Back on the Mat: Lights host Knights

The Montana State University-Northern Lights enjoy wrestling in the friendly confines of the Armory Gymnasium. And the Lights are already off to a 1-0 start in home duals.

But the Lights will really want to make the most out of tonight because, after their Cascade Conference clash with Warner Pacific, they won't be back at home again until Feb. 7. The 17th-ranked Lights take on the Knights tonight at 7, and head coach Tyson Thivierge expects a tough battle.

"Warner Pacific is really good," Thivierge said after Northern beat Southern Oregon in its home debut last Tuesday night. "They'll be a really tough dual."

Of course, the Lights are used to tough duals, and they'll certainly give the Knights one tonight.

Northern is led by junior All-American Isaac Bartel at 197 pounds. Bartel has just one loss this season, and that was at the NCAA Division I Cowboy Classic. Bartel is currently ranked No. 2 at 197 pounds in the NAIA, and is tops in the Cascade. Bartel is part of a strong group of veteran leaders for the Lights, including senior 125-pounder Rob Pair, ranked 11th at 125, junior 174-pounder Chase Short, and the pair of junior Nick Kunz and senior Landon Bailey, who are both ranked at 133 pounds.

But, as veteran as the Lights are, they're also young. Some of that is because of injuries, including senior Tony Evans, who has missed time at 149 pounds, and sophomore Jase Stokes, who has missed action at heavyweight. So, in some parts of Northern's lineup, youngsters like NCAA transfer Clayton Currier (133), former Blue pony Lane Paulson (149), and true freshmen like Caden Hilliard (157), Ethan Roetman (184) and Carl Hansen (184), have been asked to step up quickly.

"We're young," Thivierge said last week. "This is a process, and these guys just need to keep gaining experience on the mat."

Many of Northern's young guys will get that chance again tonight.

And while the Knights aren't picked among the top of the loaded Cascade Conference, with stalwarts like Lucas Higgenbotham (141) and Colby Winnett (165) among others, they'll certainly test whatever lineup Thivierge sends out tonight.

The Lights are also entering a busy stretch of their 2019 portion of their schedule. They'll attend the Spokane Open Sunday, before taking Thanksgiving week off, and then returning to action for a full slate of meets in December.

Tonight's Cascade Conference dual between the Lights and Warner Pacific starts at 7 inside the Armory Gymnasium.