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Hitting The Books For Finals
Northwest College wrestlers split a pair of matches at the University of Providence Duals in Great Falls, Montana, on Friday — including an impressive win against a four-year college. The following day, several Trappers wrestled deep in the Battle of the Rockies tournament.
The Trappers’ beat Dickenson State University on Friday 33-18 for a lopsided win, considering each of DSU’s points came off forfeitures. All seven NWC wrestlers (in 10 weight classes) defeated their opponents for a 33-18 victory.
“It was a really impressive performance,” said Trapper head coach Jim Zeigler.
Montana State-Northern downed NWC 36-9 in the second dual. Brady Lowry (149) and Jate Frost (165) picked up wins for the Trappers, both finishing 2-0 for the day.
The Trappers kept fighting at Saturday’s Battle of the Rockies tournament, also in Great Falls. Dawson Barfuss finished the event with a 3-0 record and took second place in the 125-pound weight class. Barfuss was injured in the semifinals and was forced to forfeit his championship match. Fortunately, it’s not a season-ending injury.
Barfuss led the Trappers on the trip north with a 4-1 record for the weekend. Van Bray, who wrestled up a weight class at 141-pounds finished 1-1 on the weekend, not wrestling in the Battle of the Rockies tournament. Standout Majid Muratov (197) was unavailable for the entire weekend with the flu and several other wrestlers were held out Saturday in preparation for an important in-state dual coming up against Western Wyoming on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The team is splitting time between wrestling and studying for finals as the semester comes to an end. Zeigler emphasizes class work, dropping some practice time and training in favor of hitting the books — including study sessions on the bus, in the hotel and mandatory afternoon and evening study halls at home.
On Wednesday morning, NWC president Stephanie Hicswa stopped in at a 7 a.m. study session to encourage the team in their studies.
“It’s the president’s philosophy and it’s our philosophy,” Zeigler said.
The team will be spending time at the Powell High School Invitational Friday and Saturday to scout Panther talent. Top on Zeigler’s list is PHS senior Bo Dearcorn at 182 pounds.
“He’s a very good wrestler,” Zeigler said.
The coach said he’s impressed with Dearcorn’s abilities on the mat and plans to sit down with the Panther wrestler on Dec. 18, prior to heading to Rock Springs.