Your future, our focus
Season Begins With Saturday’s NWC Open
For 90 percent of the country, a 21st-place finish at nationals would mark the culmination of an exceptional season.
For the Northwest College wrestling team — which failed to finish in the top 10 for the first time in 21 years — it marked the end of one of the most impressive streaks in collegiate sports.
But with a brand new season just about to start, longtime NWC wrestling coach Jim Zeigler said he is confident and ready to begin again.
“I will admit that I was extremely disappointed last year, in our finish. And I just don’t think it was one of our best seasons on the mat,” Zeigler said. “So I took some time to really rethink our approach to this. I rebuilt this team this year with a ‘Back to the Future’ idea.”
That idea will be put into action at 9 a.m. on Saturday, when the Trappers host six schools and a handful of independent wrestlers at the NWC Open in the Cabre Gym.
Zeigler said a return to the program’s roots, both in personnel and philosophy, will be the first step in an eventual return to glory.
“It’s going to take some time,” Zeigler said. “We’re not going to have an immediate fix where we go from 21st in the nation to the top 5, where we’re normally roosting.”
This year’s recruits will be more familiar to Northwest’s local and regional fans. Instead of searching far and wide for prep wrestlers with an abundance of talent (and often baggage), Zeigler wanted to find athletes who would work hard, and represent the true essence of the program.
“We have an identity as a tough, hard-nosed, western culture type program. We represent the West and that’s what I want,” Zeigler said.
And as a result, wrestlers from Powell, Lander, Riverton, Evanston, Moorcroft and Torrington joined the Trappers this season.
“My adjustment in going to local-type kids is I think they’re throwback-style kids,” Zeigler said. “They’ll run through a wall for you.
“The idea is not necessarily to have the best kids in our programs. We just need the right kids. I felt like those kids were the right kids for this time.”
The battle amongst the team’s 22 wrestlers will begin Saturday and go through at least the conclusion of the fall semester. By then, Zeigler hopes to know who will start at each weight class. Though the 22-man roster is smaller than usual, Zeigler said he still has at least two wrestlers at each class.
“They’re pretty close, some of the kids are pretty close in battle,” Zeigler said. “Almost the whole first semester is trying to find that lineup.”
The Trappers’ two Powell representatives are sophomore Matthew Widdicombe and freshman Colton Parham.
Zeigler says the team’s lone “star” is sophomore Eduardo Penha, of Las Vegas. Penha, at 133 pounds, was one of five Trappers to qualify for and compete in the national tournament last season.
“He’s the guy that’s the leader of the pack here, in talent and abilities,” Zeigler said. “He’s come in with a very mature attitude, and I just like his growth. Couldn’t be more proud of him.”
Zeigler said Widdecombe has tremendous upside, but the question is when he will be able to reach it. A redshirt season has not been ruled out, and the extra year could allow the former Powell High School state champion to grow from 157 pounds to 165.
“We feel like he has a chance to be real high on the podium next year,” Zeigler said. “We’re looking long term.”
Zeigler said sophomore John-David Henderson, of Arab, Alabama, who wrestled at 141 pounds last season, has “a lot of talent” but “needs to maintain a better focus” to maximize his potential.
University of Great Falls, Montana State-Northern, Western Wyoming, North Idaho and Utah State’s club team will all compete in Powell.