GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 16 Colorado Mesa wrestling team accomplished one of their goals for the season on Thursday (Feb. 10) evening in Brownson Arena. The Mavericks posted a 38-6 win over the Chadron State Eagles to capture at least a share of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title for the second consecutive season.
 
The conference title is the third for Colorado Mesa under head coach Chuck Pipher who also led the Mavericks to the title in 2015 with a perfect 8-0 record. This season, the Mavericks are 11-2 overall and are now 6-0 in the RMAC with one dual left on the schedule.
 
Dawson Collins and Collin Metzgar opened the nigh with back-to-back major decision victories at 125 and 133 pounds respectively. The Eagles got on the board with a decision victory at 141 pounds by Ethan Leake.
 
Nick Gallegos got back to his winning ways with a pin at 149 pounds followed by a Ryan Wheeler major decision victory at 157 pounds which put the Mavericks ahead 18-3 heading into the intermission.
 
The 165-pound bout may have been the most entertaining bout of the night as Alex Holguin and Preston Renner needed overtime to solve their match. Holguin secured a takedown roughly a minute into the overtime period to secure the win for the Mavericks.
 
The Murderer's Row section of the Maverick lineup did just that. Seth Latham worked a pin at 174 pounds, followed by a Nolan Krone tech fall and a Donnie Negus win to cinch up the dual and the title.
 
Chadron State's No. 10 ranked Mason Watt earned a 5-0 win at 285-pounds to close out the dual.
 
Colorado Mesa will be on the road for their remaining dual of the year, but it is a big one. They will travel to Gunnison next Wednesday to do battle with the Western Colorado Mountaineers. The Mavericks won the non-conference bout back on December 9, 33-6 in Brownson Arena.
 
Bout-by-Bout Results
125 – #5 Dawson Collins (CMU) maj. dec. Quade Smith, 10-2
133 – #7 Collin Metzgar (CMU) maj dec. Kade Lepe, 12-2
141 – Ethan Leake (CSC) dec. Erik Contreras, 9-4
149 – Nick Gallegos (CMU) pins Chance Bockenstedt, 4:27
157 – Ryan Wheeler (CMU) maj. dec. Harrison Gocke, 13-0
165 – Alex Holguin (CMU) dec. Preston Renner, 5-3 (SV)
174 – Seth Latham (CMU) pins Darwin Hull, 4:30
184 – Nolan Krone (CMU) tech falls Rowdy Pfeil, 16-0
197 – #8 Donnie Negus (CMU) pins Parker Schlater, 0:43
285 – #10 Mason Watt (CSC) dec. Kash Anderson, 5-0