The No. 20 ranked Barton Community College Wrestling team had their run in the NJCAA Championships end on the consolation side of the bracket Friday in Council Bluffs, Iowa, placing 31st overall of the forty-nine teams represented.
The Cougars didn't receive any help in the opening draws with all five either taking on a ranked and top eight seeded in the first round or met one of the same in the second round as Barton's day would all come to an end in the second round of the Consolation of 16.
Beginning in the 141 division, 9th ranked Drew Burgoon was bounced to the consolation side on a tough 7-0 first round loss to 4rd ranked and eventual 7th placer Kedric Coonis of Western Wyoming. Trailing 12-0 with one minute remaining in his consolation match, Burgoon extended his day against Brandon Judge of Lackawanna by scoring a reversal before pinning the Lackawanna wrestler with sixteen seconds left in the match. The freshman's first year collegiate experience ended in the next round as a 2-all tie was broke on a reversal with Mason Gray of Niagara catching Burgoon on a 4:42 fall.
Kolby Droegemeier one selected as the lone 149 division "wrestle-in" matches, earning his way into the bracket with a 2:52 18-0 technical fall over Mercyhurst's Aaron Morris. Droegemeier then took care of 5th seeded Ben Lamp of Harper in a 10-2 major decision before top ranked and eventual fifth placer Cardionte Wilson of Ellsworth bounced the sophomore to the consolation on a 17-2 technical fall. Battling a chest injury the last month of the season putting his championship attendance in jeopardy up until the start of the tournament, Droegemeier gutted his way on the mat in Iowa for his fourth match as a 4-2 first period lead dwindled away to an eventual 10-4 loss to Nolan Miller-Johnston of Iowa Central ending the run leading the Cougars with a 2-2 record.
Ninth ranked Gable Howerton had perhaps Barton's best draw of the tournament in not facing a ranked or seeded in the first round but Tyler Zeman of Triton was tough nonetheless registering an 18-6 major decision sending Howerton to the back side of the bracket. Recovering for an 8-0 win over Southwest Oregon's Noah Wusstig, Howerton's Barton career came to an end in the next round as a third period takedown and riding time sent Todd Perry of Ellsworth to the next round with a 3-2 win.
Beginning the day with a 4-0 win over Jate Frost of Northwest, Andrew DeArmond earned a second round 165 division date with top seeded Christian Minto of NIACC. Battling the eventual national runner to a two-point difference after the first two periods, DeArmond's upset bid fell short as Minco added five points and riding time to tally a 10-4 victory. Another tough loss would end DeArmond's time as a Cougar with Izaiah Duran of North Idaho advancing on a 9-6 victory.
Joey Ewalt path in the 184 division was nearly carbon copy to DeArmond. Winning his first round match 3-1 over Josh Thibeault of Niagara, Ewalt would also be bounced to the consolation in the next round by the eventual runner-up before ending his Cougar career on a tough narrow loss. Ewalt led 4-2 midway through the second period of his second round but a late escape and takedown turned the tide as Rozell Baker of Ellsworth continued his march in the bracket getting a late third period takedown to pull ahead 8-6 in officially scoring a fall with just three seconds left on the clock. The day came to a close in the next match as eventual fourth placer Josh McFarland of Iowa Western got a takedown just twenty-one seconds into the match that would prove the difference in the equally matched 2-0 win.