Much like the Heart of America, this is a very large, very deep & very competitive conference. We have a ton of ranked teams and a ton of ranked wrestlers. #6 Southern Oregon, #9 Embry Riddle, #12 Providence, #19 Arizona Christian, #23 Corban & #24 Eastern Oregon. Not to mention some other top-quality wrestlers from teams not currently in the top 25.
Let's take a weight by weight look.
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| 125 |
5th-5th-1st thus far in the CCC, Landon Smith has the opportunity to become both a four-time conference place-winner as well as a two-time conference champion. He'll have a long road ahead of him in accomplishing the latter. Both Isaac Hampton & Kyle Sieminski give Southern Oregon hope for a CCC champion this weekend. Hampton made the finals at RENO, whereas Sieminski took 3rd. Sieminski was also 3rd at the Mike Clock Open.
The elephant in the room is, who all does Providence wrestler here? I think it's obvious that they wrestle Boden Banta, who was one match shy of a top 8 finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational. They obviously can't wrestle both Kobi Johnson & Diesel Thompson as well, & it's not a guarantee that they'll wrestle anyone besides Banta. Yet, they could. Johnson actually outperformed Banta at the Missouri Valley Invitational placing 5th, and Thompson won the Eastern Oregon Mountaineer Open.
Giving Westcliff hope in an NAIA qualifier at 125 will be Chris Calderon.
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| 133 |
We could very well see a brother Vs brother final for a CCC title here at 133 lbs. Braden Carson was 5th earlier this year at the Missouri Valley Invitational, with Kai Carson taking 3rd at the Oppenheim Open, making the E.O. Mountaineer Invite finals. To put a damper on those plans with be Jason Ramirez, 5th at last year's CCC. He's done a solid job of filling in for CCC champion & All-American Sean Archuleta who is redshirting this year. We could also see a little darkhorse action out of Allan Hendricks, champion at the Friends Falcon Invitational.
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| 141 |
When it comes to college wrestling qualifiers, we often have a lot of thieves looking to steal spots previously earned by others throughout the season. I believe we'll see a case of that here at 141 lbs. 6 spots available, and from where I stand, 8 that want them.
Yoshi Funakoshi leads the way as our likely *1 seed. A Friends Falcon Invite champion, he was runner-up at the Mile High Open & 6th at RENO. Battling it out for spot in the finals will be Arizona Christian's Mike Trujillo & Channing Porter, along with Tyler Rhue of Southern Oregon, Adam Stanley of Embry-Riddle & Horacio Godinez of Evergreen State. Porter was 4th at the Missouri Valley Invitational whereas Stanley was 2nd at last year's CCC. Godinez has had a most eventful season, winning titles at the Spokane Open & the Boxer Open, while finishing 2nd at Mike Clock & 3rd at both the Mat Cat Open & the Evergreen State Open.
Dan Guerrero one match shy of a medal at Missouri Valley, won the Evergreen State Open & finished 3rd at the E.O. Mountaineer Open. Blake Runion is a two-time CCC place-winner, with runner-up finishes at both the Spokane Open & the Mat Cat Open.
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| 149 |
Another tough and loaded weight class here at 149 lbs. Finals could very well be Kolton Malone against former Oregon State Beaver Cade White. Then again, wouldn't be surprised if J.R. Downing or Eric Larwin made the finals. Downing 3rd at last year's CCC, won both the Mike Clock & the Mat Cat Open. Larwin was the Missouri Valley Invitational runner-up.
Very surprised that Rico Robles is not currently in the rankings, especially with a 4th place finish at the Missouri Valley Invitational. Tomas Jacobo one match shy of placing at Missouri Valley, he was the Spokane Open runner-up & 3rd at the Battle in the Bluegrass. Christian Lopez was the runner-up at the Friends Falcon Invitational.
