Pitt-Johnstown's
Jacob Ealy (149 lbs.) became a three-time All-American and
Nate Smith (157 lbs.) closed out his career as a two-time All-American when they both placed fifth at this weekend's 2023 NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Eight Mountain Cats earned spots in the national tournament. Prior to Saturday's night's championship matches, the Mountain Cats stood in a tie for 16
th-place with McKendree with 25 points. Central Oklahoma lead the field that had 50 teams represented with 113 points.
Ealy cruised into the semifinals and took on fifth-seeded Jason Hanenberg (Western Colorado). Ealy fell behind 5-1 after two periods and suffered a 7-1 setback. An 8-4 loss to seventh-seeded Wyatt Turnquist (Northern State) put Ealy in the fifth-place match where he defeated Central Oklahoma's Brik Filippo for the second time in the tournament with a 9-6 decision. Ealy opened the tournament with a 7-2 win over Lander's Jack Tangen, before pinning eighth-seeded Filippo :47 into the opening period to reach the semifinals where he will take on Western Colorado's Jason Hanenberg.
Smith, who also advanced to the semnifinals, took on second-seeded Nick Novak (St. Cloud State) in the in that round, but trailed 6-0 after one period, before falling to the consolation semifinals with a 9-2 loss. His road didn't get any easier. Smith faced Adam State's No. 1-seeded Noah Hermosillo and lost a 9-3 decision to fall to the fifth-place match. He then dealt King's Trey Mahoney a 5-2 loss to claim fifth-place. Smith scored a pair of decisions to earn his spot in the semis. In the opening round, Smith defeated Northern State's Devin Bahr, 4-3, before securing a 5-2 win over Mahoney in the quarters.
At 197 lbs.
Dakoda Rodgers reached the quarterfinals with a 3-1 sudden victory over sixth-seeded Anthony Yacovetti (Lander) before suffering a 15-1 major third-ranked Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State). In the second round of the consolations, Rodgers tournament came to an end with a 10-2 loss to McKendree's Logan Kvien.
After suffering a narrow loss to begin the tournament, five-time national qualifier and three-time All-American
Brock Biddle, seeded sixth at 184 lbs., bounced back with a 15-4 major decision win over Augustana's Cade Mueller in a Pigtail Consolation. Biddle then pinned Maryville's Joey Williams in :47 in the first round of the consolations. However, he suffered a 13-9 loss to fifth-ranked Reece Worachek (Wisconsin-Parkside) in the second round of the consolations.
Trevon Gray (125 lbs.),
Byron Daubert (133 lbs.),
Caleb Morris (141 lbs.), and
Isaiah Vance (285 lbs.) all wrestled in the national tournament, but went 0-2.
125 lbs. – Trevon Gray
First Round – Lost by Decision to #2 Brendan Garcia (Adams State), 9-2
1
st Rd. Consolations – Lost by Decision to Christian Mejia (McKendree), 8-3
133 lbs. – Byron Daubert
First Round – Lost by Decision to No. 1 Quentrevion Campbell (Chadron State), 9-3
1
st Rd. Consolations – Lost by Fall to Caleb Meekins (St. Cloud State), 5:41
141 lbs. – Caleb Morris
First Round – Lost by Decision to No, 4 Christian Small (Lake Erie), 5-0
1
st Rd. Consolations – Lost by Fall to Nick James (Central Oklahoma), 5:32
149 lbs. – No. 1-Seeded Jacob Ealy
First Round – Won by Decision over Jack Tangen (Lander), 7-2
Quarterfinals – Won By Fall over Brik Filippo (Central Oklahoma), :47
Semifinals - Lost by Decision to #5 Jason Hanenberg (Western Colorado), 7-1
Consolation Semifinals – Lost by Decision to #7 Wyatt Turnquist (Northern State), 8-4
5
th-Place Match – Won by Decision over #8 Brik Filippo (Central Oklahoma), 9-6.
157 lbs. – No. 6-Seeded Nate Smith
First Round – Won by Decision over Devin Bahr (Northern State), 4-3
Quarterfinals – Won by Decision over Trey Mahoney (King), 5-2
Semifinals – Lost by Decision to #2 Nick Novak (St. Cloud State), 9-2
Consolation Semifinals – Lost by Decision to #1 Noah Hermosillo (Adams State), 9-3
5
th-Place Match – Won by Decision over Trey Mahoney (King), 5-2
184 lbs. – No. 6-Seeded Brock Biddle
First Round – Lost by Decision to Keegan Gehlhausen (Chadron State), 7-5
Pigtail Consolation – Won by Major Decision over Cade Mueller (Augustana), 15-4
1
st Rd. Consolations – Won by Fall over Joey Williams (Maryville), :47
2
nd Rd. Consolations - #5 Reece Worachek (Wisconsin-Parkside) Won by Decision, 13-9
197 lbs. – Dakoda Rodgers
First Round – Won by Decision over #6 Anthony Yacovetti (Lander), 3-1 SV1
Quarterfinals - Lost by Major Decision to #3 Tereus Henry (Fort Hays State), 15-1
2
nd Rd. Consolations – Logan Kvien (McKendree) Won by Major Decision, 10-2
285 lbs. – Isaiah Vance
First Round – Lost by Decision to #3 Jared Campbell (Glenville State), 8-2
1
st Rd. Consolations – Lost by Decision to Jake Swirple (Minot State), 3-1 SV
