Rochester, Minn. - 

A trio of Northland Community & Technical College freshmen qualified for the 2024 NJCAA Wrestling Championships following the NJCAA North Plains District Tournament on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Rochester Community & Technical College. Qualifying for the Pioneers were Josiah Crandall, third at 125 pounds; Ethan Horn, fourth at 141; and Mitchell Christen, fourth at 149. 

Crandall came close to upsetting second-seeded Keiichi Kong in the semifinals. Crandall and Kong were tied 3-3 midway through the second period. Crandall gave up an escape to Kong and injured his arm in a scramble. When the action resumed, Kong chose down and ended up securing a reversal just before the second period expired to go up 6-3. A pair of stalling calls on Kong made the score 6-4. Kong eventually escaped to push his lead back to three points, but Crandall had locked up riding time, meaning that a late three-point takedown would give Crandall an 8-7 win. Time expired before Crandall could get the go-ahead takedown, as Kong held on for the 7-5 win. Crandall concluded his day with a win by forfeit over Jacob Hernandez of Minnesota West in the third-place match. 

At 141, Horn began his day with a first-period win by fall over Kaiden Lowman of Minnesota West. Horn briefly had top-seeded Cole Holein of Ridgewater on his back a wild semifinal match. Holein led the match 17-10 after one period of action that featured a takedown, four reversals and 10 combined nearfall points between the wrestlers. Holien reversed Horn to start the second period and eventually won the match by fall. Holein went on to win the championship at 141 pounds and was named MCAC Wrestler of the Year. Horn, meanwhile, battled Rochester's Hunter Gartmann in the third-place match. The match was scoreless early. Horn attempted a knee-pick late in the first period and Gartmann used Horn's momentum against him by throwing him in a lateral drop, where he eventually secured the pin. 

At 149, Christen began his day with a second-period win by fall over Ty Borge of Minnesota West. He fell to eventual champion Cohen Wiste of Rochester in the semifinals, and by fall to Brady Holein of Ridgewater in the thrid place match. 

Also competing for the Pioneers were Elijah Miranda, fourth at 174, Dexter Pollar, fifth at 197 and Lucas Urness, fourth at 285. Miranda was a 15-4 winner over Daunte Hill of Minnesota West in the quarterfinals, before dropping two straight matches to end the tournament. Urness dropped a pair of matches to Minnesota West's Brody Knapp in both the quarterfinals and third place matches, while picking up a win by fall in 38 seconds over Rochester's William Russell. 

Rochester Community & Technical College won the North District/MCAC championship with 105.5 team points. The host Yellowjackets edged Minnesota North College - Itasca by just 2.5 points, with the final result coming down to the true second matches. 
 

Team Scores
1	Rochester Community & Tech. College	105.5
2	Minnesota North - Itasca	103.0
3	Ridgewater College	82.0
4	Minnesota West Comm & Tech	28.5
5	Northland Community & Technical College	25.0

NJCAA North Plains National Qualifier Results for Northland Community & Technical College

125

Josiah Crandall (8-11) placed 3rd and scored 6.0 team points.

• Semifinal - Keiichi Kong (Rochester Community & Tech. College) 17-13 won by decision over Josiah Crandall (Northland Community & Technical College) 8-11 (Dec 7-5)
• 3rd Place Match - Josiah Crandall (Northland Community & Technical College) 8-11 won by forfeit over Jacob Hernandez (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 2-18 (For.)
• 2nd Place Match - Keiichi Kong (Rochester Community & Tech. College) 17-13 won by no contest over Josiah Crandall (Northland Community & Technical College) 8-11 (NC)

141

Ethan Horn (11-14) placed 4th and scored 5.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal - Ethan Horn (Northland Community & Technical College) 11-14 won by fall over Kaiden Lowman (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 0-15 (Fall 1:45)
• Semifinal - Cole Holien (Ridgewater College) 34-9 won by fall over Ethan Horn (Northland Community & Technical College) 11-14 (Fall 4:12)
• Cons. Semi - Ethan Horn (Northland Community & Technical College) 11-14 received a bye () (Bye)
• 3rd Place Match - Hunter Gartmann (Rochester Community & Tech. College) 15-10 won by fall over Ethan Horn (Northland Community & Technical College) 11-14 (Fall 2:09)

149

Mitchell Christen (10-14) placed 4th and scored 5.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal - Mitchell Christen (Northland Community & Technical College) 10-14 won by fall over Ty Borge (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 2-16 (Fall 4:25)
• Semifinal - Cohen Wiste (Rochester Community & Tech. College) 16-7 won by fall over Mitchell Christen (Northland Community & Technical College) 10-14 (Fall 1:09)
• Cons. Semi - Mitchell Christen (Northland Community & Technical College) 10-14 received a bye () (Bye)
• 3rd Place Match - Brady Holien (Ridgewater College) 17-15 won by fall over Mitchell Christen (Northland Community & Technical College) 10-14 (Fall 2:41)

174

Elijah Miranda (5-17) placed 4th and scored 4.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal - Elijah Miranda (Northland Community & Technical College) 5-17 won by major decision over Daunte Hill (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 3-17 (MD 15-4)
• Semifinal - Treytin Byers (Minnesota North - Itasca) 20-3 won by fall over Elijah Miranda (Northland Community & Technical College) 5-17 (Fall 2:10)
• Cons. Semi - Elijah Miranda (Northland Community & Technical College) 5-17 received a bye () (Bye)
• 3rd Place Match - Cody Brott (Ridgewater College) 14-14 won by fall over Elijah Miranda (Northland Community & Technical College) 5-17 (Fall 1:56)

197

Dexter Pollard (2-21) placed 5th and scored 0.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal - Deante Porter (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 6-16 won by fall over Dexter Pollard (Northland Community & Technical College) 2-21 (Fall 2:23)
• Cons. Round 1 - Dexter Pollard (Northland Community & Technical College) 2-21 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Semi - Terrell Renne (Ridgewater College) 9-15 won by fall over Dexter Pollard (Northland Community & Technical College) 2-21 (Fall 0:26)
• 5th Place Match - Dexter Pollard (Northland Community & Technical College) 2-21 received a bye () (Bye)

285

Lucas Urness (3-21) placed 4th and scored 5.0 team points.

• Quarterfinal - Brody Knapp (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 7-18 won by fall over Lucas Urness (Northland Community & Technical College) 3-21 (Fall 1:05)
• Cons. Round 1 - Lucas Urness (Northland Community & Technical College) 3-21 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Semi - Lucas Urness (Northland Community & Technical College) 3-21 won by fall over William Russell (Rochester Community & Tech. College) 7-13 (Fall 0:38)
• 3rd Place Match - Brody Knapp (Minnesota West Comm & Tech) 7-18 won by fall over Lucas Urness (Northland Community & Technical College) 3-21 (Fall 2:00)