Lights return to the mat with Sunday's Spokane Open

It's time for the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team to get back on the mat. The Lights will compete this Sunday at the Spokane Open, a tournament they've had plenty of success at in the past.

The No. 18 Lights (new NAIA Coaches Poll comes out later today) are ranked third in the Cascade Conference currently, with the new CCC individual rankings realized on Tuesday.

Northern's lineup includes 125-pounder Tanner Cook ranked eighth in the CCC, while Colin Silverthorn is ranked fifth at 141. Martin Wilkie is off to a dominant start this season, as he's ranked second in the conference at 149 pounds, while fellow former Havre Blue Pony Connor Harris is ranked No. 4 at 157 pounds.

In the upper weights, the Lights' Devin Crawford is ranked eighth in the CCC at 165 pounds, while NaKoda Siegel is ranked first ay 174 and Rylin Burns is ranked eighth. Carl Hansen is ranked fifth at 184 pounds, but has also wrestled up to 197 several times on the young season.

And the season is young for the Lights, who are a young team overall. Northern fell to Providence last week in Great Falls, so MSU-N will be eager to get back on the mat in Spokane. The tournament is the final competition for the Lights in November. In December, Northern wrestles at the Argo Duals and Battle of the Rockies Dec. 2-3 in Great Falls, followed by a dual at Southern Oregon Dec. 14 in Ashland, Oregon. From there, the Lights head to Reno Dec. 16-18, where they'll dual St. Ambrose University, headed by former MSU-N assistant Bo Bettinson, and Eastern Oregon, headed by former Light Dustyn Azure, before taking part in the Reno Tournament of Champions. Northern doesn't compete at home again until Feb. 3.

Sunday's Spokane Open runs all day at The Podium and will feature many teams form around the Northwest.