Lights roll through the Trapper Open

The first month of the season has gone pretty well for the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team and that early-season momentum continued this past Saturday at the Trapper Open at Northwest College in Wyoming.

When the competition was all said and done, the Lights had placed a total of 11 wrestlers in eight different weight classes. More impressively, the Lights ended up with four wrestlers that took home first place, including Nick Kunz at 125 pounds, Brandon Weber at 157 pounds, Steeler French at 184 and Isaac Bartel at 197 pounds. Bartel ended up taking on John Hensley, a nationally ranked wrestler from the University of Providence in the championship match and took home the title after a 16-5 major decision.

Kunz also won his championship match by way of a 9-6 decision over his teammate Robert Pair, as the two took part in an all-Northern final. Weber took home first place following a 5-2 decision and Steeler French, the other individual champion, won his match at 184 pounds thanks to a 7-1 decision.

In additon to three first-place finishers, the Lights, led by head coach Tyson Thivierge, had four others who finished runner-up led by Pair at 125 pounds. Kieton Keller, who wrestled in the 133-pound weight class, along with Tony Evans at 149 pounds and Chase Short at 174 pounds.

Northern placed three other wrestlers at the tournament, including Jase Stokes, a former Havre High state champion, who finished third after winning his last match 4-2 in the heavyweight class. Carl Cronin who joined Keller at 133 pounds for MSU-N also took fourth, as did Jake French, who wrestled at 184 pounds.

The Lights will be back in action Wednesday night when they will host the University of Providence inside the Armory Gymnasium. The dual will get underway at 7 p.m.