MSU-N grapplers punch their tickets

The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team went to Redding, California, to defend its 2016 Western Regional championship. But more importantly, the Lights were looking to punch as many tickets to the NAIA national tournament as possible.

Saturday, the fifth-ranked Lights wound up finishing fifth at the 2017 NAIA West Regional, hosted by Menlo College, on the strength of three individual champions. Brandon Weber, Ben Stroh and Taylor Kornoely all won regional titles Saturday, while the Lights scored 92.5 points. Southern Oregon won the regional title with 131 points, while UGF was second.

MSU-N had an up-and-down tournament, but the Lights got a big boost from their three champions. Stroh (184) and Kornoely (HWT) were the top seeds in their brackets and they didn’t disappoint. Stroh pinned Menlo’s Tyler Noon in the championship match, while Kornoely beat Simpson’s Austin Lobsinger 7-3 in the final.

But perhaps no one had a bigger day than Weber. The sophomore reached the 157-pound final where he met SOU star Hunter Hodges. The meeting was a matchup of two of the NAIA’s best, with Hodges ranked third and Weber ranked fourth. But Weber put on a technical display and beat Hodges with a 6-3 decision.

"The weekend wasn't the greatest for us, we had a rough morning and started to fight back later in the day," Northern head coach Tyson Thivierge said. "Our finalists did a great job and I couldn't be more happy with them."

In all, the Lights placed six grapplers Saturday, with Matt Weber finishing third at 141 pounds. Weber was upset in the quarterfinals by Embry-Riddle’s Cameron Huizar, but he battled back and beat Huizar 5-3 in the consolation final. In a tough draw for the Lights, Drake Randall finished fourth at 165 pounds, and in order to do it, he had to knock out teammate Andrew Bartel along the way. Senior Tommy Cooper gave the Lights a fifth-place finish at 157 pounds, while freshman Dylan Veis rallied to finish fifth at 141.

Now, all the Lights, who automatically qualified via the regional and wildcard entries, which won't be determined until Tuesday, will prepare for the 2017 NAIA national tournament, which runs March 3-4 in Topeka, Kansas.

"The West is arguably the best region in the NAIA, and we literally beat each other up on Saturday," Thivierge said. "Now it's time for all to heal up and go seek out individual success."

NAIA West Regional

in Redding, Calif.

125 - Robert Pair

Quarterfinal - Troy Lakin (Menlo) 2-1 won by major decision over Robert Pair (Montana State (Northern)) 14-21 (MD 19-6); Cons. Round 1 - Chandler Strand (Embry-Riddle) 22-8 won by major decision over Robert Pair (Montana State (Northern)) 14-21 (MD 12-3)

133 – Brennan Veis

Champ. Round 1 - Brennon Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 10-13 received a bye () (Bye); 13 (Dec 11-7); Cons. Round 2 - Brennon Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 10-13 received a bye () (Bye; Cons. Round 3 - Jarren Komac (Great Falls) 17-14 won by fall over Brennon Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 10-13 (Fall 3:17).

141 – Dylan Veis (5th Place)    

Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 won by decision over Nick Oliver (Embry-Riddle) 8-10 (Dec 8-6); Quarterfinal - Steele Escobedo (Menlo) 1-3 won by decision over Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 (Dec 5-3); Cons. Round 2 - Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 won by major decision over Silas LaGroue (Simpson) 1-18 (MD 12-3); Cons. Round 3 - Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 won by decision over Brendon Vladic (Eastern Oregon (Ore.)) 11-14 (Dec 8-3); Cons. Semi - Cameron Huizar (Embry-Riddle) 15-12 won by major decision over Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 (MD 14-1); 5th Place Match - Dylan Veis (Montana State (Northern)) 20-19 won by injury default over Steele Escobedo (Menlo) 1-3 (Inj. 0:00).

141 - Matt Weber (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Cameron Huizar (Embry-Riddle) 15-12 won by decision over Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 (Dec 4-3); Cons. Round 2 - Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 won by decision over Nick Oliver (Embry-Riddle) 8-10 (Dec 3-2); Cons. Round 3 - Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 won by decision over Justin Acuff (Southern Oregon) 11-9 (Dec 7-3); Cons. Semi - Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 won by injury default over Steele Escobedo (Menlo) 1-3 (Inj. 0:00); 3rd Place Match - Matt Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 19-8 won by decision over Cameron Huizar (Embry-Riddle) 15-12 (Dec 5-3).

