COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – It was another successful season in the books.
In the second year of the program, the Barton wrestlers finished 23rd at the NJCAA Championships over the weekend at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Barton was not able to earn any All-American on the weekend, as three wrestlers came up just a win shy of that status.
Brix Brickey, David Kelly, and Sean Taborsky all came up just one win short of a top eight finish and earning All-American honors.
Brickey, wrestling as the No. 7 seed at 285, made it to the quarterfinals in the championship bracket before losing to the top seed. Thomas Peterson of Iowa Central sent Brickey to the consolation bracket with a 21-7 win.
In the consolation bracket Brickey lost a heart-breaker to Stephen Boone of Iowa Central by a 2-1 decision. The difference in the match proved to be riding time. Brickey got an escape with 27 seconds left but wasn’t able to get a takedown to earn the win.
Kelly earned the No. 4 seed at 174 after winning district qualifier last weekend. That earned him a bye in the opening round but in the second round matched up with No. 7 seeded Adrian Lyons-Lopez of Southwestern Oregon. Lyons-Lopez sent Kelly to the consolation bracket with a fall 2:51 into the match.
Kelly won 7-0 and 9-0 decisions in the consolation bracket before losing a 12-3 decision to Tyree Overton of Lincoln to end his tournament a round short of the top eight.
The other Cougar to miss the top eight by one match was Sean Taborsky at 149. Taborsky won his opening round match before losing to No. 8 Nate Skoniecdzny of Jamestown, where he lost by technical fall.
Taborsky wrestled his way back to the brink of an All-American with a win by fall and a 9-6 decision. But in the Consolation 8 second round, he lost a 15-4 decision to Anthony Hinkle of Otero to end his weekend.
Two more Cougar wrestlers won the their first round matches. Kendall Biddle won by fall in 1:44 over Kyle Mock of Nassau but lost a tough 4-2 sudden victory decision to Tucker Black of North Iowa in the second round. In the consolation bracket, Biddle lost a medical forfeit.
Ethan Dean won his 197 first round match by fall in 1:05 over Jose Suarez of Triton before losing by fall to No. 8 Cedrick Stephens of Nassau. After picking up a bye in his first consolation match, Dean lost a technical fall decision to end his tournament.
Barton other four wrestlers were not able to pick up a win on the mat at the Championships.

Barton Individuals
133 – Caysen Smith
First Round – Dsean DeShazer (NEO) won by 3-2 decision over Smith
Cons 16 Rd 1 – Bryson Beard (North Idaho) won 19-0 tech fall over Smith

141 – Isaac Bailey
First Round – Christian Kanzler (Lincoln) won 16-0 tech fall over Bailey
Cons 16 Rd 1 – Bailey received a bye
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Dylan Elmore (Harper) won by fall (1:57) over Bailey

149 – Sean Taborsky
First Round – Taborsky (Barton) won 9-5 decision over Leo Kerfeld (Ridgewater)
Second Round - #8 Nate Skonieczny (Jamestown) won 23-8 tech fall over Taborsky
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Taborsky won by fall (2:50) over Jaycob Bechtol (Miskegon)
Cons 8 Rd 1 – Taborsky won 9-6 decision over Charles Bramble (Camden County)
Cons 8 Rd 2 – Anthony Hinkle (Otero) won 15-4 major decision over Taborsky

157 – Christian Rivas
First Round – Chris Root (Lincoln) won 12-0 major decision over Rivas
Cons 16 Rd 1 – Rivas received a bye
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Cameron Braden (Northwest) won by fall (4:13) over Rivas

165 – Kendall Biddle
First Round – Biddle won by fall (1:44) over Kyle Mock (Nassau)
Second Round – Tucker Black (North Iowa) won 4-2 SV over Biddle
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Shaylan Loomis (Lincoln) won by medical forfeit over Biddle

174 – David Kelly, Fourth Seed
First Round – #4 Kelly received a bye
Second Round – #7 Adrian Lyons-Lopez (SW Oregon) won by fall (2:51) over #4 Kelly
Cons 16 Rd 2 – #4 Kelly won 7-0 decision over Ryan Kottschade (Rochester)
Cons 8 Rd 1 – #4 Kelly won 9-0 decision over Ryan Sabesta (Niagara County)
Cons 8 Rd 2 – Tyree Overton (Lincoln) won 12-3 major decision over #4 Kelly

184 – Devon Baker
First Round – Mario Luevano (Highland) won 12-4 major decision over Baker
Con 16 Rd 1 – Baker received a bye
Cons 16 Rd 2 – #2 Tristian Ramberg (Labette) won 16-0 tech fall over Baker

197 – Ethan Dean
First Round – Dean won by fall (1:05) over Jose Suarez (Triton)
Second Round – #8 Cedrick Stephens (Nassau) won by fall (3:31) over Dean
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Dean received a bye
Cons 16 Rd 2 – Joshua Wessels (Highline) won 16-1 tech fall over Dean

285 – Brix Brickey, Seventh Seed
First Round – #7 Bricky won 2-0 decision over Cayelon Barton (Iowa Lakes)
Second Round – #7 Brickey won 4-2 decision over Jonathan Solorazano (Nassau)
Quarterfinals – #1 Thomas Peterson (Iowa Central) won 21-7 major decision over #7 Brickey
Cons 8 Rd 2 – Stephen Boone (Iowa Western) won 2-1 decision over #7 Brickey