Eastern’s sophomore 174-pounder Kenny Robertson and senior heavyweight Pete Ziminski fell just short of taking first at Saturday’s NCAA Wrestling West Regional at Fresno State, but each took second place, qualifying him for a trip to the NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

Robertson (34-10) and Ziminski (17-10) each went 1-1 on the day but could have taken the top spot at the tournament, Eastern head coach Ralph McCausland said.

“I think they were both excited (to qualify) but disappointed they didn’t take first,” McCausland said. “The officiating was horrible.

“But you have to put that aside.”

Robertson lost 7-4 in the finals to No. 8 Eric Hauan of Northern Iowa and got off to a rough start after a questionable call on a potentially dangerous play put him down 4-0 early in the match.

“If you take that away, it would have been a much different match,” McCausland said.

Ziminski lost 3-2 in the finals to Fresno’s Clint Walbeck, and once again, Eastern was slowed down by questionable calls.

“Pete got a takedown in the first the ref didn’t call,” McCausland said. “Even the Fresno coach was surprised.”

Robertson and Ziminski each breezed through the first round of the regional, winning 8-4 and 8-2 respectively.

Last year, Robertson and Ziminski each took third at the regional and just missed out on a trip to the NCAA Championships. Ziminski was slated as the top alternate for the heavyweight division but never got the call that would have put him there.

“I think that was in the back of both of their minds,” McCausland said. “(Going to the NCAA Championships) is a goal of every wrestler.”

Outside of Robertson and Zimisnki, the only other Panther to win a match at the regional was sophomore Greg Perz (17-14) who took third at 184 pounds, going 2-1 on the day. Perz lost his first match of the day 11-3 but came back with two wins in the wrestle backs.

Of the seven wrestlers that went to the Regional for the Panthers six of them were underclassmen.

“This kind of competition prepares them for success down the road,” McCausland said. “They have to realize that.

“You have to give it to (Jason) Sherko. He’s been wrestling all year with basically one shoulder,” McCausland said. “He deserves a badge of honor.”

McCausland said the Panthers will take a couple days off after the long weekend and will have about six days of hard practice before the opening of the NCAA Championships March 17.