Complete Results

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Led by the efforts of Curtis Blaydes (Chicago, Ill., De La Salle), Chris Gonzalez (Chicago Heights, Ill., Bloom Trail) and Charles Argue (Chicago, Ill., Mount Carmel), the Harper College wrestling team took eighth place at the NJCAA Nationals.  The Hawks scored 58.5 points to finish in second place in terms of non-scholarship schools, trailing only Nassau Community College.  Labette Community College won the meet with 161.5 points.  In all, there were 43 schools represented.

Blaydes, who lost only one match all season, capped off a dominant year with a national championship in the heavyweight division.  The first-year wrestler won four matches to outlast 24 other qualifiers in his division.  Blaydes defeated Jordan Heiderman of Iowa Western Community College 19-4, Lance Moore of Niagara County Community College 10-7, Matt Wyss of Iowa Lakes Community College 8-5 in the semifinals and Trey Page of Labette 6-5 in the finals.

Along with Blaydes, Gonzalez and Argue earned All-American honors courtesy of eighth place finishes at 157 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively.  Gonzalez pinned Iowa Western's Chase Dunlap in the opening round but lost his second round match to the eventual national champion, Labette's Devin Aquirre.  Gonzalez recovered to win his next three matches to work his way through the loser's bracket.  Argue dropped his first match of the tournament but won his next four before losing his final two.