MSU-N matmen put on a two-day show in Dickinson

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are kicking into high gear in preparation for the upcoming NAIA wrestling postseason. And this weekend in Dickinson, North Dakota, the Lights did plenty of kicking.

Friday night, the No. 10 Lights trounced the Dickinson State Blue Hawks 30-14 in an NAIA dual, and they followed that up with a dominant showing in the Tyler Plummer Classic Saturday afternoon — a tournament also hosted by the Blue Hawks.

In the tourney, which included NAIA stalwarts Providence, Morningside, DSU and a host of NCAA Division II teams, the Lights crowned four individual champions and placed nine wrestlers overall.

Head coach Tyson Thivierge's squad was led by the individual efforts of Matt Weber, who won at 141 pounds, Andrew Bartel, who was a champion at 165, Isaac Bartel, who won at 197, and Chris Nile, who was victorious at 174.

Nile and teammate Chase Short scored big points for the Lights by meeting up in the 174-pound final, a bout in which Nile won 7-1. Isaac Bartel got a technical fall in his finale against DSU's Payson Dirk, while Weber was sensational, pinning in all four of his matches Saturday, including a fall in 2:37 over Jaime Mullins of DSU.

Northern also had Steeler French reach the championship match at 184 pounds, with Rylan Moldenhauer placing sixth in the same weight. Landon Bailey earned a fifth-place finish at 133 pounds, and Rylan Moldenhauer placed sixth at 184, while Jeremy Smith finished sixth at heavyweight.

Saturday was also the debut for former Havre Blue Pony Jase Stokes. Wrestling in the heavyweight division unattached, Stokes captured two wins, before losing to Smith in the consolation third round.

While the Lights brought home plenty of hardware from Saturday's tournament, they also showed some dominance in Friday's dual against the Blue Hawks.

Weber started things off with a pin at 141, and the Lights wound up winning five more matches on bonus points. Dylan Veis got a major at 149, as Nile at 174 and Short at 184. French did the same at 197 and Isaac Bartel added a technical fall at heavyweight. Andrew Bartel was also victorious at 165 for the Lights.

"From 141, we were really good," Thivierge said. "A lot of bonus points, and that was fun to see."

The Lights go right back on the road this Friday and Saturday when they wrestle at the prestigious Missouri Valley Invitational. Northern then comes home for duals against Embry-Riddle Feb. 3 and Providence Feb. 7.

Lights 30, Dickinson State 14

125 – Mathew Edward, DSU dec. Nick Kunz, MSU-N, 10-9; 133 – Gresch Jones, DSU tech. fall Landon Bailey, MSU-N, 18-2; 141 – Matt Weber, MSU-N pinned Brandon Claye, DSU, 1:41; 149 – Dylan Veis, MSU-N maj. dec. Matt Carslo, DSU, 17-3; 157 – Taner Stone, DSU won by fft; 165 – Andrew Bartel, MSU-N dec. Logan Wagoner, DSU, 4-0; 174 – Chris Nile, MSU-N maj. dec. Devan Williams 13-1; 184 – Chase Short, MSU-N maj. dec. Jason Zecchini, DSU, 16-3; 197 – Steeler French, MSU-N maj. dec. Payson Dirk, DSU; HWT – Isaac Bartel, MSU-N tech. fall Ethan Goss-Dickie, 18-3.

Tyler Plummer Classic

125 - Rob Pair

Champ. Round 1 - Rob Pair (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Michael Lefuel (Providence (Mont.)) (Dec 11-7); Quarterfinal - Mattew Hruby (Dickinson State) won by fall over Rob Pair (MT State Northern ) (Fall 4:46); Cons. Round 2 - Rob Pair (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Devin Phaly (Morningside (Iowa)) won in sudden victory - 1 over Rob Pair (MT State Northern ) (SV-1 8-6).

125 - Nick Kunz

Champ. Round 1 - Nick Kunz (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Glenn Anderson (Dickinson State) won by fall over Nick Kunz (MT State Northern ) (Fall 4:44); Cons. Round 2 - Michael Lefuel (Providence (Mont.)) won by decision over Nick Kunz (MT State Northern ) (Dec 8-6).

133 – Landon Bailey (5th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Landon Bailey (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Landon Bailey (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Beau Shatto (Providence (Mont.)) (Dec 7-4; Semifinal - Gresh Jones (Dickinson State) won by decision over Landon Bailey (MT State Northern ) (Dec 6-3); Cons. Semi - Isaac Wilson (Providence (Mont.)) won by fall over Landon Bailey (MT State Northern ) (Fall 4:31); 5th Place Match - Landon Bailey (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Stuart Brandt (Jamestown) (Dec 10-5).

