CSC 3rd After Day One Of Midwest Classic With 5 Men Still Alive

By John Murphy CSC SID

Chadron State advanced 5 wrestlers to Day Two of the 44th annual Midwest Classic in Indianapolis on Saturday, leading the Eagles to 3rd in the team standings.

Lander, the nation’s #1 NCAA Division II team, leads with Central Oklahoma, last years national champion, 2nd going into the final day.
 
For Chadron State, Quade Smith, Quen Campbell and Mason Watt are in the semifinals while Torry Early and Logan Berger are both in the consolation bracket.
 
Smith, a junior form Layton, Utah and the #10 ranked wrestler by NWCA, is currently 4-0 after two pins and two falls in the 125-pound bracket. His day started with a fall in 1:30 during round one and 1:46 during round two.
 
His two decisions occurred against the nation’s third and fifth ranked wrestler. Against #5 Trevon Gray from Pitt-Johnstown, Smith won on a 5-4 decision before defeating #3 Shane Corrigan from Wisconsin-Parkside 4-2 in the quarterfinals. A matchup against Christia Meija from McKendree is scheduled for Smith in the semifinals.  
 
Campbell, a redshirt senior from Tifton, Georgia and the NWCA #2 ranked wrestler, will face #6 Tommy Frezza from Central Missouri in the semifinals at 133 pounds.
 
After a first-round bye, Campbell started his day with an 8-3 decision in round two. During his second match, he won with a pin in 5:00 before recording a 4-2 victory by decision in the quarterfinals.

In a quarterfinal match on the other half of the bracket, #10 Gabe Hixenbaugh from Montevallo defeated defending national champion and #1 ranked Gavin Quiocho form Glenville State with a 4-2 decision. Quiocho beat Campbell in last year’s national finals.
 
CSC’s other wrestler to book a spot in the semifinals is #8 Mason Watt at 285 pounds. Watt, a graduate student from Broomfield, Colorado, recorded one pin, a major decision, a sudden victory and a decision in the quarterfinals.
 
A matchup against #12 Braedon Morgan from Central Oklahoma is on the dock for Watt in the semis. The other semifinal is a matchup between the nation’s #7 and #10 ranked wrestlers.
 
Early, a senior from Oak Park, Illinois, broke CSC Wrestling Head Coach Brett Hunter‘s record for tech falls in a season after his first match. Early is currently 4-1 after suffering a defeat in the quarterfinals to #1 Wyatt Turnquist of Northern State. His victories have been by way of one major decision and three tech falls.
 
Berger, a sophomore from Hartsville, South Carolina is also 4-1 after day one. His victories occurred by way of two falls, one major decision and a tech fall. He was defeated in the quarterfinals by #3 ranked Cole Hernandez of Western Colorado by major decision.
 
Other CSC wrestlers in action were Ethan Leake at 141 pounds, Clayton Robinson at 157 pounds, Jaziah Whaley at 165 pounds, and Eli Hinojosa at 197. Leake and Hinojosa both finished 0-2, Robinson went 2-2, and Whaley finished 4-2.