Eagles compete at Midwest Duals

By Bre Benson – Reporter

The CSC men’s wrestling team fought hard against ranked opponents at the Midwest Duals on Saturday in Kearney, going 2-1.

They won 32-15 against Fort Hays State, of Hays, Kansas, and beat the Newman Jets, of Wichita, Kansas, 45-6; however, they lost to NCAA Division II first-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos, of Edmond, 14-25.

Quen Campbell, redshirt junior of Tifton, Georgia, at 133 lbs, went 2-0. Ethan Leake, senior of Clovis, California at 141 lbs, went 3-0, and Preston Renner, senior of Broomfield, Colorado, at 165 lbs, went 3-0 at the Midwest Duals.

“We had some great individual performances,” CSC Men’s Wrestling Head Coach Brett Hunter said, “As a program, I feel like we are in a good place right now. Our goal moving forward is to continue this momentum.”

Leake, who has his eyes set on an opportunity to wrestle at nationals, credits his team for picking up the momentum and running with it.

“I think that the Midwest Duals were yet another good test for us both individually and as a team,” Leake said. “We are starting to wrestle the best we have so far this season.”

Several other Chadron State wrestlers stood out in the duals.

Brody Lamb, junior of Wellington, Colorado, at 149 lbs, went 2-0 for the weekend, but did not wrestle against Central Oklahoma. Lamb has recently returned to the mat after recovering from an injury in the first semester.

Heavyweight Mason Watt, senior of Broomfield, Colorado, Quade Smith, sophomore of Layton, Utah, at 125 lbs, and Brandon Paredes, freshman of Tuscon, Arizona, at 149 lbs, all went 2-1 overall on the weekend, with their only loss being in close matches against Central Oklahoma.

The Eagle men take the mat again at 6 p.m. in Pueblo, Colorado, against the Colorado State University Pueblo Thunderwolves.