Tuesday, November 30, 2010

UGF to host 2nd,3rd,and 4th ranked NAIA wrestling teams

The University is going to host its second annual Battle of the Rockies tournament this Saturday at CMR high school located in Great Falls MT.

This tournament brings McKendree from Ill. who is currently ranked number two in the nation for NAIA wrestling. McKendree represents the East region.

The second ranked team in the Nation will be the host, University of Great Falls (UGF). UGF represents the west region.

The fourth ranked team in the country is Missouri Valley out of the central region.

The matches will start at two p.m. at the UGF gym. There will be four rounds of duals with UGF dueling Missouri Valley at 3:30 p.m.

UGF will then dual the second ranked team in the country, McKendree, at 6:30 p.m. at UGF.

Other teams that will be present will include the number one ranked team from the North region, Jamestown, from N.D. 

MSU-Northern and Embry-Riddle will also be dueling both Friday and competing in Saturdays tournament.

Saturday's Battle of the Rockies tournament will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. at CMR high school also located in Great Falls MT.

The 184 pound weight class has the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th ranked NAIA wrestlers in the tournament held this Saturday.

The number one ranked wrestler at 184 pounds, Michael French, is from UGF. The second place ranked wrestler at 184 pounds is also from Montana, Evan Hinebauch, from MSU-Northern. These two are guaranteed to put on a show.

The dual and tournament are host to team's from all four regions of the NAIA wrestling division. This will be a great opportunity for the public to come watch and support the UGF Argo's on their mission to becoming National Champions.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Argos battle with MSU-Northern Lights wrestling

The University of Great Falls (UGF) wrestling team who is currently ranked number 12 in the country in the NAIA met up with the number 13 team MSU-Northern Thursday night in Havre Montana.

The Argo's shut out the Lights last wrestling season in Havre and they had something to prove this year.

The Dual started off with a forfeitt at 125 from Northern which put the Argo's up six to zero. The Lights would put up there first points of the night at 133 pounds with a win over UGF's Louis Caranza. A Havre native for the Argo's, Miles Mazurkiewicz, won at 141 pounds with a major decision.

Argo's Anthony Varnell lost a 2 to 3 match at a 149 pounds to Northern. Michael Hader would soon boost the Argo's score with a first round fall against Northern at 157 pounds.

Ross Mosher of the Argo's followed Haders fall with an amazing show of talent. Mosher would win the 165 pound match up by a technical fall.

The Lights got there second win of the night at 174 pounds against Noah Hatton from UGF.

The most intense match of the night was at 184 pounds where UGF Michael French who is currently ranked number one in the nation would meet the number two ranked Evan Hinebaugh from Northern.

The crowd was intense during this match, and the talent showed through the entire match by both wrestlers. French won the extremely close match 2-1 for the Argo's. French and Hinebaugh have wrestled multiple times in the past few season's and have yet to let the crowd down.

The Lights would pick up there fourth win of the night at 197 pounds over UGF's Levi Morgan. The Lights tied the team score at heavy weight with a Fall over UGF's Juan Enriquez.

The Argos and Lights both showed up to wrestle on Thursday night. The crowd was on there toes during this whole dual. This dual will be one to remember.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Argo's have a great weekend in Oregon

The University of Great Falls wrestling traveled to Ashland Oregon this weekend for a dual and open tournament.

The Argos came out strong during the dual beating Southern Oregon University 28 to 12. Southern Oregon University took second place at the NAIA National wrestling tournament last season.

University of Great Falls head coach, Caleb Schaeffer, said "this is going to be a tough weekend of wrestling for the Argos."

The Argos took third place last season at the NAIA National tournament behind Southern Oregon University by a point and a half.

Coach Schaeffer was extremely happy with the dual and, in the open tournament that was held on both Saturday and Sunday.

In the open tournament, the Argo's had five in the finals with three taking first place. Additionally, the Argo's placed 14 out of 18 competitors this weekend.

The individual champions this weekend were Miles Mazurkewitz, Anthony Varnell, and Ross Mosher.
Micheal Hader and Louis Caranza placed second in the Open as well. Team scores were not kept at this tournament, but the Argo's looked like they may have came out on top.

The University of Great Falls wrestlers will be home Tuesday from this trip and leave again Friday for Spokane Washington for another open wrestling tournament.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Argo's travel to Powell Wyoming

The University of Great Falls wrestling team traveled to Powell Wyoming this weekend for their first colligiant open wrestling tournament of the 2010-2011 season.


