Argos edge Lights in round one

It's rare that a dual between the Montana State University-Northern Lights and University of Providence Argos isn't close. And the first dual of the rivalry in the 2019-2020 season was no different.

Thursday night in Great Falls, the Argos struck first blood in the series with a 25-22 win over the shorthanded Lights inside the McLaughlin Center.

The No. 17 Lights, of head coach Tyson Thivierge, needed a pin from Jase Stokes in the heavyweight match to tie the No. 16 Argos and possibly win the dual, but, UP's KC Buday, held off the hard-charging Stokes, and only lost by a 4-3 decision.

Stokes' win, coupled with a 2-0 decision by Isaac Bartel at 197 pounds over rival John Hensley, book-ended a dual in which Northern jumped out to a 16-0 lead. The dual started with Rob Pair receiving a forfeit at 125 pounds, followed by a major decision from Nick Kunz at 133. Sophomore Clayton Currier then made his dual debut for the Lights with a pin of Justin Gibson at 141 pounds, and things were looking good for the Lights.

In the end however, depth and UP's strength in the middle of the lineup is what aided in the Lights falling just short. Already giving up the 165-pound spot, the Lights sent out freshman Lane Paulson to take on nationally ranked Shonn Roberts art 149, and Roberts came away with a pin. True freshman Caden Hilliard, a former Great Falls High star himself, was also pinned by Boone Giulio at 165 pounds, and that set up the most critical match of the evening.

At 174 pounds, a pair of former Bison went head-to-head as Chase Short took on UP's Jordan Komac, and with Komac earning a 7-4 win, followed by a pin by Hayden Schull over another MSU-N freshman at 184, the Lights were in a hole that they just couldn't climb out of.

Meanwhile, it was an emotional night for Steve Komac. The Havre native and longtime GFH head coach was leading the Argos in his first dual against the Lights, and his team earned him an exciting first win.

"It was a great dual, a good atmosphere in here tonight," Komac said to the Great Falls Tribune. "Those Northern kids, always ... I'm a Northern alumni, and they have been tough for decades, and they know how to compete, and they always compete. Tyson does a great job of getting his kids ready to wrestle. Those kids are tough."

The Lights are tough, and they will get another shot at the Argos in February when they meet in Billings for the first time. For now, Northern will focus on getting better, and moving forward. The Lights first chance to do that comes Saturday at the Trapper Open. Then, MSU-N makes its home debut next Thursday night against Southern Oregon.

Argos 25, Lights 22

125-Rob Pair, MSUN, by forfeit; 133-Nick Kunz, MSUN, md. Christian Balagso 13-0; 141-Clayton Currier, MSUN, pin Justin Gibson 2:29; 149-Shonn Roberts, UP, pin Lane Paulson 1:35; 157-Casey Dobson, UP, by forfeit; 165-Boone Giulio, UP, pin Caden Hilliard 5:44; 174-Jordan Komac, UP, dec. Chase Short 7-4; 184-Hayden Schrull, UP, md. Rthan Roetman 13-3; 197-Isaac Batel, MSUN, dec. John Hensley 2-0; HWT-Jase Stokes, MSUN, dec. KC Buday 4-3.