CSC wrestles a win against CSU-Pueblo

CSC’s wrestling team continued its current win streak by taking down Colorado State University-Pueblo, 23-16, Thursday night in Pueblo, Colorado. 

The Eagles went 5-5 for individual matches for the night, coming away with the win with two pins and a technical fall.

“I felt the guys from top to bottom wrestled pretty good,” Head Wrestling Coach Brett Hunter said, “Finding a way to get it done, I don’t care who steps up. It seems like every time we compete, someone different steps up.”

Joe Ritzen, junior of Chadron, pinned his opponent at 141 pounds, within the first period of his match, quickly earning six points for Chadron.  

No. 4 Rowdy Pfeil, freshman of Moorcroft, Wyoming pinned Pueblo’s Elijah Valdex, sophomore of Colorado Springs, Colorado, after taking Valdex down within the first period of the 174-pound class. 

Joe Taylor, sophomore of Glenrock, Wyoming, took down his opponent Devin Lueck, sophomore of Fountain, Colorado, twice in the first period and once in the second. Taylor also gained two four-point near falls, and two two-point near falls in the two periods before winning with a technical fall, 19-2. 

Preston Renner, sophomore of Westminster, Colorado, took a decision win over Pueblo’s Jasiah Williams, senior of Portland, Oregon, 3-2. Renner earned an escape and a takedown in the third period, after Williams escape in the second period. 

“As a whole, the majority are certainly wrestling better,” Hunter said, “The more we wrestle the better we’re going to get. We just need mat time with our young guys and I think we’re getting that.”

Eli Hinojosa, sophomore of Imperial won with a decision against Ben Gould, sophomore of Canyon Country, California, 9-3. Hinojosa and Gould received penalty points in the second period, but Gould only gained two escapes. Hinojosa earned six points in the second period with an escape, takedown, and a near fall. He took down Gould again in the third period, winning the match with an addition point of riding time. 

Chadron’s wrestlers will host their next dual against Western Colorado University, 5 p.m. tomorrow in the Chicoine Center. 

“They’re young just like us,” Hunter said, “They wrestle extremely hard. So, we’ll just take this week like we have in the past, just focus on us and continue to get better.”