INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Colorado Mesa men's wrestling team had five wrestlers reach day two of the 43
rd annual Midwest Classic on Sunday (Dec. 18) and each needed to win one match to place at one of the top NCAA Division II tournaments in the country. All five secured a win and placed in the top eight.
Dawson Collins placed eighth at 125 pounds after going 1-2 on the day. He opened the day with a 6-3 decision victory over Trevon Gray of Pitt-Johnstown. He fell in his next match to James Joplin by fall late in the match before falling in the seventh-place match to Weston DiBlasi of Colorado School of Mines by fall.
Collin Metzgar wound up in sixth place and becomes a two-time Midwest Classic placer at 133 pounds. He opened the day with a 7-1 decision victory over William Burgess of Seton Hill and followed it up with a 6-4 sudden victory triumph over No. 5 ranked Gavin Quicho of Glenville State. He fell in the consolation semifinals to No. 6 Elijah Lusk of Lander 5-2 then fell in the fifth-place match to No. 4 Breyden Bailey of UIndy 7-6.
Ryan Wheeler became a two-time placer at the Midwest Classic after placing third at 157 pounds. He started his journey with a first period pin of Sean Howk of Southwest Minnesota State and followed it up with a pin at 2:24 over Carter Noerhe of Mines to avenge his only loss of the tournament. He finished the day up with a first-round pin of No. 2 ranked Nate Smith of Pitt-Johnstown and another one of Casey Barnett of Tiffin at 1:53.
Wheeler was also given the award for the most pins in the tournament with six pins. The University Place, Wash. native was the NCAA Gorriarian Award winner at last season's NCAA National Championships for having the most falls in the least amount of time.
Redshirt freshman
Gus Dalton improved to 7-2 on the season as he placed seventh at 165 pounds after going 2-1 on the day. He opened with a 5-3 decision victory over No. 11 Dillon Keane of Pitt-Johnstown before dropping a 5-2 decision to Cole Ritter of Maryville. He rebounded with an injury default win at 1:49 against No. 2 ranked Drew Wiechers of Ashland.
The Mavericks final placer came at 174 pounds in sophomore
Alex Holguin who took fourth place. Holguin earned a medical forfeit over Hank Carey of Notre Dame Ohio and followed it up with a 5-3 decision over No. 3 ranked Dillon Walker of Mercyhurst to avenge one of his two looses in the tournament. He followed that win up with a pin of Brandon Matthews of Seton Hill at 2:04 before falling in the third place match to Fort Hays State's Cade Lindsey 4-0.
Colorado Mesa finished in fourth place as a team with 87.5 points which is their highest placing and most team points scored ever at the Midwest Classic. They were the highest placing team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the entire NCAA Super Region VI. Adams State was their closest RMAC opponent at No. 8 with 66 points.
Central Oklahoma ran away with the team title as they amassed 178.5 points and finished with three individual champions.
The Mavericks will be back in action after the NCAA mandated break over the holidays. They are set to head to Louisville for the NWCA National Duals where they took sixth place last season.
