COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Western Wyoming Community College remains in the hunt for a third consecutive national title after a strong opening day at the 2025 NJCAA Wrestling Championships. The Mustangs closed out Friday in third place with 98.5 team points, trailing Indian Hills (113) and Clackamas (99) in a tightly contested race.
Six Western Wyoming wrestlers advanced to the championship semifinals, while one remains alive in the consolation bracket.
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Six Mustangs March to Semifinals
At 125 pounds, Sefton Douglass showcased his dominance with three consecutive wins. He opened the tournament with a fall in just 1:11 over Triton’s Andre Giurini, followed by another quick pin against Iowa Western’s Cyrus Bucsit in 1:31. In the quarterfinals, Douglass controlled Muskegon’s Jack Guerrero, earning an 8-0 major decision to secure his semifinal berth.
At 141 pounds, Dmitri Alarcon strung together four victories to earn his spot in the semifinals. He started with a 9-3 decision over Jordan Cullors of Labette before pinning Camden County’s Michael Walls in 2:14. Alarcon continued his aggressive streak with a 1:43 fall over Gavin Reed of Hawkeye and sealed his semifinal appearance with an 8-6 decision over Iowa Western’s Gabe Ferreira.
In the 149-pound bracket, Tommy Dalton pinned Morton’s Angel Nava in 2:14 and followed with a hard-fought 6:39 fall over William Penn of Iowa Lakes. Dalton’s closest match came in the quarterfinals, where he edged North Idaho’s Sam Silveria in a thrilling 11-10 decision.
At 157 pounds, Hixon Canto showcased his versatility, beginning with a technical fall (17-2) over Triton’s Jase Salin before pinning Niagara’s Michael Sysposs in 2:43. In the quarterfinals, Canto fought his way past Andrew’s Riley Brewer with an 8-5 decision.
At 184 pounds, Banks Love powered through his bracket, pinning Drake Wood of Big Bend at the 5:57 mark before securing a 13-3 major decision over Jessey Colas of NIACC. Love capped his day with a dominant 19-3 technical fall over Itasca’s Connor Gmahl.
At heavyweight, Dmarian Lopez made quick work of his early opponents, pinning Nicholas Martinez of Colby in 1:18 and Dominick Albertelli of Nassau in 2:22. In the quarterfinals, Lopez controlled his match against Cito Tuttle of Rochester, earning an 8-2 decision.
Marrero Fights in Consolation Bracket
At 133 pounds, Zach Marrero opened his tournament with a disqualification win over Pratt’s Rashaud Morgan before defeating North Idaho’s Hoyt Hvass in a 5-2 decision. However, he fell in the next round to Amantee Mills of Andrew by a 7-3 decision. Marrero rebounded in the consolation bracket with a 7-0 win over Northwest’s Zachary Covolo to keep his tournament hopes alive.
Looking Ahead
With six wrestlers still contending for individual national titles and one battling through the consolation rounds, Western Wyoming remains within striking distance in the team standings. The Mustangs will need a strong semifinal round Saturday morning to close the gap on Indian Hills and Clackamas.
Championship semifinals begin at 9:30 a.m., with the finals set for 6 p.m. as Western Wyoming looks to position itself for a historic third straight NJCAA title.
