Alumni Dual pits the past and the present

Former Northern All-American and Chester native Mitch Overlie (right) faces off with MSU-N sophomore Cameron Neiss during Saturday's Alumni Dual in Havre.

Former Northern All-American Rudy James makes a throw during Saturday's Alumni Dual in Havre.

Former Northern wrestler and four-time NAIA national champion Turk Lords (right) takes down current Light Nick King during Saturday's Alumni Dual at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.

Every year the Northern Lights kickoff the new season with the annual Alumni Dual. It is a fun and exciting way to get the season rolling, but also gives the wrestlers a shot at facing some of Northern's top talent from the past. The alumni have never lost this dual, and that didn't change this season, as the alumni defeated MSUN's current wrestlers 37-3 in 12 shortend matches Saturday at the MSU-Northern Fieldhosue..

Mitch Overalie, a former NAIA All American and three-time National Champion and Turk Lords, a four-time National Champion highlighted the alumni roster. But Bobby Mantle (All American) Austin Ouellette (All American), Aaron Jensen (All American), Tay Todd (Academic All American), Mike McPeak (Academic All American), Lyle Crok (All American), Rudy James (two time All American), Colt Heger and Chris Smtih (two time All American) also showed up to face this years MSUN squad.

"This was exciting and it feels good to come back and wrestle these guys," Overlie, a Chester native said. " I am a big Northern Lights fan and a big Tyson Thivierge fan, being a teammate of his, and I really think the team is headed in the right direction. They are young and very physical and they weren't shying away from us fat guys out there at all. But they have some great wrestlers and they aren't going to do anything but get better from here."

And the alumni did exactly what they were expected to do, all in good fun of course.

The alumni won 11 of the 12 matches. Mantle pinned Cole Gorder (157) in 2:50, Ouellette earned a 2-0 decision over Chinook's Willy Miller (174), Jenson earned a 4-2 decision over Harlem's Trent Jones, Todd earned a 4-3 decision over Mickey Cheff (157), Cronk earned a 5-0 decision over Johnny Schlosser, James earned a 3-1 decision over Jared Miller (174), Heger earned a 3-1 decision over Havre's Beau LaSalle (149), Smith earned an 8-0 decision over Hunter Azure (141), Ouellette earned a 2-0 decision over Kody Reed (184), Overlie earned a 2-0 decision over Cameron Neiss (133) and Lords earned a 5-0 decision over Nick King (197/285).

The only win from MSU-N came from senior Anthony Weerheim at 149 pounds. Weerheim defeated McPeak by a 4-1 decision in the fifth match of the dual.

The current Lights are back on the mat Tuesday night in Bozeman for the second Maroon/Gold Dual.

Alumni 37, Lights 3

157 – Bobby Mantle, alumni pinned Cole Gorder, 2:50; 174 – Austin Ouellette, alumni dec. Willy Miller 2-0; 174 – Aaron Jensen, alumni dec. Trent Jones, 4-2; 157 – Tay Todd, alumni dec. Mickey Cheff, 4-3; Anthony Weersheim, MSUN dec. Mike McPeak, 4-1; 157 – Lyle Cronk, alumni dec. Johnny Schlosser, 5-0; 174 – Rudy James, alumni dec. Jared Miller, 3-1; 149 – Colt Heger, alumni dec. Beau LaSalle, 3-1; 141 – Chris Smith, alumni dec. Hunter Azure, 8-0; 184 – Austin Ouellette, alumni dec. Kody Reed, 2-0; 133 – Mitch Overlie, alumni dec. Cameron Neiss, 2-0; 197/285 – Turk Lords, alumni dec. Nick King, 5-0.