ROCHESTER -- Dallas Mitchell just was not able to get the last point he needed Saturday during the National Junior College Athletic Association championship.
And with it came an end to his title reign.
North Idaho's Josh Edmondson grabbed an early 2-0 lead during the 184-pound final Saturday, then was able to slow down the match and thwart Mitchell's rally attempts, holding on for a 4-3 victory.
Despite the narrow loss, Minnesota West head coach Bob Purcell came away happy with how his wrestler did, calling his performance, "fantastic."
"He can look in the mirror and say he gave 100 percent," Purcell said. "He gave everything he could."
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After Edmondson got out to the 2-0 lead, Mitchell used an escape move to make the score 2-1 after the first period. Following another takedown by Edmondson in the second, which made the score 4-1, the North Idaho wrestler slowed down the pace of the match, trying to avoid a mistake which would give Mitchell the opportunity he needed to grab the lead.
Mitchell did score two points in the third period, each after Edmondson was penalized for stalling, but he was not able to get the final point.
In the semifinal, Mitchell survived his match with Brad Padgett of Highline by earning an escape in the final 30 seconds to grab a 10-9 victory.
Mitchell leaves an indelible mark on the program, leaving as a two-time national final participant and with 36 pins to his credit, and the sportsmanship award, voted on during the NJCAA tournament.
"He's the main reason we've been able to compete. When we needed a big match from him, he's come up strong," Purcell said.
As for the Bluejays, they turned in a ninth-place result in Division III for the season, something that could act as a strong foundation for next year.
"I'm pleased with that, to break the top 10," he said. "I really appreciate the sophomores we have, and the freshmen that will come back. We will get better next year."
