Kearney, Neb. – The top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team advanced its entire starting lineup into the finals at the 2021 NCAA Super Region VI Championships Sunday night in Grand Junction, Colo.
The Lopers scored 121.50 points to win this meet for a third straight year. This also marks UNK’s 17th region title since 2000. To reach that Kearney went a combined 24-5 on the day, winning its first 15 matches.
The criteria for reaching the NCAA Championships changed this year due to the on-going pandemic. This region was slotted 17 spots for nationals which are March 12-13 in St. Louis. The 10 weight class winners advance with seven of the runners up moving on as well. The seven head coaches determined the “wild cards” at the conclusion of the meet.
UNK went 5-5 in the finals and capped the long day with a win in a “true” second place match. Atop the awards stand this year is Lincoln senior Wesley Dawkins (133 lbs.), Pennsylvania senior Jacob Wasser (157 lbs.), Kansas junior Terrell Garraway (174 lbs.), Kearney sophomore Lee Herrington (285 lbs.), and Kearney redshirt freshman Nick James (141 lbs.). Dawkins and Wasser both repeat as regions champions. Coming in second in their respective class was Iowa seniors Matt Malcom (165 lbs.) and Josh Portillo (125 lbs.), Colorado senior Sam Turner (149 lbs.), Kansas junior Austin Eldredge (184 lbs.) and Seward redshirt freshman Joseph Reimers (184 lbs.).
The unranked Herrington had the toughest route to first, beating fourth-ranked Weston Hunt (Colorado Mines) and sixth-ranked Gavin Nye (CSU-Pueblo) in the semifinals and finals. After a 2-1 decision over Hunt, Herrington broke a 2-2 tie with a takedown and then stuck Nye at 4:32. Dawkins was the most dominant Loper on the day, having two falls and a 10-5 decision. He pinned Western Colorado’s Patrick Allis at 2:59 to defend his crown. James followed at 141 pounds with a tech fall and two decisions. He got out to a 5-0 lead late in the second period to down Danial Magana of Colorado Mesa, 5-1, in the finals.
Wasser rode Carter Noehre of Mines the entire second period en route to some riding time and a 3-2 semifinal victory. He then scored an early takedown and built close to three minutes of riding time in a blanking of Western Colorado’s Ryan Wilson in the title match. The final UNK winner was Garraway who avenged a 2020 regional loss to Sean Latham of Mesa. He used a second period escape to tie things at one and then took Latham down with 26 seconds to win.
Portillo was poised for a 6-0 win in the 125-pound finals but fourth-ranked Isaiah De La Cerda managed a last second fall instead. Portillo bounced back to easily win his true second place match. Turner also suffered some last second heart break as fourth-ranked Noah Hermosillo of Adams used a last second stalling point to force extra time. A late scramble by Turner could’ve resulted in points but a video challenge didn’t change the score. Late in the first sudden victory period Hermosillo got a late takedown to win. That also was reviewed.
Finally, Malcom lost to Fred Green of Mesa in the regional finals for a second straight year with Eldredge and Reimers falling behind early in their championship matches. Green won thanks to two reversals while Eldredge and Reimers each had a bonus point win on the day.
