Eastern’s senior heavyweight Pete Ziminski and sophomore 174-pounder Kenny Robertson each made their first appearance at the NCAA Championships, but neither could wrestle their way to the winner’s podium.

The Panther duo each went 1-2 at the tournament in St. Louis that brought the nation’s best wrestlers under one roof.

“It’s the toughest tournament I’ve ever been to,” Robertson said. “Everyone’s so pumped to be there.

“They’re just a bunch of madman.”

Ziminski (17-9) started off the tournament on the right foot, pinning Penn State junior Joel Edwards in the second period.

In the second round, Ziminski had to take on the college’s top-ranked heavyweight, Oklahoma State junior Steve Mocco.

Mocco pinned Ziminski 1 minute 13 seconds into the match .

Mocco eventually went on to capture first place in the heavyweight division.

Oklahoma State took the team title and had five individual champions.

In wrestle backs, Ziminski lost to Harvard’s No.11-ranked sophomore, Bode Ogunwole, 3-2.

Robertson had an opening round loss to Stanford junior Imad Kharbush 4-1, but Robertson came back strong in wrestle backs, pinning North Carolina State junior Kevin Gabrielson in the first period.

But, Rutgers’ No.7-ranked senior Andy Roy ended Robertson’s quest for the championship in the next round.

Roy pinned Robertson a minute into the second period.

“It’s a mean tournament,” Robertson said. “I should have done better and it was kind of heartbreaking.”

But Robertson will have another two years to try to get to the winner’s circle unlike Ziminski, who wrestled his last collegiate match in St. Louis.

Ziminski posted a career record of 71-44 and had a breakout year his junior season when he won 33 matches and placed in every tournament the Panthers wrestled in.

But for Robertson, the experience he got from a disappointing debut at the NCAA championship will help him in the future.

“It was good because I’ll know what to expect next year,” Robertson said.