By: Kaleb Center, CSC Sports Information Director
CHADRON, Neb. -- January 21, 2021 -- Just when it seemed as though Chadron State College's wrestling team might outlast visiting Colorado Mesa University on Thursday evening in the Chicoine Center, the visitors surprised the Eagles with four straight wins by fall to claim a 34-12 team victory in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual meet in front of around 250 CSC students, staff, faculty, and parents.
The Eagles gained a 6-0 advantage when the dual began at heavyweight. There, CSC sophomore Mason Watt earned his team six points when his opponent defaulted due to injury.
The next two bouts, at 133 pounds and 141, tied the match up, when Mesa wrestlers earned simple decisions of 7-0 and 7-3.
Chadron State retook the lead at 12-10 when Sebastian Robles won 3-2 at 149 pounds, and Preston Renner scored the Eagles' largest decision of the evening, winning 7-3 at 157 pounds.
Four consecutive CSC wrestlers then lost matches by getting caught in pins. Among them were returning national qualifer Tate Allison, last weekend's RMAC Wrestler of the Week nominee Rowdy Pfeil, and Eli Hinojosa, who boasted the second best record on the team in 2019-20.
The Eagles fell to 0-2 (0-1 RMAC) while Colorado Mesa improved to 2-1, all in the league rotation.
CSC will depart on Friday for the Midwest Duals in Kearney, where it will meet up with No. 10 Adams State for a makeup of the canceled January 7 dual. The team will also face No. 23 Newman, as well as Central Missouri.