ISAAC'S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Before he and his Montana State University-Northern Lights left for the 2021 NAIA national wrestling tournament, Isaac Bartel said he wasn't sure how it would feel when he finally won the national championship he'd been chasing for the last four years.

Saturday night in Wichita, Kansas, Bartel didn't have to wonder anymore.

With a 6-0 decision over Lindsey Wilson's Trevor Lawson, Bartel captured the 197-pound NAIA national championship - something he's been after for a long time, especially after finishing second in each of the last two seasons.

"It feels awesome," Bartel said Saturday night. "I'm on top of the world right now."

Bartel is on top of the NAIA world after becoming a four-time NAIA All-American, and having already accomplished so much in his Northern career. But the national title had eluded him, something that MSU-N head coach Tyson Thivierge said he knew would come.

"I just told Isaac, go out there and let it fly, get all that pressure off your back," Thivierge said. "I've been there. I know that feeling of trying so hard to get over that hump. And I shared that experience with Isaac, and just told him to relax and go do your thing. And it was beautiful to watch. I'm just so happy for him."

Beautiful and dominant.

Bartel capped off a perfect 14-0 season by winning four matches this weekend in Kansas. In the second round Friday, he pinned Briar Cliff's Jeremiah Glise, then got a technical fall over Carson Savage of Ottawa in the quarterfinals. Saturday morning, Bartel edged past fourth-seeded Zane Lanham of eventual national champion life, which unseated Grand View for the team title, advancing Bartel to his third straight national championship match, where he proceeded to dominate from start to finish.

"It felt good," Bartel said of the final. "I felt really relaxed, just tried to treat it like a practice and I just got the job done.

"There were a few nerves in that semifinal match, but he settled in and then in the final, he was just really in control," Thivierge said. "It was just so much fun to watch him go out there and do his thing. Isaac was as dominant this season as any wrestler I've ever had has been. I mean, he goes undefeated and wins 11 matches on bonus points. He was such a beast from start to finish this season, and that just speaks to how hard he works and how focused he was. I'm just really proud of him."

Thivierge had plenty to be proud of Saturday night. The Lights took just five grapplers to nationals, but still scored 42 points and finished in 11th place with three total All-Americans, and all five wrestlers scoring team points.

"It's amazing what these guys did this weekend," Thiverge said. "I'm so proud of these five guys. I mean, we finished higher than we did last year, we got wins from everybody, and three out of five as All-Americans. It's phenomenal."

The All-American performances included Chase Short, who lost to two-time national champion and top seed Brennan Swafford of Graceland in the second round, then won four of his next five matches to finish seventh and earn All-American in his third trip to the national tournament.

"When Chase won that blood round match, it was emotional for him," Thivierge said. "To see him finally get over that hump and become an All-American, it was a beautiful thing. I'm so proud of him, he's been really tough this whole season, and he really earned it this weekend."

Nick Kunz also earned All-American for the second straight year. After winning the 125-pound title a year ago, he moved up to 133 and wound up on the podium again, this time in eighth place. Meanwhile, national tourney newcomers Carl Hansen and Connor Harris both got huge wins as well. Hansen pinned top-ranked 184-pounder Riley Jaramillo in the first round of the tournament, while Harris (149) knocked out a returning All-American in the consolation bracket in his true freshman appearance at nationals.

"Both those guys came here in the rig first national tournament, and not only got so much experience in what is a free year for them, but they also won huge matches," Thiverge said. "So that's so exciting. I mean all five of these guys will be back next season, so with everything they did here this weekend, it's just going to make them that much better going forward."

And the Lights will move forward. Northern should be loaded again next season, especially with seniors being able to return due to the free year of eligibility because of the coronavirus pandemic. But before Thivierge looks ahead to next season, he admits, he was very proud of what his entire team did this season.

"What these five guys accomplished this weekend is a testament to our entire team and what we have going on in our room right now," he said. "It's special and what these guys did this weekend was special and I'm just so proud of them.

MSU-Northern Individual Results

133 - Nick Kunz (8th Place, All-American)

Champ. Round 1 - 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over Alex Pena (Wayland Baptist) (Dec 8-6); Quarterfinal - 5 Esco Walker (Cumberland) won by decision over 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) (Dec 6-4); Cons. Round 4 - 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) won by major decision over 7 Sam Bacon (Lindsey Wilson) (Maj 9-1); Cons. Round 5 - 8 Dominick Arellano (Baker) won by fall over 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) (Fall 1:36); 7th Place Match - 6 Mario Ybarra (Concordia) won in sudden victory - 1 over 4 Nick Kunz (Montana State - Northern) (SV-1 3-1).

149 - Connor Harris

Champ. Round 1 - Conner Harris (Montana State - Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Andreus Bond (Southeastern) won by decision over Conner Harris (Montana State - Northern) (Dec 7-3); Cons. Round 2 - Conner Harris (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over Jonathan McGowan (Oklahoma City) (Dec 8-6); Cons. Round 3 - 7 Jody McAlister (Reinhardt) won by major decision over Conner Harris (Montana State - Northern) (Maj 12-0).

174 - Chase Short (7th Place, All-American)

Champ. Round 1 - Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - 1 Brennan Swafford (Graceland) won by fall over Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) (Fall 2:38); Cons. Round 2 - Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over 8 Kolby Ferris (Indiana Tech) (Dec 5-3); Cons. Round 4 - Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over 6 Mahlic Sallah (Campbellsville) (Dec 3-1); Cons. Round 5 - 2 Casey Randles (Grand View) won by tech fall over Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) (TF 17-1); 7th Place Match - Chase Short (Montana State - Northern) won by major decision over 11 Noah Clary (Lourdes) (Maj 13-1).

184 - Carl Hansen

Champ. Round 1 - Carl Hansen (Montana State - Northern) won by fall over 1 Riley Jaramillo (Saint Mary) (Fall 3:25); Champ. Round 2 - Baker Hadwan (Life) won by decision over Carl Hansen (Montana State - Northern) (Dec 12-5); Cons. Round 2 - Daryus Webb (Williams Baptist) won by fall over Carl Hansen (Montana State - Northern) (Fall 6:21).

197 - Isaac Bartel (National Champion)

Champ. Round 1 - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State - Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State - Northern) won by fall over Jeremiah Glise (Briar Cliff) (Fall 5:31); Quarterfinal - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State - Northern) won by tech fall over 8 Carson Savage (Ottawa) (TF 18-2); Semifinal - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over 4 Zane Lanham (Life) (Dec 5-2). 1st Place Match - 1 Isaac Bartel (Montana State - Northern) won by decision over 2 Trevor Lawson (Lindsey Wilson) (Dec 6-0).