Photo - Kareem O'Brian

JAMESTOWN - For the second season in a row, your Jamestown Community College wrestling places second at the Northeast District Wrestling Championships, finishing with 79 points.

The Jayhawks will be sending seven wrestlers to the 2022 NJCAA Wrestling National Championships held at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA on Friday, March 5-6. The wrestlers who will be dawning the green and gold on the national stage is 133 pounder Brendon Ramsey (Panama, NY/Panama Central), 141 pounder Joey Pillittieri (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS), 149 pounder James Rankin (Cleveland, OH/Garfield Heights), 157 pounder Andrew Bungar (Hermitage, PA/Hickory HS), 174 pounder Ross Abram (Eden, NY/Eden Central), 197 pounder Brock Johnson (Falconer, NY/Falconer HS), and 285 pounder Alex Christy (Fredonia, NY/Fredonia HS).

Rankin got the Jayhawks their first first-place finisher on the afternoon, who received a bye in the first round. In the championship match, Rankin faced Nik Voelker of Niagara County Community College. Rankin did what he had to do, grinding out a 4-2 decision victory.

Abram kept the momentum going, picking up a quick fall over Justin Halbert of SUNY Ulster, needing 48 seconds to do so in the semifinals match. Moving onto the championship match, Abram kept things moving, defeating Warren McDougald of Niagara County Community College by an 8-0 major decision victory.

Johnson was the third Jayhawks to place first and started the journey with a fall over Matt Ash of Niagara County Community College, doing so in 3:43 in the semifinals match. In the championship match, Johnson seemed to be behind the eight ball against Isaiah Lee of Nassau Community College. In the second period, Lee looked to get the fall but a quick reversal by Johnson put him into position to get the fall. Johnson did just that, getting the win at the 4:19 mark.

Christy capped off the first-place finishers for JCC, receiving a bye into the championship match. Christy faced a familiar foe in Ameer Ladd of Niagara County Community College. Christy held his composure throughout the match, earning the 1-0 decision victory.

Other Jayhawks who received automatic berths into nationals were second-place finishers of Ramsey and Pillittieri. Bungar received a wild card berth into the big dance.

Hunter Teboe placed third in the 184 pound class with De'Aonte Hutchinson (Baltimore, MD/Edgewood HS) and Michael Babbage placing fourth in their respective weight classes.

Rankin, Abram, Johnson, and Christy were also named to the NJCAA Region 3 All-Region Team, placing the highest in thier respective weight class throughout the region.

The seven national qualifiers will now train before making their way to Iowa at the beginning of March.