Photo courtesy of Minnesota State University Athletics.

The junior wrestling season of 2016 Adel-Desoto-Minburn Tigers graduate Zach Johnston concluded late last month in Moorhead, Minnesota. Zach Johnston, a former high school state wrestling champion for ADM, closed his third collegiate wrestling season in the 2019 NCAA Division II Super Region V tournament hosted by Minnesota State University-Moorhead. Johnston placed fifth overall in the event’s 174-pound weight division; the top three wrestlers in each weight class advanced to this weekend’s NCAA Division II Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. Johnston won his first two matches in the championship bracket, but lost two straight grapples to end up in the fifth-place match. He edged Minnesota State-Moorehead’s Adam Blees by an 8-2 decision to finish fifth overall. The 2018-19 wrestling season for Johnston closed with a record of 14 wins and six losses.

Zach Johnston (14-6) 2019 NCAA Division II Super Region V Tournament results
Round 1 – Zach Johnston (Minnesota St.) 14-6 won by major decision over Jordan Gundrum (Upper Iowa) 20-14 (MD 11-1)
Quarterfinal – Zach Johnston (Minnesota St.) 14-6 won by decision over Adam Blees (MSU Moorhead) 17-12 (Dec 8-2)
Semifinal – Kolton Eischens (St. Cloud St.) 22-2 won by fall over Zach Johnston (Minnesota St.) 14-6 (Fall 3:57)
Cons. Semi – Lukas Poloncic (Augustana (SD)) 3-2 won by tech fall over Zach Johnston (Minnesota St.) 14-6 (TF-1.5 7:00 (16-1))
5th Place Match – Zach Johnston (Minnesota St.) 14-6 won by decision over Adam Blees (MSU Moorhead) 17-12 (Dec 9-4)