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Moose Cup, Season Series vs. Western Will Be Decided
Ownership of the Moose Cup will be established on Friday night when the seventh-ranked Northwest College wrestling team takes the mat against No. 4 North Idaho to begin the 2012 Apodaca Duals wrestling tournament at Northwest College.
Friday’s encounter will be the second half of the annual homeand- away showdown between the Trappers and North Idaho. The visitors captured a three-point win when they hosted NWC at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, earlier this wrestling season. By virtue of that victory, the Trappers will have to win by four or more points to rescue the Moose Cup from Idaho and return it to Wyoming for the next year.
Considering the Trappers may be taking the mat this weekend without national runner-up Keithen Cast, overcoming North Idaho’s lead on the scoreboard could be a daunting task. Cast, who injured a knee during an exhibition match in the Trappers’ last home dual appearance, sat out of last weekend’s duals in Montana and has been ruled as “uncertain” for the Apodaca Duals.
“It’s unlikely that he’ll go this week for us,” said Northwest College wrestling coach Jim Zeigler. “That will make it tough to win the moose, because North Idaho is darn good. We’ll try and win as many as we can and see how it all falls.”
Friday will also see the announcement of the 2012 Apodaca Award winner. The award, named in honor of former NWC wrestler Brooks Apodaca, who died in a car accident, is bestowed annually upon the individual who best personifies Trapper wrestling and performs their function with the team. At times, the award has gone to a standout member of the team. Other times, the recipient has been a practice room wrestler who has spent much of the season in obscurity.
“It’s always a special time,” Zeigler said of the announcement. “And, having North Idaho here for it makes it a special match as well. We enjoy the privilege of wrestling against them and hopefully we’ll get a good turnout for the dual.” The Apodaca Duals will continue on Saturday as North Idaho and Western Wyoming will square off at noon in Cabre Gymnasium. The Trappers will follow at 2 p.m. for their rubber match of the season against Western Wyoming.
The state’s only two junior college wrestling programs have met twice previously this season, with each team winning at their home campus. That means an off-season of bragging rights is up for grabs.
“Western will have a better lineup this time than when we hosted them the last time,” Zeigler said. “Two of their better wrestlers are back and that’ll make it a much different dual.”
The Trappers had hoped to kick off the Apodaca Duals by hosting Powell High School and Lander in a high school dual, but that portion of the event has been moved to tonight (Thursday) at Powell High School.
“That’s a disappointment to me, but they scheduled it for Thursday night,” said Zeigler.
The Trappers enter the weekend on a two-dual skid. The team was defeated on the road by both the University of Great Falls and Montana State University- Northern last weekend.
Following the weekend duals, the Trappers will take a week off to rest up in preparation for the Feb. 11 West Central Zone Championships in Chanute, Kan. That tournament will determine which Trappers have the opportunity to compete at the 2012 NJCAA national championships in Rochester, Minn., Feb. 24-25.