Wrestling squad brings home Tournament of Champions Title

The Colby Community College wrestling team won its home meet, the Tournament of Champions, on Saturday, Jan. 5. The squad, led by hall-of-fame head coach Steve Lampe, finished first with a team total of 102.5 points. North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) finished second with 84.5 points and Western Wyoming finished third with 69 points.

Other team finishes were U.S. Air Force Blue (4th, 63 points), Pratt (5th, 38 points), Minnesota West (6th, 32.5 points), Pima (7th, 5 points) and U.S. Air Force Silver (3 points).

The Trojan wrestling squad had three individual champions in Cole Garcia (157 pounds), Delanno Palmore (165 pounds) and Chris Kearn (184 pounds). Lampe said his team was sharp after the Christmas break lay-off and that the team wrestled well for the shape that they were in.
"Cole (Garcia) has looked a lot sharper in all his matches this year. He has placed in all four open meets we've participated in," Lampe said. "Chris (Kearn) has also placed in all four open meets, in fact he has lost just one match this season."
Colby also had two individuals finish second in their respective weight classes. Lyubomir Kumbarov finished second at 141 pounds, and T.J. Hepburn finished second at 149 pounds. Other finishers for the Trojans were Akmal Adilov (3rd, 125 pounds), Danny Manius (3rd, 133 pounds), Gabe Smull (did not place).

Full match results for Colby wrestlers

Akmal Adilov (125 pounds)
By fall over Jordan Bartoszek (North Iowa)
7-4 dec. to Samuel Sheppard (Air Force Blue)
17-6 dec. over Matt Garcia (Pima)
3-0 dec. to Lyle Evans (Western Wyoming)

Danny Manius (133 pounds)
by fall over Dusty Colon (Minnesota West)
9-5 dec. to Nick Mamalis (Western Wyoming)
5-1 dec. over Kyle Beebe (Pratt)
9-2 dec. to Cody Hogan (North Iowa)
6-4 dec. over Kurt Spranger (Air Force Blue)

Lyubomir Kumbarov (141 pounds)
16-2 dec. over Stephen Makuka (Air Force Blue)
7-2 dec. to T.J. Moen (North Iowa)
12-1 dec. over Seth Schlee (Minnesota West)

T.J. Hepburn (149 pounds)
18-1 technicall fall over Matt Torrence (Air Force Blue)
14-5 dec. over Lorenzo Mundy (Pratt)
15-0 tech. fall over Eric Granger (Minnesota West)
3-2 dec. to Albert White (North Iowa)

Cole Garcia (157 pounds)
by fall over matt Farkus (Pima)
1-0 dec. over Scott Markey (Pratt)
by fall over Pat Stepope (Air Force Silver)
by fall over Michael Erickson (Air Force Blue)

Delanno Palmore (165 pounds)
by fall over Randall Mitchnor (Air Force Silver)
12-11 dec. to Aaron Hancock (North Iowa)
by fall over Nate Myers (Western Wyoming)
15-4 dec. over Wade Granger (Minnesota West)
by fall over Joseph Stafford (Air Force Blue)

Gabe Smull (174 pounds)
by fall to Dominick Oliver (Minnesota West)
by fall to Glenn Rhees (North Iowa)
4-0 dec. to Ben Reedy (Pima)
Injury default to Andrew Harris (Air Force Blue)

Chris Kearn (184 pounds)
16-0 tech. fall over Jesse Evans (Minnesota West)
by fall over Mike Havtala (Western Wyoming)
by fall over Jason Schweer (North Iowa)
15-5 dec. over Kirk Fairley (Pratt)
10-2 dec. over Chris Thomas (Air Force Blue)