JACK LOUNSBURY NAMED APODACA AWARD WINNER

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Northwest College sophomore 157-pounder Jack Lounsbury was named the latest recipient of the Apodaca Award on Friday night, joining an exclusive group of Northwest College wrestlers who honor the memory of a former Trapper, Christopher Brooks Apodaca.

"It means a lot to me. All the work that I've put in the past two years has led to this and led to the rest of the season," Lounsbury said. "It's an award about leadership and hard work, and I feel like those are the two things I try my hardest to do."

Apodaca was a team captain for the Trappers in the 1997-98 season, and was part of a team that finished fifth in the nation while Apodaca himself was a national qualifier.

He tragically passed away in the spring of 1998, and the Apodaca Award and Duals are celebrated each year to honor his memory.

"This weekend means a lot. It's a weekend to represent Apodaca and to represent our program, who we are and what we stand for," Lounsbury said.

The winner of the award is someone who best exhibits the qualities of Apodaca, which include his leadership qualities, competitive spirit, as well as his work ethic on and off the mat.

Lounsbury became the latest to earn the award, with coach Jim Zeigler saying it was an easy choice to pick the sophomore from Herriman, Utah. 

"He was an obvious choice for me," Zeigler said. "He's a kid that's often tough on himself, but at the same time, he's a kid that just does the job every single day. I think it's undeniable that he's our guy for the Apodaca Award."

Lounsbury has shown great strides in his second year as a Trapper. After already qualifying for the national tournament last year he has leaped into the top 10 at his weight class while becoming one of the leaders for the Trappers in his second season.

"I give all that credit to my coaches. They're great, wonderful coaches, and they know how to help you and how to get you better," Lounsbury said.

Throughout the season the Trappers have continued to be one of the top teams in the nation, as Lounsbury said the closeness and attitudes of the team continue to push them each and every day as they head towards the final month of the season.

"I feel like we're getting a lot closer as a team, and we're getting a lot better," Lounsbury said. "Our attitudes are better every day, going into the room, working hard, and we're pushing each other a lot more. We're a lot closer as a team, we're fighting for each other now."

During the weekend duals the Trappers defeated Northeastern 41-10 on Friday night, before falling to Western Wyoming 36-10 on Saturday.