TRAPPER WRESTLING RETURNS TOP TALENT

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

After a seventh place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament this past season the Northwest College wrestling team will boast plenty of talent in the 2025-26 season, returning top wrestlers and adding strong signings this offseason.    

RETURNERS AND OUTGOING
The top returner for the Trappers this next year is Asad Fayzullaev, who finished second at 165 pounds his freshman season.

Coach Jim Zeigler said he feels that Fayzullaev will go up two weight classes next season, showing the growth of the program overall.

"One thing I'm really proud about is that all of our kids are growing. They're all getting stronger. Their work in the weight room is evident," Zeigler said. "We're not old school anymore where guys used to cut weight for several years, now we've been trying to make our kids bigger, go to the next weight class up, and grow and be better athletes."

Another All-American returning for the Trappers is Austin Richens, who will likely return at 197 pounds.

National qualifier Zachary Covolo will return, with Zeigler noting he will likely move up to 141 pounds next year after competing at 133 this year.

Another Trapper returner is Jackie Meador, who Zeigler said has continued to grow from his 125 pound frame this year and will see where things take him next year and beyond.

"Looks like a good possibility that Jackie will redshirt next year because we feel like he could be a potential starter at 141. We'll let him finish his growth spurt, continue to get bigger and stronger and improve. I think he'll experience a lot of success and he's a super good student," Zeigler said.

Additional returners include Easton Hopes and Dustin Rhoades along with Race Moxley who was redshirted this past season.

Outgoing Trappers include Treyson Davila, Jack Lounsbury, Jesse Thornton and Robbie Ortega who are graduating. Zeigler noted that Kaiden Rubash will be returning one more semester, despite running out of eligibility, to finish his degree and will be helping the Trappers in the fall.

Zeigler added that the Trappers finished third as a team in the NJCAA Men's Team Scholar All-America Awards presented by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Northwest finished with a team average of 3.609 GPA among its starters this past year.

"Smart students, and guys that are getting bigger and stronger, we can't go wrong," Zeigler said. "It's a good tone for our program."     

NEW SIGNEES
The first new recruit for the Trappers comes from Casper, as Kelly Walsh's Dylan Sorensen will make his way to Powell to compete at 125 pounds. 

Sorensen was a runner-up at 120 pounds in 4A at the state tournament this past season, and went 4-3 at the National High School Coaches Association Wrestling Tournament in March, earning All-American honors after a sixth place finish.

"He lost in the finals to (Kimball) Parry from Star Valley. Parry's dad wrestled here. So he's a real good kid too," Zeigler said. "They split during the year 1-1, so we feel like he's just as good as the first place kid … A really good kid, loves wrestling. I think he's got a really high ceiling."

The second recruit for the Trappers is Ryan Nutt, a three time state champion at the 3A level from Pinedale.

"I feel really strong about Ryan. I think he's a kid that fits in great here. A Pinedale kid, just loved the kid from the first minute he walked in the door," Zeigler said. "I just felt like he's so at ease with himself and has a really quiet confidence about him. Humble young man, gritty and tough, he's definitely a guy that'll come in and do the work and continue to improve."

Zeigler said Nutt wrestled at 126 pounds in high school and will likely move up to 133 pounds at the collegiate level.

The third recruit for Northwest comes from Spanish Fork, Utah, as Porter Olson will become a Trapper after winning a state title at 150 pounds at the 5A level this year while also finishing runner up his junior year.

Zeigler said he expects Olson to compete anywhere from 149-165 pounds, bringing a big frame for Northwest in the middle weights.

"He's got a really tall frame," Zeigler said. "He's got long arms, on the thin side but a really strong kid … He won some matches at the high school national tournament … I thought he had a very impressive interview."

The last high school signee to this point for the Trappers comes from Washington, where Colby DuCatt will be making his way to Northwest.

DuCatt was a state champion for Bonnie Lake High School, a 4A school where he won at 150 pounds and had an impressive record through the entire season.

"He only lost two matches all year, and he avenged one of those losses in the state finals against the guy that was going for his third title," Zeigler said. "He was able to figure out how to keep climbing the ladder and beat him and establish himself as the top guy."

The final new Trapper will be a transfer student from a Division I school, as Yehequel (Hezzy) DeVault comes to Powell from Purdue University after originally graduating high school in Indiana.

"He's a transfer that came in at semester. He wrestled at Purdue for a year, then became a firefighter and now he's getting his EMT here," Zeigler said. "We're really happy to have him. He's a good heavyweight. Was on our team second semester, worked out and had a lot to do with Jett (Swain's) success at the end of the year between him and coach (Chris) Cooley."

Zeigler said he feels as if this new group will be able to mix in well with the team, continuing a long-standing Trapper wrestling culture.

"I think the group that we have right now has really established the culture that we want," Zeigler said. "I think we've had a long-standing culture over the last 30 years, but these guys really epitomize the real combination of academics, athletics and social awareness. They've done such a great joB. I think all the guys that we brought in are guys that fit perfectly with that group and are going to continue success in all of those areas."