NCAA DII Super Regional VI Results for Neb.-Kearney
125 lbs. – #2 Josh Portillo (10-3) placed 2nd and scored 11.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Josh Portillo 9-3 won by tech fall over Darian Palacio (WCU) (TF-1.5 4:41 (15-0)
- Semifinal – Josh Portillo won by major dec. over Christian Lopez (Colo. Sch. of Mines) (MD 10-2)
- 1st Place Match – #4 Isaiah De La Cerda (Adams St.) won by fall over Josh Portillo (Fall 6:32)
- 2nd Place Match – Josh Portillo won by decision over Cian Apple (Colo. Mesa) (Dec 8-1)
133 lbs. – #3 Wesley Dawkins (11-2) placed 1st and scored 16.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Wesley Dawkins won by fall over Devin Lueck (Colorado St.-Pueblo) (Fall 1:05)
- Semifinal – Wesley Dawkins won by decision over Collin Metzgar (Colorado Mesa) (Dec 10-5)
- 1st Place Match – Wesley Dawkins won by fall over Patrick Allis (Western Colo.) (Fall 2:59)
141 lbs. – # 11 Nick James (13-1) placed 1st and scored 13.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Nick James won by tech fall over Andy Sansburn (CSU-Pueblo) (TF-1.5 5:13 (18-0)
- Semifinal – Nick James won by decision over Angel Flores (Adams St.) (Dec 5-2)
- 1st Place Match – Nick James won by decision over Danial Magana (Colorado Mesa) (Dec 5-1)
149 lbs. – #5 Sam Turner (8-3) placed 2nd and scored 9.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Sam Turner received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Sam Turner won by decision over #10 Gavin Melendez (CSU-Pueblo) (Dec 1-0)
- 1st Place Match – #4 Noah Hermosillo (Adams St.) won in SV- 1 over Sam Turner (SV-1 7-5)
- 2nd Place Match – Sam Turner won by no contest over Gavin Melendez
157 lbs. – #5 Jacob Wasser (8-1) placed 1st and scored 12.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Jacob Wasser received a bye
- Semifinal – Jacob Wasser won by decision over Carter Noehre (Colo. Sch. of Mines) (Dec 3-2)
- 1st Place Match – Jacob Wasser won by decision over Ryan Wilson (Western Colo.) (Dec 4-0)
165 lbs. – #1 Matt Malcom (12-1) placed 2nd and scored 12.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Matt Malcom won by tech fall over Hayden Johnson (WCU) (TF-1.5 2:56 (16-0)
- Semifinal – Matt Malcom won by tech fall over Skyler Lykins (Colo. Mines) (TF-1.5 5:25 (15-0)
- 1st Place Match – #4 Fred Green (Colorado Mesa) won by decision over Matt Malcom (Dec 5-3)
- 2nd Place Match – Matt Malcom won by no contest over Skyler Lykins
174 lbs. – #6 Terrell Garraway (10-3) placed 1st and scored 12.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Terrell Garraway received a bye
- Semifinal – Terrell Garraway won by decision over Gavin Davy (Adams St.) (Dec 8-4)
- 1st Place Match – Terrell Garraway won by decision over Seth Latham (Colorado Mesa) (Dec 3-1)
184 lbs. – #10Austin Eldredge (13-1) placed 2nd and scored 10.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Austin Eldredge won by tech fall over Joseph Renner (Chadron) (TF-1.5 2:32 (18-2)
- Semifinal – Austin Eldredge won by decision over #6 Nolan Krone (Colorado Mesa) (Dec 6-5)
- 1st Place Match – #4 Anderson Salisbury (Mines) won by decision over Austin Eldredge (Dec 8-2)
- 2nd Place Match – Austin Eldredge won by no contest over Nolan Krone
197 lbs. – # 6 Joseph Reimers (12-2) placed 2nd and scored 11.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Joseph Reimers won by decision over Kris Davis (Western Colo.) (Dec 9-6)
- Semifinal – Joseph Reimers won by fall over Eli Hinojosa (Chadron St.) (Fall 4:17)
- 1st Place Match – #12 Donald Negus (Colo Mesa) won by decision over Joseph Reimers (Dec 5-3)
- 2nd Place Match – Joseph Reimers won by no contest over Eli Hinojosa
285 lbs. – Lee Herrington (9-5) placed 1st and scored 14.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Lee Herrington won by decision over Mason Watt (Chadron St.) (Dec 4-1)
- Semifinal – Lee Herrington won by decision over #4 Weston Hunt (Colo. Sch. of Mines) (Dec 2-1)
- 1st Place Match – Lee Herrington won by fall over #7 Gavin Nye (Colorado St.-Pueblo) (Fall 4:32
