NWC WRESTLING EIGHTH AT COACHES DUALS

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

In a weekend that featured 23 teams from around the country, the Northwest College wrestling team placed eighth. The Trappers learned plenty at the NJCAA National/Coaches Duals in Miami, Oklahoma, which featured some of the top teams in the nation.
"We learned a lot about ourselves," coach Jim Zeigler said. "We learned a lot about our opponents, we learned a lot about the training, things that reaffirmed that we're doing things well, that we're progressing … The attitude, the kids, coaches, the entire trip was good. Everything went smoothly. It was just a good trip for us."
Throughout the weekend, the Trappers gave up six points going into each match, as an injury at 133 pounds kept Ryan Nutt out of the lineup for all eight duals.
"He could maybe be ready this Friday, but I really don't want to push him," Zeigler said. 

In pool play the Trappers started with two wins, defeating Murray State of Oklahoma 35-17 and Neosho County (Kansas) Community College 34-16.
Dylan Sorensen went 2-0 in those two duals with a tech fall and an 8-3 decision at 125 pounds; Zachary Covolo went 1-0 with a tech fall and a forfeit win at 133 pounds; Devin Grossman went 0-2 at 149 pounds; Colby Ducatt went 2-0 at 157 pounds with two tech falls; Porter Olson went 2-0 with a 12-4 major decision and a 6-5 decision at 165 pounds; Dustin Rhoades went 1-0 with a decision win and a forfeit in the second match at 174 pounds; Asad Fayzullaev had a pin and a forfeit at 184 pounds; Race Moxley went 0-2 at 197 pounds and Austin Richens went 1-0 at 285 pounds with a pin and forfeit win.
The Trappers fell to Iowa Central Community College 41-0 in the third match, that Zeigler said featured a lot of momentum.
"Iowa Central was a monster and that was probably the most disappointing. I felt like the momentum really hurt us," Zeigler said. "They had a big crowd. It was really loud. They had a lot to be excited about through those first several matches. It builds momentum … I think by the time it got to Asad [Fayzullaev], he kind of got caught standing out there and got taken down and I don't think that would happen to him under normal circumstances. He lost a really close match, that's a match he can and will win. It didn't fall his way this time, and I'd rather get it out of the way now. The same with Austin [Richens], I think we learned some things there. Both of them are adjusting to new weight classes."
Northwest defeated Labette Community College of Kansas 39-11 and Snow College of Utah 38-9 in the final two matches.
Sorensen earned a 10-0 major decision and a forfeit win; Covolo got a medical forfeit win and a 19-2 tech fall; Grossman went 1-1 with his win and loss coming by tech fall; Ducatt had a 4-1 decision and 17-5 major decision; Olson earned 14-2 and 12-0 major decisions; Rhoades had 8-0 and 12-0 major decision wins; Fayzullaev got a pin and 11-0 major decision; Moxley had a medical forfeit win and an 11-4 decision loss while Richens got a medical forfeit win and a pin.
Those four wins along with the one loss placed the Trappers second in their pool, pushing them into the top bracket on Saturday.
"I feel like we beat the teams we should beat, and we're behind the teams that are supposed to be beating us right now," Zeigler said.
The Trappers took on Western Wyoming Community College in the quarterfinals.
Since Northwest and Western will be wrestling again this week, Zeigler opted to wrestle at four weights, and leave the remainder open.
"Without a 133 pounder we just felt like we weren't in a position to give our best run at them at that point," Zeigler said.
Covolo narrowly fell in what his coach described as a good match 4-2, while Ducatt earned a 3-2 decision win.
"Colby [Ducatt] had missed so many matches the first semester that I wanted to swing there. That was a big swing and hit, he beat the No. 2 guy in the country," Zeigler said. "That's a big win there, that kind of solidified that Colby is a guy to be reckoned with. He's in that mix among the top six guys. I think it changed his approach, because he was a little unsure [before] because he hadn't had the experience yet.
Olson fell via pin while Richens earned a close 2-1 win as Northwest fell in the overall score 45-6 due to the forfeited weights.
Dropping to the consolation semifinal, the Trappers took on Northeast Oklahoma.
Sorensen earned a tech fall but the forfeit at 133 made it 6-5 in favor of the hosts. Covolo got a 17-1 tech fall at 141 but an 18-3 tech fall at 149 made it 11-10.
"Dylan [Sorensen] had a good weekend," Zeigler said, "Not as physical as I want him to be just yet, but he's definitely coming along and wrestling better and getting some wins in."
Oklahoma extended its lead with a 14-7 decision at 157 and a 21-5 tech fall at 165 to make it 19-10.
But Northwest got a 13-3 major decision from Rhoades at 174 and Fayzullaev got an 11-2 major decision at 184 to cut it to 19-18.
A 4-0 decision for Northeast Oklahoma at 197 made it 22-18 before Richens got a 13-1 major decision at 285 to tie the score at 22.
Tiebreakers began with matches won including forfeits, and each team had won five. It then went to pins, and with neither team recording a pin it went to a third tiebreaker — number of participants — which Northeast Oklahoma won 5-4.
That dropped Northwest to the seventh-place match, with the Trappers falling behind early against Cowley College of Kansas.
Northwest trailed 20-0 after a pin at 125, the forfeit at 133, a 10-2 major decision at 133 and a 17-2 major decision at 149.
Ducatt got Northwest on the board with a 17-2 tech fall, and Olson got a forfeit win to make it 20-11.
A pin at 174 for Cowley extended it back to 26-11, but a forfeit at 184 made it 24-17.
Cowley sealed the win with a pin at 197 before another forfeit at 285 made the final score 32-23.
"The last one didn't feel quite as good. I think the thing that bothered me there was getting pinned and beat by tech fall in the match," Zeigler said. "Those are things that we've been trying to avoid happening … I think you should be in the match all the time, and so that was a disappointment."     

HOME DUAL
Northwest finally gets to compete at home for the first time this season, welcoming Western Wyoming to the Cabre Gym at 6 p.m. Friday.
"We're anxious to wrestle here at home in front of the home crowd. We've got an opportunity to wrestle one of the best teams in the country, and it should be fun," Zeigler said. "I expect our kids to improve and to look better."