MSU-N Winter Sports 2018

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MSU-Northern

October 2018

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

Wrestling: Lights poised for big things in March ■ From Page B1

www.havredailynews.com

Montana State University-Northern

Winter Sports Schedules Lights Basketball October Oct. 27

vs. Salish Kootenai College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm November

Nov. 9

Nov. 10

Nov. 17

Nov. 20

Nov. 23

Nov. 24

Nov. 29

at New Hope Christian Lewiston, ID - 4:00 pm at the Collge of Idaho Lewiston, ID - 6:00 pm at Salish Kootenai College Pablo, MT - TBA at Dickinson State Univ.

Dickinson, ND - 7:30 pm vs. Portland Bible College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Oregon Tech Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 7:30 pm December

Dec. 1

at Carroll College

Dec. 9

Dec. 10

Dec. 16

Dec. 17

Dec. 18

Helena, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 4:00 pm vs. Univ. Alberta-Augustana Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at Menlo College Chandler, AZ - 12:00 pm at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Chandler, AZ - 6:00 pm at Vanguard University Chandler, AZ - 12:00 pm January

Jan. 4

Jan. 5

Jan. 8

Jan. 12

Jan. 17

Jan. 19

vs. University of MT-Western Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at University of MT-Western Dillon, MT - 7:30 pm at Lewis-Clark State College

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

Lewiston, ID - 4:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 7:30 pm at Montana Tech Butte, MT - 7:30 pm February

Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 6

Feb. 8

Feb. 14

Feb. 16

Feb. 22

Feb. 23

vs Rocky Mountain Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Carroll College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. University of Providence Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT- 8:00 pm at Carroll College Helena, MT - 7:30 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. University of MT-Western Havre MT - 8:00 pm

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 6:00 pm at Montana Tech Butte, MT - 5:30 pm

Skylights Basketball October Oct. 26

Oct. 27

at Northwest University Kirkland, WA - 8:00 pm at NW Christian University Kirkland, WA - 5:30 pm November

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern's Andrew Bartel, right, is part of a seasoned and talented senior class for the Lights this season. Northern's senior class is hoping to help the Lights earn an NAIA national championship in March.

each other and take care of each other. To have a team like that, it takes a lot of the coaches’ plate. It’s a really fun team to coach.”

And no doubt, the Lights will be fun to watch. Northern fans will get a chance to see the Lights at home, when they host North Idaho College Nov. 1, rival Providence Nov. 14 and Northwest College and Dickinson State Jan. 24. The road schedule for Northern’s duals include The Cardinal Duals Nov. 17 at North Idaho, The Argo Duals Nov. 30 in Great Falls, Southern Oregon Dec. 18, a special battle with NCAA DII Minot State Jan. 10 in Forsyth and the regular season-finale against Providence Feb. 6 in Great Falls. The Lights will also attend tournament at the University of Wyoming, Northwest College (Trapper Open), the Spokane Open, the Reno T.O.C., the Tyler Plummer Classic Jan. 12 and the Missouri Valley Invitational Jan. 18-19.

Of course, the season culminates with the Cascade Conference Championships Feb. 15 in Great Falls, and the NAIA National Tournament March 1-2 in Des Moines, Iowa.

And Iowa is where the Lights are look-

ing to make their mark. Winning a national championship is something Thivierge has been building toward since he took the job at his alma mater, and while unseating Grand View will never be easy, pursuing that goal is something this Lights’ squad is certainly not afraid to do. The Lights have gotten close several times in recent years, with a fourth-place finish a year ago and a second in 2016.

“A national title is always the goal in my mind,” Thivierge said. “And this team has that goal. They want it, they feel it, they’re motivated by it. I think they’re motivated by last year, too, but at the end of the day, this is a new season, and I want this team to make their own mark. They have the opportunity to write their own story.

“There’s a lot of fire in our room,” he continued. “There’s a lot of energy. These guys work extremely hard and the ceiling for this season is very high in my opinion.

So if we stay healthy and we as coaches train them properly, there’s no reason why this team can’t write their own story in the history of this program, and that’s what I want for them. That’s the goal.”

Nov. 11

Nov. 16

Nov. 17

Nov. 20

Nov. 29

vs. Minot State University Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Arizona Christian Univ.

Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Westmont College Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm at Dickinson State Univ.

Dickinson, ND - 5:00 pm at. Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 5:30 pm December

Dec. 1

Dec. 4

at Carroll College Helena, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Yellowstone Christian Col. Havre, MT - 6:00 pm

Dec. 9

Dec. 10

Dec. 18

Dec. 19

Dec. 20

vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 2:00 pm vs. Univ. of Alberta-Augustana Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at Benedictine Univ. at Mesa Phoenix, AZ - 6:00 pm at Univ. of Science & Arts Phoenix, AZ - 4:00 pm at San Diego Christian Col. Phoenix, AZ - 4:00 pm January

Jan. 4

Jan. 5

Jan. 8

Jan. 12

Jan. 17

Jan. 19

vs. University of MT-Western Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at University of MT-Western Dillon, MT - 5:30 pm at Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston, ID - 2:00 pm

February Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 6

Feb. 8

Feb. 14

Feb. 16

Feb. 22

Feb. 23

vs Rocky Mountain Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Carroll College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. University of Providence Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT- 6:00 pm at Carroll College Helena, MT - 5:30 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. University of MT-Western Havre MT - 6:00 pm

Lights Wrestling December

October Oct. 26

vs. Eastern Oregon Univ.

Havre, MT - 7:00 pm November

Nov. 1

Nov. 3

Nov. 10

Nov. 14

Nov. 17

Nov. 18

Nov. 30

vs. North Idaho College Havre, MT - 7:00 pm at Cowboy Open Laramie, MT - 9:00 am at Trapper Open Powell, WY - 9:00 am vs. Univ. of Providence Havre, MT - 7:00 pm at Cardinal Duals Coeur D'Alene, ID - TBA at Spokane Open Spokane, WA - 9:00 am at Argo Duals - TBA

Dec. 1

Heritage Inn Open Great Falls, MT - 9:00 am

Dec. 18

Dec. 20

at Southern Oregon Univ.

Ashland, OR - 7:00 pm Reno Tournament of Champs Reno, NV - 9:00 am January

Jan. 10 at Minot State University

Forsyth, MT - 7:00 pm Jan. 12 at Tyler Plummer Classic

Dickinson, ND - 9:00 am Jan. 18-19 at Missouri Valley College

Marshall, MO Jan. 24 vs. Northwest College

Havre, MT - 6:00 pm

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Prescott, AZ - 7:00 pm February

Feb. 6 at University of Providence

Great Falls, MT - 7:00 pm Feb. 15-16 at Cascade Conference

Championships

Great Falls, MT - 7:00 pm March March 1-2 NAIA National

Championship

Des Moines, IA

2

October 2018

MSU-Northern

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

MSU-Northern

www.havredailynews.com

Lights aim for a very big season on the mat George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

Montana State University-Northern wrestling coach Tyson Thivierge always has high expectations for his team. And he’s never afraid to put those goals and expectations on display.

But as the Lights get ready to embark on the 2018-19 season, goals and expectations might just be at an all-time high because the Lights are loaded.

Coming off a 2017-18 season in which Northern crowned five NAIA All-Americans, and all five finished in the top four at last year’s national tourney, the Lights graduated just one grappler. So, it stands to reason that Thivierge, with a lineup full of talented and tough seniors, would be excited about what his Lights can do on the mat this season.

“I don’t know how many years in a row I’ve said we’re a young team,” Thivierge said, “but that’s not the case this year. This is the team we’ve been waiting for, building for, all these years. We’ve got a room full of older, experienced guys, and it’s exciting.”

Exciting indeed. But put a different way, the Lights are no doubt going to be a powerful player in the Cascade Conference, and the NAIA, all season long.

Leading the way for Northern’s roster is a veteran group of senior leaders, but it’s not just experience that’s on the side of the Northern seniors, they’re all really good wrestlers.

Brandon Weber, a national champion in 2017, returns for his final year at 157 pounds.

Weber battled through injuries last year to reach the national championship match for the second year in a row, and now he returns for one last season with the Lights.

“Brandon’s motivation is to get back to the top of the podium,” Thivierge said. “He wants to go out on top.”

