Back in Business: Lights get third

The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team opened its season back on Oct. 26 with a disappointing home loss to North Idaho College. Needless to say, on that night, head coach Tyson Thivierge was not pleased.

Fast forward to Saturday night in Des Moines, Iowa and Thivierge and the Lights were on a completely different level.

The Montana State University-Northern wrestling team and coaches poses with all of the individual and team trophies the Lights earned at the NAIA national tournament Saturday night in Des Moines, Iowa. The Lights finished third, garnering the first trophy the program has earned in nine seasons.

Northern finished third at the 2013 NAIA national tournament over the weekend, scoring 104 points and crowning seven NAIA All-Americans. The trophy was the first for the MSU-N program since the Lights captured the 2004 national championship in Great Falls.

"I am so proud, I'm so excited, I'm really at a loss for words," Thivierge said Saturday night. "From where we started to where we are now, it's phenomenal. It's a testament to these kids and their desire to be the best they can be. It's a testament to all my assistant coaches. I have to say, what Dustyn Azure has brought to the table with his strength and conditioning program has really helped put us in this position. I'm just proud of everybody involved with this program, and we came here and took a big step this weekend. These guys really have gotten themselves to the next level."

Neiss

The next level included the Lights dominating the first day and advancing five wrestlers into Saturday morning's semifinal round. Once there, Northern had its only down round of the day as only 133-pounder Cameron Neiss reached Saturday night's finals. Neiss won a narrow 3-2 thriller to the move into the national championship match before the junior from Ronan lost to Southern Oregon rival Prescott Garner, 16-7 in the finale. It was Neiss' second time as an All-American and it capped off a brilliant run for him in the last several weeks.

"Cameron made a phenomenal run at the end of the season," Thivierge said. "What an incredible job he did just to win that semifinal match. In the championship, he put himself in a little bit of a hole, but he never quit fighting. And the nice thing for him is, he isn't a senior and he's had an incredible season.

"We did have a little bit of disappointment going one-for-five in the semifinals," he added. "But all of those kids never gave up. They all bounced back and did a great job. They all showed a lot of heart and character doing that and it's a big part of why we're bringing a trophy home."

Ethan Hinebauch and Toby Cheff really bounced back for the Lights. Hinebauch was heavily favored to win the 165-pound title, but he was narrowly beaten in sudden-victory overtime in the semifinals. He returned to win twice, including racking up his NAIA best 27th pin of the season, while finishing third overall. He beat UGF rival Shaun Lau in the consolation final. Cheff, who only dropped down from 197 before the regional tournament two weeks ago, also finished third in his first-ever national tournament. He reached the 184-pound semis before winning back-to-back matches to place third.

Hinebauch

"Ethan has two more years to get it done," Thivierge said. "Her had one slip-up in his semifinal and it all happened in about five seconds. So he's obviously not happy with third place and this will only fuel his fire more. But he still had an incredible season and he'll come back an even better wrestler from this experience.

"I can't say enough about the job Toby Cheff did," he added. "He did a great thing for this team by agreeing to go down to 184 and he really showed what a true competitor he is this weekend. He's just so tough and he was a gamer all weekend. He had a great tournament."

Juniors Kody Reed and Max Payne will likely leave Iowa with a bittersweet feeling as well, but it won't diminish the season either had. Reed was the top seed at 184 pounds, but got upset in the quarterfinals, then lost to the defending 197-pound national championship in the match before the All-American round. Payne battled his way to the 174-pound semifinals before losing, but he fought back to finish fourth. In the consolation final, he was beaten by Dickinson State's Cameron Schrempp, who he beat earlier in the tournament.

"It was heartbreaking for Kody," Thivierge said. "But it happens. He lost a heartbreaker then has to wrestle a really tough kid in the next round right after he had his whole world crushed. That happens sometimes. But he had a great season and he just has to have a short memory and come back stronger from this.

T. Cheff

"Max too, he wasn't happy with his finish, but I'm really proud of him for fighting back after a disappointing loss," he added. "Max showed a lot of heart and toughness this weekend."

