Lights set to host NAIA West Regional

There are just two weeks left in the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team’s season. But, oh, are they a big two weeks. One of those weeks is the upcoming NAIA national tournament next month.

However, before the Lights can get to the national tourney, which will be held in Topeka, Kansas, March 6-7, they have to get through their own Western Regional Qualifier. Fortunately for the Lights, that tough tournament will be held on their home mats as Northern hosts the regional tournament Saturday. The action is set to start at 10 a.m. inside the Armory Gymnasium.

Northern wrestlers will go head-to-head with six teams from the West Region Saturday, including second-ranked Southern Oregon, third-ranked Great Falls, seventh-ranked Menlo College and 11th-ranked Embry-Riddle. The Lights come into the tournament ranked No. 5 in the NAIA Coaches Poll, meaning Saturday’s tourney will feature five teams ranked in the top 11 in the NAIA. Also in attendance will be Simpson College of California and Warner-Pacific. The Knights are in their first year of wrestling at the NAIA level.

“Our region is tough,” said veteran MSU-N head coach Tyson Thivierge. “This region consistently produces All-Americans and national champions. So it’s never an easy tournament, and this one will be a dogfight. You have Southern Oregon, UGF and us, all who were in the top five at nationals last year. And you have multiple weight classes with some of the top-ranked wrestlers in the country. It’s tough that we’re banged up right now, but we’ll still go out and wrestle as hard as we can in every match. That’s what we have to do, we just have to wrestle to our capabilities this weekend.”

And while the team competition will be fierce Saturday, so will the race for individual spots at the national tournament. The top four wrestlers in each weight class automatically qualify for nationals, while there are also wildcard spots that will be considered after the meet is over. And just like the tournament is filled with some of the top teams in the entire country, it’s all filled with some of the top individual wrestlers in the nation — and the Lights have several of those entered.

At the top of MSU-N’s list is senior 165-pounder Ethan Hinebauch. Hinebauch, who is already a three-time All-Amercian, will be focused Saturday as he tries to secure the No. 1 seed at the national tournament. But that won’t be a cakewalk for one of Northern’s all-time winningest wrestlers. One of his biggest rivals is also in his bracket Saturday in Menlo’s Eric Lopez, currently ranked third, while SOU’s Garrett Urrutia and UGF’s Brock Picard are also nationally ranked.

But Hinebauch isn’t the only No.1-ranked Light heading into the regional. Junior heavyweight Toby Cheff has skyrocketed up the rankings since he returned from an injury in December. Cheff is unbeaten on the season and is the clear favorite to win the regional title, and a national championship. Standing in his way this weekend is Menlo’s Scott Brasil, who is ranked second, while SOU’s Clayton Burtis and UGF’s Dylan Lemery are also ranked.

But like those brackets, every single bracket will be tough to get out of. Northern junior Riley Miller is entered at 125 pounds, and will be in a bracket that includes second-ranked Troy Lakin of Menlo and third-ranked Luke Schlosser of UGF. At 133 pounds, Justin Rodgers will have to contend with top-ranked Michael Ruiz of UGF, seventh-ranked Devin Poppen of SOU, ninth-ranked Josh Crager of Warner-Pacific and 12th-ranked Brian Ha of Menlo. Junior Brenton Beard, who has missed much of the season with injuries, could also be in the lineup at 133 for the Lights.

The 141-pound weight class, where Northern’s Ceasar Montes is wrestling, features second-ranked Kyle Wilson of UGF, as well as fourth-ranked A.J. Valles of Simpson. At 149, Northern will have Drew Randall and Logan Foster to compete against the likes of fourth-ranked Tyler Cowger of SOU, sixth-ranked Ryan Martin of UGF and 12th-ranked Anton King of Embry Riddle. Randall has missed time with injuries this season, but early, was ranked inside the NAIA Top 15 at 149. Tommy Cooper leads the way for the Lights at 157. His bracket includes two of the best in the NAIA in SOU’s Dalton Urrutia and UGF’s Chad Cebulski.

Hinbauch and Cheff lead the charge for MSU-N in the upper weights, but the Lights will be without two stalwarts Saturday. Northern lost senior 174-pounder Jared Miller to a season-ending leg injury. Miller had been ranked as high as No. 2 and was a NAIA runner-up last season. Junior Cole McCarthur will go for the Lights at 174, in a bracket that includes top-ranked Brock Gutches of SOU and third-ranked Shaun Lau of UGF. Gutches is gunning for his third straight NAIA national championship this spring. MSU-N will also be missing third-ranked Willie Miller at 184 pounds. Miller is out with an injury and will apply for a wildcard entry to the national tournament. At 197, sophomore Garrett DeMers is ranked fifth for the Lights, and is in a bracket with top-ranked Charles Johnson of SOU.

“Everybody has a tough road,” Thivierge said. “This tournament isn’t easy for anybody. We’ll have our performances that will be good, but everybody has to go out and punch their ticket to the national tournament. Everybody has to go out and wrestle their best now. That’s what it comes down to.”

The NAIA West Regional will get underway at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Armory Gymnasium. The finals are scheduled for 4 p.m. The top four placers in each weight advance to the national tournament. Northern will also be honoring its seniors during the tournament.