Full Harper Results
2016 NJCAA Wrestling District Championship Team Results/National Qualifiers
Photo Gallery
PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College wrestling team hosted the 2016 NJCAA Wrestling Midwest District Championship on Sunday in the Wellness & Sports Center. The Hawks finished runner-up as a team to fifth-ranked Muskegon Community College but had four individual champions and eight qualifiers for the 2015-2016 NJCAA Wrestling Championship.
Harper's four individual champions were Zach McCullough (Elgin, Ill. /Elgin), Jimmy Knapp (Bourbonnais, Ill. /Bradley-Bourbonnais), Cory Pych (/South Elgin), and Cody Barnes (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock ). Knapp, who wrestled at 141 pounds, earned Tournament MVP honors.
The Hawks scored 78 points in the meet, behind only Muskegon (97 points). Triton College placed third with 52 points, and Lincoln College took fourth with 50 points.
Here are the eight wrestlers who qualified for nationals:
Ian Mullen (McHenry, Ill. /McHenry West)-Third Place, 125 Pounds, Wild Card
Mullen lost a narrow 5-4 decision to Triton's James Gallardo in a semifinal match. In the third place match, Mullen defeated Lincoln's Kaevahn Pendelton convincingly with a 20-3 tech fall win.
Zach McCullough (Elgin, Ill. /Elgin)-First Place, 133 Pounds
The sophomore won both of his matches to take first place. He bested Triton College's Justice Parker 9-3 and then topped Muskegon's Zane Corey, 5-1.
Jimmy Knapp (Bourbonnais, Ill. /Bradley-Bourbonnais)-First Place, 141 Pounds, Tournament MVP
Knapp dominated the 141-pound weight class on Sunday. He pinned Lincoln's Jamie Valdez at the 4:37 mark on their semifinal match to set up a finals showdown with Triton's Mike Malles. The freshman wrestled another outstanding match in the title match as he picked up a 17-3 major decision over his opponent.
Cory Pych (/South Elgin)-First Place, 149 Pounds
The sophomore prevailed in two low-scoring matches to take first place in his weight class. He topped Pedro Martinez of Triton, 4-1, in the semifinals. He followed that win up with a 5-3 triumph over Adam Kehr of Muskegon in the first place match.
John Makey (Grayslake, Ill. /Grayslake Central )-Third Place, 165 Pounds, Wild Card
Makey battled with Tyree Overton in the semifinals at 165 but lost a close one, 7-4. However, the freshman rebounded in the third place match with a 7-1 win over Triton's Derek Horine.
Tamchybai Turusbekov (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan/Northeast)-Second Place, 174 Pounds
Turusbekov wrestled his way to the championship match with a 5-2 semifinal win over Lincoln's Jimique Davis. In the finals, he lost 21-6 to Muskegon's Devan Richter and settled for second place
Cody Barnes (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock )-First Place, 197 Pounds
Despite wrestling in limited matches this season, Barnes did not disappoint. The freshman won by fall in 2:33 over Kyle Eighner of Lincoln College to reach the first place match. Barnes and Baker Hadwan of Muskegon wrestled into overtime before Barnes emerged with a 6-4 victory.
Kameran Hardwick (Roselle, Ill. /Lake Park)-Second Place, 285 Pounds
The sophomore defeated Muskegon's Jon Morris in the semifinal match, 5-1. In the finals against Triton's Robert Carson, Hardwick fought hard but lost a 6-1 decision.
These eight Hawks wrestlers will compete at the 2015-16 NJCAA Wrestling Championship Feb. 26-28 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Iowa Western Community College is the host school. Find all the information for nationals by clicking here.
