COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA -- Nate Lendt added his name to the lengthy list of wrestling All-Americans at Ellsworth CC with an 8th place finish in the 2021 NJCAA Championships that ended Thursday at the Mid-America Center.

Lendt, a 149-pound freshman from Des Moines, lost 11-3 in the 7th place match, his 7th bout in the two-day tournament.  He had started with a first-round victory before losing to the number-two seed at 149.  Lendt stormed back in the consolation bracket with a pin, a 15-4 major decision and a 13-7 decision against the No. 4 seed before dropping a 5-3 match in the consolation semifinal.

The other ECC wrestler to win his opening-round match was Jerell Belcher at 197 pounds.  Belcher wrestled his way into the championship quarterfinals with 4-2 and 8-3 decisions, but lost 6-4 in the quarters.  He was eliminated in the next match in a narrow 8-7 decision.

At 165, Justin Henry received a first-round bye and then dropped his next two matches.

Blake Haub, the Panthers' 285-pounder, got a pin in his first consolation bracket bout, but lost his other two.  Likewise, 184-pounder Jared Landsperger went 1-2 for the tourney.

Also representing ECC were Carter Dennis-Littlefield at 125, Robert Givens at 141 and Devan Martin at 157 pounds.  All three were defeated in their first two matches.

It was a difficult season for the Panthers, who saw their schedule moved entirely to the spring and were limited to four dual meets.  Because of health protocols they were not able to take part in the Region XI District tourney.  Belcher and Henry are the only two sophomores on the roster for the young Panthers who look forward to a more normal 2021-22 season.