Wrestling Places Three Individuals at the CUW Open

MEQUON, Wis. – The Concordia Wisconsin wrestling team battled against some of the best individuals in the nation on Saturday at the 30^th Annual CUW Wrestling Open. The Falcons finished with three top-six finishers on Saturday.

Junior Devin Gore (Plymouth, Wis.) opened the day with a pair of victories at 125 pounds. He started with a 5-2 decision over Andrew Punzalan of Wabash, 5-2. He then won by tech fall over Wartburg's Landon Arends, 23-6. In the quarterfinals, Christian Guzman won by tech fall, 20-3. Gore rallied with a 16-7 major decision over Chris Kish of Harper and advanced to the third-place match with a medical forfeit over Carter Anderson on Loras. James Levy won the bronze medal with a 15-0 tech fall victory.

Senior Cam Mercer (Glenview, Ill.) moved all the way to the quarterfinal round of the 285-pound bracket. Mercer mowed over Ryan Dyke of Stevens Point with a 5-3 decision. He then posted a fall at 1:34 against Leo Diaz of Harper College. Robby Bates of North Central then notched a fall at 1:35. Mercer stayed alive with a fall at 6:17 against Edward Perry of Chicago. Gunnar Garriques of Chicago won by a fall at 1:03, but Mercer claimed fifth place with a medical forfeit.

Senior Peyton Smith (Milwaukee, Wis.) marched to the quarterfinals of the 197-pound bracket on Saturday. He had a 19-3 tech fall over Levy Henry of Wartburg and a fall at 5:21 against Logan Neitzel of Stevens Point. David Pirozhnik of North Central then won by fall in the quarterfinals with a fall at 4:33. Smith secured a spot in the top-six with a fall at 2:42 over Trescott Duffy of Wabash at 2:42. Smith finished the day in sixth place with a loss at 1:46 against Greyson Gardner of Wartburg and a 19-4 tech fall loss to Wartburg's Zach Wielder.

Freshman Christopher Khaosanga (Jackson, Wis.) opened the 133-pound bracket with a fall over Aden Vargas of Harper College at 4:33. Aiden Peterson of Eau Claire then won by fall at 1:11. Khaosanga bounced back in the consolation bracket with a 21-11 major decision over Joe Fornano of Elmhurst. Caleb Drousis of Wasbash ended the day with a fall at 1:53.

Senior Emilio Acosta (El Paso, Wis.) battled at 133 pounds on Saturday. Anthony Zamora of Wheaton defeated Acosta by fall at 2:18 in the second round. Acosta rallied to bounce Marcus Borden of Chicago with a fall at 3:41, but Jamal Chakkour of Wartburg ended the run with a 23-13 major decision.

Junior Corey Bagby (Salem, N.J.) started the day with a victory in the 141-pound bracket with a fall over Ben Leach of Elmhurst at 6:33. Wartburg's Josh Garvey then won by tech fall at 18-1. In the consolation bracket, Troy Mock advanced with a fall at 4:03.

Freshman Mason Markham (Elkhorn, Wis.) competed at 149 pounds on Saturday. Dominic Litchfield of Wabash won by tech fall at 15-0 and Josh Dorr downed Markham with a fall at 1:48.

Freshman Cole Ramos (Kenosha, Wis.) advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 149-pound bracket. He started the morning with a fall over Bo Wagner of Wabash at 1:58 and posted another fall at 1:10 against Caleb Magruder of North Central. Daniel Uribe of Wabash then won by tech fall at 18-3. Lucio Morgan advanced in the bracket with a fall at 1:27.

Freshman Ethan Onan (Beach Park, Ill.) fought in the 149-pound bracket but fell short with a fall at 2:47 against Brady Stille of Wartburg and a tech fall loss against Cael Saxton of Chicago at 15-0.

At 149 pounds, sophomore Frank Budederi (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) dropped the first bout of the day with a fall at 1:52 against Ryan Fleck of Chicago. Nicholas Asllani then won by fall at 1:40.

Senior Carson Cook (Las Vegas, Nev.) bounced back at 157 pounds on Saturday. After falling by a 7-1 decision to Ayden Lutes of Wabash, he won by fall over Jack Lee of Loras at 1:02 and posted a 17-2 tech fall over Nolan Flores of North Central. Luke Christie of North Central then posted a 4-2 decision.

Freshman Brandon Monteiro (Fernley, Nev.) competed in the 165-pound bracket on Saturday. Tyler Rodriguez of North Central opened the day with a fall at 2:06 and Jesse Herrera also posted a fall at 1:56.

Zane Mulder of Wartburg topped sophomore Ruben Vasquez (Westminster, Calif.) in the 174-pound bracket to start the day. Vasquez rallied and made quick work of Rosario Pollina of Elmhurst at 0:26. Bransen Byrd of North Central ended Vasquez's day with a 9-3 decision.

Sophomore TJ Mackey (Joliet, Ill.) started Saturday with a 15-0 tech fall loss to Zeb Gnida of Loras and then fell to Elorm Nevis of Wabash with a 12-0 major decision.

At 184 pounds, senior Jonathan Pullen (Joliet, Ill.) pounced on Brandon Hammer of Wabash with a fall at 1:19. Payton Geigner of North Central then topped Pullen with a fall at 2:03. Pullen rallied to secure a 6-3 decision over Abe Michel of Loras, a 16-3 major decision over Kam Royster of Loras, a fall at 3:42 over Harper's Connor Lorden and an 11-7 decision over Sammy Saunders of Wabash.

Junior Bryce Claypool (Morris, Ill.) put up a valiant fight in the 184-pound bracket. He started the day with a 15-0 tech fall over Reese Davis of Elmhurst. Charles Baczek then picked up a fall over Claypool at 0:31. Jack Gillis of La Crosse then had a 4-2 decision over Claypool.

After falling in the first round with a 13-2 major decision to Caden Friedt of Wabash, freshman Nathan Krause (Grafton, Wis.) collected a fall at 1:25 over Manny Meija of Harper, a fall over Graham Young of Whitewater at 1:57 and fall over Logan Neitzel of Stevens Point at 2:57, but ended with a 12- major decision loss to Nolan Pozzobon of Chicago.

Concordia Wisconsin picked up 29 victories on the day.

Massoma Endene was named the Most Valuable Wrestler of the CUW Open.

The Falcons will rest up and return to action in December at the MSOE Invite.