NWC WRESTLING RETURNS SIX

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

After another top 10 finish at the national tournament, the Northwest College wrestling team returns six athletes from last year's roster, including three national qualifiers from a team that finished ninth in the nation.

One of those returners is Kaiden Rubash from Jerome, Idaho, who qualified at 133 pounds and went 2-2 at nationals last year.

"He'll either be 133 or 141, he has grown since last year," coach Jim Zeigler said. "He's gotten a lot stronger, and so we may move him up in weight class."

Another returner for Northwest this year is Treyson Davila at 149 pounds who competed at 141 pounds at the national qualifiers last season but did not make it to the national tournament.

The next Trapper national returner is Jack Lounsbury from Herriman, Utah, who finished 0-2 at 157 pounds.

The final national qualifying returner for Northwest is Jesse Thornton from Casper who competed at 174 pounds at nationals and finished 0-2 at the tournament.  

Northwest also returns Robby Ortega from Jerome, a redshirt sophomore at 184 pounds who competed in several tournaments last year but did not compete at the national qualifiers.

The final Trapper returning to the team from last year was Leighton Jensen from Omak, Washington, a 285 pound redshirt sophomore.

Northwest will be looking to mesh those six returning sophomores alongside 15 incoming competitors this season.

The Trappers will need to replace points that were garnered by outgoing two-time national champion Aziz Fayzullaev, two All Americans in Cody Pinkerton and Orrin Jackson, along with two other national qualifiers from a year ago.

Northwest will begin its season in early November with a trip to Colorado to compete at the Mines Rookie Open.