Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
powelltribune.photoshelter.com
Trapper wrestling hosted two duals over the weekend, welcoming Western Wyoming Community College and the University of Providence as the team looked to find its footing early in the season.
Western Wyoming 33, NWC 6
Northwest College’s weekend started against Western Wyoming, which came into the season ranked No. 3 in the NJCAA preseason poll.
At the 141-pound weight class, Kendell Cummings provided a spark for Northwest. Cummings came up against Western’s Carson Jensen and engaged in a tight battle.
Jensen led 2-0 after the first period and earned an early escape point to make the match 3-1. However, Cummings turned the tide through a takedown and near fall to seize a 6-3 advantage. He then pinned Jensen at the 4:37 mark.
“He is a guy who is weighing in about 137-138 and is wrestling at 141,” Trapper coach Jim Zeigler said of Cummings. “He is a little small for that weight class but he has shown that he can be a competitor.”
Zeigler said Cummings constantly soaks up information, whether it be through matches or his individual workouts; the coach expects the freshman to be even more competitive as the year goes on.
The other close match of the night was at the 197-pound weight class, as Ryker Blackburn and Tyce Raddon from Western battled into an overtime match.
Raddon held a slight advantage over the Trapper wrestler heading into the second period, after he earned a takedown to lead 2-0.
Blackburn answered in the second period, earning three points through an escape as well as a takedown; Raddon also scored a takedown to make the match 4-3 heading into the third period.
Blackburn then tied the match due to two stalling warnings issued to Raddon, which sent the match into overtime tied at 4-4.
Points would be few and far between in overtime with Raddon earning two points through a takedown to get the 6-4 victory over Blackburn.
“That was a match he [Blackburn] and I felt he should win,” Zeigler said. “He will have an opportunity to wrestle him [Raddon] again.”
In the 125-pound weight class, Kade Lincoln of Western defeated NWC’s Ivan Lee via a pin at the 1:41 mark.
Derek Ramos pinned Avery McSpadden of Northwest in the 133 weight class at the 3:42 mark.
At 285 pounds, Koby Johnson of Western pinned Traycee Norman after 1:36 of match time.
Due to Northwest not having enough wrestlers rostered, Western picked up additional points via forfeits.
Providence 50, NWC 3
Saturday brought the Trappers’ final home dual until the end of January, as the Trappers matched up with the University of Providence, of Great Falls, Montana.
Blackburn was the Trappers’ point earner on the day, as he took his match via a regular decision 8-6.
In the first period, Blackburn grabbed a 4-2 lead, earning two points from a reversal and another two from a near fall; Providence’s Liam Swanson, meanwhile, earned two points via a takedown.
Both wrestlers picked up two points in the second and third periods: Blackburn got a reversal and a takedown, while Swanson got a near fall and a reversal.
Coach Zeigler said he felt Blackburn did not look right after the weekend matches, and did not appear to be moving like he usually did. After Saturday’s match, he and Blackburn decided he should talk to the trainer, and the freshman was subsequently entered into concussion protocol.
Other matchups from Saturday included Cummings losing a close 3-0 decision to Caleb Birdwell, and Norman losing via pin at the 4:27 mark in the second period.
McSpadden lost via technical fall after the first period, 17-1 to Joel Avila, and Providence’s Deven Altenburg-Lasher defeated NWC’s Lee via pin at the 1:55 mark.
Providence also earned points via forfeits.
On the road
The Trappers will now head on the road, as they look to continue their season in Rock Springs this weekend for the Western Wyoming Duals. NWC will take on Colby Community College on Friday, and then face Northwest Kansas Tech, Northeastern Junior College and Western on Saturday.
Zeigler will be serving his final match suspension Friday night, and will be able to return Saturday to help coach the team for the first time this season at a dual.
Zeigler said he appreciates Western scheduling a match for the team on Friday and allowing him the opportunity to come in and coach on Saturday.
Zeigler said he is hoping to help his kids progress throughout the season, whether that be jumping from top five to the best wrestler in the country, or helping them move from the lower tiers up in the rankings during their freshman campaigns.
Zeigler said one thing is for certain: This season is like no other in his 30 years of coaching Trapper wrestling.