Final Brackets

GOLDEN, Colo. - Jakob Smith won the 157-pound bracket to lead nine placewinners as Colorado School of Mines hosted the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Open at Steinhauer Fieldhouse.

Carson Dulitz, Levi Farris, and Cade Whish all had runner-up finishes and Deandre Rucker a third-place win, while Garrett Bakarich, Nico Gagliardi, Avery Krippner, and Jaron Mahler all finished in the top eight of their respective brackets.

Smith went 4-0 in dominant fashion, recording three technical falls on the day with his only decision, a 4-0 quarterfinal win, coming over teammate Jaron Mahler. Smith's win in the final came over Sammy Mobly of Colorado Mesa in a 17-1 tech fall. Mahler ended up eighth at 157 after a 2-2 day.

At 149, Dulitz was 3-1 as he advanced to the final on a decision, pin, and injury default. Farris was also 3-1 at 184 pinning his first two opponents before having to face two D-I wrestlers; in the semis, he beat Cal Baptist's Mahkyi Smith 11-5, then lost a high-scoring 26-14 final to Air Force's Owen Heiser. Whish was 3-1 at heavyweight with a fall, decision, and forfeit, and competed against Air Force's Antonio Ramos in a 4-0 final.

Rucker finished third at 197 with a 2-1 afternoon, earning a 19-6 major decision in the quarterfinals and then winning his third-place bout in a second-period pin over San Francisco State's Gavin Funk. 

Bakarich won his fifth-place bout at 184 to go 4-1 on the day, with his only loss coming to Heiser from Air Force. Bakarich had one of the tournament's most dominating days, winning three times by fall and also earning a technical fall among his wins. 

Krippner finished sixth at 174 pounds going 2-2, earning wins via decision and fall, while Gagliardi was sixth at 197 with a 2-2 day including a pin. Niko Mayo was 1-2 at 157 as was Grant Crownhart at 165, Jeffery Morosini at 197, and Charlie Holub at 285, while Elliot Kim was 0-2 at 133.

The Orediggers are done with the regular season and return to action March 2 at the NCAA Super Region VI Championship at CSU Pueblo.