George Ferguson Column: So lucky to be wrestling fans in these parts

I’ve said this often, but I really don’t care how repetitive I might be. How lucky are we?

The answer to that question, if you’re a wrestling fan around these parts, is very, very lucky.

A month ago, all of us who love wrestling were treated to a spectacular run by the Havre Blue Ponies, including that glorious night at the state tournament when not only did HHS win its fifth team title in a row, but also seniors Parker Filius and Jase Stokes became four-time state champions.

Well, fast forward one month, and local wrestling stood tall yet again. And, ironically, it involved teammates doing something special just minutes apart.

On Saturday night, in Topeka, Kansas, Montana State University-Northern teammates Ben Stroh and Brandon Weber both won NAIA individual national championships — Stroh at 184 pounds and Weber at 157 pounds. It was a remarkable night for the Northern program, and for head coach Tyson Thivierge, who, in his time at MSU-N, has now coached a multitude of individual national champions.

It was certainly special for Northern’s legions of wrestling fans, too. Whether you were in Topeka, watching on the internet or following on social media, if you are a fan of the Lights, Saturday night made you very proud.

And pride is what both Northern wrestlers should feel, too. I’ve known Ben Stroh for a long time now. He’s a humble, sincere and very proud person. Yes, Stroh is an animal on the mat and always has been, but off the mat, he’s one of the most genuine athletes I’ve ever known.

So it wasn’t surprising that Stroh was not only humble following his incredible accomplishment Saturday night, but completely shocked when he found out he had also been named NAIA Wrestler of the Year.

“That was unexpected,” Stroh said. “I wasn’t paying attention and heard my name called. So I went up there and had no idea what I was going up there for. I didn’t even know what to say. But you walk up and you see (former Lights greats) Turk Lords and Emmett Willson and David Ray and shake their hands. That’s when it hit me that it’s a huge honor, these guys are basically telling me I am the most consistent NAIA wrestler and I appreciate that.”

That’s the kind of person Stroh is though. He’s been receiving huge honors for years, and every one of them has been earned and deserved. And yet, he still is so humble. It’s an amazing trait and one we all should admire.

Weber is much like Stroh, too. He’s soft-spoken and reserved. He lets his wrestling speak for itself. And what incredible wrestling Weber has demonstrated over the last two months.

It seems like he hasn’t lost in I don’t know how long. And, his winning streak took him right to a national championship, in what was considered the best match of the tournament. Like Stroh, Weber was also honored for more, too, being named the 2017 National Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler.

“It’s a great honor,” Weber said, “I didn’t even know about that. So that really meant a lot. It’s just nice to know that all your hard work pays off.”

Yes, what a night. Northern alumni inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, two Lights win national champions, and both win two of the year’s biggest awards to boot. It really doesn’t get much better than that if you’re a bigtime wrestling fan, like so many of us are.

And what might be even better is, what great representatives of Northern, and Havre, and their hometowns, these guys are. Stroh, Weber, Thivierge and the rest of the Northern team, I’ve had the honor of getting to know them. Tyson is someone I call a good friend. And I couldn’t be happier for him, his team and his entire program.

The only thing that I’m disappointed in is, that I wasn’t there to see it. Someday, though, I’ll get back to a national tourney, and I know, with how incredibly great the Northern program is, I’ll see one or two, perhaps even more, special things when I’m there.

Until then, congrats to Ben and Brandon, congrats to coach Thivierge, and to all the Lights for a season of hard work. You gave us all quite a thrill on Saturday night, and we’re all happy for you and proud of you.

And one last thing. It’s been quite the month for wrestling around here. Yes, once again, we are all really lucky.