CCSJ Wrestling Finishes Year's First Weekend

WHITING, Ind. - The Crimson Wave wrestling team kicked off their season with a dual match victory at Ancilla College in Plymouth, Ind., this past Thursday as the team was carried to a 32-18 team score.

CCSJ won 7-of-10 individual matches, despite heading in giving up two forfeits. Leading the way was senior Ramiro Rojas and freshman Tyler Joseph, who both notched pins for the Crimson Wave.

Others turning in strong performances included sophomore Taylor Wright and Trystyn Schoonover - both of whom had major decision victories. Junior Rob Chicvara and senior Scott Pitrowski also both delivered crucial wins by earning decisions in their bouts.

Sophomore Jake Stewart rounded out the scoring for the team by adding six points for a forfeit.

"We were not as sharp as I would've liked, but I saw some great effort by guys like Rob Chicvara moving up a weight class and picking up wins for us," head coach Ryan Rivera said. "That's really what made the difference in this one."

The wrestlers then moved to the Grand View Open in Des Moines, Iowa on Nov. 5, where the team closed out a tough day by picking up several top six finishes.

The event, which featured an open division and a freshman/sophomore division, had over 15 teams competing from across all divisions.

Pitrowski was the lone Crimson Wave wrestler to make it to the open division podium with two wins and three losses on the day en route to finish in 6th-place at 285 pounds.

Not to be outdone in the other division was Wright - who finished in 4th-place at 133 pounds - while picking up three wins and two losses, both of which came to NCAA Division I wrestlers.

Schoonover also placed in sixth at 174 pounds, going 2-3.

"I'm very proud that we came out and competed at a really high level today," Rivera said. We need to progress from here, but It's a long year, so hopefully this is a good spring board to some better things to come as we continue to improve and execute better."

The team returns to the mat on Nov. 12 at UW-Oshkosh's Dan Gable Open.

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