CHADRON, Neb. -- February 9, 2017 -- The Chadron State College wrestling team will wrap up its home schedule at 6 p.m. Saturday by hosting Colorado State-Pueblo in a dual in the Nelson Physical Activity Center. Saturday is Senior Night for the Eagles' three seniors - Jake Anderson, Reed Burgener, and Taylor Summers.

At 6-0, the Eagles have clinched the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference dual meet standings, but naturally want to close out the schedule 7-0.  However, Coach Brett Hunter and his grapplers know that will require another Herculean effort. 

"Pueblo has a strong lineup from top to bottom.  It will be difficult to beat them, but we'll give it our best shot," Hunter promised.

Pueblo won the RMAC Tournament title last weekend, when nine of its 10 wrestlers placed among the top five in their weight classes, giving the ThunderWolves 116.5 points.  The Eagles had six placewinners, including three champions, but had to settle for fifth place with 86.5 points.

Two CSC entries also placed third and another was fifth.  Pueblo, had just one champion, JaCobi Jones at 165 pounds, but had one runner-up, four third-place finishers and three who were fifth.

The latest NCAA Division II team rankings have Pueblo 15th and Chadron State 23rd.

The ThunderWolves are 3-2 in conference duals.  They defeated Colorado Mesa 25-6, New Mexico Highlands 31-6 and, Colorado Mines 37-3.  The latter dual was Wednesday night. Pueblo's dual losses have been to Western State 22-15 and Cal Baptist 26-9.   Pueblo will dual Adams State on Thursday night before coming to Chadron.  

The Eagles opened their dual slate with a 25-15 win over Colorado Mines in late November. 

The remaining scores during the past month have been much closer, but CSC has always come out on top.  After both teams finished with 20 points, the Eagles edged No. 25 Colorado Mesa on criteria since CSC's Taylor Summers had the dual's only pin.

Chadron State has won RMAC duals over No. 14 Cal Baptist 21-20, No. 22 Western State 18-17, New Mexico Highlands 19-17 and Adams State 21-18.  The only dual the Eagles have lost was a non-conference tussle to No. 7 Central Oklahoma 20-18.  
Saturday night's dual will feature five nationally ranked wrestlers, including two at 174 pounds, where the Eagles' Chance Helmick is seventh and the Wolves' Kyle Bateman is 10th.  They met in the semifinals of the conference tournament with Helmick winning 7-5 and going on to win the weight class and Bateman placing fifth.

The others who are ranked are Chadron State's Summers, sixth at 133 pounds, and Pueblo's JaCobi Jones and JaVaughn Perkins, fourth at 165 and 184, respectively.

Summers and Jones won their weight classes at the RMAC Tournament.  Perkins finished third.

Besides Summers and Helmick, CSC's third champion at the RMAC Tourney was Cooper Cogdill at heavyweight.

Because the ThunderWolves wrestle Wednesday and Thursday, and the Eagles have been dealing with illnesses this week, the actual starting lineups for both teams are expected to be settled on Friday.