Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
powelltribune.photoshelter.com
The Northwest College wrestling program is typically a nationally competitive program from start to finish, but the program is dealing with injuries to an already limited roster.
Trapper head coach Jim Zeigler said he’s proud of his team for enduring and going out with courage each and every week. On Friday and Saturday, the squad competed at the Western Wyoming Community College Duals, minus a few injured contributors.
Following earlier duals at Northwest College, Ryker Blackburn was entered into concussion protocol and did not compete last weekend in Rock Springs, Traycee Norman agitated a high ankle sprain in his second match of the weekend and Gus Harrison has yet to be cleared from a knee injury to participate this season.
NWC’s weekend started with a dual against Colby Community College. In the 125-pound weight class, Ivan Lee lost via major decision 19-8 to Trinity Robertson. At 133, Avery McSpadden lost via pin to Quentin Pauda at the 1:42 mark. At 141, Kendell Cummings won by forfeit.
At 285 pounds, Norman earned his first victory of the year, defeating Jared Volcic via an 11-6 decision.
Norman trailed early, but earned a takedown at the end of the first period to tie the match at 4.
Less than 20 seconds into the second period, Norman earned an early escape along with a takedown to take a 7-4 lead. He earned another takedown the final five seconds of the frame to go up 9-5 heading into the final period.
One final takedown in the third period, coupled with an escape by Volcic, made the final score 11-6.
The Trappers lost the dual versus Colby 22-9.
Heading into Saturday the Trappers went up against Western Wyoming and Northeastern in two more duals. The NWC wrestlers lost each matchup via pin, but Zeigler said there were overall improvements from the team coming out of the weekend.
“Ivan Lee got a takedown against a top kid in the country from Western Wyoming,” Zeigler said. “He is a first year varsity kid, the first period looked competitive and Ivan got a takedown which is a big deal.”
The team dropped the matches against Western Wyoming 60-0 and 54-0 versus Northeastern. With the small roster, Zeigler said they should have been classified as forfeits as the Trappers had no mathematical way to win the matchups.
Given their injuries, Zeigler said the Trappers will not be traveling to Coeur d’Alene this weekend in order to get the athletes healthy. He is hoping that every athlete will be available after Thanksgiving, but is unsure if Harrison will be cleared or the extent of Norman’s high ankle sprain.
In a year where victories are coming in different forms for the Trappers, Zeigler knows that any sort of improvement for each wrestler is a victory in itself.
Going into the season, Zeigler knew it would be unlike anything he had experienced in his 30 years as the head coach of the wrestling program.
To start the year, Zeigler had to finish a four-match day suspension — which he has now completed — and had his smallest roster ever, made up of eight wrestlers.
Zeigler left the early matches in the hands of his assistant, George Laughlin, who has been a part of the program nearly as long as Zeigler.
The head coach said the connection between Laughlin and the Trapper athletes has always been an important part of the program and he was grateful Laughlin was able to coach the team early on.
“I am just really thankful for his presence and what he brought to the table,” Zeigler said of Laughlin. “It really makes me wish he could be around a lot more.”