×

Jayhawk Moves Into Semis At Nationals

Skonieczny Wrestles Again This Morning

Nate Skonieczny

Jamestown Community College’s Nate Skonieczny will wrestle the No. 1 149-pound wrestler in the country today in the semifinals after winning a pair of matches Friday at the NJCAA Wrestling Championships at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Skonieczny earned a 4-1 decision over Northwest College’s Justin Polkowske in their quarterfinal matchup Friday evening. After a scoreless first period, Skonieczny earned a pair of takedowns against just one escape by Polkowske in the second period. The third period also went scoreless sending Skonieczny into today’s 10:30 a.m. semifinal against Josh Reyes (35-1) of Clackamas.

Reyes earned a bye into the Round of 16 before a 12-3 major decision over Labette’s Bryan Burnett and a 2-0 decision over Iowa Central’s Brandon Murray.

“He’s just a basic wrestler. He stays in good position,” Jamestown CC assistant coach Kevin Strong said by phone of Reyes on Friday night. “He wrestles a tight match. I’m hoping Nate can break through and score some points against him.”

After also receiving a bye into the Round of 16, Skonieczny jumped on top of Barton CC’s Sean Taborsky early in their Friday afternoon match.

Skonieczny earned a takedown with 1:29 left in the first period before Taborsky earned a point for an escape 10 seconds later. Twenty seconds after that, Skonieczny took Taborsky to the mat again, and this time picked up two extra points for a near-fall to take a 6-1 lead. Skonieczny was then awarded a point for Taborsky stalling before an escape at the end of the period left Skonieczny with a 7-2 lead.

Taborsky began the second period on the bottom and earned an escape point with 1:09 remaining in the frame. Skonieczny then earned consecutive takedowns with 1:04, 50 seconds and 29 seconds left in the period, the final takedown also resulting in two near-fall points for a 13-5 lead heading into the final period.

Skonieczny began the third period in the neutral position and quickly earned four takedowns, the final resulting in a 23-8 technical fall 6:21 into the bout.

“He wrestled real tough in the first match. He picked up a technical fall against a real tough kid,” Strong said. “We could’ve hoped for a higher score in the second match, but (Polkowske) was coached well to beat Nate. He came out with a real good game plan to slow down Nate’s offense. It kind of worked, but not well enough. Nate still broke through and won the match decisively.”

Skonieczny is looking to become the third NJCAA champion in Jamestown CC history. Lee Guzzo won a title in 1975 and Phil Roblee followed that up with a title two years later.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today