GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. --- The Western Colorado wrestling team had seven wrestlers place at the Colorado Mesa Open on Saturday at Brownson Arena.
 
Hunter Mullin (165 pounds), Samuel Freeman (149) and Jacob Gonzales (125) each took second place, Logan Church (285) took third place, Hayden Johnson (174) finished fourth, Ethan Andrade took fifth (133) and Ryan Wilson (149) finished sixth.
 
Mullin came out strong as he won his opening round match 12-4 before winning by technical fall 16-1 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Mullin pinned Cole Chapman before losing a 12-7 decision in the 165-pound finals to Corbin Smith of Utah Valley.

Freeman won his first three matches - winning 10-5, by fall (3:49) and by major decision 14-5 in the semifinals over Utah Valley's Brigg Hoopes. In the finals, Freeman fell to Carter Noehre of Colorado School of Mines.
 
Gonzales won his opener via fall over Anjelo Vigilia of UNLV before winning a 6-4 decision in the semifinals over Northeastern Junior College's Evan Shell. Gonzales lost in the 125-pound finals to Devon Schoenbergor of NJC.
 
Church in the heavyweight division lost a 2-1 sudden victory nail biter in the opening round to Landon Brown of Western Wyoming (who went on to win the division with no other wrestler getting within four points of him) before rattling off four consecutive wins – including pinning Colorado School of Mines' Michael True in the third-place match.
 
Johnson went 3-2 on his way to taking fourth at 174 pounds (with both losses coming to the same wrestler), Andrade went 2-2 to take fifth at 133 pounds (winning by fall and a major decision in his first two matches) while Wilson went 3-3 to finish sixth at 149.
 
The Mountaineers hit the road again next Saturday to compete in the UNK Holiday Inn Open in Kearney, Nebraska.