Two Blue Ponies on top of the NAIA

Montana State University-Northern wrestler Ethan Hinebauch, top, is ranked No. 1 in the NAIA at 165 pounds.

A pair of former Havre High state champion wrestlers now sit atop the NAIA ranks, while the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team is moving up itself.

The Lights are ranked No. 7 in the first NAIA regular season coaches poll. MSU-N moved up from No. 10 in the preseason poll. Northern is right behind arch rival UGF, which sits at No. 6. Grand View of Iowa is ranked No. 1 followed by Southern Oregon, Campbellsville, Missouri Valley and Morningside rounding out the Top 25.

Meanwhile, Northern sophomore Ethan Hinebauch continues to be ranked No. 1 in the NAIA at 165 pounds. Hinebauch is off to a great start this season and has yet to lose to an NAIA opponent. Former Blue Pony teammate Myles Mazurkiewicz, who is a senior at UGF, is currently ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds.

In all, seven Lights are nationally-ranked, including Kody Reed, who is up to an outstanding No. 3 at 184 pounds, and Max Payne, who's risen to No. 5 at 174. Hunter Azure is also climbing, as he's now ranked No. 7 at 141 pounds, while Mickey Cheff is No. 10 at 157, Cameron Neiss is 11th at 133 and Toby Cheff is No. 12 at 197.

The Frontier Conference's Men's Basketball Player of the Week went to Montana Tech's Adam Greger. Greger is a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward from Florence, Mont. Tech won two games at the Westminster Thanksgiving Classic. The Orediggers defeated Chadron State (NCAA, Division II) 85-70 and No. 20 Cal State-San Marcos 85-81. Greger averaged 30.5 points and 11 rebounds. Tech's Mandy Machinal won the women's award. Machinal is a 5-foot-7 sophomore guard from Richland,Wash.

MSU-Northern's Will Perry was nominated for the men's award this past week.

NAIA Wrestling Poll

Rank Prvs. School Points

1 3 Grand View (Iowa) 137

2 1 Southern Oregon 99.5

3 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) 87.5

4 16 Missouri Valley 85.5

5 9 Morningside (Iowa) 73.5

6 9 Great Falls (Mont.) 71.5

7 10 MSU-Northern 66.5

8 7 Cumberlands (Ky.) 63.5

9 10 Dickinson State (N.D.) 58

10 9 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 51

11 6 Baker (Kan.) 50.5

12 14 Menlo (Calif.) 50

13 10 Missouri Baptist 47

14 20 Cumberland (Tenn.) 45

15 10 Indiana Tech 44

16 14 Oklahoma City 37

17 20 York (Neb.) 32.5

18 10 Midland (Neb.) 32

19 NR Bacone (Okla.) 29

20 16 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 25.5