Lights stage comeback against Argos

Montana State University-Northern head coach Tyson Thivierge wasn't thinking pin when his heavyweight, Rudy Schaffroth took to the mat for the last match of Thursday's night dual against the University of Great Falls – Even though the Lights trailed UGF by six points.

Thivierge was just looking for Schaffroth to get a victory, knowing his Lights, who were missing starters Chase Dirden, Ethan Hinebauch and Max Payne, had fought valiantly against the talented Argos.

Schafforth, on the other hand, was thinking six points all the way. And deep in the third period, the junior college transfer from Clackamas, Ore., saw an opening and took it, taking UGF's Juan Enriquez to his back for six points and a 24-24 tie.

And that tie between the sixth-ranked Argos and 13th-ranked Lights was enough to boost Northern to its first dual win over its rival from great Falls in three years, as the dual was decided by Northern having more six-point wins Thursday night at the MSU-Northern Fieldhouse.

"I don't know what he (Schaffroth) was thinking in his head when he went out there," Thivierge said after his first win over the Argos as head coach of the Lights. "But I wasn't thinking about a pin. I wanted him to go out there, focus and wrestling a good match and get a victory.

"We got into a spot where I just saw an opening and took it," Schaffroth said of his dramatic win. "I think we were in a situation where we were both on two feet and there was kind of a burst there and I just felt it and went for it. I knew we needed the pin, and I was trying to get it in the first period. But at the end, I saw a chance to go for it and it worked."

Going for it was the story of Northern's night, even without some of its top wrestlers in the lineup against a mostly full-strength Argo squad.

The dual started with freshman Cameron Neiss get the Lights even at 6-6 with a pin of Luis Carranza at 133 pounds. The match was tight for a time, but leading 11-7 in the third period, Neiss got Carranza on his back and gave the Lights a much-needed six points.

Northern hung tough in the middle of the dual thanks to Anthony Weerheim's hard-fought 3-2 decision over Anthony Varnell at 149 pounds, but wins by former Havre Blue Pony Myles Mazurkiewicz at 141 pounds, Michael Hader at 157 pounds and Ross Mosher at 165 pounds put the Argos well in front, 21-9. But even in those losses, Thivierge was happy with the way his team was performing.

"We didn't want there to be any excuses," Thivierge said. "Yes, we had some guys out with injuries but the guys we did send out there, we believed were the best ones we could put on the mat, and we sent those guys out there for more than to just not get pinned.

"Some of our best performances tonight were in losses I thought," he added. "Ryan Shelstad wrestled a really smart match, giving away 13 pounds to Myles (Mazurkiewicz). And Gary Anthony, that was his first time in the lineup, and I thought he did a really good job. Neither of those guys were just out there trying not to get pinned. So I was really pleased with the way we were competing."

And the Lights kept going too.

Northern closed the gap to 21-15 just before the featured 184-pound match between the top two ranked wrestlers in the NAIA in UGF's Michael French and MSU-N's Evan Hinebauch. But before fans were treated to another classic battle between the two, one French literally escaped with a 2-1 victory in, MSU-N freshman Jared Miller brought the Northern crowd to its feet with a thunderous takedown and pin of UGF's Noah Hatton at 174 pounds. Hatton had rallied to take a 9-5 lead in the third period when all of a sudden, Miller caught him off guard, slammed him straight to his back, and grabbed another six points for the Lights.

And if that wasn't enough, freshman Kody Reed picked up an exciting win 197 pounds to keep Northern within striking distance heading into Schaffroth's thrilling finale.

"It's exciting," Schaffroth said. "The team really wrestled well together tonight. And it feels great. We had guys really step it up tonight and this was a really good win. Hopefully we can keep it going."

A big win indeed. The Lights were ambushed twice by the Argos last season, including a shutout loss in one of the two annual duals. And while Thivierge kept things in perspective following the dramatic outcome, there's no doubt, this young Northern team served notice that the battle of college wrestling teams in Montana has definitely been joined.

"This dual wasn't going to make or break our season," Thivierge said. "It's a great win, great for these guys, this program and for Havre. But it's also one step in a process for us. I'm excited, I'm really happy with the way we wrestled and going forward, it gives us a lot of confidence. That's really what this win does for us. Hopefully it sets the tone for even more to come."

The Lights are off to Spokane for a tournament this weekend and don't wrestle at home again until Jan. 20.

Lights 24, Argos 24

125 – Akmal Adilov, UGF wins by forfeit; 133 – Cameron Neiss, MSU-N pinned Luis Carrazana, UGF, 6:34; 141 – Myles Mazurkiewicz, UGF maj. dec. Ryan Shelstad, MSU-N, 12-4; 149 – Anthony Weerheim, MSU-N dec. Anthony Varnell, UGF, 3-2; 157 – Michael Hader, UGF pinned Cody Miller, MSU-N, 1:58; 165 – Ross Mosher, UGF tech. fall. Gary Anthony, MSU-N, 18-2; 174 – Jared Miller, MSU-N pinned Noah Hatton, UGF, 6:11; 184 – Michael French, UGF dec. Evan Hinebauch, MSU-N, 2-1; 197 – Kody Reed, MSU-N dec. Levi Morgan, UGF, 4-1; HWT – Rudy Schaffroth, MSU-N pinned Juan Enriquez, UGF, 5:37.