Ready to rumble: MSU-N/UGF Round One tonight

It may be getting colder outside, but tonight at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse, things are about to get very hot.

Tonight at 7, the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team will host its biggest rival, the University of Great Falls in yet another clash of Montana's only two collegiate wrestling programs. And while the Argos have gotten the better of the Lights as of late, winning five straight times, the first dual of 2010 -2011 should be a barn burner.

"Right now on paper the dual looks very exciting." MSU-N third-year head coach Tyson Thivierge said. "We have to go out and perform to our capabilities in order to win at any time.

The Lights come into tonight's dual ranked No. 13 in the NAIA while the Argos, led by former MSU-N national champion Caleb Schaeffer are ranked sixth in the country. But when the Lights and Argos get together, rankings mean very little. With so many wrestlers from Montana competing, as well as so much past Northern history mixed in, it's more than just a dual.

"It is always a bitter sweet dual," Schaeffer said. "I know they are a little banged up right now but when UGF and Northern wrestler it does not matter who is in the line-up, it is going to be a scrap. We need to be ready for the hostile environment. The fans support MSU-Northern very well always an exciting and loud crowd."

Every match will be hotly contested tonight, but two in particular will take center stage. At 184 pounds, UGF's top-ranked Michael French and second-ranked Evan Hinebauch of Northern should renew their rivalry, one that has been going now for over two years. Hinebauch is just coming back from an offseason injury, but the match should still be one to watch tonight.

Havre fans will also be on the lookout for former Blue Pony Myles Mazurkiewicz at 144 pounds. The UGF sophomore is currently ranked third at that weight and will take on either freshman Cameron Neiss or former Havre High teammate Ryan Shelstad.

Two more matches with national rankings mixed include the 149-pound bout between MSU-N's Anthony Weerheim, ranked ninth and 11th-ranked Anthony Varnell of UGF, while third-ranked Mike Hader of UGF takes on Northern freshman Cody Miller, who's ranked 12th. The Lights also have heavyweight Rudy Schaffroth ranked fourth, while Ross Mosher is ranked fourth for UGF at 165 pounds and Noah Hatton is ninth at 174.

Tonight's dual between the Lights and Argos is slated to start at 7 at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.

" We are excited and ready to go," Thivierge said. "And we look forward to having the support of being on our home turf the first time around."

Lights vs Argos

125 — Chase Dirden, MSU-N vs Akmal Adilov, UGF; 133 — Cameron Neiss or Ryan Shelstad, MSU-N vs Luis Carranza, UGF; 141 — Cameron Neiss or Ryan Shelstad, MSU-N vs Myles Mazurkiewicz, UGF; 149 — Anthony Weerheim, MSU-N vs Anthony Varnell, UGF; 157 — Cody Miller, MSU-N vs Michael Hader, UGF; 165 — Gary Anthony, MSU-N vs Ross Mosher, UGF; 174 — Jared Miller, MSU-N vs Noah Hatton, UGF; 184-Evan Hinebauch, MSU-N vs Michael French, UGF; 197 — Kody Reed, MSU-N vs Levi Morgan, UGF; 285 — Rudy Schaffroth, MSU-N vs Juan Enriquez or Cole Amende, UGF.