Central clings to spot in wrestling rankings
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA — A tough week on the mat sent the Central College wrestling team from the No. 9 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll down to No. 24.
Individually, C.J. Pestano (125 pounds, senior, Torrance, Calif.) stayed to No. 2, while Cam Timok (133 pounds, junior, Glen Allen, Va., Hermitage HS) dropped to No. 10 after suffering his first defeat.
Losses to No. 5 Loras College (25-12) and to No. 2 Wartburg College (39-6) cost the Dutch in the rankings as did a loss to unranked University of Dubuque (29-15). Central did knock off Buena Vista University (35-9)
A 4-0 record in Central’s dual matches last week moved Pestano’s record to 21-0 on the season. Two of his four wins last week were by technical fall. He has a 5-1 win over Division III’s No. 4 wrestler, Carlos Fuentez (Wheaton College) on his resume this season.
Michael Triplett of Loras avenged an earlier loss to Timok to hand him his first loss of the season via an injury default. Timok (19-1) has earned bonus points in all but two of his victories this season.
Augsburg University (Minn.) and its 11-1 record stay atop the rankings. Iowa Conference rivals Wartburg College, Loras College and Coe College are in the top-10 at No. 2, No. 5 and No. 7, respectively. Pestano and Timok are among 14 conference wrestlers ranked in the top-10 at their weight classes.
The Dutch will send a contingent of wrestlers to the Duhawk Open Saturday at Loras, starting at 9 a.m.
