REDDING, Calif. – The Hope International men's wrestling team turned in a successful performance at the season-opening Simpson Duals on Saturday, winning a pair of matches and remaining competitive throughout the day of competition.

The Royals defeated the top-ranked team in the 3C2A California Community College rankings, Fresno City College, 26-24. HIU also upended Evergreen State College, a fellow competitor in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, by a 30-24 count. The Geoducks are currently receiving votes in the NAIA national poll.

HIU also lost a tightly contested 24-23 battle to host Simpson, another team receiving votes in the NAIA poll.

Senior Ezekiel Hueter was the standout performer for HIU. The Murrieta native bounced between the 174 and 184 pound weight classes to post a 4-0 record, winning each match by pin, tech fall or major decision. His 21-3 tech fall win over Fresno City College's Ayden Cortez trimmed the Royal deficit to 24-20, allowing Jaxon Smith and Griff Lawson to win by decision against their opponents at 197 and 285 pounds, respectively. The two wins gave HIU six more points to complete the comeback 26-24 victory.

Hueter's 16-1 tech fall victory over Evergreen State's Erick Kelly tied the match at 18-18. The Royals benefited from a pair of Geoduck forfeits at 184 and 197 pounds, legging out the 30-24 win against their CCC counterpart. 

The closest encounter came against the host Red Hawks in a narrow one-point loss. Hueter pinned Cody Soares at the 5:37 mark to bring the Royals within 21-17. Smith followed with an impressive win by pin against Ryland Doramus at 197 pounds, downing his opponent at 0:53 to give HIU a 23-21 lead. The deciding match came at 285 pounds, where Lawson lost a tough 9-2 decision to Benjamin Vega Sanchez, as the Red Hawks eked out the 24-23 victory.

Freshman Tomas Fulgentes went 3-2 on the afternoon, overcoming a 0-2 start to win his final three matches at 165 pounds against opponents from Sacramento City College, Simpson and Evergreen State. Smith went 2-0 in his Royals debut, while Levi Means, Jeancarlos Martinez, Jacob Ramirez and Joshua Grajeda also picked up a pair of individual wins.

The Royals lost 55-0 to No. 2-ranked Southern Oregon in the opener, and dropped a close 29-21 decision to Sac City College.

HIU is next in action on Friday, Nov. 6 against NCAA Division 2 opponent Menlo. The dual begins at 7:00 p.m.

No. 2 Southern Oregon 55, Hope International 0
125 – Vonn Fenn (SOU) def. Elias Velasquez (HIU), tech fall, 15-0 (3:51) (5-0)
133 – Simon Graeber (SOU) def. Joshua Grajeda (HIU), pin (2:12) (11-0)
141 – Tyler Rhue (SOU) def. Aiden Anselmo (HIU), pin (2:13) (17-0)
149 – Jaret Hickey (SOU) def. Aaron Lopez (HIU), pin (3:15) (23-0)
157 – Trae Frederick (SOU) def. Jacob Ramirez (HIU), major decision, 13-3 (27-0)
165 – Ryan Carroll (SOU) def. Tomas Fulgentes (HIU), pin (3:57) (33-0)
174 – Ilya Yurko (SOU) def. Jeancarlos Martinez (HIU), major decision, 16-7 (37-0)
184 – Bridger Foss (SOU) def. Cohen Payne (HIU), pin (2:01) (43-0)
197 – Carson Gooley (SOU) def. Levi Means (HIU), pin (1:34) (49-0)
285 – Logan Clayburn (SOU) def. Matthew Olivarez (HIU), pin (0:32) (55-0)

