Dutch take one step in wrestling poll

Central Dutch Athletics

PELLA — A pair of unblemished wrestlers lead a Central College wrestling team that moved up one spot to No. 12 in the third edition of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll.

Dutch wrestlers C.J. Pestano (125 pounds, senior, Torrance, Calif.) and Cam Timok (133 pounds, junior, Glen Allen, Va., Hermitage HS) each have three tournament titles under their belt to go along with undefeated records. Pestano is No. 2 in his class while Timok also stayed pat at No. 3.

A 13-0 record for Pestano includes four pins and one technical fall, a 21-6 throttling of Ryan Smales (Nebraska Wesleyan University) in his most recent match. He earned a 5-1 decision over No. 6 Carlos Fuentez of Wheaton College to win the MSOE Invitational crown, his third title of the season.

Leading the team with nine total falls, Timok (15-0) has pinned his last four opponents. He racked up three straight falls to close out the MSOE Invitational after securing technical falls in his first two matches of the tournament. Only two of his 15 wins have been decisions, having earned 13 bonus-point victories.

Wartburg College fell to the No. 2 spot after losing to No. 6 Wisconsin-Whitewater, leaving room for Johnson & Wales University (R.I.) to take over the No. 1 position. Iowa Conference foes Loras College and Coe are No. 4 and No. 11. Pestano and Timok are among 13 conference wrestlers ranked in the top-10 at their weight classes.

Central will return from Christmas break to host the Under Armour Invitational on January 6, starting at 10 a.m. in H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse.