CSU-Pueblo falls to Mesa State, 27-12, in historic first home match since reinstatement
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by Gary Abbott
PUEBLO, Colo. - In the first match held on the campus since 2001, the newly revived Colorado State Univ. at Pueblo wrestling team lost to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Mesa State at the Massari Arena on Wednesday night, 27-12
It was billed as "The Pack is Back" night, and the college publicized the match with special promotions and local advertising. A healthy crowd, announced at 2,012 fans, came out and these Div. II teams put on a good show for the fans.
"We had great community support," said CSU-Pueblo coach Dax Charles. "I wouldn't ask for anything better except for a win."
Winning the final match of the night for CSU-Pueblo at 141 pounds was Markus Portillo, who was a state champion for Pueblo East High School in 2004.
"They cut this program my senior year in high school, and it was very disappointing," said Portillo. "I went to California and redshirted for a year at Lassen College. Then I came back here to Pueblo and started an electrician apprenticeship. When they brought back wrestling, I thought I would try to get back here to wrestle and go to college."
Portillo's win was the final match of the night. He defeated Jason Wenger, who wrestled in high school at nearby Colorado Springs, 10-8, scoring a key takedown with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
"To have wrestling back now, and to wrestle in front of an amazing crowd at home is awesome," said Portillo.
For those who lament to trend of lost college programs, there has been some revival for the sport within this conference.
CSU-Pueblo (then known as the Univ. of Southern Colorado) dropped its highly successful wrestling team seven years ago. It was a very controversial decision in this working-class town with a strong wrestling tradition. In spite of a strong public outcry which went all the state level, the administration would not change its decision. The return of wrestling to this university was big news in the local press.
The opponent Mesa State is now in its third season of competition after the program was reinstated on that campus. Mesa State had dropped wrestling in 1991, and had been without the sport for 15 years.
To add interest, both coaches in this dual meet had been national champions competing on this campus for the Univ. of Southern Colorado. Mesa State coach Chuck Pipher won three NAIA national titles for the Thunderwolves (1987-89). CSU-Pueblo coach Dax Charles was the first NCAA Div. II national champion for the Thunderwolves after they changed affiliation, winning a national title in 1982.
Both coaches wrestled for the legendary Doug Moses, who was the only coach for the Univ. of Southern Colorado (1983-2001), prior to the team's reinstatement. Moses is now coaching again in the RMAC conference as the head coach at New Mexico Highlands Univ., a college which reinstated wrestling for the 2005-2006 season.
"CSU-Pueblo had been away for six years, and we were gone for 15 years," said Mesa State coach Chuck Pipher. "People need to appreciate that. We have to support our college wrestling programs. Putting fans in the seats at matches like this is huge."
There is also another new team in the RMAC Wrestling Conference, Grand Canyon which is located in Arizona. The conference now features 11 teams, representing five different states.
"We are seeing some synergy with the RMAC, with new programs coming in," said Charles. "I think we are the toughest conference in the nation. This is good for the kids, good for the sport and good for the community."
Host CSU-Pueblo started the "welcome home" dual with a victory at 149 pounds, as Louie DeSantis defeated Keith Johnson, 9-4. It was DeSantis' 17th win, the most of any Thunderwolf wrestler so far this season.
Mesa State bounced back with four straight wins. The top Mesa State star, No. 4 ranked Chase Walker, put on a takedown clinic, with a few leg turns from the top, to score a 22-7 technical fall over Keenan Funk at 157 pounds.
Mesa State's Cole Johnson won the next bout at 165 pounds, leading the entire match to defeat Martin Dick, 11-4. Kyle Brightman continued the streak with a 7-3 win over Justin Grant. At 184 pounds, after trailing in the first period and fighting off his back, Andy Laiminger came back to pin Kellen Desmond in the second period in 2:25.
After the halftime, local star Tony Chavarria of CSU-Pueblo defeated James Breidel, 13-8 at 197 pounds. Chavarria is a freshman who wrestled for Pueblo West High School. Mesa State added to its lead at heavyweight, when Trevor Stapp pinned Frank Sandoval in the second period.
CSU-Pueblo won just two of the three final matches, with a victory from Lyle Evans at 125 pounds and Portillo's closing victory at 141 pounds.
"We won four of the 10 matches, and my two Pueblo kids won," said Charles. "I think the crowd excitement got to my guys a little bit. But our kids were ready to go. Chuck (Pipher) did a good job with his team."
