George Ferguson
Havre Daily News sports editor
gferguson@havredailynews.com
It has been a rough start to the 2005-06 season for the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team. But on Sunday, the Lights found some success at the ultra-competitive Cowboy Invitational hosted by the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Several Northern wrestlers placed in the one-day tournament, led by Brian Fritchman. Fritchman captured first-place honors in the 197-pound weight class in the under 20 division. Fritchman won several close decisions on his way to the finals. In the semifinal round, he defeated University of Great Falls and former Chinook High School standout Eric Hinebauch. Fritchman earned a 15-2 major decision over Hinebauch. In the finals, he defeated Billy Blumehoefer of the Air Force Academy, 3-2.
Former Havre High star Chad Seely competed well for the Lights in the same weight class. Seely reached the semifinals before losing. He then rebounded to reach the consolation match, where he was pinned by Hinebauch in the second period.
MSU-N freshman heavyweight Josh Robinson also had a good day for the Lights. After losing in the opening round of the under 20 division heavyweight bracket, Robinson rebounded to win four straight matches before losing in the consolation match. Robinson's fourth-place finish included two wins by pin.
Northern didn't have many competitors in the open division, but a couple of Lights fared extremely well. Junior Kole Tolliver had a strong showing, finishing fourth at 157 pounds. Tolliver lost in the first round to Chase Walker of Northern Colorado, but rebounded to win four straight matches in the wrestlebacks. In the consolation match, he was defeated by Northern Colorado's Luke Salazar, 5-2.
Ryan Mattingly had an equally strong showing, finishing fourth at 184 pounds. Mattingly won two matches to reach the semifinals before losing to K.C. Walsh of Boise State, 14-4. Mattingly was also defeated by Fort Lewis State's Mike Howell, 7-3, in the consolation match.
The Lights will return to dual action on Wednesday night when they square off against Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. The dual between Northwest College and MSU-N will get under way at 7 p.m. Northern will then travel to Colorado for a quadrangular meet hosted by the Colorado School of Mines on Friday.
Cowboy Invitational
University of Wyoming
MSU-N Individual results:
Open Division
133 - Chris Smith
Skylar Woods, UO dec. Smith, 6-4; Smith dec. Mark Hastings, UNO, 14-10; Nick Budeski, UGF dec. Smith, 5-2.
157 - Kole Tolliver (4th place)
Chase Walker, UNO maj. dec. Tolliver, 14-1; Tolliver dec. Zach Lord, UAF, 11-5; Tolliver pinned Dusty Vaughn, AST, 0:19; Tolliver pinned Matt Stewart, UNO, 0:45; Tolliver injury default Dan Clum, UW; Luke Salazar, UNO dec. Tolliver, 5-3.
174 - Emmory Wilson
Wilson pinned Scott Crane, NWC, 5:26; James Reynolds, AST dec. Wilson, 8-4; Lars Leuders, UAN dec. Wilson, 6-5.
184 - Ryan Mattingly (4th place)
Mattingly dec. Josh Vialpondo, AST, 1-0; Mattingly dec. Craig Mock, UW, 5-3; K.C. Walsh maj. dec. Mattingly 14-4; Mattingly dec. Jarod Deguerro, UNA, 3-1; Mike Howell, FTL, dec Mattingly, 7-3.
Under 20 Division
125 - Zach Morgan
Morgan maj. dec. Jason Warner, UNA, 11-3; Tony Musteri, UNA tech. fall Morgan, 17-0; Delvon Webb, CST dec. Morgan, 11-5.
133 - Mike McPeak
McPeak dec Brandon Gifford, UW, 7-4; McPeak dec. Blake Risk, UGF, 4-1; McPeak pinned Dillon Neilson, UNA, 1:37; Rodney Sager, UNA maj. dec. McPeak, 10-2; James Annon, FTHAYS, dec. McPeak, 11-10.
141 - Colt Heger
Heger pinned Andrew Chrisinger, CST, 1:55; Specer Griffiths, UGF dec. Heger, 3-2; Cody weitzel, CSM dec. Heger, 7-4
141 - Tyler McGillvray (UNA)
Justin Lemmer, CST maj. dec. McGillvray, 11-2; Chrisinger, CST maj. dec. McGillvray, 11-2.
149 - Steve Boger
C.J. Rathjen, NW dec. Boger, 3-2; Justin Jacob, WW pinned Boger, 4:48.
149 - Sam Carney (UNA)
Paul Dack, UNO maj. dec. Carney, 14-4; Corey Swanson, CSM dec. Carney, 10-5.
157 - Austin Oeulette (UNA)
Eric Coxbill, NW maj. dec Oeulette, 15-3; Nick Ross, UNA dec. Ouelette, 10-3.
174 - Colter Dimas
Dimas pinned Justus Caudell, UGF, 1:37; Steve Ratley, UNA tech. fall Dimas, 15-0; Nate Lee, UNA dec. Dimas, 10-5.
197 - Brian Fritchman (1st place)
Fritchman dec Trevor Clegg, WW, 5-4; Fritchman pinned Avery Rogers, NW, 5:29; Fritchman maj. dec. Eric Hinebauch, UGF, 15-2; Fritchman dec. Billy Blumehoefer, UAF, 3-2.
197 - Chad Seely (4th place)
Seely dec. Will Wine, UGF, 6-3; Blumehoefer, UAF dec. Seely, 6-0; Seely dec. Rogers, 6-2; Hinebauch, UGF pinned Seely, 3:30.
HWT - Josh Robinson (4th place)
James Causey, UNA dec. Robinson, 4-3; Robinson pinned Sean Studer, CSM, 4:26; Robinson pinned Kris Herbig, UNA, 1:29; Robinson dec. David Garcia, WW, 6-5; Frank McGrath, UAF dec. Robinson, 1-0.
