Parsons Sun
LCC does it again
By Mack McClure
Sports Editor
CHANUTE - No. 9 seems to be the catchword for the powerhouse Labette Community College wrestling program.
For the third straight season, Labette is taking nine wrestlers to the NJCAA national meet, which is set for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24, at Rochester, Minn.
With six wrestlers capturing first-place finishes Saturday, the Cardinals captured the NJCAA West Central Zone team championship at the NCCC Gymnasium in Chanute, totaling 98.5 points. Northwest Wyoming was a distant second with 66.5 points and Western Wyoming finished third with 63.5 points.
"We had nine two years ago, nine last year and we'll definitely have nine this year," Labette head coach Joe Renfro said. "It has been consistent. We've been pretty good this year and we've been very successful and we're keeping it rolling.
"We're starting to peak a little bit, which is what you want."
The Cardinals, who won the NJCAA national championship two years ago, took home third place last season, with six LCC competitors establishing themselves as All-Americans.
This year's nine national qualifiers include Tim Elliott (125 pounds), Josh Baldridge (133), Marcus Bowman (141), Willy Pendleton (149), Mikey Morgan (165), Tommy McCarty (174), Eric Irvin (184), Elijah Martinez (197) and Willie Weber (Heavyweight).
Elliott, Baldridge, Pendleton, Morgan, McCarty and Martinez captured regional championships, while Weber took second, Bowman was third and Irvin finished fourth.
Holdovers from last year's LCC team that established themselves as All-Americans include Elliott, Baldridge, McCarty and Weber.
Martinez returns after not placing in the top 10 last year at nationals.
"We always think that we're going to win it," Renfro said of the national meet. "No matter what our duel record and no matter guys we have along, we think we're going to win a national title, and we're going to do whatever we have to do to do that."
Elliott says he had a bitter taste after taking fifth place at last year's national meet.
"I think I should have won it last year," Elliott said. "I'm kind of glad now that I didn't because I worked a lot harder this year to get where I am now."
NJCAA West Central Zone
Wrestling Championships
Saturday at Neosho County Community College
TEAM STANDINGS
1. Labette, 98.5
2. Northwest Wyoming, 66.5
3. Western Wyoming, 64.5
4. Pratt, 63.5
5. Colby, 47.5
6. Neosho County, 24.0
LABETTE RESULTS
Tim Elliott (125), First place
Josh Baldridge (133), First place
Marcus Bowman (141), Third place
Willy Pendleton (149), First place
Joe Yust (157), Fifth place
Mikey Morgan (165), First place
Tommy McCarty (174), First place
Eric Irvin (184), Fourth place
Elijah Martinez (197), First place
Willie Weber (Heavyweight), Second place
02/12/2007; 1:27:52 PM
