CSC wrestling coach gets homecoming

The Chadron State wrestlers dropped to 3-4 last Thursday, after a 31-3 road loss to CSU-Pueblo, one of the best NCAA DII wrestling programs in the nation.

Tied for seventh in the NCAA DII Wrestling Coaches Association rankings, the Thunderwolves have four nationally ranked wrestlers and are 4-1 in duals this season. 

Chadron’s only win of the dual came at 285-pounds when Rulon Taylor defeated Shane Coombs by 5-1 decision, but Eagles’ Head Coach Brett Hunter was happy his Chadron group kept several matches close. 

“Pueblo is a great team,” Hunter said. “Top to bottom, throughout the lineup we had a lot of close matches with them. Brandon Kile at (133-pounds) was wrestling the number two guy in the country and had him on the ropes. (Kile) should have beat him, should have had a takedown.” 

Kile’s opponent, then fourth-ranked DII wrestler D’Andre Brumfield, junior of Dallas, improved his rank to second following the match. A junior from Hastings, Kile wrestled Brumfield to a lengthy sudden-death overtime where eventually the Thunderwolves’ wrestler came away the victor, despite some controversy.

“We felt Brandon had a takedown in overtime, but the official didn’t award the takedown,” Hunter said. 

“We had matches where we could have won, so it’s disappointing to see the end result in terms of the score,” Hunter said, “but when you look at each match we were in every one of them. Kind of mixed feelings after the match.”

Tonight, the CSC wrestlers have a special opportunity to put the Pueblo loss firmly behind him as the team will square off with Colorado Mesa in a unique location – the same Rushville gym where a young Hunter excelled in high school. 

A state champion Rushville wrestler in 2002 and 2004, Hunter had the idea of his team wrestling back in his home town sometime last Spring.

“When I wrestled at Rushville, the wrestling tradition was well respected,” Hunter said. “We won three state titles when I was competing there. I could tell there’s been a lack of wrestling tradition in the area so I called (Gordon-Rushville Athletic Director) Ward Wacker and asked him his thoughts on it. He was all for it.”

From there Hunter had to run the idea by CSC Athletics and administration, who Hunter said were also quick to get on board for the event. 

Luckily for Hunter, so to was Colorado Mesa Head Coach Chuck Pipher. 

How do Hunter’s wrestlers feel about the brief change in home scenery?

“If you ask anyone in town, they know that Coach Hunter has a legacy in Rushville,” Chadron wrestler Wade French,  junior of Heriman, Utah, said. “It adds a little bit of extra pressure on us as a team because we want to live up to Coach Hunter’s image that he built for himself there. Mesa is a tough team, so it’s going to take a whole team effort in order to win, but I believe this team has what it takes.”

As for Hunter’s feelings?

“This is something I’d wanted to do, I thought it was a great idea,” Hunter said, “but now leading up to it, seeing the support and the people you haven’t thought about in a long time resurfacing and helping promote it – as we get closer I’m starting to get a few more feelings. 

“It means a lot to me, just to go back to Rushville – a place that I still call home – and be in the gym where I competed. I really haven’t been back in their facilities for a long time. I’m really fortunate and feel lucky that Chadron State administration has allowed us to do this. Hopefully this is something we can continue to do.”

Friday, the CSC wrestlers return to their usual home at the NPAC for a bout with 7-2 Western Colorado.