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12 Oct. 28, 2021 | The Eagle | csceagle.com Sports
2021 SEASON FOOTBALL STANDINGS sponsored by
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Lunch & Dinner Specials As of Oct. 27, 2021 1. Western 2. Colorado Mines 3. Colorado Mesa 4. CSU-Pueblo 5. CHADRON STATE 6. New Mexico Highlands 7. Black Hills State 8. South Dakota Mines 9. Adams State 10. Fort Lewis
2021 SEASON VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS
As of Oct. 27, 2021
1. MSU-Denver 2. Regis 3. Colorado Mines 4. Colorado Mesa 5. CSU-Pueblo 6. Western 7. Colorado Christian 8. Fort Lewis 9. Adams State 10. South Dakota Mines 11. New Mexico Highlands 12. UCCS 13. Black Hills State 14. CHADRON STATE
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Alli Keisel, right, senior of Fleming, Colorado, and Amelia Berg, middle, senior of Fort Collins, Colorado, stretch to block an attack from Oredigger Rose Stuewe, junior of Fredericksburg, Texas, during the game against Colorado School of Mines, Tuesday, Oct. 19 in the Chicoine Center.
CSC volleyball team takes a hit on the road
u By Mackenzie Dahlberg
Sports Editor
Chadron State’s volleyball team takes its seventh loss on the road against Regis University Friday in three sets.
“I think we’re just struggling to find a way to be consistent on the road,” Jennifer Stadler, head volleyball coach, said. “We had some really great moments in the games, but we just have more errors than we do usually when we are at home.”
The Eagles hold a 4-15 record with a conference record of 2-10. Their last two away games where three set loses to MSU-Denver on Oct. 15 and Colorado Christian University on Oct. 16.
Due to recent injuries on the team, players were shifted around the court into positions they haven’t been previously.
Please see, Volleyball, page 13
Athletes Weekof the
Chad Mikelson
Mikelson was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week following the Eagles’ win Saturday. He finished the game against Fort Lewis with three touchdowns, one being a 55-yard punt return.
Brock Ping
Ping saw the football field for the first time as an Eagle in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against Fort Lewis. He carried the ball seven times, rushed the ball for 56 yards and scored two of the team’s eight touchdown
Sports
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Breshawna Kelly, junior of Casper, Wyoming, sets the ball up to her teammates Alli Keisel, middle, senior of Fleming, Colorado, and Olivia Moten-Schell, sophomore of Billings, Montana, who were approaching the net during the volleyball game against Colorado School of Mines, Tuesday, Oct. 19 in the Chicoine Center.
Volleyball, from page 12
Rylee Grieman, junior of Windsor, Colorado, took over an open outside hitter position. She earned both five kills and five digs.
Olivia Moten-Schell, sophomore of Billings, Montana, was in the other outside hitter position, also finishing the game with five kills and five digs.
“Rylee (Grieman) and Olivia Moten-Schell both battled really well in the outside hitter position against a pretty good team,” Stadler said. “They’re a tough opponent to score on so I think they did a good job of trying to play aggressively in that position.”
In place of Grieman, Abbey Schaefer, junior of Greeley, Colorado, put on the libero jersey and lead the Eagles defensively with 10 digs against the Rangers.
“It has been awesome taking on the libero in these recent games,” Schaefer said. “It brings me so much joy and is so much fun to be in that jersey, playing alongside my teammates. I have dreamed about this for a long time, and nothing makes me happier than being in that jersey, playing that role.”
Remaining in the setter position, Breshawna Kelly, junior of Casper, Wyoming, lead the Eagles by the end of the night with 11 assists.
Despite the struggles against Regis University and its volleyball team doubling the Eagles’ number of kills, Schaefer said she was really proud of the constant energy and cheers from the bench.
“They are always so supportive and helpful when it comes to seeing things on the court,” Schaefer said. “When situations get tough, we can always look at the bench and see them cheering as well as supporting us individually and as a team.”
The Eagles return to the Chicoine Center for backto-back weekends. They will first play University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at 6 p.m., Friday, followed by CSU-Pueblo at 6 p.m., Saturday.
“Just the fact that we’re home two weekends in a row, which we haven’t been all season, I think is going to be really good for us,” Stadler said. “Getting a full week of practice, getting to sleep in our own bed, and then also getting to play in front of our home crowd, I think those things are going to be really beneficial for our team.”
Eagles prepare for first wrestling dual
u By Mackenzie Dahlberg
Sports Editor
Despite not having the Cardinal & Black Classic, Chadron State’s men’s wrestling team opens its season with a full schedule against Northeastern Junior College on Monday in Chadron.
