Four Plainsmen Finish Season At National Tournament
Four Northeastern wrestlers would finish their year off by competing at the NJCAA National Tournament in Council Bluffs, IA. Collin Metzgar, Deron Solomon, Justin Anderson, and Sammy Eckhart would all earn a berth at the National Tournament, which in itself is an accomplishment. With everything coming to this tournament, all participants wanted to do their best and try to place.
Collin Metzgar would start the tournament by facing against an opponent from Niagra. Metzgar would not be able to have his way and would lose this first match by a decision of 20-10. Being that the tournament is double elimination, he needed to get this one in order to keep his chances alive. Metzgar would try his best, but he could not seem to find his rhythm and would be defeated by decision again 9-3.
Deron Solomon would wrestle in the 157 division, and would not finish how he wanted to. His first match he would face an opponent from St. Clair and would be defeated in an 11-3 decision. In his next match, he would have better luck against a guy from Triton by being able to score more, but was ultimately defeated with an 8-5 decision.
In the 141 division, Sammy Eckhart would start rough, but then would have himself a nice tournament. Eckhart first match would be against a wrestler from Pratt, who would prove to be a tough matchup. Eckhart would try to get the Pratt opponent in a position to score, but was always defended, and would lose in a 7-2 decision. Eckhart knew he needed to start wrestling with a vengeance in order to make it to the placing rounds. His next match against an Ulster opponent, Eckhart would pin him. Following that match, he would get another pin, which would pair him up against a familiar foe. His next opponent was from Western Wyoming, who Eckhart has had previous luck with, pinning him two times. Tides would turn this time as Eckhart found himself getting taken down, which would eventually turn into a pin, ending Eckhart's tournament.
The last Plainsmen to qualify for the national tournament was Justin Anderson. Anderson is no stranger to the tournament, as he would qualify last year as a freshman. Last season, he did not finish the way he would have liked, so he was preparing himself to do better; in which he did. His first match, Anderson would have a close one, but would ultimately win with a 9-7 decision. He had put himself in a great position by getting on the winning side of the bracket right away, and would keep helping himself by getting another win in 9-7 fashion. Anderson's luck would shortly end in his third match, as he would be pinned. Not wanting his tournament to end in his next match, Anderson would dig deep and would pin his opponent, sending him into the placing rounds. With that pin, the best he could do was place third, and the worst he could do was eighth. His next two matches would not go the way he had hoped by losing in a 12-9 decision, then by being pinned. Anderson would finish the tournament by placing eighth in the tournament.
Another highlight to the tournament was that Justin Anderson would be named All-American. Congratulations to all wrestlers on a successful season and to Justin for placing and being named as an All-American.