The Ellsworth Panther Wrestling Team capped off the 2015 season at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa. Although they came home with fewer top finishers than they had hoped for, the Panthers had two firsts for the program at this year's Nationals. For the first time in program history, the Panthers placed two individuals into the National Finals: De'Shun Brown (125) and Matt Hurford (184). With that, Matt Hurford became the first two-time National Finalist in Ellsworth Wrestling history.
Both Brown and Hurford fell short of their quests for an NJCAA national champion title. Brown lost 10-8 to defending National Champion and Outstanding Wrestler of the NJCAA Tournament Alfredo Rodriguez of Iowa Lakes Community College. Even with the match being the first of the night, the crowd was still buzzing about the back and forth scoring and excitement through the entire contest, once the finals were complete. It was said to be the match of the night. Hurford fell in his finals match to Tyler Hoffman of Iowa Central Community College. After two very close takedowns on the edge of the wrestling mat were not award to Hurford in both the first and second periods, the match went on tied going into the third period. After a wild scramble mid-way through the third period, Hurford found himself on his back, and was pinned. Also placing in the top 8, to earn All-American status was Matthew Rodriguez-Kirkland with a 4th place finish.
The Ellsworth Panthers once again improved on last year's team placing by finishing 7th as a team.
NJCAA National Championship Results
125 - Deshun Brown 2nd
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Won over Dillon McCaleb (Northeast Oklahoma) (MD 17-4)
Quarterfinal – Won over Ronald Wardleigh (Western Wyoming Community College) (Dec 15-8)
Semifinal – Won over Korbin Levin (Clackamas Community College) (MD 19-7)
1st Place Match – Lost to Alfredo Rodriguez (Iowa Lakes Community College) (Dec 10-8)
133 - Jacob Igartua DNP
Champ. Round 1 – Lost to Austin Hood (Neosho County Community College) (MD 14-3)
Cons. Round 1 - (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Won over Duke Bogicovic (Harper College) (Fall 6:28)
Cons. Round 3 – Won over Etai Yonah (Rowan College at Gloucester County ) (Dec 10-8)
Cons. Round 4 – Lost to Shiquan Hall (North Iowa Area Community College) (TB-1 5-4)
141 - Saidyokub Kakhramanov DNP
Champ. Round 1 –Won over Richard Dennison (Sullivan County) (Fall 2:44)
Champ. Round 2 – Lost to Clay Archer (Northeast Oklahoma) (Dec 11-10)
Cons. Round 2 – Won over Ian Clevenger (Spartanburg Methodist College) (Fall 2:44)
Cons. Round 3 – Lost to Zach Wright (Darton College) (Dec 12-8)
149 - Kevin Cooper DNP
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Won over Shea Conley (Labette Community College) (Dec 4-1)
Quarterfinal – Lost to Abbas Tamaradze (Springfield Tech Community College) (Dec 3-2)
Cons. Round 4 – Lost to Teddie Harvey (Iowa Central Community College) (Fall 4:32)
157 - Leivon Lewis DNP
Champ. Round 1 – Lost to Ryan Slaugh (Western Wyoming Community College) (Dec 4-0)
Cons. Round 1 - (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Lost to Gavin Grater (Colby Community College (Dec 11-7)
165 - Matthew Rodriguez-Kirkland 4th
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Won over Connor Donahue (Rowan College at Gloucester County) (Dec 6-4)
Quarterfinal – Lost to Bryce Carr (Darton College) (Dec 6-5)
Cons. Round 4 – Won over Andrew Orr (Southwestern Oregon) (Dec 6-4)
Cons. Round 5 – Won over Derrick Gates (Labette Community College) (Fall 2:57)
Cons. Semi – Won over Ryan Niven (Iowa Central Community College) (Dec 9-6)
3rd Place Match – Lost to Kyle Bateman (Clackamas Community College) (Dec 4-2)
174 - Sadarriss Patterson DNP
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Own over Shane Currey (Niagara County Community College) (Dec 7-3)
Quarterfinal – Lost to Jared Johnson (Colby Community College) (Fall 1:17)
Cons. Round 4 – Lost to Jordan Cooks (North Idaho College) (Fall 1:11)
184 - Matt Hurford 2nd
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Won over Connor Rosane (Highline Community College) (Fall 4:44)
Quarterfinal – Won over Giovanni Santiago (Nassau Community College) (Dec 12-6)
Semifinal – Won over DeAndre Jones (Labette Community College) (TB-1 2-1)
1st Place Match – Lost to Tyler Hoffman (Iowa Central Community College) (Fall 5:53)
197 - Sharod Wilson DNP
Champ. Round 1 - (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 –Lost to Ihoghama Odighizuwa (Clackamas Community College) (MD 9-0)
Cons. Round 2 – Won over Brice Mason (NW Kansas Tech) (Fall 3:24)
Cons. Round 3 – Won over Robert Cuomo (Sullivan County) (TF-1.5 5:00 (19-2))
Cons. Round 4 – Lost Craig Williams (Northland College) (Fall 0:52)
285 - Dalonte Holland DNP
Champ. Round 1 – Won over Darion Current (Wentworth Military Academy) (Fall 6:53)
Champ. Round 2 – Won over Jenard Rosemond (Nassau Community College) (Dec 8-2)
Quarterfinal – Lost to Taylor Kornoely (North Idaho College) (Dec 3-1)
Cons. Round 4 – Lost to Donte Winfield (Harper College) (SV-1 3-1)