Four Beaver wrestlers qualify for nationals
Published: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 11:54 AM CST
Pratt Community College head wrestling coach Chas Thompson was short-handed heading to the 2008 West/Central Qualifying District in Rock Spring, Wyo., Saturday. Thompson and his Beavers didn't leave empty handed. Tommy Edgmon, Andrew Carrillo, Carl Wilkinson, and Kirk Fairley qualified for the NJCAA national championships in Rochester, Minnesota February 21-23.
"I was happy with them," said Thompson of his team. "It went about how I expected. That is what I was hoping for - most teams don't get you what you expect."
"We were banged up," he added. "We didn't have our top 10."
Labette County, the defending regional champions, won the team title. Colby, Western Wyoming, Neosho County, Northwest Wyoming, and Pratt followed the Cardinals.
The Jayhawk Conference won five weight classes. Labette possessed three of the five victories. Neosho and Colby had one individual champion apiece.
The top three finishers in each weight class and nine wild card selections qualified for nationals.
Edgmon and Fairley finished third. Carrillo and Wilkinson received wild cards.
Injuries and illness infiltrated the Beavers' line up throughout the season.
"I was happy with what we had, because we only had four or five of our original starters," said Thompson of his W/C line up. "I appreciate what those guys who stepped in did."
Edgmon was 3-1. He fell to Northwest Wyoming's Jeremy Ensley, who is ranked second in the nation, but defeated fifth-ranked Akmal Adilov, Colby, twice.
Edgmon is familiar with championships. He was a multiple state champion at Goddard High School.
Fairley's performance at 184 pleased Thompson.
"I was hoping he would," said Thompson of his sophomore qualifying. "It didn't surprise me. He improved a lot this year. I was real happy he qualified."
Fairley lost 8-6 to the No. 1 seed and the nation's top-ranked 184 pounder - Chris Kern, of Colby.
He defeated Neosho County's Tim Cross to capture third and compile a 3-1 record.
"He should have gotten in for third or fourth," said Thompson of Carrillo.
Carrillo was fifth. A key loss, 4-3, came to fourth-place finisher Jeremy Lawley, of Neosho.
"What that says about Andrew is the coaches think he can possibly do something at the national tournament," said Thompson of the sophomore's wild card selection,
Due to his wild card status, Thompson said Carrillo will probably face a regional champion or a returning All-American in his first match in Rochester.
Wilkinson had not wrestled in six weeks due to illness and injury.
A 2007 national qualifier in the 285-pound weight class, the Oklahoma product dropped to 197 this season. the
No. 3 ranked Nathan Barzee, of Northwest Wyoming, handed Wilkinson, ranked No. 7 nationally, a loss.
Wilkinson sat fourth after falling to No. 4 ranked Western Wyoming's Skip Crooks in the third-place match.