“I’d say in general, just being together as a team is what I’m looking forward to the most,” Brett Hunter, head men’s wrestling coach, said. “Our practices aren’t split up anymore. We’re able to do some team activities that we weren’t able to last year. So, I think ultimately it’s just being together, being a team again.”
The Eagles are currently schedule to wrestle against 17 teams before the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Open and NCAA Super Region VI Championships both in February.
As their first dual approaches, Hunter said the focus has been on the team, working on things like technique and focusing on what wrestlers can do to become better by “slowing things down and fine-tuning things.”
The 2020-21 wrestling season limited the Eagles to seven matches which started against the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Jan. 16. The shortened season did see some accomplishments though. Please see, Wrestling, page 14
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14 Oct. 28, 2021 | The Eagle | csceagle.com Sports
Wrestling, from page 13
CSC men’s wrestling program finished 25th during the National Wrestling Coach Association’s NCAA Division II team rankings on Jan. 22.
Rowdy Pfeil, sophomore of Moorcroft, Wyoming, individually ranked No. 4 in the 174-pound weight class, adding 12 team points to the team ranking poll.
Last season, Pfeil competed in 11 matches as a true freshman and finished fourth at the NCAA DII Super Regional VI Championships.
Eli Hinojosa, redshirt junior of Imperial, finished last season with an 8-3 record. He placed third, the highest for the Eagles at the 2021 NCAA Super Region VI Championships in the 197-weight class.
Another wrestler that competed the whole season was Preston Renner, redshirt junior of Westminster, Colorado, who finished the season with an 5-6 record and advanced to the consolation semifinals during the NCAA DII Super Regional VI Championships.
“Last year some duals were canceled, and we didn’t have any tournaments before regionals so it’s nice that we have the opportunity to wrestle a lot more,” Renner said. “My focus is to make sure I am feeling confident for our first match. We have a long season so as long as I feel good and confident then the rest should come along with it.”
Joe Ritzen, redshirt senior of Chadron; Joe Taylor, redshirt junior of Glenrock, Wyoming; Mason Wyatt, redshirt junior of Broomfield Colorado; competed through the COVID-19 season and are a portion of the Eagles returning to the mat.
Chadron State men’s wrestling team recruited 13 new wrestlers, three transfers and 10 freshmen.
Hunter said that the new recruits have arguable been the best group of wrestlers, and they’re good kids on and off the mat.
“I’m not saying it’s going to translate to them just winning all these matches, but in terms of just doing the right things on and off the mat, buying into our program, what we are trying to do, this is the best I’ve felt in terms of our program in general and a lot of it is because of our freshman.”
Renner said that Coach Hunter, Mason Brainard, coaching assistant, and Caleb Radley, coaching assistant, have also been “putting in tons of hours to help the wrestlers with extra practices and everything else that comes with it.”
The Eagles open their men’s wrestling season against Northeastern Junior College on Monday and Hunter said he would like everyone to come and support the team.
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Parker Schlater, right, redshirt freshman of Moorcroft, Wyoming, stands against his partner Eli Hinojosa, redshirt junior of Imperial, during Tuesday’s wrestling practice in the Nelson Physical Activity Center.
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Logan Moravec, sophomore of Gering, runs down a hill during the Hardrocker XC Classic on Saturday, Sept. 4, at Robbinsdale Park in Rapid City, South Dakota.
XC team competes at conference
u By CSC Sports Information
The Chadron State College cross country teams competed in Golden on Saturday morning, at the 2021 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships at Applewood Golf Course.
The CSC women’s team, entering only five members, finished 14th of 14 teams, while the men’s team finished 13th of 15.
“Both the men’s and women’s teams competed very hard today,” said CSC Head Cross Country Coach Luke Karamitros. “I’m proud of their efforts. Our Eagles put themselves in a position to have the potential for a big breakthrough performance, but sometimes it’s not in the cards.”
Leading the way for the women, for the fourth time in as many races, was true freshman Alissa Wieman, who finished 77th in 25:37.9.
Freshman Kassyl Swinney had a personal best 27:53.4 at six kilometers.
The men, for the most part, finished as a pack with one minute, 19 second separating seven of the CSC runners.
However, top honors on the men’s side went to Logan Moravec, for the first time this season. He was the 75th runner to finish the eight-kilometer course, out of 124. Moravec ran his third-best collegiate 8k time, finishing in 27:40.5.
