GOODLAND, Kan. – The conclusion of the 2020-2021 Cloud County Community College wrestling regular-season would see the number-13 ranked T-Birds fall by scores of 40-6 to Barton Community College and 44-12 to number eight-ranked and host Northwest Kansas Technical College in a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference double-dual inside of Max Jones Fieldhouse in Goodland, Kansas on Tuesday, March 16th.

With the regular-season complete, Cloud County closes out non-postseason competition with a 7-9 dual record while going 5-9 in KJCCC duals this year as both the Cougars and Mavericks would win both duals that CCCC would wrestle with them.

Against Barton:
Mismatches at weight classes for the T-Birds along with two open weight classes would prove to be costly for Cloud County in their dual opener with Barton as the Cougars would go on to win seven of the eight contested bouts while also filling the two open weights that CCCC would concede. In the matches that were contested, Cloud County would give up pins at 125 pounds from Toby Gavette and 165 pounds from Hector Flores while also dropping an 11-1 major decision at 141 pounds from Michael Barfuss and 12-7 decision by Tylor Garcia at 157 pounds.

A pair of 4-3 heartbreakers would occur at 149 pounds (Jonny Crome) and 184 pounds (Brian Paxton) as both matches would have made huge differences in the final score of the dual while Aiden Connors would drop a 5-1 decision at 133 pounds. CCCC's lone win of the dual would come at 197 pounds as number-two ranked Zach Ferris would make quick work of Trezen Doren with a first period fall in a time of 2:32 to win his first of two matches on the day.

Against NW Kansas Tech:
It would be three open weight classes and a medical forfeit in the first period that would allow the Mavericks to be spotted 24 points in the match as the T-Birds would be unable to overcome the hole that was produced by the open spots. Taking on nationally-ranked opponents at 133 pounds, 141 pounds, 157 pounds, and 184 pounds, Cloud County would have their hands full as NWKT would earn a pin and two technical falls in the opening three matches to go up 16-0 before Barfuss would get CCCC on the board with a pin of Samuel Blackmon with just 19 seconds left in the second period.

The medical forfeit would then occur in the first period of the 157-pound match as the T-Birds would go on to concede by 165 and 174 pounds by open weight before seeing number-four ranked Jacari Deal take a 19-7 major decision over Paxton. Ferris put on a show once more at 197 pounds by ending things with 10 seconds left in the second period for his second pin of the day as the dual would finish with another open weight by CCCC at 285 pounds.

What's Next?
Cloud County will head to the NJCAA West-Central District Championships with an opportunity to get some wrestlers one final tune-up ahead of this year's NJCAA Wrestling National Championships. With each school being given the opportunity to send a wrestler at each weight class to the national tournament, the District Championships will be hosted by Barton Community College at the Hoisington Recreation Center and feature just a handful of teams from the West-Central District that decide to send wrestlers.