California Baptist University
Roadrunner Open
CBU Earns Five Placers at the 2024 Roadrunner Open
11/24/2024 7:32:00 PM | Wrestling
BAKERSFIELD, CA--- The California Baptist University wrestling team took on the Roadrunner Open on Sunday in Bakersfield, California, and came away with five placers.
Four wrestlers fought their way through the consolation bracket to earn third-place finishes, and one more wrestler would come away victorious in the fifth-place matches. CBU had 20 wrestlers competing in total at the Icardo Center on the campus of Cal State Bakersfield.
Among the third-place finishers were Paul Kelly at 149 lbs, Damian Alvarez at 133 lbs, and Mitchell Neiner at 125 lbs. Kelly, who has been enjoying a solid start to his freshman campaign, picked up three wins in the Championship bracket before losing to 2021 All-American Jaden Abas of Stanford, who would go on to win the 149lb bracket. Kelly would best his own teammate Darren Green in the consolation bracket before winning via decision over Nolan Tolentino of Oregon State en route to a third-place finish in the bracket.
After being knocked out of the championship bracket in the quarterfinals, Neiner also brought home the third-place prize for the Lancers. In consolations, Neiner would best Isaiah Miller of Cal Poly Humboldt via a major decision and then best Richard Castro-Sandoval of host Cal State Bakersfield in the third-place match via a decision 7-2. True Freshman Damian Alvarez was the also a third placer for CBU, doing so at 133lbs. Alvarez won three matches in the championships bracket before being knocked out in the quarterfinals by Santino Sanchez of Cal Poly Humboldt. Alvarez would pin Jeremiah Smith of Menlo College en route to earning the bronze in the bracket.
The final third-place finisher came from Daniel Manibog at 157lbs. After being eliminated early in the championships bracket, Manibog bounced back with four match wins in the consolation bracket, including a tech fall over Devin Alexander to claim the third-place prize. CBU's final placer of the day was Richard Murillo at 133lbs. Murillo was defeated in the quarterfinals of the championships rounds but earned a spot in the 5th place match where he would defeat Jeremiah Steele of Menlo College for the 5th place spot.
NEXT: The Lancers will be off for two weeks before competing in the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada, from December 6-7.
Players Mentioned