Anthony Varnell
 
Miles Mazurkiewicz


  

 

Ross Mosher

Michael French

The Argo's had an impressive tournamnent with four individual champions and six totall national qualifiers. The four individual champions were Micael French, Ross Mosher, Anthony Varnell, and Miles Mazurkiewicz.

Three of these champions are returners for the Argo's and Varnell is transfer that started this year for the Argo's.

Clark Hensley and Scott Schlosser also qualified for the National tournamnet this weekend for the Argo's.

There are multiple ways to qualify for the National tournament in the NAIA Division. The most common way to qualify is to place at a tournamnet that has a certain number of competitors at your weight. The more competitors, the lower you can place.

If there is a lower amount of competitors, you can qualify by taking first and sometimes second. In most cases, the wrestler can qualify by placing in the top four.

Another way to quaify for Nationals is to place in the top three at the regional tournamnet two weeks before nationals. This is also the best time to get seated or "ranked" at the National tournament. If a wrestler wins the regional tournament, they will be seated away from other regional champs on the bracket.

This technique helps avoid top wrestlers meeting up on the bracket before they should. In some cases, wranked wrestlers do meet early in the tournament and only one can walk away with the win.

I personally was unable to make this trip due to knee surgery complications that led to blood clots in my leg and lungs. This has been a life threatening experience that has openend my eyes to the danger of sports and how it will now forever change my life.

I feel very fortunate to be alive and working towards recovery. This will be a long road with a few hurdles, but the show must go on!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Argo's get beat by North Idaho Community College

The University of Great Falls Argo wrestling team lost its season opening dual against North Idaho this weekend.

The Argos came out cold loosing their first three matches against North Idaho. The Argo's line-up was also changed for the dual meet.

The NAIA division has strict weight certifications that must be followed by coaches and athletes. The wrestlers must qualify for a certain weight at the beginning of the season. The wrestlers are required to weight and have a skin fold test.

The NAIA certification allows the wrestler to lose weight over a scheduled period of time that is safe and appropriate. As of this first dual, many of the Argo's were not certified to be at their desired weight and therefor went up a weight class.

After the first three losses of the night, Miles Mazerkewitz came out strong and ready to battle. Miles was one of the Argo wrestlers that was wrestling up one weight. Mazerkewitz controlled and dominated the match. Michael Hader came out in the next match also ready to battle.

Although Hader was very aggressive and looking for a win, North Idaho won this match also. The Argo's would only win two more matches for the night with Ross Mosher and Michael French claiming wins.

The Argo's only won three matches out of ten Saturday night, but the season is early and long. The NAIA National tournament is held in early march.

The Argos will travel to Wyoming for their next competition in a open tournament that invites Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, Junior colleges, and NAIA college teams.

Good job this weekend Argos, keep your heads up, its a long season!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Argos Travel

The University of Great Falls wrestling team had there first unofficial trip to Spirit Lake Idaho this weekend.

This dual was another inter squad match that was provided for athletes parents in a more central location vs Great Falls Montana.

With many members of the wrestling team from Idaho and Washington, Parents are able to come watch there son wrestle without driving across three states.

This is also a great opportunity for local high school and middle school wrestlers to observe and visit with college coaches and wrestlers.

With the latest NAIA coaches poll coming out last week, the Argos are looking and feeling good. The Argos came out to wrestle and put on a show Saturday night in Idaho.

The wrestlers held nothing back against each other on Saturday in the ten matches. There were many close and exciting matches throughout the night.

The Argos open this year against North Idaho college. The Argos almost shut out North Idaho last season which was a first for the Argos.

It should be a good match up this year against North Idaho, the Argos lost 12 seniors last year. This year offers a young team looking to make some waves in the NAIA division.

Monday, October 18, 2010

First NAIA Coaches Poll is out

The season's first NAIA wrestling coaches poll is out. This is the first poll or ranking of the year for collegiate wrestling.

There are four different regions that are polled. The Central Group, North Group, East group, and West group where the University of Great Falls is in. The West Group has seven colleges within it's region.

There are two colleges from Montana, one from Oregon, one from Arizona, and three from California. The west region is considered to be one of the toughest. The University of Great Falls took third place at the national wrestling tournament in the 09-10 season.

The team that took second by a point and a half ahead of the Argos is also in the west region. They are Southern Oregon University located in Ashland, Oregon.

The University of Great Falls is leading the west group with a 169.5 points. MSU Northern is in second place following the Argos with 147.5 points.

These early polls tend to change in the second semester of the season as some student's are no longer eligible due to grades, or athletes being injured.

The Argos will make their first trip this weekend to Spokane Washington where they will wrestle their second inter-squad dual of the season. This makes it easier for families to come and watch their son compete at a more central location.