CSC Wrestlers return home for dual meet

This week, Eagle wrestlers prepare to square off against New Mexico Highlands University in their first home dual after several weeks on the road at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Armstrong Gymnasium. Saturday, they’ll be hitting the road again, traveling to Kearney, where they will take on fifth-ranked University of Nebraska-Kearney at 3 p.m.

Highlands wrestling is, historically, not a strong program, but the Chadron State team is still keeping an eagle-eye peeled. R.J. Boylan, the Eagle’s 285-pound junior from Gillette, Wyo. said, “You have to really watch a team like Highlands. They wrestle like their backs are against the wall, and when you’re in a fight like that, you’ve got nothing much to lose.”

Certainly Igor Gomzin, the 184-pound Highlands sophomore from Saint Petersburg, Russia, is one to look out for. Gomzin was the only Highlands Wrestler to score points against Kearney in their dual, defeating senior Ross Brunkhard of Merino, Colo. in a 6-4 overtime decision. Eagle wrestling coach Scott Ritzen is looking to Jordan Debus, the Eagle’s 184-pound sophomore and 2011 national qualifier from Mitchell to be able to handle anything Gomzin can throw at him.

Going into Saturday’s Kearney dual, Coach Ritzen is both eager and optimistic. A few illnesses in the past week have forced him to juggle the lineup a bit, but he’s confident that the week’s practices will have paid off.
“We’re focusing on building that consistency in our intensity,” Ritzen said, “We got a lot of young guys that will start off the match pretty aggressive, and we just need them to work more on them keeping it up through the whole seven minutes.”