PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University of Pueblo beat Chadron State College 62-41 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Massari Arena.

CSC never led and tied the game only once at 2-0, but stayed close for nearly 8 minutes before going ice-cold.  After sinking 4 of their first 8 shots, they miss 17 of their next 20…going nearly 11 minutes without a field goal.

The Eagles were outscored 13-0 during their cold streak and trailed at the half 29-15…with Kattie Ranta  scoring 12 of the 15. She ended with 27 points and 6 rebounds.  Hattie Guzman added 7 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists .

CSC was also plagued by turnovers…giving up 23 resulting 24 Pueblo points…and cold shooting at the free throw line. The Eagles were jut 5-10 from the charity stripe while the Thunderwolves hit 16-25.

Pueblo was led by Erica Hicks  with 18 points and five rebounds.  Laurel Kearsley finished with 11 for Pueblo.

The Eagles travel to Black Hills State to face the Yellow Jackets in their season finale Saturday, March 2. Tipoff time is 5:30.

Allan Schmaltz, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Box Score

              The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team split a doubleheader with Northeastern Junior College on Saturday at Cleveland Field.

In the opener, Alex Michaud and Nick Vanthillo had home runs as the Cougars captured the 6-5 win. In the second game of the twinbill, Northeastern’s pitchers held the Cougars to just four hits in posting the 7-2 win. Both games were non-conference games.

In the opener, WNCC finished with six extra base hits and needed a solo home run by Nick Vanthillo in the sixth inning to capture the win. The Cougars had just eight hits in the contest. Vanthillo and Alex Michaud each home runs.

Michaud blasted a 3-run shot in the first to put WNCC up 3-2. Gabriel DeLa Rosa smacked a triple down the rightfield line in the fifth to put WNCC up 5-2.

The Cougars also received doubled from JT Core, Cameron Snyder, and Keeton Krause in the contest.

NJC also hit the ball well. The Plainsmen finished with six hits, including a five-RBI game from Taylor Vincent. Vincent had a double and a fifth inning 3-run home run over the right-field fence to tie the game at 5-5.

NJC started the scoring twice in the first off of Vincent’s double before WNCC came back to take the lead at 3-2 on Michaud’s home run. The Cougars scored another run in the second as Gabriel DeLa Rosa tripled home Zach Ostergard for the 4-2 lead.

After NJC tied the game in the fifth, the Cougars took the lead as Vanthillo led off the winner with a line shot over the right field fence.

Jacob Palser, who came in relieve of John Timmins in the sixth, pitched two scoreless innings to get the win. Palser allowed two hits and struck out three to get the win. Timmins also threw well, tossing the first five innings. Timmins scattered four hits, walked five and struck out one.

WNCC had a balanced offensive lineup with eight of the nine guys getting at least one hit.

In the second game, both teams were hooked up in a dandy for the first two innings. Then, in the third, NJC erupted for five runs on five hits, including doubles by Shawn Guerrero and David Head.

NJC added single runs in the fourth and fifth for the 7-0 lead.

The Cougars spoiled the shutout with two runs in the seventh. Snyder singled to lead off the inning and then scored on a triple by Gonzales. Two batters later, Gonzales came racing home on a sacrifice fly by Vanthillo.

Snyder paced the team with two of the four hits. Ostergard and Gonzalez had the other two hits for the Cougars.

Grant Rimington took the loss on the mound, going four innings in allowing six runs on six hits. The Gering graduate also had two strikeouts and walked three.

The Cougars will next be in action next weekend when they travel to Trinidad, Colo., to face Trinidad State Junior College in Empire Conference games.

First Game

NJC                       200 030 0 — 5 6 2

WNCC                  310 011 zx — 6 8 2

WP — Jake Palser; 2B — Keeton Krause, JT Core, Cameron Snyder; 3B — Gabriel DeLa Rosa; HR — Alex Michaud, Nick Vanthillo.

Second Game

NJC                       005 110 0 — 7 8 1

WNCC                  00o 000 2 — 2 4 3

LP — Grant Rimington; 3B — DeLa Rosa.

CHADRON – The Chadron State College wrestling team provided its hometown fans plenty of exciting moments during the opening sessions of the NCAA Division II Super Region 4/Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament Friday at the Nelson Physical Activity Center.

The Eagles finished the first day in eighth place with 37.5 points and five wrestlers are still alive with a chance to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships March 8-9 in Birmingham, Ala.

Perry McAfee at 141 pounds, Bruce Zurek at 157, Jordan Debus at 184, Chris Leak at 197 and Mike Hill at 285 will all wrestle during Saturday’s consolation rounds.

It wasn’t easy for any of them to get there.

Zurek lost his first match but bounced back and pinned both of his foes in the consolation rounds in less than 30 seconds, while Leak won an overtime decision and earned a thrilling win in the second period by pinning his opponent even though he was down 10-0.

