MSU-N grapplers fight hard at loaded Missouri Valley Invite

Up against one of their best tests all season, and also being the defending champions, the Montana State University-Northern Lights made a great run at winning a second straight Missouri Valley Invitational wrestling title.

The Lights didn't quite get there, finishing fifth Saturday with 102 points, but they showed once again why they're one of the top NAIA teams. Against an elite field of their biggest NAIA rivals, the Lights advanced two grapplers to the finals, won an individual title and placed four at the Missouri Valley Invite, a tournament Grand View dominated with 180.5 points. Northern wound up finishing just 15 points behind second-place University of Cumberlands. Indiana Tech was third and Missouri Valley was fourth.

Individually, Northern senior Ben Stroh won yet another tournament title, after beating Oklahoma City's Derek Sivertsen 9-3 in the 184-pound final. Stroh was joined in the finals by sophomore Brandon Weber, who made a great run in the 157-pound weight class, before dropping a 9-5 decision to Lindsey Wilson's Cam Tessari.

Matt Weber and Taylor Kornoely also reached the semis and the podium. At 141 pounds, Weber lost to William Baptist's Tyler Fraley in the semis, but rebounded to beat Northwestern's Dante Preciado and Briar Cliff's Nathan Ryan to finish third. Kornoely was upset by Grand View's Jacob Laden in the heavyweight semifinals, but he won his fifth-place match, pinning Brian Ervin of Briar Cliff in the first period.

Freshman Steeler French also had a strong showing by reaching the 174-pound quarterfinals, while Tommy Cooper (157), Andrew Bartel (165), Dylan Veis (141) and Rob Pair (125) all scored points for the Lights.

Northern will be right back in tournament action this weekend when the Lights travel to Dickinson State's Tyler Plummer Classic Saturday.

125 - Rob Pair

 Champ. Round 2 - Reid Pfeifer (Bacone College) 10-12 won by decision over Rob Pair (Montana State University Northern) 11-16 (Dec 9-5);  Cons. Round 3 - Rob Pair (Montana State University Northern) 11-16 won by forfeit over Kruz Adamson (Graceland University) 9-13 (For.) Cons. Round 4 - Joey Murillo (University of Jamestown) 8-3 won by fall over Rob Pair (Montana State University Northern) 11-16 (Fall 5:59).

133 - Brennon Veis

Champ. Round 2 - Alejandro Romo (Benedictine College) 2-2 won by decision over Brennon Veis (Montana State University Northern) 7-9 (Dec 10-4); Cons. Round 3 - Cartland Allen (Graceland University) 2-2 won by decision over Brennon Veis (Montana State University Northern) 7-9 (Dec 14-11).

141 - Dylan Veis

Champ. Round 2 - Dylan Veis (Montana State University Northern) 13-13 won by decision over Calab Ashe (Graceland University) 7-10 (Dec 4-0); Champ. Round 3 - Marcelo Sierra (Lindenwood University Belleville) 23-5 won by decision over Dylan Veis (Montana State University Northern) 13-13 (Dec 10-4); Cons. Round 4 - Nathan Ryan (Briar Cliff University ) 16-9 won by decision over Dylan Veis (Montana State University Northern) 13-13 (Dec 6-2).

141 - Matt Weber (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 won by decision over Jaime Mullins (Dickinson State University) 3-5 (Dec 5-3); Champ. Round 3 - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 won by fall over Taylor Lehman (Waldorf College) 10-5 (Fall 2:46); Quarterfinal - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 won by decision over John AJ Bindner (Missouri Valley College) 3-2 (Dec 10-5); Semifinal - Tyler Fraley (Williams Baptist College) 14-1 won by major decision over Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 (MD 12-1); Cons. Semi - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 won by fall over Dante Preciado (Northwestern College) 23-8 (Fall 2:21); 3rd Place Match - Matt Weber (Montana State University Northern) 13-6 won by decision over Nathan Ryan (Briar Cliff University ) 16-9 (Dec 12-10).

149 - Drake Randall

Champ. Round 1 - Chase Krutzky (Missouri Valley College) 9-8 won by decision over Drake Randall (Montana State University Northern) 7-8 (Dec 10-6); Cons. Round 2 - Tyler Bennent (Bacone College) 14-6 won by injury default over Drake Randall (Montana State University Northern) 7-8 (Inj. 0:00).

