Four Bears Claim Titles at NoCo Open

Sunday, November 10

Greeley, Colo.

All Day

University of Northern Colorado

Northern Colorado Open

Photo by: Anna-Lee Marie

11/10/2019 8:51:00 PM | Wrestling

Northern Colorado had four champions and ten placers in their home tournament

By: UNCBears.com

Coming off a strong performance at the Cowboy Open last weekend, Northern Colorado performed well at its own Open on Sunday. The Bears took first place in four weight classes and added 10 placers. Andrew Alirez (149), Mosha Schwartz (133), competing unattached, Jimmy Fate (157) and Alan Clothier (184) all won their respective brackets.

"I think we wrestled pretty well," head coach Troy Nickerson said. "This is a tough tournament sometimes to get hyped up for. I think we could of done a better job showing energy and enthusiasm. For the most part, our guys took care of business, but I would have liked to see our guys finish off a little more solid in the finals. The unattached guys, Mosha Schwartz and Theorius Robison, continue to be phenomenal and get better. Alan Clothier wrestling a really tough guy there in the finals. Jimmy Fate continues to impress coming back from injury. I'm really happy for Brody Lamb for stepping up and getting to the finals."

Alirez dominated the 149-pound bracket winning his five matches with three falls, a decision, and a 10-1 major decision over Wyoming's Jacob Greenwood in the finals. The true freshman's fastest pin of the day came in a swift 1:13.

"I'm feeling good and just trying to keep it rolling," Alirez said. "Every tournament I'm in, I believe I'm the guy to beat no matter the ranking or that I'm a true freshman. Coming into college, everyone said I didn't know how to mat wrestle. I didn't mat wrestle in high school because we didn't get a reward for riding time. Now I'm out here to prove to people that I'm good on top."

"He is a complete wrestler," Nickerson said of Alirez. "Nobody can stop his leg attacks. He chain wrestles better than anyone in the country. He's good on the mat and he can get away from anybody or ride anybody. That's the qualities of a national champion."

In the 184-pound bracket, Clothier went through the bracket with a fall, two major decisions and won in the first tie breaker in the finals. His win in the finals came over Rocky Elam from the Elite Accelerator Program.

Schwartz competed in his first collegiate event and showed no signs of first-time nerves. He defeated teammate Robison, competing unattached, in the finals. Schwartz had a pair of major decisions on the day and a fall in 0:47.

Robison made his way to the championship match with wins by decision, fall and in the first tie breaker. Michael Johnson also placed in the 133-pound bracket, with a fall, two major decisions and a decision on Sunday.

Fate won the 157-pound bracket with two falls, a major decision and decision. His fastest fall came in 1:31. In the finals he defeated Logan Johnson of Wyoming by a 3-0 decision.

Four Bears earned placed second on Sunday in Robison, Jace Koelzer, Brody Lamb and Jacob Seely. Koelzer wrestled in the 125-pound bracket earning four wins. They came by tech fall, major decision and had a pair of decisions.

Lamb recorded the fastest fall of the day for Northern Colorado when he pinned Adaen Valdez of La Gente in 34 seconds. He had a second fall with a time of 5:10 as well and also won a match by major decision.

Seeley went 3-1 on the day making his way the finals of the 197-pound bracket with a pair of tech falls and a major decision.

Sethan Bogulski and Dalton Robertson each earned third place finished at the UNC Open for their respective weight classes. Bogulski went 4-1 with a pair of falls on the day. Robertson's record for the tournament was 4-1 as well with a fall and two major decisions.

Three Bears finished in fourth place in Ethan Leake (157), Jordan Robison (165) and Xavier Vasquez (174). All three had a fall during the day and combined for two tech falls and a major decision.

Sunday marked the first home competition for Alirez and Robison, along with Schwartz.

"The biggest quality we need is to have confidence in who we are and what we need to do to reach our goals," Nickerson said. "Last weekend we really had a chip on our shoulder. We went out with some real fire and this weekend I think we backed off a little and settled. I want these guys to wrestle with that underdog mentality. That nothing is given, its earned."

What's Next
Northern Colorado will open its home dual schedule on Saturday against Big 12-foe, West Virginia at 7 p.m.