GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa wrestling team will compete in the Las Vegas Desert Duals on Monday December 17 as their last event of the 2018 calendar year. The Desert Duals will take place in the Flamingo Hotel and is hosted by Division III stalwart Wartburg College from Waverly, Ia.
 
NWCA NATIONAL RANKINGS
The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released their first regular season rankings just prior to the Mavericks dual with Western Colorado. Colorado Mesa entered the team rankings in a tie for 25^th with 13 points after having three wrestlers in the top 12 of their respective weight.
 
Payton Tawater moved up to No. 7 in the rankings at 157 pounds after garnering a win over No. 1 ranked Matt Malcolm of Nebraska-Kearney while teammate Jason Buhr slid up two spots to No. 10 at 165 pounds after his 3-0 start to the season.
 
Checking into the rankings at 141 pounds is Eduardo Penha at No. 10. The Las Vegas native is currently 4-0 on the season.
 
LINEUP SHIFT
The Mavericks shifted a few pieces of their lineup around prior to the dual with Western Colorado. Freshman Bracken Lovell slid into the lineup at 133 pounds following a solid showing at the Cowboy Open, which he won at 133 pounds, and the UNK Holiday Inn Open.
 
Hunter Mooring will be wrestling at 285 pounds while Clayton Voytilla recovers from an injury sustained in the duals with Cloud County CC and Nebraska-Kearney. The redshirt freshman is 7-4 on the season and really came on late last season and following. Mooring received All-American honors at the US Junior Open in Las Vegas in Greco Roman wrestling last April.
 
BUHRICAINE
Senior Jason Buhr is quietly approaching a milestone of his own. Buhr is now 93-38 in his career as a Colorado Mesa Maverick and is just seven wins away from the 100-win milestone. The La Jara native is a two-time NCAA National Tournament qualifier and three-time RMAC All-Academic First Team recipient.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
The Mavericks will face stiff competition at the Desert Duals on Monday as they will take on perennial power No. 8 Pitt-Johnstown, the host Wartburg Knights, ranked No. 2 in the D3 National Rankings, and No. 6 Minnesota State.
 
Pitt-Johnstown features three wrestlers (141, 149, and 197) in the top-12 in their respective weights, highlighted by top ranked 149 pounder Chris Eddins. Colorado Mesa actually has some history with Eddins as former Maverick All-American Daniel Salazar defeated Eddins in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at 141 pounds.
 
Minnesota State enters the duals with four wrestlers ranked in the top-12 on the rankings. Senior 133 pounder George Farrah is the top ranked wrestler at the weight while Zach Johnston is ranked fourth at 174 pounds.
 
Division III power Wartburg has a pair of wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the D3Wrestle.com National Rankings. 133 pounder Brock Rathbun and 157 pounder Cross Cannone each are ranked No. 1 at their respective weight. Cannone is on a 45-match winning streak that dates back to the 2017 National Championship match.
 
The Mavericks will also be sending a 'second' team to the Las Vegas Desert Duals to compete. They will take on Iowa State's Club Team, Wartburg's 'second' team and North Central's 'second' team.
 
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Colorado Mesa #1
125 – Tim Romero, Jr., Thornton, Colo., 1-5 overall
133 – Bracken Lovell, Fr., Delta, Utah, 5-3 overall, 1 pin
141 – #10 Eduardo Penha, Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., 4-0 overall, 2 pins
149 – Daniel Van Hoose, RFr., Fruita, Colo., 1-4 overall
157 – #7 Payton Tawater, Jr., Arvada, Colo., 6-2 overall, 3 pins
165 – #10 Jason Buhr, Sr., La Jara, Colo., 3-0 overall
174 – Seth Latham, Fr., Grand Junction, Colo., 4-3 overall, 3 pins
184 – Nolan Krone, RFr., Henderson, Colo., 9-4 overall, 4 pins
197 – TJ Lodermeier, Sr., Hinton, Okla., 2-5 overall, 1 pin
285 – Hunter Mooring, RFr., Pueblo, Colo., 7-4 overall, 1 pin
 
Colorado Mesa #2
125 – Tyler Johnson, RFr., Parker, Colo., 0-0 overall
133 – OPEN
141 – Benny Pachello, So., Arvada, Colo., 3-2 overall
149 – Kyle Kintz, Jr., Gladstone, Ore., 3-4 overall, 2 pins
157 – Luke Au Yeung, So., Windsor, Calif., 2-4 overall
165 – Aaron Trygstad, So., Denver, Colo., 0-0 overall
174 – Donnie Negus, So., Elizabeth, Colo., 3-4 overall, 1 pin
184 – Pat Romero, Jr., Thornton, Colo., 4-4 overall, 2 pins
197 – OPEN
285 – Kyle Jennings, Jr., Shingle Springs, Calif., 0-0 overall