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    Johnnie Johnson •

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    A look at key matchups at the NJCAA Championships

    SPOKANE, Wash. -- Right off the bat during the first preliminary round at the 2014 NJCAA Wrestling Championships we have a match up at 141 pounds with implications for the top teams battling for the title. No. 2 Terrance McKinney (North Idaho) versus No. 5 Michael Williams (NEO) and third-ranked Zac Loveless (NW Wyoming) against 11th-ranked Mike Stewart (Ellsworth). The fourth and fifth-ranked wrestlers at 149 pounds will also clash first round with Josh Romero of Highline taking on Tyler Stenberg of Muskegon. Second-ranked Ben Goodwin Minnesota West will face Jarred Johnson of Colby at 174. Also during the first round at 174, fifth-ranked Thomas Daniels of NIACC draws local favorite Derrick Booth of NIC. Another local wrestler at 285, eighth-ranked Brandon Johnson of Clackamas will grapple with No. 9 Lavontae Cobb of Harper.

    During the second preliminary round there is also a series of key matchups with both individual and team title implications. Granted, upsets happen and NJCAA wrestling is one of the most difficult division to rank and seed, but if the ranking are true to form, some of the top second-round preliminary matchups include: 125: No. 3 Cody Vichi NW of Wyoming vs. Leslie Williams of Lincoln, and a No. 1 vs No. 4 in the prelims with definite title implications when No. 1 Josh Walker of NEO vs. No. 4 Stevan Knoblauch of Clackamas, and No. 7 Mathew Nguyen of SW Oregon goes against No. 9 Jake Bells of Harper.

    A pair of matchups at 133 during the second round pit No. 2 Lemuel Johnson of Neosho vs. No. 7 Ian Clevenger of Southern Methodist and No. 3 Zachary Cooper of Muskegon vs NIC's Bryce Weatherspoon. No. 3 Zac Loveless of NW Wyoming will tango Muskegon's No. 6 Cody Stenberg, and No. 8 Robbie Rizzolino of Clackamas vs. Blake Tisza of Harper, all at 141.

    Jeff McCormick of NW Wyoming was ranked second at 157, but has since dropped to 149 and in not ranked in the most recent NJCAA poll. However, you may see Jeff McCormick of NW Wyoming and No. 1 Jeremy Golding of North Idaho battle in the finals for the title at 149 as they are on opposite sides of the bracket. Until that time, McCormick of NW will wrestle No. 9 Nosomy Pozo of NIACC second round.

    A 157-pound prelim matchup is possible with No. 3 Yoanse Mejias of NIACC vs. another NIC Cardinal, Nico Moreno, ranked sixth. 165 pounds has the possibility of four matchups of ranked wrestlers during the second prelim round. The possible 165 battles include No. 2 Ritchie Guillaume of Ellsworth vs. NW's Diorian Coleman, ranked fifth, No. 4 O'Shea Smith-Traylor of Neosho vs. No. 10 Adam Dejesus of Nassau, No. 7 Sha-Keno Jenkins of NIACC vs. No. 11 Kyle Bateman for the Cougars, and No. 8 Jordan Engen of Northland against another NIC wrestler Tyler McLean of North Idaho, ranked 11th. 184 has the last second round matchup with ranked wrestlers to include top-ranked Adrian Salas of Clackamas and Mike Romaneli of Harper. A quarterfinal update of matchups will follow.
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