149 – Dylan Lockwood

Champ. Round 1 - Robert Frasier (Warner Pacific) 1-2 won by fall over Dylan Lockwood (Montana State (Northern)) 5-15 (Fall 2:28); Cons. Round 1 - Dylan Lockwood (Montana State (Northern)) 5-15 received a bye () (Bye);  Cons. Round 2 - Jeff Uyesaka (Menlo) 2-3 won by decision over Dylan Lockwood (Montana State (Northern)) 5-15 (Dec 7-1)

157 - Brandon Weber (1st Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Brandon Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 23-5 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Brandon Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 23-5 won by fall over Noah Marquez (Simpson) 4-17 (Fall 2:52); Semifinal - Brandon Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 23-5 won by fall over James Williams (Embry-Riddle) 23-7 (Fall 2:58); 1st Place Match - Brandon Weber (Montana State (Northern)) 23-5 won by decision over Hunter Hodges (Southern Oregon) 24-9 (Dec 6-3)

157 - Tommy Cooper (5th)

Champ. Round 1 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 received a bye () (Bye; Quarterfinal - Chandler Michael (Southern Oregon) 17-13 won by fall over Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 (Fall 3:44); Cons. Round 2 - Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 received a bye () (Bye)Cons. Round 3 -; Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 won by decision over Terry Mason (Eastern Oregon (Ore.)) 16-13 (Dec 9-3); Cons. Semi - James Williams (Embry-Riddle) 23-7 won by fall over Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 (Fall 1:49); 5th Place Match - Tommy Cooper (Montana State (Northern)) 12-12 won by decision over Gage Bentley (Great Falls) 14-16 (Dec 10-8)

165 - Drake Randall (4th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Khaldoon Rashid (Great Falls) 22-9 won by fall over Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 (Fall 6:42); Cons. Round 1 - Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 2 - Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 won by major decision over Dominic Merlo (Simpson) 8-17 (MD 11-3); Cons. Round 3 - Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State (Northern)) 21-13 (Dec 4-3); Cons. Semi - Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 won by decision over Khaldoon Rashid (Great Falls) 22-9 (Dec 6-1); 3rd Place Match - Aaron DeMay (Southern Oregon) 9-4 won by fall over Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 (Fall 2:12)

165 - Andrew Bartel

Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State (Northern)) 21-13 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Aaron DeMay (Southern Oregon) 9-4 won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State (Northern)) 21-13 (Dec 7-6); Cons. Round 2 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State (Northern)) 21-13 received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Drake Randall (Montana State (Northern)) 12-10 won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State (Northern)) 21-13 (Dec 4-3).

174 - Steeler French

Quarterfinal - Joe Else (Great Falls) 11-14 won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State (Northern)) 14-20 (Dec 4-3)Cons. Round 1 - Miguel Simon (Warner Pacific) 2-2 won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State (Northern)) 14-20 (Dec 7-4)

184 - Ben Stroh (1st Place)

Quarterfinal - Ben Stroh (Montana State (Northern)) 41-2 won by tech fall over Sam Voigtlaender (Great Falls) 15-15 (TF-1.5 0:00 (20-2));  Semifinal - Ben Stroh (Montana State (Northern)) 41-2 won by tech fall over Joe Dickinson (Warner Pacific) 2-2 (TF-1.5 0:00 (18-1)); 1st Place Match - Ben Stroh (Montana State (Northern)) 41-2 won by fall over Tyler Noon (Menlo) 2-1 (Fall 2:36)

285 - Taylor Kornoely (1st Place)

Quarterfinal - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State (Northern)) 23-4 received a bye () (Bye); Semifinal - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State (Northern)) 23-4 won by decision over Stephen Wilbert (Warner Pacific) 2-2 (Dec 5-3); 1st Place Match - Taylor Kornoely (Montana State (Northern)) 23-4 won by decision over Austin Lobsinger (Simpson) 8-6 (Dec 7-3).