These teams will not challenge for Div. II team titles in the near future, but their return to wrestling is very healthy for the sport.
Neither team is ranked in Div. II wrestling. Only one wrestler in the match held a Div. II national ranking. Nine of the athletes on the mat were Colorado natives, but other states represented in the meet covered the entire West, including Utah, Wyoming, California, Texas, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Arizona.
CSU-Pueblo put in some extra effort to make the night special. There was a high school match prior to the meet, with Alamosa defeating Pueblo West, 40-29. The production included a mat lamp in the darkened arena, with music during the bouts. At halftime, there was a "crawl for cash," where two blindfolded fans had 30 seconds to pick up dollar bills spread all over the mat.
"This is good wrestling. It is great to have these programs back," said Pipher. "Dax has done a good job. They gave him a year to recruit, which is huge for that program."
Pipher was greeted by numerous fans after the match, who remembered his career as a champion wrestler in this gym.
"This is why we do it, for the competition," said Pipher. "You are in the sport for the competition. It never ends. I know a lot of people here. I was here for five years."
Mesa State 27, CSU-Pueblo 12
At Pueblo, Colo., Jan. 7
149 -Louie DeSantis (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Keith Johnson (Mesa St.), 9-4
157 -Chase Walker (Mesa St.) tech. fall Keenen Funk (CSU-Pueblo), 22-7, 7:00
165 -Cole Johnson (Mesa St.) dec. Martin Dick (CSU-Pueblo), 10-4
174 -Kyle Brightman (Mesa St.) dec. Justin Grant (CSU-Pueblo), 7-4
184 -Andy Laiminger (Mesa St.) pin Kellen Desmond (CSU-Pueblo), 2:25
197 - Tony Chavarria (CSU-Pueblo) dec. James Breidel (Mesa St.), 13-8
HWT -Trevor Stapp (Mesa St.) pin Frank Sandoval (CSU-Pueblo), 4:35
125 - Lyle Evans (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Miguel Balthazar (Mesa St), 4-1
133 -Rhett Breed (Mesa St.) maj. dec. Joe Jones (CSU-Pueblo), 17-5
141 - Markus Portillos (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Jason Wenger (Mesa St.), 10-8
Season records: CSU-Pueblo (2-3), Mesa State (1-0)
It was billed as "The Pack is Back" night, and the college publicized the match with special promotions and local advertising. A healthy crowd, announced at 2,012 fans, came out and these Div. II teams put on a good show for the fans.
"We had great community support," said CSU-Pueblo coach Dax Charles. "I wouldn't ask for anything better except for a win."
Winning the final match of the night for CSU-Pueblo at 141 pounds was Markus Portillo, who was a state champion for Pueblo East High School in 2004.
"They cut this program my senior year in high school, and it was very disappointing," said Portillo. "I went to California and redshirted for a year at Lassen College. Then I came back here to Pueblo and started an electrician apprenticeship. When they brought back wrestling, I thought I would try to get back here to wrestle and go to college."
Portillo's win was the final match of the night. He defeated Jason Wenger, who wrestled in high school at nearby Colorado Springs, 10-8, scoring a key takedown with just 30 seconds left on the clock.
"To have wrestling back now, and to wrestle in front of an amazing crowd at home is awesome," said Portillo.
For those who lament to trend of lost college programs, there has been some revival for the sport within this conference.
CSU-Pueblo (then known as the Univ. of Southern Colorado) dropped its highly successful wrestling team seven years ago. It was a very controversial decision in this working-class town with a strong wrestling tradition. In spite of a strong public outcry which went all the state level, the administration would not change its decision. The return of wrestling to this university was big news in the local press.
The opponent Mesa State is now in its third season of competition after the program was reinstated on that campus. Mesa State had dropped wrestling in 1991, and had been without the sport for 15 years.
To add interest, both coaches in this dual meet had been national champions competing on this campus for the Univ. of Southern Colorado. Mesa State coach Chuck Pipher won three NAIA national titles for the Thunderwolves (1987-89). CSU-Pueblo coach Dax Charles was the first NCAA Div. II national champion for the Thunderwolves after they changed affiliation, winning a national title in 1982.
Both coaches wrestled for the legendary Doug Moses, who was the only coach for the Univ. of Southern Colorado (1983-2001), prior to the team's reinstatement. Moses is now coaching again in the RMAC conference as the head coach at New Mexico Highlands Univ., a college which reinstated wrestling for the 2005-2006 season.