Hope International 26, Fresno City College 24
125 – Alijah Ortiz (FCC) def. Leonardo Cabrera-Nava (HIU), pin (5:41) (6-0)
133 – Nicholas Quintana (FCC) def. Aiden Anselmo (HIU), pin (1:54) (12-0)
141 – Joshua Grajeda (HIU) def. David Gonzales (FCC), pin (3:36) (12-6)
149 – Emiliano Lopez (FCC) def. Aaron Lopez (HIU), pin (6:28) (18-6)
157 – Jacob Ramirez (HIU) def. Isaac Ceja (FCC), decision, 8-6 (18-9)
165 – Adrian De Leon (FCC) def. Tomas Fulgentes (HIU), pin (2:44) (24-9)
174 – Jeancarlos Martinez (HIU) def. Austin Brown (FCC), pin (5:08) (24-15)
184 – Ezekiel Hueter (HIU) def. Ayden Cortez (FCC), tech fall, 21-3 (2:27) (24-20)
197 – Jaxon Smith (HIU) def. Darwin Salas (FCC), decision, 10-4 (24-23)
285 – Griff Lawson (HIU) def. Aurelio Castro (FCC), decision, 4-0 (24-26)

Sacramento City College 29, Hope International 21
125 – Elias Velasquez (HIU) def. Isaiah Benson (SCC), major decision, 15-4 (4-0)
133 – Ken Fernandez (SCC) def. Joshua Grajeda (HIU), pin (2:43) (4-6)
141 – Micah Lee (SCC) def. Aiden Anselmo (HIU), pin (2:07) (4-12)
149 – Aaron Lopez (HIU) def. Domingo Martinez (SCC), decision, 5-0 (7-12)
157 – Kenny Egan (SCC) def. Jacob Ramirez (HIU), pin (4:43) (7-18)
165 – Tomas Fulgentes (HIU) def. Benjamin Homdus (SCC), major decision, 15-4 (11-18)
174 – Ezekiel Hueter (HIU) def. Calin Capra (SCC), major decision, 17-7 (15-18)
184 – Alec Coffin (SCC) def. Cohen Payne (HIU), pin (0:19) (15-24)
197 – Levi Means (HIU) def. Beau Young (SCC), pin (1:16) (21-24)
285 – Kendrick Salcido (SCC) def. Matthew Olivarez (HIU), tech fall, 17-1 (5:15) (21-29)

RV Simpson 24, Hope International 23
125 – Leonardo Cabrera-Nava (HIU) def. Benjamin Peralta (SU), decision, 8-4 (3-0)
133 – Jay Everhart (SU) def. Aiden Anselmo (HIU), tech fall, 18-0 (1:27) (3-5)
141 – Joshua Grajeda (HIU) def. Kenneth Schulz (SU), decision, 14-8 (6-5)
149 – Colton Silva (SU) def. Aaron Lopez (HIU), pin (2:08) (6-11)
157 – Samuel Perez (SU) def. Jacob Ramirez (HIU), tech fall, 19-3 (4:28) (6-16)
165 – Tomas Fulgentes (HIU) def. Devonya Kee (SU), tech fall, 21-5 (5:56) (11-16)
174 – Joseph Clark (SU) def. Jeancarlos Martinez (HIU), tech fall, 20-5 (6:29) (11-21)
184 – Ezekiel Hueter (HIU) def. Cody Soares (SU), pin (5:36) (17-21)
197 – Jaxon Smith (HIU) def. Ryland Doramus (SU), pin (0:53) (23-21)
285 – Benjamin Vega Sanchez (SU) def. Griff Lawson (HIU), decision, 9-2 (23-24)

Hope International 30, RV Evergreen State 24
125 – Leonardo Cabrera-Nava (HIU) def. Shane Spindel (EGST), pin (1:57) (6-0)
133 – Joseph Davis (EGST) def. Elias Velasquez (HIU), pin (1:01) (6-6)
141 – Horacio Godinez (EGST) def. Joshua Grajeda (HIU), pin (1:02) (6-12)
149 – Jeramias Sandoval (EGST) def. Aaron Lopez (HIU), pin (3:16) (6-18)
157 – Jacob Ramirez (HIU) def. Alex Richardson (EGST), decision, 9-6 (9-18)
165 – Tomas Fulgentes (HIU) def. Hassan Abdi (EGST), major decision, 10-2 (13-18)
174 – Ezekiel Hueter (HIU) def. Erick Kelly (EGST), tech fall, 16-1 (3:16) (18-18)
184 – Jeancarlos Martinez (HIU) wins by forfeit (24-18)
197 – Levi Means (HIU) wins by forfeit (30-18)
285 – Ronnell Parker-Borrero (EGST) def. Griff Lawson (HIU), pin (1:10) (30-24)