Adams State University was the women’s RMAC champion, while the men’s title went to Colorado School of Mines.
Brianna Robles of ASU was the first female to finish, while Dillon Powell of Mines was the first male across.
CSC will compete at the NCAA South Central Regional next, to be held in Indianapolis on Nov. 6.
Sports
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg
Cole Thurness, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, looks ahead during a rush while his teammate Ali Musa, sophomore of San Diego, blocks a defender during Saturday’s football game against Fort Lewis College at Don Beebe Stadium on Elliott Field.
Eagles clip Skyhawks’ wings
u By Mackenzie Dahlberg
Sports Editor
Chadron State’s football team trampled Fort Lewis College, 60-7, allowing Eagles’ second and third string players time on the field and they contributed to the team’s eight touchdowns, Saturday.
“Fort Lewis has been struggling, and we knew that if we could get on them early that it definitely takes a mental toll on that team,” Long said. “Our guys went out and executed the game plan which was exciting and fun for our guys.”
The Eagles started the game with a touchdown within their first play.
Chad Mikelson, senior of Julesburg, Colorado, caught the 67-yard pass from Dalton Holst, graduate of Gillette, Wyoming, and rushed into the end zone.
Mikelson contributed two other touchdowns, catching one and punt returning another for 55 yards.
Cole Thurness, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Jeydon Cox, redshirt freshman of Jackson, Wyoming, also contributed touchdowns, putting 43 points onto the scoreboard before the end of the first half.
Due to the Eagles’ start, younger players were able to experience time on the field.
Mason Hamilton, redshirt freshman of Gillette, Wyoming, took over the quarterback role for Holst in the third quarter. Hamilton completed four passes for 64 yards.
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Rich Harris, middle, sophomore of Glenrock, Wyoming, jumps in the air after a tackle and his teammates Kien Martin, left, redshirt freshman of Overton; Kael Juelfs, front, senior of Kingman, Arizona; and Jordan Watt, senior of Phoenix, Arizona; surround Harris during Saturday afternoon’s football game against Fort Lewis College at Don Beebe Stadium on Elliott Field.
Travis Wilson, senior of Fresno, California, tackles Skyhawk Dylan Holt, junior of Aurora, Colorado, during Saturday’s afternoon football game against Fort Lewis College at Don Beebe Stadium on Elliott Field.
Football, from page 15
Hamilton said that the experience to play and get some reps was great and it allowed him to see what he can improve individually and the most important thing to do is to carry the experience and criticism into following games and seasons.
“Nothing could be done without the offensive line, wide receivers and running backs all performing the way they did,” he said. “It makes the quarterback position easier to play when you are surrounded by amazing players and supporters.”
Brock Ping, freshman of Billings, Montana, also made it to the field, rushing his first college career touchdown in the second quarter with 5:40 left in the half.
Ping rushed another touchdown in the third quarter and finished the game with seven rushes for 56 total yards.
Dorian Collier, freshman of Tallahassee, Florida, who has played in previous games, attempted 15 rushes for 120 yards.
Long said that both Collier and Ping averaged eight yards per carry and were able to have experiences that they can learn from and use later.
While underclassman gained experience, the Eagles’ defense kept Fort Lewis College out of the end zone the entire game.
“It’s a great feeling to be a part of a defense that held a team to under 30 yards of total offense and not allowing them in the end zone,” Bobby Peele, senior of Fresno, California, said. “This has been our standard all season and I’m glad we were able put together a historical four quarters.”
In the second quarter, Kobe Whipple, junior of Rosebud, South Dakota, and Travis Wilson, senior of Fresno, California, each recovered a fumble, both in the second quarter.
The Skyhawks only touchdown was a pick-six in the third quarter. The Eagles had seven sacks for 52 yards and pushed Fort Lewis backward for -25 rushing yards.
“Our defensive line is extremely talented and that showed on Saturday,” Hamilton said. “It is not easy by any measure for a defense to shut out a team at this level, but they played phenomenally the entire game limiting them to no yards and performing a defensive shut out.”
The Eagles had a 553-yard game of total offense. They now have a 4-4 record, and a 4-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record.
Chadron State College travels to play its next game against Colorado School of Mines with kickoff scheduled for noon, Saturday, in Golden.
Sports
Photo by Mackenzie Dahlberg Dalton Holst, right, graduate of Gillette, Wyoming, rushes with the ball while Jeydon Cox, redshirt freshman of Jackson, Wyoming, blocks a Fort Lewis College defender during Saturday’s football game at Don Beebe Stadium on Elliott Field.