Northern's big guns weren't the only highs this weekend either. The Lights got a ton of production from the 125-pound weight class where Aaron LaFarge battled into the semifinals, then came back to wrestle teammate and former Havre Blue Pony Duell Stadel in the fifth-sixth place match. LaFarge beat Stadel, and both grapplers had an outstanding tournament in what was each their first trip to nationals. Stadel wound up winning four straight matches after losing in Friday's quarterfinals. Sophomore Mickey Cheff, who was in his second straight national tourney, also rebounded from a loss in the quarters and wound up fifth.

"Aaron and Duell both wrestled great," Thivierge said. "Together, they scored a lot of points this weekend and I'm really happy for both of them. I couldn't be more proud of Duell right now. He hasn't gotten any respect all

year, he's had scratch and fight for everything he's gotten, and all year he just got tougher and tougher. He got really banged up in this tournament and yet he just kept going back out there and fighting and being tougher and tougher. I'm just so proud of Duell Stadel right now.

"And Mickey really showed his heart," he added. "He was in the same position as last year, wrestling in the match to get to the All-American round and he really rose up. He said 'This isn't going to happen to me again' and he just really battled and fought. What a phenomenal job by Mickey."

At the end of a hard-fought two days in Iowa, it was a tremendous job by all of the Lights, who went from a team which finished a dismal 15th in 2006, to a squad which has steadily climbed the ladder since Thivierge, a former national champion himself for Northern, arrived in Havre four seasons ago. And now, Northern returns home with a coveted trophy, a healthy dose of national respect and a group of nine wrestlers and seven All-Americans, all who will be back next season.

Payne

"I'm so excited, everybody involved with this program is excited right now," Thivierge said. "I was next season started tomorrow. We have everybody coming back from a national tournament which we did some incredible things at. I think we showed we're really going in a great direction right now, and I couldn't be more proud of this team. This is such a great group of guys and they were phenomenal this weekend."

Notes: Grand View repeated as national champions Saturday night, out-scoring Southern Oregon 159 points to 153 points. For Northern, Hinebauch and Payne were repat All-Americans, as was Neiss. UGF finished in seventh place with 67 points. The Argos had five All-Americans including Havre's Myles Mazurkiewicz, who placed second at 141 pounds. He won two matches to reach the championship round before falling. Mazurkiewicz also finished second as a freshman and Saturday night became UGF's first-ever fourt-time NAIA All-Americna. For more on Mazurkiewicz, see Tuesday's Havre Day News.

LaFarge

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2013 MSU-Northern NAIA national tournament results

NAIA National Wrestling Tournament

Friday and Saturday

at Des Moines, Iowa

Team scores

Grand View 159, Southern Oregon 153, Montana State-Northern 104.5, Dickinson State 84.5, Lindsey Wilson 78.5, Campbellsville 69, Great Falls 67, Missouri Valley 59, Midland University 44.5, Menlo 41.5, Simpson College 35, Morningside 34.5, Oklahoma City 32.5, Cumberland University 31.5, Baker College 31, Indiana Tech 24.5, Wayland Baptist 24.5, York College 22, Missouri Baptist 20.5, Dakota Wesleyan 18, Life University 15, William Penn 13.5, Hastings College 13, Bethany 12.5, University of the Cumberlands 11.5, Benedictine 8.5, Waldorf College 8.5, Calumet 7.5, Embry Rddle 6, Jamestown 5.5, Briar Cliff 2.5, Brewton-Parker College 1, Hannibal-LaGrange 1.

MSU-N Individual Results

125 — Aaron LaFarge (5th Place)

M. Cheff

Champ. Round 1 - Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) 24-11 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Oscar Marin (York College) (Dec 7-1); Quarterfinal - Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) won by tech fall over Bo Bettinson (Waldorf College) (TF 17-2); Semifinal - Bryden Lazaro (Dickinson State University) won by decision over Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) (Dec 9-2); Cons. Semi - Gabe Roman (Missouri Baptist) won by major decision over Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) (Maj 11-2); 5th Place Match - Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) won by major decision over Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) (Maj 12-3).

