LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Colorado Mesa wrestling team traveled to Sin City for the 15^th annual Desert Duals, hosted by Wartburg College (Waverly, Ia.). The Mavericks faced three ranked opponents during the duals that included second ranked in Division III and host Wartburg.
 
Here are short recaps of each dual:
 
#9 Pitt-Johnstown 23, #25 Colorado Mesa 13
Perennial national power Pitt-Johnstown won six of the ten matches in the dual including four that went for bonus points in a 23-13 win over the Mavericks. Seventh-ranked Payton Tawater earned the Mavericks lone bonus point win with a technical fall of Corey Falleroni at 157 pounds.
 
Bracken Lovell, Nolan Krone and TJ Lodermeier each earned decision victories.
 
It was a pair of ranked wrestlers squaring off at 141 pounds when Maverick Eduardo Penha, ranked No. 10 in the most recent NWCA rankings, locked up with fifth-ranked Joey Alessandro. It was a back-and-forth match but Alessandro came away with the 6-3 decision.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
125 – Brendan Howard (Pitt) maj dec Tim Romero, 12-4
133 – Bracken Lovell (CMU) dec Matthew Siska, 4-1
141 – #5 Joe Alessandro (Pitt) dec #10 Eduardo Penha, 6-3
149 – #1 Chris Eddins (Pitt) maj dec Daniel Van Hoose, 9-0
157 – #7 Payton Tawater (CMU) tech fall Corey Falleroni, 17-2
165 – Devin Austin (Pitt) dec #10 Jason Buhr, 6-4
174 – Brock Biddle (Pitt) pins Seth Latham, 1:43
184 – Nolan Krone (CMU) dec Alex Delp, 8-4
197 – TJ Lodermeier (CMU) dec Mike Geyer, 5-4
285 – Tyler Oliver (Pitt) maj dec Hunter Mooring, 11-2
*each team had a team point deducted for misconduct
 
#2 (D3) Wartburg 23, #25 Colorado Mesa 19
Colorado Mesa squared off with the defending Division III Champions Wartburg College in their second dual of the day. Despite the Mavericks earning just four bout wins, in the 23-19 loss to the Knights, three of those went for bonus points.
 
Penha earned a 17-5 major decision win over Brady Fitz while Daniel Van Hoose stuck his opponent at the 3:50 mark of the bout. Jason Buhr also picked up a pin at 165 pounds with a pin of Mike Ross at 2:06.
 
Lovell (133) and Tawater (157) each faced a returning NCAA Division III Champions in Brock Rathbun and Cross Cannone.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
125 – Brady Kyner (WC) maj dec Tim Romero, 8-0
133 – Brock Rathbun (WC) tech fall Bracken Lovell, 16-0
141 – # #10 Eduardo Penha (CMU) maj dec Brady Fitz, 17-5
149 – Daniel Van Hoose (CMU) pins Zayren Terukina, 3:50
157 – Cross Cannone (WC) dec #7 Payton Tawater, 8-2
165 – #10 Jason Buhr (CMU) pins Mike Ross, 2:06
174 – Kyle Briggs (WC) maj dec Seth Latham, 12-1
184 – Nolan Krone (CMU) dec Isaiah Cox, 8-4
197 – Trevor Walton (WC) dec TJ Lodermeier, 12-7
285 – Bowen Willeman (WC) maj dec Hunter Mooring, 14-1
 
#6 Minnesota State 24, #25 Colorado Mesa 13
The Mavericks ended the day just like they started, winning just four of the 10 bouts in a 24-13 loss to the other Mavericks in Minnesota State University.
 
Tim Romero earned a 13-9 decision victory at 125 pounds to open the match up. It was Romero's first full day at 125 pounds. Romero was actually on his back in the third period but was able to fend off Lucas Hagel to complete the win.
 
Tawater, Krone, and Lodermeier each had wins in the dual including a pin by Krone at 184 pounds,
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
125 – Tim Romero (CMU) dec Lucas Hagel, 13-9
133 – #1 George Farmah (MSU) tech fall Bracken Lovell, 18-3
141 – Kolbe O'Brien (MSU) dec Benny Pachello, 13-7
149 – #11 Kyle Rathman (MSU) maj dec Daniel Van Hoose, 13-1
157 – #7 Payton Tawater (CMU) dec Daniel Close, 5-2
165 – #5 Seth Elwood (MSU) dec #10 Jason Buhr, 9-6
174 – #4 Zach Johnston (MSU) maj dec Seth Latham, 16-5
184 – Nolan Krone (CMU) pins Trevor Turriff, 1:02
197 – TJ Lodermeier (CMU) dec Dylan Butts, 8-4
285 – Max Villnow (MSU) pins Hunter Mooring, 5:14
**Colorado Mesa was deducted two team points and Minnesota one for misconduct