Lights get payback on Argos in Billings

Talk about getting some payback.

On the last night of the regular season, the Montana State University-Northern Lights not only got some revenge on arch rival Providence, the Lights also did it in front of a statewide audience.

Thursday night at Lockwood High School in Billings, the No. 20 Lights knocked off the No. 9 Argos 23-17 to earn a season split in the series.

Northern opened the dual with a 6-0 lead after Tanner Cook pinned Deven Altenburg-Lasher in overtime at 125 pounds. That match really set the tone for the Lights as Brennon McDermott followed that up with an 8-2 win over Na'u McBrayer at 133 pounds as Northern led 9-0.

At 149 pounds, veteran Martin Wilkie added a 3-0 win for the Lights to pad their lead to 12-3, while Devin Crawford picked up a huge victory at 165 pounds. In a back and forth match with Bridger Hall, Crawford got the 6-4 win in overtime, and Northern then led 15-6. The Lights followed that win up with a 7-4 decision from NaKoda Siegel at 174 pounds.

The Argos cut the lead to 18-12 going into the 197-pound match, and that's when MSU-N got perhaps its biggest win of the night. In a bout between 15th-ranked Carl Hansen and 14th-ranked Liam Swanson, Hansen wasted little time in sealing the victory for the Lights, as he pinned Swanson in the first period to clinch a big conference win for Northern and longtime head coach Tyson Thivierge.

The victory not only moved the Lights to 8-3 in duals this season, but it also gives them some big momentum as they head to Arizona next week for the Cascade Conference Championships.

"What an amazing atmosphere at Lockwood," MSU-N coach Tyson Thivierge said to 406 sports. "Great fans for the biggest dual of the year. We were able to get some wins back in our favor and we are happy to be entering the postseason with this win. I am proud of how we battled hard tonight, and we will start shifting our focus to the conference championships."

Lights 23, Argos 17

125: Tanner Cook (MSU-N) p. Deven Altenburg-Lasher, 8:50; 133: Noah McDermott (MSU-N) d. Na'u McBrayer, 8-2; 141: Andrew Macias (UP) d. Colin Silverthorn, 10-3; 149: Martin Wilkie (MSU-N) d. Dougie Swanson, 3-0; 157: Aden Graves (UP) d. Connor Harris, 3-2;165: Devin Crawford (MSU-N) d. Bridger Hall, 6-4 OT; 174: NaKoda Siegel (MSU-N) d. Hayden Schrull, 7-4; 184: Sawyer Hobbs (UP) p. Austin Vanek, 4:43; 197: Carl Hansen (MSU-N) p. Liam Swanson, 2:30; 285: K.C. Buday (UP) md. Shane Mattson, 19-4.