TRAPPERS SET TO HOST PLAINS DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Talent from across the region will flock to Northwest College and Cabre Gym for an action-packed Saturday as the Trapper wrestling team is set to host the NJCAA Plains District Wrestling Championships.

This will be the first time the Trappers have competed since Feb. 2 when they defeated Trinidad State 35-24 in Rock Springs.

Trinidad will be one of the five teams making the trip to Northwest, along with No. 1-ranked Western Wyoming, No. 16-ranked Southeastern Nebraska, Northeastern Junior College and Otero Community College.

"Western is the power," coach Jim Zeigler said. "Southeastern Nebraska we haven't competed against but we saw them in Oklahoma and they're good … They have a good coach, he'll always have them in shape and they're gonna wrestle hard. Northeastern, Trinidad and Otero all have a couple guys that are outstanding."

Over the past two weeks the Trappers have been able to practice and prepare while getting healthy for the final stretch of the season.

"Last week was our hardest training of the year. This week will be sharp, crisper and shorter," Zeigler said.

Northwest has three Trappers ranked nationally, with Cody Pinkerton retaining his top spot at heavyweight, Aziz Fayzullaev ranked second at 184 pounds and Orrin Jackson ranked at fifth at 165 pounds.

Caleb Nadig is another NWC wrestler who has been ranked a majority of the year but fell out of the most recent rankings at 149 pounds.

Those four are Trapper sophomores, with Zeigler hoping that his younger wrestlers at the remaining weights can find consistency at the qualifiers to earn a berth at the national tournament.

"Hopefully they will follow that lead and step up," Zeigler said.

Action will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday and will run throughout the day.

It will begin with preliminary rounds, followed by semifinal matches, then consolation semifinals. Finally championship and consolation finals will run at the same time in the fourth round with the finals on mat one and the consolation finals on mat two.

Each of the first three rounds will feature 20 matches that will run on two mats.

There will be a 5-10 minute break in between rounds for personnel, there will not be any scheduled times for rounds to begin besides the first round.

The national tournament is March 1-2 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.