FHSU Sports Information
No. 10 Fort Hays State qualified two individuals for Day 2 of the NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. C.J. Napier (141 pounds) and Tanner Kriss (197 pounds) each went 2-0 to lock up All-American status and move on to the semifinals on Friday, March 14.
Mitchell Means, Josh Rodriguez and Jon Inma all picked up a win at the national tournament, but dropped a consolation contest to end their seasons.
Napier started his day with a 8-6 decision over Lake Erie College’s Dylan Kager before locking up a semifinal berth by defeating Dylan D’Urso (Mercyhurst), 3-1. Napier will face Daniel Owmbey of UNC-Pembroke in the semifinals on Saturday (March 15).
Kriss defeated Sam Mangum (Western State) in overtime in round one, riding out Mangum in a 30-second overtime period before earning an escape in the tiebreaker. In the quarterfinals, Kriss won by 3-2 decision over Joe Brandt of Ashland University. Kriss will face Nebraska-Kearney’s Romero Cotton in the semifinals on Saturday.
Means (157 pounds) won his first round matchup with Brady Bersano (Cal Baptist) by 5-2 decision, claiming revenge for an early season loss to Bersano. Means, though, would fall by technical fall, 23-6 to Clint Poster (St. Cloud State) in the quarterfinals. In the second round of consolation wrestling, Means dropped a sudden victory match, 4-2, to Derrick Weller of Lindenwood. Means closed out the year at 23-12.
At 174 pounds, Rodriguez fell to Mercyhurst’s August Mizia by decision, 5-3 in the first round before claiming an overtime victory over Clayton Jennissen (St. Cloud State), 2-1. In the second round of consolations, Rodriguez fell by decision, 6-2, to Trevor Grant of Colorado State-Pueblo. Rodriguez ends the year at 18-13.
184-pounder Jon Inman fell, 3-1, to Jared Holliday of Newberry College in the first round before defeating Chadron State’s Jordan DeBus, 10-3 in the first round of consolations. Inman’s season ended however, with a 6-2 decision to Dallas Smith of Ouachita Baptist. Inman closed out his MIAA Freshman of the Year campaign at 28-10.
Complete individual results are below…
141 – C.J. Napier (2-0)
Champ. Round 1 – C.J. Napier (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Dylan Kager (Lake Erie College), Dec 8-6
Quarterfinal – C.J. Napier (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Dylan D`Urso (Mercyhurst), Dec 3-1
157 – Mitchell Means (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Brady Bersano (Cal Baptist), Dec 5-2
Quarterfinal – Clint Poster (St. Cloud State) won by tech fall over Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State), TF – 6:38, 23-6
Cons. Round 2 – Derrick Weller (Lindenwood), won in sudden victory – 2 over Mitchell Means (Fort Hays State), SV-2 4-2
174 – Josh Rodriguez (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – August Mizia (Mercyhurst) won by decision over Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State), Dec 5-3
Cons. Round 1 – Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State) won in tie breaker – 1 over Clayton Jennissen (St. Cloud State), TB-1 2-1
Cons. Round 2 – Trevor Grant (CSU-Pueblo) won by decision over Josh Rodriguez (Fort Hays State), Dec 6-2
184 – Jon Inman (1-2)
Champ. Round 1 – Jared Holliday (Newberry College) won by decision over Jon Inman (Fort Hays State), Dec 3-1
Cons. Round 1 – Jon Inman (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Jordan DeBus (Chadron State), Dec 10-3
Cons. Round 2 – Dallas Smith (Ouachita Baptist) won by decision over Jon Inman (Fort Hays State), Dec 6-2
197 – Tanner Kriss (2-0)
Champ. Round 1 – Tanner Kriss (Fort Hays State) won in tie breaker – 1 over Sam Mangum (Western State Colorado), TB-1 2-1
Quarterfinal – Tanner Kriss (Fort Hays State) won by decision over Joe Brandt (Ashland University), Dec 3-2