125 — Duell Stadel (6th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Kidd Gomez (Oklahoma City) won by decision over Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) (Dec 10-8); Cons. Round 2 - Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) won by major decision over Robert Boston (Campbellsville University) (Maj 10-1); Cons. Round 3 - Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Andrew Tillman (University of the Cumberlands) (Dec 13-6); Cons. Round 4 - Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Bo Bettinson (Waldorf College) (Dec 7-3); Cons. Round 5 - Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Kristopher McKinley (Indiana Tech) 22-26 (Dec 4-2); Cons. Semi - Kidd Gomez (Oklahoma City) won by major decision over Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) (Maj 16-3); 5th Place Match - Aaron LaFarge (MSU-Northern) won by major decision over Duell Stadel (MSU-Northern) (Maj 12-3).

133 — Cameron Neiss (2nd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Cameron Neiss (MSU-Northern) received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Cameron Neiss (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Alec Chanthapatheth (Hastings College) 18-11 (Pin 5:22); Quarterfinal - Cameron Neiss (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Tyler Alsip (Campbellsville University) (Dec 10-8); Semifinal - Cameron Neiss (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Jason Arreola (York College) (Dec 3-2); 1st Place Match - Prescott Garner (Southern Oregon) won by major decision over Cameron Neiss (MSU-Northern) (Maj 16-7).

Stadel

149 — Trevor Goss

Champ. Round 1 - Jared Leithead (Hastings College) won by pin over Trevor Goss (MSU-Northern) (Pin 1:22); . Round 1 - Trevor Goss (MSU-Northern) received a bye; Cons. Round 2 - Nick Haugen (Baker ) won by pin over Trevor Goss (MSU-Northern) (Pin 1:42).

157 — Mickey Cheff (5th Place)

Champ. Round 1 –Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Tyler McMichael (Midland University) 28-15 (Dec 4-3); Quarterfinal - Chad Lowman (Grand View ) won by major decision over Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) (Maj 14-2); Cons. Round 4 - Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Michael Gonzalez (Cumberland University) (Dec 8-4); Cons. Round 5 - Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Trever Devestern (Dakota Wesleyan University) (Dec 7-2); Cons. Semi - Quinten Haynes (Grand View ) won by decision over Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) (Dec 9-3); 5th Place Match - Mickey Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Colby Crank (Bethany ) Dec 3-2).

165 — Ethan Hinebauch (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Zack Barkett (University of the Cumberlands) (Pin 4:11); Quarterfinal - Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Dallas Houchins (Grand View ) (Pin 2:21); Semifinal - Eric Lopez (Menlo) won in sudden victory - 1 over Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) 39-5 (SV-1 7-5); Cons. Semi - Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Sterling Terry (Midland University) (Pin 3:21); 3rd Place Match - Ethan Hinebauch (MSU-Northern) won by major decision over Shawn Lau (U. Great Falls) (Maj 11-1).

174 — Max Payne (4th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Max Payne (MSU-Northern) 23-8 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Max Payne (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Parker Owen (Baker ) (Dec 5-3); - Max Payne (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Cameron Schrempp (Dickinson State University) (Dec 3-2); Semifinal - Jose Alvarez (Wayland Baptist) won by major decision over Max Payne (MSU-Northern) (Maj 9-1); Cons. Semi - Max Payne (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Parker Owen (Baker ) (Dec 4-1); Place Match - Cameron Schrempp (Dickinson State University) won by decision over Max Payne (MSU-Northern) (Dec 6-1).

184 — Toby Cheff (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) 25-20 received a bye; . Round 2 - Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Weston Keleher (Missouri Baptist) (Pin 4:32); Quarterfinal - Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Joseph Stephens (Lindsey Wilson) (Dec 8-4); Semifinal - Jesse Hellinger (Dickinson State University) won by decision over Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) 25-20 (Dec 12-5); Cons. Semi - Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) 25-20 won by pin over Jahsua Marsh (Midland University) 43-17 (Pin 5:50); 3rd Place Match - Toby Cheff (MSU-Northern) won by decision over Cody Linton (Cumberland University) (Dec 7-6).

184 — Kody Reed

Champ. Round 1 - Kody Reed (MSU-Northern) 29-5 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 - Kody Reed (MSU-Northern) won by pin over Brock Binversie (Waldorf College) (Pin 1:52); Quarterfinal - Jameel Bryant (Lindsey Wilson) won by decision over Kody Reed (MSU-Northern) (Dec 7-5); Cons. Round 4 - Jahsua Marsh (Midland University) 43-17 won by major decision over Kody Reed (MSU-Northern) (Maj 12-4).