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Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Garrett DeMers, MSU-N Wrestling

MSU-N's DeMers aiming even higher

Just as the cold and the snow seemingly came out of nowhere, the winter spots season is upon us and at Montana State University-Northern, you can't talk about winter sports without talking wrestling.

The Lights are coming off a third-place finish at the 2014 NAIA national tournament, and with a slew of talented wrestlers back in the fold for the 2014-15 season, Northern is well positioned to be a national contender once again.

One wrestler that will play a key role in the Lights' success this season will be Garrett DeMers, a redshirt sophomore with an old-school mustache and a mean streak on the mat.

DeMers, who is from Couer d'Alene, Idaho, is coming off an impressive freshmen season that saw him post a 27-13 record with 13 pins and a fifth-place finish at the NAIA tourney in the 195-pound weight class, which earned him All-American honors.

So far this season, DeMers and the Lights have been busy. The team recently spent over a week in Wyoming and competed in four different events; the Northwest Open, the Cowboy Open and a pair of duels against Western Wyoming and Northwest College.

Picking up right where he left off at the end of last season, Demers finished third at the Northwest Open after defeating Tristian Baus from the University of Great Falls on Nov.1.

DeMers then went on to win his match in both of Northern's duals last week, winning decisions over Aspen Naylor from Western Wyoming and Jon Wixom of Northwest College. However, his most impressive moment of the young season came at the Cowboy Open, which was hosted by the University of Wyoming.

Squaring off against a number of NCAA Division I programs such as Wyoming, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Boise State and Northern Colorado to name a few, DeMers notched a fourth-place finish, one of four Lights to place in the top four at the meet.

Now, DeMers and the Lights will continue their busy November schedule this week with three duals, starting with the University of Great Falls on Thursday at 7 p.m. MSU-N will also go head-to-head with North Idaho and Northwest College on Friday. The Dual against North Idaho will be the first of a back-to-back on Friday and will begin at 6 p.m.

But, before DeMers and the Lights get back on the mat this week against arch-rival UGF, he sat down with the Havre Daily News for five questions.

HDN: You had an impressive season last year, are you looking to build on that and win national championship this season?

DeMers: "Oh yea. That's always going to be the goal, winning a national championship. From the very beginning that's been the goal. I just want to keep building and hopefully reach that goal."

HDN: What do you think you need to do become a national champion?

DeMers: "It starts in the (wrestling) room, working hard and building on every match. You can find a mistake in each match, so you want to build on that and keep getting better as the year goes on."

HDN: What unique or special thing do you do to make weight?

DeMers: "Making weight has never really been an issue for me because I am kind of bigger guy so it's always been pretty easy."

HDN: Being from Couer d'Alene, how have you adjusted to Havre and the cold weather in particular?

DeMers: "It has been a big adjustment. It took me a while to get used to the wind blowing about 80 miles an hour, but over the years, I have grown used to it and I've come to love it."

HDN: What do you enjoy the most about being a wrestler?

DeMers: "I would have to say the competition. You're against someone else and knowing that you are better than that person when you walk off the mat or knowing that you need to build on some things when you lose."

 

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