By Jason Shoot
The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team traveled to Rexburg, Idaho, earlier this season against highly-touted Ricks College and barely escaped with a 24-21 victory.
Well, Northern earned a victory in the rematch of the two schools last night, but this time the score was much more lopsided in the Lights' favor in a 29-12 win.
Northern improved to 6-2-1 in dual meets with the victory.
Ricks College came in ranked second in the NJCAA, but it was apparent early that the Lights, who are ranked third in the NAIA, possessed too much skill throughout its lineup for the smaller junior college.
Ricks' Travis Marx opened the dual with a 7-5 win over Dustyn Azure at 149 pounds, but his school's lead vanished when Northern's Bobby Mantle secured a 5-2 win over Ashton Buswell, who was ranked third in the NJCAA entering the match.
The Lights won four of the next six matches to provide the difference.
"The kids are fighting better," Northern coach David Ray said. "They just need to take what they learn in the (training) room and put it on the floor."
125 Abel Valdez (MSU) d. Ty Rollins 2-1.
133 Caleb Schaeffer (MSU) d. Matt Ripplinger 13-6.
141 Jason Fratzke (MSU) won by forfeit.
149 Travis Marx (R) d. Dustyn Azure 7-5.
157 Bobby Mantle (MSU) d. Ashton Buswell 5-2.
165 Lex Case (R) d. Kyle Fisher 7-6.
174 Emmett Willson (MSU) d. Tod Wever 11-3.
184 Tyson Thivierge (MSU) d. Josh Hancey 9-1.
197 Turk Lords (MSU) pinned Jeremey Lewis 2:49.
Hwt Ryan Hansen (R) pinned Dan Eaves 1:01.
