GOLDEN, Colo. The Western Colorado men's wrestling team traveled to Golden, Colorado, to compete in the Mines Rookie Open, where the Mountaineers put together several strong performances across multiple weight classes. Jordan Romero highlighted the day with a championship performance in the 125-pound weight class, while six additional Mountaineers earned top-six finishes in their respective divisions.
Romero entered the tournament as the No. 23 seed, but quickly proved that seeding was no indication of what was to come. He opened the day with a dominant 14-1 major decision victory before following it up with another major decision win in his second bout. Romero continued his impressive run with back-to-back pins to advance to the championship match. In a tightly contested final, Romero came away with a hard-fought 9-8 decision victory to claim the 125-pound championship.
Zachary Bates turned in another impressive performance for Western, finishing runner-up in the 133-pound weight class with a 4-1 overall record. Bates opened the tournament with a 15-0 technical fall before earning a 12-1 major decision in his second match. He continued to battle in his third bout, securing a 5-4 decision to advance to the semifinals. Bates dominated his semifinal matchup with another technical fall, winning 16-0 to punch his ticket to the championship match. He ultimately fell by pin in the first-place bout, finishing second overall.
Charlie Herting earned a fourth-place finish in the 165-pound weight class, posting a 3-2 record. Herting opened the tournament with a pinfall victory before following it up with a major decision win to advance to the quarterfinals. He continued his momentum with another pin to secure a spot in the semifinals. Herting came up short in his final two matches but finished the tournament with a strong fourth-place showing.
Also competing at 165 pounds, Jacob Blandford secured a sixth-place finish with a 4-2 overall record. After dropping his opening bout, Blandford responded in the consolation bracket with four consecutive victories. His run included a disqualification victory, a pair of pins and a technical fall. Blandford eventually fell in his final matchup to finish sixth in the weight class.
Joseph Salazar also placed sixth, competing in the 133-pound weight class with a 3-2 record. Salazar opened the tournament with an impressive 18-3 technical fall before dropping his next match to Western Colorado teammate Zachary Bates. Salazar bounced back in the consolation bracket, earning back-to-back victories by technical fall and decision to advance. He ultimately fell in the fifth-place match to secure sixth overall.
Miles Harris put together a strong showing in the tournament, finishing sixth with a 5-2 overall record. Harris opened the day with a quick first-period pin before dropping his second bout by decision. He responded with a technical fall in his next match and continued his run with three consecutive victories, recording two pins and another technical fall. Harris came up short in the fifth-place match but finished the tournament with five victories.
Sam Johnson rounded out the Mountaineers' placers with a sixth-place finish in the 184-pound weight class. Johnson finished with a 3-2 overall record, opening the tournament with a first-period pin. After dropping his second match, Johnson bounced back with consecutive victories, earning a major decision before securing another win by pinfall. Johnson ultimately fell in the fifth-place match to finish sixth overall.
The Mountaineers showcased their depth and talent throughout the Mines Rookie Open, highlighted by Romero's championship performance and six additional top-six finishes across four weight classes.
UP NEXT
Western returns to action on Friday, November 13, as the Mountaineers head to West Virginia for a pair of duals. Western will face Glennville State on Friday before taking on West Liberty University on Saturday. Friday's dual against Glennville State is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. MT.
