Trojans Set for Tri-Dual and UNK Open in Busy Weekend Road Test

The Colby Community College men's wrestling team heads into one of its busiest weekends of the fall, traveling to Beatrice, NE, for a Friday (Nov. 21) Tri-Dual against Southeast Community College and Otero Junior College, before turning around for a tough tournament slate at the UNK Younes Hospitality Open on Saturday (Nov. 22) in Kearney.

The Trojans enter the road trip with momentum after a productive outing at last week's Grand View Open in Des Moines. Competing in one of the deepest Freshman/Sophomore brackets in the country, Colby showcased growth across the lineup while producing several standout performances. Heavyweight Bob Tatum led the charge, finishing fifth overall and scoring 16 team points in one of the strongest tournaments of his young career. Tatum ripped through the early rounds with a decision, a pin, and a gritty quarterfinal win before battling through the consolations to secure a placement finish. His run highlighted both his consistency and ability to win tough matches against quality opponents.

Colby also saw big steps forward in the middle weights. At 133 pounds, Talon Suttles pieced together an impressive consolation runs of the entire bracket, responding to a second-round loss with three straight victories, a tech fall, a decision, and a pin, to score five points and keep climbing the backside. Teammate Elijah Sierra added three more at the same weight, notching both a fall and a narrow decision win. At 149, Scotty Engle delivered a strong early surge by pinning his first two opponents and advancing into the championship quarterfinals with confidence. Bryant Jones (174) contributed 5.5 team points thanks to an opening injury-default win and a fall in consolation action.

Now, Colby turns its attention to a two-day stretch that will test both depth and durability. Friday's Tri-Dual at Southeast CC provides another opportunity for the Trojans to sharpen dual-meet lineups, tighten situational wrestling, and continue building on the aggressiveness shown at Grand View. Matchups with Southeast and Otero traditionally bring competitive, high-energy duals. The Trojans faced Otero earlier this season and came away with a win, adding another layer of intrigue to Friday's rematch. Less than 24 hours later, Colby will be back on the mats at the UNK Younes Hospitality Open, one of the most respected early-season events in the Midwest. The field typically features NAIA powerhouses, multiple top-10 NJCAA programs, and NCAA competition, offering one of the best early tests the Trojans will see all year.

With emerging talent and several wrestlers showing the ability to push deep into brackets, Colby enters the weekend looking to carry forward its Grand View momentum across both duals and the UNK Open.