Wrestlers lose final duals of season

This weekend the CSC wrestling team traveled to the Western Slope to take on two tough RMAC opponents. On Friday, they battled Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction; and on Saturday they competed against Western State Colorado University, Gunnison. The Eagles fell to both opponents, leaving them 14-3 overall and 4-2 in conference duals.

The Eagles fell to the Colorado Mesa Mavericks 30-10, losing their impressive 10-win streak.

“This week we are really pushing hard for a couple of days then towards the end of the week we are getting our recovery stuff done for injuries,” Head Coach Brett Hunter said. “Our goals are to get guys to the national tournament, leave everything on the mat, and have fun.”

Taylor Summers, junior of Plymouth, 133-pounds; Caleb Copeland, junior of Bennett, Colorado, 174-pounds; and Cooper Cogdill, redshirt freshman of Chadron, 285-pounds, earned wins for CSC.

Summers led the chase with a 20-7 major decision over Thomas Tawata, sophomore of Honolulu, Hawaii. Summers recorded nine takedowns during the match. Copeland earned a 5-4 decision over preseason all-conference wrestler Randy Boerner, sophomore of Thornton, Colorado.

Cogdill was able to shut out Khyre Burns, redshirt freshman of Denver, with a 4-0 decision. All of Cogdill’s points came in the third period with an escape and a takedown.

The CSC wrestlers fared better against the Western States Mountaineers, leaving the Western Slope with a 22-16 loss on the table. Four CSC wrestlers walked away with wins. They were Summers, Copeland, Cogdill, and Chance Helmick, sophomore of Beatrice, 165-pounds.

Helmick earned the most points for the Eagles, pinning Travis Bradford, redshirt sophomore of Houston, in 3:52. He was followed by Summers, who earned a 13-4 major decision over Zane Rich, redshirt sophomore of Syracuse, Utah.

Copeland and Cogdill both earned decisions over their opponents, posting scores of 5-1 and 3-0, respectively.

The CSC wrestlers get a week of rest before traveling back to Gunnison, Colorado, for the NCAA Super Region IV tournament on Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27.