McAfee and Hill both won their first round matches but suffered second round losses. Meanwhile, Debus, a two-time national qualifier, won his first two matches but lost in the championship semifinal.

Team Scores
Nebraska-Kearney, 114.5; Adams State, 76; Grand Canyon, 62.5; Western State, 57; Fort Hays State, 51; Colorado Mesa, 48; San Francisco State, 42; Chadron State, 37.5; Colorado State University-Pueblo, 37; Simon Fraser, 34.5; New Mexico Highlands, 30.5; Colorado School of Mines, 16.

Chadron State Results
125 – Luis Gurule, CSM, dec. Jace Johnson, 6-4; Jonathon Stelling, CMU, dec. Johnson, 5-2.
133 – Perry McAfee, CSC, dec. Rory Wilkinson, 3-2; Martin Ramirez, ASU, dec. McAfee, 5-3; McAfee dec. Tyler Nelson, CMU, 4-3.
141 – Jimmy Chase, CSUP, major dec. 15-6; Michael Hamel, GCU, pinned McCance, 4:27.
149 – Max Ortega, ASU, pinned Reed Burgener, CSC, :56; Conrad Snell, SFSU, dec. Burgener, 8-6.
157 – John Crowley, CSM, dec. Bruce Zurek, CSC, 9-3; Zurek pinned Vincent Aboytes, SFSU, :21; Zurek pinned Nick Stahler, CSUP, :27.
165 – Sam Thoman, FHSU, dec. Dylan Fors, 4-3; Fors dec. Justin Frazer, CSM, 7-4; Brock Lamb, SFU, dec. Fors, 5-2.
174 – Jarrod Purvis, ASU, dec. Bret Klopp, 3-2; Klopp dec. Cody Coombes, SFU, 9-5; Travis Budke, FHSU, dec. Klopp, 7-1.
184 – Jordan Debus, CSC, dec. Adam Carey, 8-5; Debus dec. Ryan Swanson, CSM, 10-6; Nick Peterson, CMU, dec. Debus, 5-2.
197 – Romero Cotton, UNK, major dec. Chris Leak, CSC, 14-0; Leak, dec. Chris Frisbie, CSUP, 3-2 SV; Leak pinned Paul Wilson, CSM, 4:13.
285 – Mike Hill, CSC, dec. Alec Bird, CSM, 7-5; Niko Bogojevic, CSUP, dec. Hill, 3-1 SV; Hill, dec. John Close, FHSU, 6-3.

SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Chadron State College track and field team got off to what head coach Ryan Baily called “a really good start” Friday during the first day of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships being hosted by Black Hills State University.

Baily said the Eagles had almost no disappointments and had some nice surprises.

Chadron State’s first points came in the women’s pentathlon, where senior Chelsea Murray placed third and freshman Shelby Bozner finished fifth.

Next came first place in the 35-pound weight throw, where junior Charith Kapokotuwa hit 58-9 ½ to win the event by more than four feet.

The Eagles also earned lots of points in the women’s weight throw.  Junior Alyssa Norton led the way by placing second at 53-5. She was followed by freshman Mel Herl, who was fourth at 50-8, and junior Cyndi Thomas, who was fifth at 49-11, her season best.

The CSC men had a strong showing in the long jump. Senior Lanar Newman placed third at 23-1 ¼ and freshman Barrett Browne of Sidney was fourth with a career best of 23-feet even. Browne’s previous best was 22-3 ½.

“Barrett’s jump was one of our highlights Friday,” Baily said.  “It’s really nice to have surprises like that.”

Another freshman, Zerek Jones, earned sixth in the high jump by clearing 6-2 ¾. Jones also ranks second in the heptathlon through five of the eight events with 2,538 points. Teammates Greg Rodriguez (2,526) and Hunter Dettbenner (2,484) are third and fourth, respectively, in the standings and another of the Eagles, Kelly Troester (2427), is in sixth place.

Led by senior Phil Rivera, the Eagles qualified an array of sprinters for today’s finals.

Rivera had the fastest time in the 400-meter preliminaries of 49.74 seconds and was second in the 200 in 22.33 seconds.

Three more Chadron State entries also were among the eight finals qualifiers in the 200. They are Dean Francis (22.38), Brandon Segelke (22.44) and Alex Graham  (22.77).

Graham also had the second fastest time in the 60-meter prelims (6.93) while Segelke also qualified for the finals with the seventh fastest time (7.02).

Con Marshall, Information Services

PUEBLO, Colo. – The Chadron State Eagles split two games with Colorado State University-Pueblo in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference softball clash Friday afternoon.

In the first game, Aryn Grywusiewicz tossed a complete game five hitter to help the Eagles in a 3-2 win.

Caity Pelayo went 2-for-2 with an RBI in the Eagles’ win.

