Lights finish strong at Missouri Valley Invite

It was tough on the Montana State University-Northern wrestling team, being at less than full strength for the biggest regular season tournament of the year.

And yet, the 12th-ranked Lights still did plenty of damage at this weekend’s Missouri Valley Invitational. Even without star junior Brandon Weber in the lineup, and losing standout 174-pounder Chris Nile, the Lights still finished sixth at what many consider the top regular season field in the NAIA. At the Missouri Valley Invite, the Lights scored 85.5 points, finishing behind only Missouri Valley College, Grand View, Menlo, Lindsey Wilson and William Baptist, all Top 10 NAIA squads.

Individually, Northern was led by freshman Isaac Bartel, who captured the 197-pound championship. Bartel beat 14th-ranked Eric Deluse of Cumberlands in the semifinals, and 18th-ranked Jovan Villalobos of conference rival Menlo in the championship match.

In all, four Lights reached the podium in Missouri, including junior Matt Weber, who placed third in a loaded 141-pound bracket. Weber lost a tough 7-6 decision the quarterfinals, but bounced back to beat Midland’s David Berg and Cumberlands Trent Leon in the third-place match.

Andrew Bartel also found the medal stand at 165 pounds. Bartel reached the semifinals before falling to third-ranked Andrew Simmons of Missouri Valley, before eventually finishing fifth. Landon Bailey also got a sixth-place finish for the Lights at 133 pounds, while Nick Kunz (125), Chase Short (174) and Steeler French (184) all scored points as well.

The Missouri Valley Invite was the final road trip of the regular season for the Lights. They’ll have a week off before home duals against Embry-Riddle Feb. 3 and the University of Providence Feb. 7.

Missouri Valley Invitational

125 - Nick Kunz

Champ. Round 1 - Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) won by fall over Gabe Gray (Wayland Baptist (Texas)) (Fall 0:00; Champ. Round 3 - Dustin Miller (Lyon College) won by decision over Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 6-5); Cons. Round 4 - Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Jordan Martinez (Campbellsville (Ky.)) (Dec 10-9); Cons. Round 5 - Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) won by tech fall over Dominic Robles (Cumberland (Tenn.)) (TF 18-0); Cons. Round 6 - Matthew Nguyen (Grand View (Iowa)) won by fall over Nick Kunz (Montana State-Northern) (Fall 0:00).

133 – Landon Bailey (6th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) won by fall over Caleb McElfresh (Hannibal-LaGrange (MO)) (Fall 0:00); Champ. Round 3 - Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Brandon Vela (Bacone (Okla.)) (Dec 4-1); Quarterfinal - Brady Moser (Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)) won by fall over Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) (Fall 0:00); Cons. Round 6 - Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) won by injury default over Trevor Murano (Grand View (Iowa)) (Inj. 0:00); Cons. Round 7 - Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Aaron Rugnao (Campbellsville (Ky.)) (Dec 5-3); Cons. Semi - Ian Morken (Menlo (Calif.)) won by decision over Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 4-2); 5th Place Match - Brady Moser (Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)) won by decision over Landon Bailey (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 8-2).

141 – Matt Weber (3rd Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by tech fall over William Freeman (Central Baptist (Ark.)) (TF 17-0); Champ. Round 3 - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by fall over Jake Abeyta (Hastings (Neb.)) (Fall 0:00); Quarterfinal - John Bindner (Missouri Valley) won by decision over Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 7-6); Cons. Round 6 - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Brandon Weber (Cumberland (Tenn.)) (Dec 2-0); Cons. Round 7 - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Gaige Torres (Indiana Tech) (Dec 7-4); Cons. Semi - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by fall over David Berg (Midland (Neb.)) (Fall 0:00); 3rd Place Match - Matt Weber (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Trent Leon (Cumberlands (Ky.)) (Dec 4-0).

141 - Dylan Veis

Champ. Round 1 - Dylan Veis (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Trent Leon (Cumberlands (Ky.)) won by fall over Dylan Veis (Montana State-Northern) (Fall 0:00); Cons. Round 2 - Dylan Veis (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye; Cons. Round 3 - Cameron Devers (Concordia (Neb.)) won by fall over Dylan Veis (Montana State-Northern) (Fall 0:00).

165 – Andrew Bartel (5th Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by medical forfeit over Micah Miller (Ottawa University) (MFF); Champ. Round 3 - Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by major decision over Kaleb Mitchel (Benedictine College) (Maj 13-3); Quarterfinal - Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Mitch Roadruck (Indiana Tech) (Dec 5-3; Semifinal - Andrew Simmons (Missouri Valley) won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 11-5); Cons. Semi - Brett Bradford (Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)) won by decision over Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 8-2); 5th Place Match - Andrew Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by medical forfeit over Mitch Roadruck (Indiana Tech) (MFF).

174 – Chase Short

Champ. Round 1 - Chase Short (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Chase Short (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Zach Diviney (Cumberland (Tenn.)) (Dec 9-6); Champ. Round 3 - Anthony Orozco (Menlo (Calif.)) won by decision over Chase Short (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 10-3); Cons. Round 4 - John Anderson (Maryville University) won by fall over Chase Short (Montana State-Northern) (Fall 0:00).

174 – Chris Nile

Champ. Round 1 - Chris Nile (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Dylan Blackford (Grand View (Iowa)) won by medical forfeit over Chris Nile (Montana State-Northern) (MFF; Cons. Round 2 - Chris Nile (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Cons. Round 3 - Saleem McNair (Central Baptist (Ark.)) won by medical forfeit over Chris Nile (Montana State-Northern) (MFF).

184 – Steeler French

Champ. Round 1 - Steeler French (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 - Steeler French (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Jay Fresh (William Penn (Iowa)) (Dec 6-1); Champ. Round 3 - John Olivieri (Cumberland (Tenn.)) won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 10-6); Cons. Round 4 - Bruce Valdez (Menlo (Calif.)) won by decision over Steeler French (Montana State-Northern) (Dec 9-2).

197 – Isaac Bartel (1st Place)

Champ. Round 1 - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) received a bye () (Bye; Champ. Round 2 - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by major decision over Casey Crawford (Grand View (Iowa)) (Maj 14-4); Champ. Round 3 - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by fall over Payson Dirk (Dickinson State (N.D.)) (Fall 0:00); Quarterfinal - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by major decision over Zachary Worm (Marian University (IN)) (Maj 14-4); Semifinal - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Eric Deluse (Cumberlands (Ky.)) (Dec 5-2); 1st Place Match - Isaac Bartel (Montana State-Northern) won by decision over Jovan Villalobos (Menlo (Calif.)) (Dec 6-1).