"CSU-Pueblo had been away for six years, and we were gone for 15 years," said Mesa State coach Chuck Pipher. "People need to appreciate that. We have to support our college wrestling programs. Putting fans in the seats at matches like this is huge."
There is also another new team in the RMAC Wrestling Conference, Grand Canyon which is located in Arizona. The conference now features 11 teams, representing five different states.
"We are seeing some synergy with the RMAC, with new programs coming in," said Charles. "I think we are the toughest conference in the nation. This is good for the kids, good for the sport and good for the community."
Host CSU-Pueblo started the "welcome home" dual with a victory at 149 pounds, as Louie DeSantis defeated Keith Johnson, 9-4. It was DeSantis' 17th win, the most of any Thunderwolf wrestler so far this season.
Mesa State bounced back with four straight wins. The top Mesa State star, No. 4 ranked Chase Walker, put on a takedown clinic, with a few leg turns from the top, to score a 22-7 technical fall over Keenan Funk at 157 pounds.
Mesa State's Cole Johnson won the next bout at 165 pounds, leading the entire match to defeat Martin Dick, 11-4. Kyle Brightman continued the streak with a 7-3 win over Justin Grant. At 184 pounds, after trailing in the first period and fighting off his back, Andy Laiminger came back to pin Kellen Desmond in the second period in 2:25.
After the halftime, local star Tony Chavarria of CSU-Pueblo defeated James Breidel, 13-8 at 197 pounds. Chavarria is a freshman who wrestled for Pueblo West High School. Mesa State added to its lead at heavyweight, when Trevor Stapp pinned Frank Sandoval in the second period.
CSU-Pueblo won just two of the three final matches, with a victory from Lyle Evans at 125 pounds and Portillo's closing victory at 141 pounds.
"We won four of the 10 matches, and my two Pueblo kids won," said Charles. "I think the crowd excitement got to my guys a little bit. But our kids were ready to go. Chuck (Pipher) did a good job with his team."
These teams will not challenge for Div. II team titles in the near future, but their return to wrestling is very healthy for the sport.
Neither team is ranked in Div. II wrestling. Only one wrestler in the match held a Div. II national ranking. Nine of the athletes on the mat were Colorado natives, but other states represented in the meet covered the entire West, including Utah, Wyoming, California, Texas, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Arizona.
CSU-Pueblo put in some extra effort to make the night special. There was a high school match prior to the meet, with Alamosa defeating Pueblo West, 40-29. The production included a mat lamp in the darkened arena, with music during the bouts. At halftime, there was a "crawl for cash," where two blindfolded fans had 30 seconds to pick up dollar bills spread all over the mat.
"This is good wrestling. It is great to have these programs back," said Pipher. "Dax has done a good job. They gave him a year to recruit, which is huge for that program."
Pipher was greeted by numerous fans after the match, who remembered his career as a champion wrestler in this gym.
"This is why we do it, for the competition," said Pipher. "You are in the sport for the competition. It never ends. I know a lot of people here. I was here for five years."
Mesa State 27, CSU-Pueblo 12
At Pueblo, Colo., Jan. 7
149 -Louie DeSantis (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Keith Johnson (Mesa St.), 9-4
157 -Chase Walker (Mesa St.) tech. fall Keenen Funk (CSU-Pueblo), 22-7, 7:00
165 -Cole Johnson (Mesa St.) dec. Martin Dick (CSU-Pueblo), 10-4
174 -Kyle Brightman (Mesa St.) dec. Justin Grant (CSU-Pueblo), 7-4
184 -Andy Laiminger (Mesa St.) pin Kellen Desmond (CSU-Pueblo), 2:25
197 - Tony Chavarria (CSU-Pueblo) dec. James Breidel (Mesa St.), 13-8
HWT -Trevor Stapp (Mesa St.) pin Frank Sandoval (CSU-Pueblo), 4:35
125 - Lyle Evans (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Miguel Balthazar (Mesa St), 4-1
133 -Rhett Breed (Mesa St.) maj. dec. Joe Jones (CSU-Pueblo), 17-5
141 - Markus Portillos (CSU-Pueblo) dec. Jason Wenger (Mesa St.), 10-8
Season records: CSU-Pueblo (2-3), Mesa State (1-0)
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