Messenger Photo by Britt Kudla: St. Edmond's Matthew Crimmins will look for his first North Central Conference championship on Saturday in Humboldt.

HUMBOLDT — The push toward the postseason for area wrestlers continues here Saturday at the North Central Conference Tournament.

Action begins at 10 a.m. inside the Humboldt gym.

Last year in Algona, the Bulldogs claimed team honors with 238.5 points. Hampton-Dumont/CAL was second followed by Clarion-Goldfield/Dows, the Wildcats, Clear Lake, Iowa Falls-Alden, Webster City and St. Edmond.

Earlier this week, the Cowboys put the finishing touches on the NCC duals crown with a win over Algona.

Matthew Crimmins, a state qualifier in Class 1A for the Gaels as a freshman last year, placed third in the conference tournament at 132 pounds, going 3-1 with two falls and a technical fall.

Owen Rutherford and Grant Anderson both return with experience from the NCC a year ago for St. Edmond and head coach Kaden McClintock, who became the sixth four-time league champion when he accomplished the feat competing for the Gaels in 2014.

Both Algona and Clarion-Goldfield/Dows return three conference champions from a year ago. Brooks Morgan, Carter McGregor and Gavin Goche all claimed titles for Algona, as Adrian Phextoumphone, Colin Sesker and JT Kelso did the same for Clarion-Goldfield/Dows.

Humboldt’s Broedy Hendricks is a two-time NCC champion going for a third as a junior, with Clear Lake’s John Amos and Christian Dunning, along with Kolbe Hansen of Iowa Falls-Alden, also returning after reaching the top of the podium last year.

Dunning, a senior, is seeking a third title.