GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 23 Colorado Mesa wrestling team will square off with a regional opponent and have an open this week. The Mavericks will take on longtime foe Simon Fraser before a select group competes in the Western Open in Gunnison on Friday afternoon.
 
RANKINGS UPDATE
Colorado Mesa moved up a couple spots in the NWCA National Poll to No. 23. The poll is based on projected finish at the NCAA National Tournament and gives points based on expected finish.
 
Eduardo Penha moved up to No. 7 at 141 pounds after his 9-1 start to the season. His lone loss of the year came to No. 3 Joey Alessandro of Pitt-Johnstown 6-3 at the Desert Duals in Las Vegas.
 
Payton Tawater moved up to No. 6 at 157 pounds with a 9-4 mark this season. Tawater will not compete this weekend due to an injury sustained in California last weekend.
 
GETTING COMFORTABLE
Freshman Seth Latham is finally settling into his role as the everyday 174 pounder. He opened his career with a win over nationally ranked Zach Stodden from Nebraska-Kearney but fell on some harder times after that win and had a six-match losing streak shortly thereafter.
 
The New Year came around and the Grand Junction native picked up a pair of dual wins in California and placed third at the Menlo Open, finishing the weekend with a 6-1 record. He will have a chance to atone for his lone loss last weekend as he is facing that opponent on Thursday.
 
GOING ABOUT HIS BUSINESS
Senior TJ Lodermeier is quietly having a solid season as the Mavericks 197 pounder. Lodermeier came to the program at the midway point last season as a 184-pound wrestler but transitioned into the everyday 197 starter after injuries.
 
The Hinton, Okla. native is 8-8 on the season and placed second last weekend at the Menlo Open and went 4-2 on the weekend.
 
SCOUTING THE CLAN
Simon Fraser has a long-standing tradition of strong wrestling and that continues to this day. Head coach Justin Abdou won four straight National Championships as part of The Clan and competed in the 2000 Olympic Games before taking over head coaching duties.
 
Their top wrestler this season comes at heavyweight with sixth-ranked Ciaran Ball who enters this week with a 9-3 overall record. The senior was a NCAA National Qualifier a year ago but went 0-2 in the tournament.
 
PROJECTED LINEUP VS. SIMON FRASER
125
CMU: Tim Romero, Jr., Thornton, Colo., 5-11 overall
SFU: Pritpaul Johaul, Fr., Langley, B.C., 1-6 overall
133
CMU: Bracken Lovell, Fr., Delta, Utah, 10-8 overall
SFU: Riley Prough, So., Glenwood Springs, Colo., 6-7 overall
141
CMU: #7 Eduardo Penha, Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., 9-1 overall
SFU: Randy McDonald, Fr., Newman Lake, Wash., 1-4 overall
149
CMU: Daniel Van Hoose, RFr., Grand Junction, Colo.
SFU: OPEN
157
CMU: Luke Au Yeung, So., Windsor, Calif., 3-9 overall
SFU: Taber Spray, Jr., Anthem, Ariz., 8-3 overall
165
CMU: Jason Buhr, Sr., La Jara, Colo., 8-4 overall
SFU: Trevor Weltzin, So., Langley, B.C., 7-5 overall
174
CMU: Seth Latham, Fr., Grand Junction, Colo., 10-7 overall
SFU: Logan Nelson, So., Vashon Island, Wash., 7-5 overall
184
CMU: Nolan Krone, RFr., Henderson, Colo., 17-6 overall
SFU: Doug Peyser, Jr., Scotts Valley, Calif., 3-4 overall
197
CMU: TJ Lodermeier, Sr., Hinton, Okla., 8-8 overall
SFU: Nolan Badovinac, Jr., Port Alberni, B.C., 1-4 overall
285
CMU: Hunter Mooring, RFr., Pueblo, Colo., 11-10 overall
SFU: #6 Ciaran Ball, Sr., Lynnwood, Wash., 9-3 overall