Jamestown’s Kyle Keefe, top, will compete in the 174-pound weight class at the NJCAA wrestling championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo courtesy of Jamestown Community College Athletics

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Jamestown Community College’s Kyle Keefe will represent the Jayhawks in this weekend’s NJCAA wrestling national championships at Mid-American Center.

The sophomore will take part in the 174-pound division, a spot he earned by winning that weight class in the district meet a couple weeks ago.

“This opportunity means the world to me,” Keefe said. “Wrestling is my life. I have been doing it since second grade, and I’m finally starting to get good. That’s wrestling for you. It takes years and years to get good, but I trust the process and keep grinding, and now I don’t plan on this being my last national tournament. I have put in the hours over the past few years. I feel more than ready to show what I’m worth.”

It’s been an impressive season for Keefe. He won the NCCC Thunderwolves Open, placed top three in several other events, and has earned the Region 3 wrestler of the week three times.

The Falconer product enters nationals as the 13 seed and will take on Terek White of Neosho County to open things up.

“My expectation is there will be some of the baddest kids in the nation here, and I expect to solidify (that) I am one of them as well,” Keefe said. “My main goal is to make the podium.”

The national wrestling championships continue into Saturday when champions are crowned in all 10 weight classes.