Iowa Western's Josh McFarland Claims the National Title

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Iowa Western sophomore Josh McFarland found redemption at the 184-pound weight class this past Saturday night, defeating No. 1 seeded Deron Pulliman of Indian Hills Community College by decision 3-2 in the championship match of the 2022 NJCAA National Wrestling Tournament, held at the Mid-America Center.

McFarland, who fell to Pulliman by decision less than four weeks ago at the North Central District Tournament, entered the championships as the No. 3 seed and proceeded to dominate his way to the title match.

The sophomore from Tilden, NE won his opening match of the national tournament by technical fall 22-6, then won back-to-back matches by major decision to reach the semi-finals.  A 6-3 victory over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M's Jackson White earned McFarland a rematch against Pulliman.

Both wrestlers looked to take shots early in the match.  McFarland appeared to score the first takedown, but an Indian Hills challenge reversed the call on the mat, leaving the score 0-0 after the first period.

McFarland scored an escape just eight seconds in to the second period after starting on bottom.  He then scored on a single-leg takedown, kicking Pulliman's leg out from underneath of him to finish it off.  Pulliman escaped, ending the second period with the score at 3-1

Pulliman started the third period on bottom and scored an escape to make it a one-point match.  McFarland fought off his opponent for the remainder of the contest to earn the victory.

"It feels so good," McFarland told Iowa Western Television's, JJ Davis.  "All of the work I put in, over all of this amount of time, it just feels so good to finally get that win in the finals, bring home the title.  This is by far the greatest feeling I've ever felt, hands down."

With the win, McFarland gave the Iowa Western Wrestling program their third straight individual men's champion and fourth since their inception in 2010.