157 - Brandon Weber (2nd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 won by fall over Coulter Allen (Graceland University) 5-11 (Fall 5:56); Champ. Round 3 - Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 won by decision over Jackson Schauer (University of Jamestown) 14-13 (Dec 4-0); Quarterfinal - Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 won by fall over Mitch Roadruck (Indiana Tech ) 9-8 (Fall 3:33); Semifinal - Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 won by fall over Sean Elkins (Dickinson State University) 9-4 (Fall 4:28); 1st Place Match - Cam Tessari (Lindsey Wilson College) 26-2 won by decision over Brandon Weber (Montana State University Northern) 15-5 (Dec 9-5).

157 - Tommy Cooper

Champ. Round 1 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Brett Johnson (Marian University) 14-10 won by decision over Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 (Dec 7-6); Cons. Round 2 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 won by tech fall over Grant Williams (Oklahoma City University) 6-9 (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-2)); Cons. Round 4 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 won by injury default over Michael Diemer (Campbellsville University) 1-2 (Inj. 0:00); Cons. Round 5 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 won by major decision over Zach Revier (Williams Baptist College) 5-2 (MD 12-2); Cons. Round 6 - Mitch Roadruck (Indiana Tech ) 9-8 won by decision over Tommy Cooper (Montana State University Northern) 10-10 (Dec 11-5).

165 - Andrew Bartel

Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State University Northern) 18-9 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State University Northern) 18-9 won by decision over Kade Thonpson (University of Jamestown) 1-2 (Dec 5-3); Champ. Round 3 - Ryan Whittle (Williams Baptist College) 10-8 won by fall over Andrew Bartel (Montana State University Northern) 18-9 (Fall 6:04); Cons. Round 4 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State University Northern) 18-9 won by tech fall over Dakota Britt (Graceland University) 2-17 (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-3)); Cons. Round 5 - Tristan Macri (University of Cumberlands) 23-6 won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State University Northern) 18-9 (Dec 4-3).

174 - Steeler French

Champ. Round 1 - Steeler French (Montana State University Northern) 12-16 received a bye () (Bye);  Champ. Round 2 - Steeler French (Montana State University Northern) 12-16 won by decision over Ryan Thomas (Missouri Baptist University) 0-2 (Dec 8-3); Champ. Round 3 - Steeler French (Montana State University Northern) 12-16 won by decision over Andras Lukacs-Farkas (Northwestern College) 15-2 (Dec 12-10); Quarterfinal - Tyler Harrington (Maryville University) 4-1 won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State University Northern) 12-16 (Dec 9-2); Cons. Round 6 - Joseph Robinson (Lindenwood University Belleville) 15-7 won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State University Northern) 12-16 (Dec 3-1).

184 - Ben Stroh (1st Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 won by fall over D`rell Gist (Northwestern College) 12-11 (Fall 2:33); Champ. Round 3 - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 won by major decision over Trevor Yank (Indiana Tech ) 13-10 (MD 10-2); Quarterfinal - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 won by decision over Cameron Jones (University of Cumberlands) 16-8 (Dec 5-2); Semifinal - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 won by fall over Tyler Noon (Menlo College) 3-2 (Fall 2:37); 1st Place Match - Ben Stroh (Montana State University Northern) 32-2 won by decision over Derek Sivertsen (Oklahoma City University) 12-6 (Dec 9-3).

197 - Lee Cannon

Champ. Round 2 - Tyler rowland (Campbellsville University) 3-3 won by major decision over Lee Cannon (Montana State University Northern) 0-5 (MD 1; Cons. Round 2 - Lee Cannon (Montana State University Northern) 0-5 received a bye () (Bye; Cons. Round 3 - Braden Zini (Williams Baptist College) 16-12 won by fall over Lee Cannon (Montana State University Northern) 0-5 (Fall 2:49).

285 - Taylor Kornoely (5th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 won by fall over Mickey Pelfrey (Maryville University) 1-2 (Fall 2:27); Champ. Round 3 - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 won by decision over Bryson McGowan (Oklahoma City University) 13-12 (Dec 4-3; Quarterfinal - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 won by major decision over Brian Ervin (Briar Cliff University ) 10-9 (MD 10-0); Semifinal - Jacob Laden (Grand View University) 22-3 won by major decision over Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 (MD 11-1); Cons. Semi - Javier Gonzalez (Menlo College) 6-1 won by decision over Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 (Dec ; 5th Place Match - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State University Northern) 19-4 won by fall over Brian Ervin (Briar Cliff University ) 10-9 (Fall 1:38).