COLBY, Kan. – In what proved to be one of the toughest days or wrestling all season, the No. 12 ranked Neosho Panthers managed to claim a pair of individual champions, a third place team finish, and qualify nine wrestlers for the NJCAA Wrestling Championship at the West/Central District Championship. Arguably the toughest district in the country, the West/Central District includes defending national champion NEO A&M, No. 7 Labette, as well as five other teams receiving votes in the latest national poll. The Panthers, with 139.5 points, finished just six points behind runner up Labette while NEO claimed the team title.

Dillon Archer had one of the most impressive runs for the Panthers disposing of his first opponent by fall in less than thirty seconds. He would then win his next two matches by a combined score of 26-6, taking home the first place medal at 197 pounds and automatically qualifying for the national championships. A returning All-American, Archer will look to improve on his 8th place finish as a freshman.

Richard Black III went 3-0 to claim the championship at 285 pounds and an automatic bid to the national championship. In Black's first match of the day he beat Jacob Crane of Pratt Community College in 2:39 by way of fall. His next two bouts, however, each went past regulation time. He would scored late in the first tie breaker to beat Nolan Smith from Labette 6-2, and followed that up in the championship finals with a late takedown in the first sudden victory to defeat No. 5 John Davidson, NEO, 3-1 to secure his first career appearance at the National Championships.

True freshman Colton Looper, went 1-1 on the day including a come from behind victory against Derrick Gates from Labette by fall at the 6:11 mark. In his championship finals match, he faced the 6th ranked wrestler in the country, Bryan Dutton of NEO, where he dropped a close decision 5-1. Loopers' second place finish at 165 pounds automatically qualified him for the national championships.

Brothers Bryce and Austin Hood both placed 3rd to automatically qualify for the national championship for the first time. Austin, wrestling at 133 pounds, went 2-1, scoring 14.50 team points for the Panthers. Despite losing his first match of the day, Austin, came back on the consolation side of the bracket to finish the day strong by picking up two falls and closed the gap in the team race. Bryce Hood scored 13.50 points going 3-1 in his bracket at 149 pounds. Bryce beat his first opponent by decision before losing the next bout. He came back to beat his next opponent in only twenty six seconds, tying Dillon Archer for quickest fall of the day for the Panthers. To end Bryces' day, he skated by for a 5-3 victory in the consolations finals.

Darick Jones wrestled the most matches of the tournament for the Panthers at 174lbs, finishing 3-2. All three of Jones' wins came by way of bonus point victories. The Clearwater, Kansas, native scored 14.50 team points, earning a true 4th place finish and an automatic qualification to the national championships.

Also helping Neosho's team score and receiving wildcard bids to the NJCAA National Wrestling Championships were Johnathan Johnson at 125 pounds, Alex Shea at 141 pounds, and Ryne Cokeley at 157 pounds. The trio combined to score 28.00 team points and each finished in 5th place at their weight class.

Evaluating his team's performance head coach Wayne Petterson commented "Reflecting on how many teams can go into this magnitude of a tournament, have an off day, and then get 9 qualifier's, that is a sign, like we have thought all along that we have a pretty good team. Each individual needs to take full advantage of these next 10-11 preparation days before the Championships or an off day will be the end of their season."

The NJCAA Wrestling Championship from Des Moines, Iowa February 27-28. Links to brackets and live streaming information will be posted at GoNeosho.com.