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| 157 |
Life University transfer Avant Stepherson is having a standout season for the Raiders as he looks to be our *1 seed here at 157. Pig Hobbs, a two-time All American with two 5th place finishes at the NAIA national tournament, is himself a threat to the CCC title this weekend. Teammate transfer from Ottawa Irish Furthmyre looks to go to war with Ryan Graces, Peyton Proper & Enzo Morales for that bronze medal. Graves with 7th at the Missouri Valley Invitational, as Morales was 6th.
Also look for Carlos Valdez to make some noise here as well. 8th at Missouri Valley, he won the Evergreen State Open & finished 3rd at the E.O. Mountaineer Open.
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| 165 |
Justin Windauer gives the Lights of Montana State Northern a hope for a CCC champion this year, as he's won both the Missouri Valley Invitational as well as the Oppenheim Open. Finals opponent could be Jayden Luttrell, but I tell you the guy that has been really impressing me this season has been Simpson's Ben Mitchell. He was on an absolute terror at the Missouri Valley Invitational, ripping guys apart in route to a 3rd place finish. He won the Mat Cat open & finished 2nd at Spokane.
As to Providence, much like Grand View, they have more than 12 guys on their team capable of NAIA qualification. Who all they wrestle? Hard to tell. I do know Jalen Vladic has back-to-back 4th place finishes & Black Sumiye has ironically also been 4th in the CCC, taking 2nd at Oppenheim this season.
Jesse Rubio was 2nd at the Mat Cat Open.
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| 174 |
If you want my opinion, I think we're looking at two NAIA National champion contenders when we look at Daniil Gorshkov & Leo Galasso. Gorshkov 3rd & 1st thus far in the CCC, has had another standout season for the Eagles. Mile High champion, with runner-up finishes at both the Friends Falcon Invitational & RENO. 3rd at the Road Runner-Open, not to mention a 4th place All-American last season.
Galasso a transfer of Indiana Tech, has twice been the NAIA R12. As far as I'm concerned, he's either THE best yet to All-American in the NAIA or he's the second best. There are no guarantees in this sport and there are a lot of other really good wrestlers in this bracket, but if we see Gorshkov Vs Galasso, this is a final I'm really looking forward to.
Braylin Ruchti was 3rd here in the CCC a year ago, as the bracket will also feature Brady Ellison, Orion Thivierge & Jackson Potts. Anxious to see how Thivierge's career shapes up. His Dad Tyson was not only a standout at MSN, but also a legend in NAIA wrestling period. So far he's been one match shy of a top 8 finish at Missouri Valley & 2nd at Oppenheim.
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| 184 |
Looks to be a final between Adrian Morales & Isaiah Twait here at 184 lbs. Thus far Morales has been 6th & 4th in the CCC, while Twait was a CCC champion last year & 4th in the NAIA Nation. This year he has won the Mat Cat Open & 2nd at the Mike Clock Open. Look for Cade Gubler, R12 at Missouri Valley & a Spokane Open Champion, to finish a strong 3rd.
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| 197 |
A CCC champion last year & 5th in the NAIA nation, our obvious favorite here is Asher Ruchti of Southern Oregon, who rook 2nd at RENO earlier this season. To challenge him will be last year's CCC runner-up Trenton Bloomquist who won the Mile High Open. Ruchti's teammate Elias Carona, who was 3rd at last year's CCC & David Rapp who was R12'er at the Missouri Valley Invitational.
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| HWT |
Another super loaded weight class here in the CCC. A CCC champion last year & 7th in the NAIA nation, we have Antonio Garcia. We also have Ken Copley, who was 3rd at both the CCC & the NAIA's last year. A Mile High Champion & 3rd at RENO this season. Add in Ethan DeRoche, 5th & 4th the past two CCC championships, as well as Nico Rodriguez, 2nd at last year's CCC & 5th in the NAIA nation. Also 2nd at the Oppenheim Open. Shane Mattson has been 6th in the past two Missouri Valley Invitationals & both Kaiden Cisneros as well as Anthony Nava has shown to be very tough as well.
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