Your future, our focus
Trappers Will Compete At Cowboy Open
Following a less-than-stellar 2018-19 campaign, the Northwest College wrestling team is entering this season with a renewed focus — beginning this weekend at the Cowboy Open at the University of Wyoming.
A staple in collegiate wrestling since 1974, the Cowboy Open marks the beginning of the season for many D-I, D-II, NAIA and NJCAA programs. Wrestlers compete in either the elite or amateur division, and Trapper head coach Jim Zeigler said the tournament is a good early season barometer against quality competition.
“It’s opening weekend, and it’s an opportunity for us to see where we’re at,” Zeigler said. “We don’t have a lot of depth on our team — our talent is good, but our depth is thin. Just like the rest of the college, our enrollment numbers are down, but I’m feeling confident with the kids we have.”
Competition begins Saturday morning at War Memorial Fieldhouse. The Trappers have one wrestler competing in the elite division this season: Majid Muratov, a redshirt freshman from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, at 197 pounds. The other members of the team will compete in the amateur division.
“The elite divison includes the older, experienced kids,” Zeigler explained. “The amateur division is primarily freshmen and less-experienced sophomores.”
Muratov was with the Trappers a year ago, but didn’t compete because of an injury.
“We’re looking forward to his first competition,” Zeigler said.
D-I teams competing include Wyoming, Utah Valley, Air Force and Northern Colorado. A host of D-II teams will be participating, including Adams State, Colorado Mesa, Fort Hays, New Mexico Highlands, Chadron and Colorado State Pueblo. University of Providence and Montana State University- Northern will represent the NAIA. A host of schools from the NJCAA will be on hand, too, including Clackamas Community College, last year’s national champions. NWC and Western Wyoming will be the only NJCAA schools from Wyoming to compete.
“Everybody competes in one pool; they don’t separate wrestlers by the size classification of schools,” Zeigler said. “Most of the jucos will wrestle in the amateur division, though schools like Clackamas and Western Wyoming will put wrestlers in the elite division, because it gives them better exposure for D-I recruiting.”
Trapper wrestlers hitting the mat this weekend include freshman Brady Lowry from Cedar City, Utah, at 149 pounds, and sophomore Dawson Barfuss of Bancroft, Idaho, freshman Sterling Quinn from Bozeman, Montana, and freshman Devyn Mosteller of Casper, who are all at 125 pounds.
Competing at 133 pounds will be William Fish from Lusk and at 141 will be freshman Christian Dean of Sidney, Montana. Freshman Tyson Carter of Payson, Utah and sophomore T.J. Frazier from Big Piney will compete at 184 pounds.
NWC won’t have a heavyweight on the roster this season.
The Trappers have a few wrestlers who will be sitting out the Cowboy Open as they recuperate from injuries, including sophomores Yair Moran at 165 pounds and Porter Fox at 184 pounds.
“We’re being very careful about injuries because of our lack of depth,” Zeigler said. “We want to make sure the guys are fully prepared to start the season.”
Heading into their first competition of the season, Zeigler said the team will keep expectations realistic.
“We’re just looking to get better, and see where we’re at,” he said. “I’m extremely excited about this group — the way they’ve been training, how they’re becoming a team, overall attitude. They have a really high skill level, especially amongst our freshmen.”