November 9, 2007

Wrestling To Start Season at Cowboy Open

Nov. 9, 2007

Wrestling Notes: At Cowboy Open Get Acrobat Reader

Tournament #1

Northern Colorado at Cowboy Open

Saturday, November 10 • Laramie, Wyo. • UniWyo Sports Complex (1,200) • 10:00 a.m.

 

Season Opener

Northern Colorado opens its season Saturday at the Cowboy Open. Last year the Bears also started their year at rival Wyoming in Laramie. Sophomore 125-pounder Tony Mustari finished third last year, while senior heavyweight Reece Hopkin placed fourth.

Immediate Target

With the recent release of the preseason rankings, senior heavyweight Reece Hopkin finds himself with a target on his back as he is ranked 16th by both Intermat/NWCA/NWMA and American Wrestling News and 19th by WIN Magazine. Last year, Hopkin posted a 19-9 record with five pins and four major decisions and advanced to the NCAA Championships.

Top Returners

Head Coach Jack Maughan will look for leadership from 2007 NCAA Participants Tony Mustari (125) and Reece Hopkin (HWT) as well as senior Richard Lohr (149), junior Blayze Bahe (133), who finished fourth at the NCAA West Regional, junior Devan Lewis (165) who finished third at the Regional and sophomore Calen Nicholl (197) who was sixth at last year's regional.

Eight New To Compete This Weekend

Head Coach Jack Maughan added nine to the roster in the off-season with eight freshmen and one junior college transfer in Daniel Prater from Colby Community College, where he ranked seventh among all junior college athletes by InterMat. Brett Bahe was a three-time state high school champion in Kansas, while Casey Cruz was the 2007 Colorado state champion and Lance Gallegos was a two-time state high school champion fro Arrupe Jesuit in Denver. Nic Johnson posted a 29-5 record his senior year for Monarch High School, while Justin Gaethje compiled a 191-9 record throughout high school for Safford HS in Arizona. Tanner Weiks was also a state champion as a senior for Tumwater HS in Washington, while Troy Kessell ranked as high as seventh nationally in high school at Hermiston in Oregon. Brandon Kammerzell was the Greeley Tribune Wrestler of the year but will not compete for the Bears this weekend.

All In The Family

The 2007-08 roster boasts one pair of brothers in Blayze and Brett Bahe. Blayze is a junior who posted a 6-8 overall record last season, while Brett is a true freshman. Both wrestle at 133-pounds. Head Coach Jack Maughan also has a familial connection in the wrestling world, as his father, Bucky, is the head coach at North Dakota State. Last season, the Bison edged the Bears 23-14 in a dual meet and Bucky holds the 19-1-1 advantage in the all-time series.

A Look Ahead

Next week, the Bears host the Old Chicago's Northern Colorado Open at Butler-Hancock on Sunday, November 18. The Bears had a great showing last year as eight of the 10 classes were won by someone in the Blue & Gold. The tournament boasted more than 250 student-athletes competing in its fifth season and this year's lineup looks to be just as exciting.