SIOUX CITY, Iowa — It wasn't a league title. But the reclamation project for Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson wrestling just witnessed another milestone.

Powered by five tournament finalists, the Jackets took second at the Missouri River Activities Conference meet at Sioux City North High School on Thursday night. T.J. collected 195 team points — well off the pace of favorite Sergeant Bluff-Luton's 248.5 but ahead of recent former champions North (180.5) and Sioux City East (174.5).

The Jackets finished with more MRAC champions (two) than they had in the past three years combined while wrapping up their best-ever showing in the 12-year history of the event.

"I'm happy about progress and how we're doing at these tournaments and at conference," Thomas Jefferson coach August Manz said. "We still need to learn how to put it away at the end, but we did start it off. We've had a real problem this year of getting the first match out of the way, and we did that."

Eleven of the Jackets' 13 starters won their opening match and five claimed another bout to reach the finals. Randy Schultz finished first at 113 pounds while Kenny Rhodd did the same at 195.

The effort added up to a second-place finish that would have seemed unlikely even a few years ago. T.J. annually checked in at fifth or sixth until taking fourth last season.

"This really means a lot to me," said Schultz, who was fourth at 112 a season ago. "It's progress, but we want to keep moving forward. We were thinking top two coming in."

Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln (119.5) was fifth, followed by Sioux City West (102) and Sioux City Heelan (89).

The Lynx had their own share of trouble finishing contests. Despite producing three finalists, only sophomore heavyweight Jordan Bywater converted the opportunity into a title. In his third meeting with T.J.'s Mitch Rounds in the past few months, he came through with a pin in 3 minutes, 58 seconds for the crown.

"I love this. It's the first time I've gotten first at a tournament ever for varsity," Bywater said, grinning. "I'm thinking (during the match) that I can't do anything I haven't done before. I don't want to screw up what I've done several times."

Two weights produced a battle of ranked wrestlers in the championship round. At 126 pounds, Iowa Class 2-A No. 2 Colton McCrystal of Sergeant Bluff-Luton earned a 16-9 major decision over 3-A No. 7 Tyler McWilliams of Sioux City East. At 152, East's Ethan Lara — ranked as 3-A's No. 3 grappler at 160 — dispatched No. 6 Dustin Fuller of North 6-2.

Six Sergeant Bluff wrestlers seized MRAC titles. Two each followed suit from T.J., North and East.

Every school but Sergeant Bluff and Heelan will get together again for a 3-A district meet on Feb. 11.

With a little more emphasis on closing each period and match aggressively, Manz said the Jackets would have a chance to add another chapter to their ever-brightening comeback story.

"They know that what happened tonight is a learning experience," Manz said. "In two weeks is when the real deal happens. We want to wrestle with fewer mistakes and a lot more power."

Team scoring: Sergeant Bluff-Luton 248.5, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 195, Sioux City North 180.5, Sioux City East 174.5, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 119.5, Sioux City West 102, Sioux City Heelan 89.

Championship results: 106 pounds: Gabe Hoogers, North, dec. Jordan Peterson, A.L., 10-5. 113: Randy Schultz, T.J., pinned Dalton Hanson, North, 1:26. 120: Shane Gill, North, dec. Jordan Easton, A.L., 16-12. 126: Colton McCrystal, SBL, major dec. Tyler McWilliams, East, 16-9. 132: Steven Garcia, SBL, major dec. Jason Wallace, T.J., 11-2. 138: Hunter Langley, SBL, dec. Taron Flemister, West, 3-0. 145: Julian Ysquierdo, East, dec. Mike Wallace, T.J., 6-5. 152: Ethan Lara, East, dec. Dustin Fuller, North, 9-0. 160: Josh King, SBL, dec. Mitch Otto, East, 5-2. 170: Christian Brobst, Heelan, pinned Drake Swedlund, East, 2:51. 182: Sean Fitzgerald, SBL, major dec. Quentin Bose, West, 11-2. 195: Kenny Rhodd, T.J., pinned Taylor Christensen, SBL, 3:58. 220: Tyler Nguyen, SBL, pinned Nathan Calvillo, North, 5:23. 285: Jordan Bywater, A.L., pinned Mitch Rounds, T.J., 3:58.