Your future, our focus
Team Opens Against Southwest Oregon on Saturday
BY RANDAL HOROBIK
Tribune Sports Editor
Sixth-ranked Northwest College dives head-first into second-semester wrestling action this weekend as the school heads to Iowa to compete in the National Duals. The exclusive event will pair the Trappers in head-to-head competition against some of the nation’s top junior college programs.
“The top eight teams in the nation are invited,” notes Trapper head coach Jim Zeigler. “They base that off the previous year’s national tournament. Since we tied for fourth, we were one of the schools selected this season.”
After the final field was set. Northwest received the No. 3 seed for this year’s national dual event. The team opens against Southwestern Oregon, a team it defeated 24-17 on Dec. 11.
“We were a little disappointed, because you always like to see someone new when you go to an event like this,” Zeigler said. “It gives us a good shot though to advance and possibly face Labette County, who is the number two seed and in our region.”
The junior college division is just one of the features of the National Duals event. At the same time the Trappers are competing, other mats inside the University of Northern Iowa’s UNI-Dome will feature the top 16 teams from the NAIA as well as the top 16 teams from each NCAA wrestling division going head-to-head.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us on so many levels,” said Zeigler. “It’s not just the competition level, because while we’re not competing, we can sit there and watch teams like Iowa and Oklahoma State and our kids can see what they do. So for them, it’s motivation to see what competition at the four-year level is like, and it’s educational because we might pick up a thing or two while we’re there.
“At the same time, while we’re out there competing, all those schools are going to be gathered around watching us. It gives our kids exposure to a lot of quality four-year programs as potential recruits.”
The Trappers will take five nationally-ranked wrestlers to Iowa as part of their lineup. Jesse Hillhouse (133), Bobby Robbins (149), Keithen Cast (174), Nick Petersen (184) and Sears Tiernan (285) all numbered among the top 12 of their respective weight divisions in the most recent NJCAA wrestling poll.
Petersen is presently the No. 1 wrestler in his division. Hillhouse, Cast and Tiernan are all among the top four in theirs.
The Trappers will also benefit from the return of 141-pound freshman Josh Bundschuh. Bundschuh, a heralded member of the Trappers’ recruiting class this past summer, missed the first semester with an injury.
“He’s been cleared and we’ll be taking him to Iowa with us,” said Zeigler. “If we’re able to get him on the mat out there, we’ll definitely use him.”
Bundschuh was the No. 9 wrestler at 141 pounds nationally according to the NJCAA preseason rankings.
The Trappers depart for Iowa on Thursday. The team will compete Saturday and Sunday before returning to campus. Local fans will have a chance to watch the team go head-to-head against the University of Great Falls when the Trappers host that dual on Jan. 13.