MITCHELL, S.D. – Chadron State men's wrestling got off a strong start at the DWU Open as redshirt senior Quade Smith and sophomore Mason Villwok each won their respective weight classes to lead nine placers on Saturday. 

Beyond the two champions, Chadron State had one second-place finisher (Brooks Loosvelt, 184), one third (Caleb Chaves, 141), two fourths (Aidan Callahan, 149 and Logan Berger, 174), one fifth (Tayten Gillette, 165) and two sixths (Hunter Jacobsen, 133 and Keegan Gehlhausen, 184). 

Gehlhausen, the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 184 pounds and defending national runner-up, went 2-0 on the mat and advanced to the semifinals before medically forfeiting his next three matches. 

Smith, a Layton, Utah native, announced his return to 125 pounds with authority after redshirting last season. Smith, who has a No. 14 NWCA national ranking was immediately matched with NWCA No. 13 Sloan Johannsen of Northern State in the first round and won by a 14-7 decision. Johannsen, who rallied to win his next five matches, would be the highest-ranked opponent Smith would face on the day.

Smith recorded pins over Jamestown's Mario Fernandez and Augustana's Carter Katherman across the next two rounds before a semifinal major decision over MSU Moorhead's Clayson Mele. In the final, Smith topped UMary's Mason Gutenberger 4-0, using a first-period takedown and second-period escape to seal the bracket win. 

Villwok piled on the points in the early rounds, beating Bismarck State's Ashton Zimney 18-1 and Southwest Minnesota State's Xander Kenworthy 19-3 to start. 

The Elkhorn, Nebraska native, who is unranked in the NWCA's top 15 but has a No. 20 national ranking from The Open Mat, then showed he can win the close ones as well, topping UMary's Michael Murillo with a sudden-victory takedown to win 4-1 in overtime. In the championship tilt, Villwok Ryan Hirschkorn of Northern State 10-3, outscoring Hirschkorn 7-1 in the third period to pull away.

Brooks Loosvelt, a true freshman from York, Nebraska, raced through the opposite half of the 184-pound bracket as Gehlhausen, winning the first four matches of his collegiate career before falling in the final. Loosvelt had three wins by decision, winning by margins of one, six and seven points, plus a tech fall victory. 

Caleb Chaves, a grad transfer to the Eagles from Gannon University, won his first three matches in dominant fashion with a pin and two major decisions. Chaves fell in the semis, but earned third place via no contest, as he had already beaten his scheduled opponent, Northern State's Karstyn Lhotak, 16-3 earlier in the tourney.

Another true freshman, Rapid City's Aidan Callahan, went 4-2 in his collegiate debut to place fourth. Lineup veterans Logan Berger and Tayten Gillette went 3-2 and 4-2, respectively. 

Hunter Jacobsen, who found his way into the national rankings at 125 pounds as a true freshman, competed for the first time at 133 pounds on Saturday. Jacobsen started on a roll, winning his first match 21-5 over Southwest Minnesota State's Chase Hanson followed by two decision victories before losing the next two. 

A full squad of 24 men's wrestlers, all but four listed on the roster, competed during Saturday's action. No team scores were kept, but Chadron State's nine placers were the third-most among 19 competing teams, trailing only Augustana with 14 and Northern State with 11. 

Chadron State will open its dual schedule this upcoming Saturday, November 15, taking on both Otero Junior College and Fort Hays State in Wray, Colorado.