1st Place - Dequence Goodman, Lincoln
2nd Place - Malcolm Allen, Iowa Central
3rd Place - Evan McGee, NE Oklahoma A&M
4th Place - John Griswold, Spartanburg Methodist
5th Place - Chris Schleuger, Iowa Western
6th Place - Taylor Kornoely, North Idaho
7th Place - Alex Yeager, Itasca
8th Place - Brandon Johnson, Clackamas
1st Place Match
Dequence Goodman (Lincoln) def. Malcolm Allen (Iowa Central) - Dec 4-3
3rd Place Match
Evan McGee (NE Oklahoma A&M) def. John Griswold (Spartanburg Methodist) - Fall 3:00
5th Place Match
Chris Schleuger (Iowa Western) def. Taylor Kornoely (North Idaho) - Fall 3:13
7th Place Match
Alex Yeager (Itasca) def. Brandon Johnson (Clackamas) - Fall 2:33
AWARDS
NJCAA Wrestling Man of the Year
Bob Purcell, Minnesota West CTC
NJCAA Academic Team of the Year
GPA of 3.49 – Highline, Wash.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Jose Medina, former Triton and University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestler
Matt Lindland, former Clackamas and University of Nebraska wrestler and Olympic athlete
Kenny Rucker, former North Idaho and Montana State Univ. wrestler
Pat Whitcomb, former North Idaho, Oklahoma University, and Western Montana wrestler and four-time NJCAA championship head coach at North Idaho
Ernest Gould Outstanding Wrestler Award
VJ Giulio, North Idaho (197-pounds)
Bruce Traphagen Fall Award
Chris Schleuger, Iowa Western (285-pounds)
Joseph Rockenbach Sportsmanship Award
Zach Loveless, Northwest, Wyo. (141-pounds)
Non-Scholarship Coach of the Year
Randy Rager, Rochester CTC, Minn.
Scholarship Coach of the Year
Joe Renfro, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M