It was a pitching duel as both teams combined for only 10 hits in the game.

During the second game Pueblo came storming back from a 7-0 deficit to win, 12-10.

In the second game, the Eagles had 10 hits, including two apiece from Nikki Ritzen, Sarah Knudsen and Rebecca Wetsch.

However, Pueblo took advantage of five Chadron State errors and scored seven unearned runs.

The Eagles, now 2-5 and 1-1 in the conference, will play another double-header against Pueblo Saturday beginning at noon.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado-Colorado Springs men’s basketball team went on a 13-1 scoring run during a four minute stretch late and made it stand up in a 69-62 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory over Chadron State Friday at the Gallogy Event Center.

The Eagles (3-21, 3-17 RMAC) led by as many as 13 points in the first half and owned a 32-24 lead at intermission but the Eagles had a difficult time matching the Mountain Lions’ offense in the second half. In the final 20 minutes, UCCS hit a staggering 74 percent of its shots (17 for 23) while the Eagles hit just 35 percent (nine of 26).

Alex Welsh led UCCS (5-18, 5-14 RMAC) with 19 points and nine rebounds and Derrick White scored 17 and added four steals.

Three Eagles finished in double figures, led by Zac Bargen‘s 22 points. The junior forward also had a team-high six boards.

Also for Chadron State, Brandon Pippenger scored a career-high 11 points. Kyle Vinich also finished with 11 points.

The Eagles had a cold shooting night and only hit 33.9 percent from the field, while committing 21 turnovers.

Kattie Ranta led the Eagles with 13 points and four rebounds. Hattie Guzman added 12 and Kate Simonton chipped in with 10 for the Eagles.

The Cougars, now 18-5 and 15-4 in the RMAC, were led by Gabby Ramirez, who finished with 24 points and seven rebounds. Abby Kirchoff chipped in with 13 points and Tori Fisher added 10.

The loss drops the Eagles to 5-19 (4-16 RMAC) on the season.

The Eagles will play at CSU-Pueblo Saturday night.

Allan Schmaltz, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

BOYS BASKETBALL
C1-12 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Kimball 54, Chadron 32
C2-12 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Hemingford 49, Bridgeport 43
D1-12 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Potter-Dix 49, Crawford 44
D2-12 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Leyton 62, Sioux County 33
POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
C1-1 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Syracuse vs. Falls City, ppd. to Feb 22.
C1-2 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Lincoln Lutheran vs. Lincoln Christian, ppd. to Feb 23.
C1-5 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Centennial vs. Milford, ppd. to Feb 22.
C1-6 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Grand Island Central Catholic vs. Adams Central, ppd. to Feb 22.
C1-8 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Norfolk Catholic vs. Boone Central/Newman Grove, ppd. to Feb 22.
C1-9 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Gibbon vs. Kearney Catholic, ppd.
C2-1 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Nebraska City Lourdes vs. Johnson County Central, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-2 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Freeman vs. Sutton, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-6 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Stanton vs. Lutheran High Northeast, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-7 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Wakefield vs. Hartington Cedar Catholic, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-8 Subdistrict Tournament
Crofton vs. Creighton, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-9 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Hastings St. Cecilia vs. Doniphan-Trumbull, ppd. to Feb 23.
C2-10 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Ravenna vs. Southern Valley, ppd. to Feb 22.
C2-11 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Dundy County-Stratton vs. North Platte St. Patrick’s, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-2 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Exeter/Milligan vs. Bruning-Davenport/Shickley, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-3 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Shelton vs. Kenesaw, ppd. to Feb 22.
D1-4 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Fullerton vs. High Plains Community, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-7 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Clearwater/Orchard vs. St. Mary’s, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-8 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Loup City vs. Burwell, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-9 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Alma vs. Overton, ppd. to Feb 22.
D1-10 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Cambridge vs. Arapahoe, ppd. to Feb 23.
D1-11 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
SMC vs. Paxton, ppd. to Feb 22.
D2-1 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Sterling vs. Falls City Sacred Heart, ppd. to Feb 22.
D2-10 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Wauneta-Palisade vs. Wallace, ppd. to Feb 23.
D2-11 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Mullen vs. Sandhills/Thedford, ppd. to Feb 23.
D2-2 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Dorchester vs. Nebraska Lutheran, ppd. to Feb 23.
D2-5 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Bancroft-Rosalie vs. Wynot, ppd. to Feb 23.
D2-7 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Hampton vs. Giltner, ppd. to Feb 22.
D2-8 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Pleasanton vs. Amherst, ppd. to Feb 22.
D2-9 Subdistrict Tournament
Finals
Anselmo-Merna vs. Bertrand, ppd. to Feb 23.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
B-6 Tournament
Semifinal
Gering 37, Sidney 35
McCook 66, Alliance 46