Lights head to nationals ranked fourth

The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team is headed to the NAIA national tournament this weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. And the Lights will go into the big dance as one of the favorites.

Northern is ranked No. 4 in the final NAIA Coaches Poll, with only Grand View, Southern Oregon and Dickinson State ranked higher. The Great Falls Argos are ranked seventh in the final poll.

Individually, the Lights are taking nine grapplers to Iowa this weekend, with eight of them ranked in the final poll. The Lights have three top-ranked wrestlers in Cameron Neiss, who vaulted to No. 1 at 133 pounds, as well as Ethan Hinebauch at 165 and Kody Reed at 184. Max Payne is ranked No. 2 at 174, while Toby Cheff is ranked NO. 10 at 184 and Aaron LaFarge is No. 10 at 125. Mickey Cheff is ranked No. 14 at 157 and Trevor Goss is ranked No. 16 at 149. Former Havre Blue Pony Myles Mazurkiewicz enters his final national tournament ranked No. 2 at 141 pounds.

For complete Northern wrestling coverage at this weekend's NAIA national tournament, see Thursday-Monday's Havre Daily News Sports Pages.

NAIA Wrestling Poll

Rnk.Prvs. Pts.

1 1 Grand View (Iowa) 163.5

2 2 Southern Oregon 107

3 8 Dickinson State (N.D.) 92.5

4 6 MSU-Northern 89

5 5 Campbellsville (Ky.) 85.5

6 4 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 84

7 3 Great Falls (Mont.) 77.5

8 7 Missouri Valley 64

9 9 Oklahoma City 60.5

10 10 Morningside (Iowa) 53

11 12 Missouri Baptist 41.5

12 14 Baker (Kan.) 41

13 11 Cumberland (Tenn.) 40.5

14 15 Indiana Tech 37

15 18 Menlo (Calif.) 30

16 13 Midland (Neb.) 29

17 19 Jamestown (N.D.) 27

18 RV York (Neb.) 21.5

19 17 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 18.5

20 RV Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 18

Others receiving votes: Bethany (Kan.) 17.5; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 12.5; Cumberlands (Ky.) 11.5; Life (Ga.) 11.5; Waldorf (Iowa) 9.5; William Penn (Iowa) 7; Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) 4.5; Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 4.5; Hastings (Neb.) 4; Simpson (Calif.) 3; Briar Cliff (Iowa) 1.5.