141 – Dylan Veis

Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Veis (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Tony Bergerson (Providence (Mont.)) (Fall 4:49; Quarterfinal - Jaime Mullins (Dickinson State) won by decision over Dylan Veis (MT State Northern ) (Dec 5-2); Cons. Round 2 - Jarren Komac (Providence (Mont.)) won by decision over Dylan Veis (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-0).

141 – Matt Weber (1st Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Matt Weber (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Brandon Claye (Dickinson State) (Fall 0:18; Quarterfinal - Matt Weber (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Lane Eggen (Morningside (Iowa)) (Fall 3:52); Semifinal - Matt Weber (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Tanner Borneman (Dickinson State) (Fall 1:35); 1st Place Match - Matt Weber (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Jaime Mullins (Dickinson State) (Fall 2:37).

165 – Logan Foster

Champ. Round 1 - Logan Foster (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Logan Wagner (Dickinson State) won by fall over Logan Foster (MT State Northern ) (Fall 0:42); Cons. Round 2 - Logan Foster (MT State Northern ) won by fall over August Bayliss (Unattached) (Fall 1:49); Cons. Round 3 - Caden Haugen (Dickinson State) won by fall over Logan Foster (MT State Northern ) (Fall 0:28).

165 - Andrew Bartel (1st Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by fall over August Bayliss (Unattached) (Fall 0:47; Quarterfinal - Andrew Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Nickolas Madsen (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 10-3); Semifinal - Andrew Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by major decision over Josh Beckler (Providence (Mont.)) (Maj 10-1); 1st Place Match - Andrew Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Kade Thompson (Jamestown) (Dec 8-1).

174 - Chase Short (2nd Place)

Quarterfinal - Chase Short (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Jacob Wiley (Morningside (Iowa)) (Dec 17-12); Semifinal - Chase Short (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Devan Williams (Dickinson State) (Fall 1:11); 1st Place Match - Chris Nile (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Chase Short (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-1).

174 - Chris Nile (1st Place)

Quarterfinal - Chris Nile (MT State Northern ) won by tech fall over Alexander Thompson (Morningside (Iowa)) (TF 15-0); Semifinal - Chris Nile (MT State Northern ) won by major decision over Theo Robison (Jamestown) (Maj 13-1); 1st Place Match - Chris Nile (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Chase Short (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-1).

184 - Rylan Moldenhauer (6th Place)

Quarterfinal - Matt Hernandez (Jamestown) won by decision over Rylan Moldenhauer (MT State Northern ) (Dec 6-2; Cons. Round 1 - Rylan Moldenhauer (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye)Cons. Semi - Jason Zecchini (Dickinson State) won by decision over Rylan Moldenhauer (MT State Northern ) (Dec 9-4); 5th Place Match - Alex Quick (Providence (Mont.)) won by decision over Rylan Moldenhauer (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-2).

184 - Steeler French (2nd Place)

Quarterfinal - Steeler French (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Alex Quick (Providence (Mont.)) (Dec 11-5); Semifinal - Steeler French (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Jason Zecchini (Dickinson State) (Dec 8-6); 1st Place Match - Hayden Schrull (Providence (Mont.)) won by decision over Steeler French (MT State Northern ) (Dec 9-5).

197 – Isaac Bartel (1st Place)

Quarterfinal - Isaac Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by tech fall over Rhyse Wandler (Dickinson State) (TF 17-2); Semifinal - Isaac Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Cody Johnson (Dickinson State) (Dec 10-4); 1st Place Match - Isaac Bartel (MT State Northern ) won by tech fall over Payson Dirk (Dickinson State) (TF 15-0).

HWT - Jeremy Smith (UA, 6th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Jordan Will (Minot State (N.D.)) won by fall over Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) (Fall 1:45; Cons. Round 1 - Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 2 - Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Jordan Tholl (Regina) (Dec 1-0); Cons. Round 3 - Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Jase Stokes (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-3);Cons. Semi - Jordan Will (Minot State (N.D.)) won by fall over Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) (Fall 1:56); 5th Place Match - Austin Moen (Minot State (N.D.)) won by fall over Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) (Fall 2:37).

HWT – Jase Sokes (UA)

Champ. Round 1 - Jase Stokes (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Austin Moen (Minot State (N.D.)) (Dec 6-5); Quarterfinal - Solomon Smith (Unattached) won by major decision over Jase Stokes (MT State Northern ) (Maj 19-8); Cons. Round 2 - Jase Stokes (MT State Northern ) won by fall over Joshuah Vigil-Harrison (Minot State (N.D.)) (Fall 2:59); Cons. Round 3 - Jeremy Smith (MT State Northern ) won by decision over Jase Stokes (MT State Northern ) (Dec 7-3).