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Brandon Weber and the Montana State University-Northern Lights are loaded with talent and experience as they head into the 201819 season.

Weber’s brother, fellow senior Matt Weber is also back after reaching the finals at 141 pounds last March. He lost a heartbreaker in the finals, but he returns for his final season as a Light, hungry for more.

“Matt’s really focused,” Thivierge said.

“He’s kind of been through it all in his career. He’s seen ups and downs and injuries.

He’s been an All-American and he’s been to the finals, so his focus this year is to not leave anything on the table. He wants to be more aggressive, score more points, get

more pins. He’s really focused and he’s hungry.”

The Lights also have senior leaders and returning All-Americans at 165 and 174

■ See Wrestling Page 7

www.havredailynews.com

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

October 2018

7

Wrestling: Northern is experienced and talented ■ From Page B1 pounds, respectively. Andrew Bartel, who finished fourth at 165 is back, as is Chris Nile, who came on strong last year to finish fourth at 174.

“Bart (Bartel) is another guy who has been through all the ups and downs of college wrestling,” Thivierge said. “And now it’s his turn to be that top guy. I think getting All-American last year shows how much he’s grown in his time here, and he’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever had in the room, so he’s poised for a big year. Chris came here last year and he was rusty, but boy, when he knocked that rust off, you saw what he was capable of. He had a great finish and that’s going to carry over into this season.”

No doubt, Northern’s group of returning All-American seniors will be big leaders for the Lights this winter, but across the board, Thivierge could very well have the deepest team he’s ever had.

At 197 pounds, sophomore Isaac Bartel returns after busting onto the scene as a true freshman to finish third at nationals.

“Isaac was phenomenal last year,” Thivierge said. “To finish third as a true freshman, that speaks volumes to how good he is, and he’s only going to grow and get better.”

Bartel is indicative of how deep the Lights are in the upper weights once again.

Rylan Moldenhauer is a standout who will back Bartel up at 197, while Steeler French returns for a third year at 184. But he also has company in the form of his older brother Jake, whose journey has taken him from playing football at Carroll College, to wrestling for the Lights, to playing football for the Lights, back to Northern’s wrestling room.

“Steeler peaked at the right time last year,” Thivierge said. “Being a national qualifier last year was big for his confidence, and I think he has a lot of momentum coming into this season. With Jake, he came to me and said, I know who I am, I need to wrestle. So they’re going to really push and challenge each other all year, and it’s really

going to be good for both of them.”

Like at 184, the Lights also have two grapplers at 174 who will push and challenge each other. Sophomore Chase Short joins Nile at 174, and those two could very well be the top duo in the country at weight class.

“They’re going to be battling again,” Thivierge said of Nile and Short. “Chase had a really good season last year, and he dedicated his entire summer to wrestling.

So there’s going to be fireworks in our room all year with those two. But they’re also going to make each other better.”

At heavyweight, the Lights will go with former Havre Blue Pony Jase Stokes. He started his collegiate career playing football at Montana Tech, but transferee to, and redshirted at Northern last winter. Now, Stokes, a four-time state champion, will be the man at the end of Northern’s lineup every night.

Xavier Moran will back Stokes up at heavyweight.

“When Jase came to us last January, he was rusty,” Thivierge said, “but now things are changing for him. He’s getting his feet back, his conditioning back, and when you add all that to the great motor Jase has and how hard he works, he’s progressing really fast. Everything is going to fall into place for Jase.”

As good as Northern looks to be in the upper weights, the Lights can be equally as dangerous at the front end of their lineup, too.

Sophomore Nick Kunz and junior Landon Bailey were national qualifiers at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively a season ago, and they should be even better this winter.

“Nick Kunz had a huge year last year,” Thivierge said. “He’s just so competitive, he hates to lose. He’s really driven and focused.

Landon was another guy last year, who really came on strong the second half of the season. He’s a really tough kid, and he’s got a lot of momentum going into this season.”

The Lights have plenty of depth at those

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Tyson Thivierge is once again at the helm of a Montana State University-Northern wrestling program that has become one of the elite of NAIA wrestling. The Lights started their season at home last week.

two spots, too. Junior Rob Pair is a veteran at 125 pounds, while youngsters Caleb Frank and Ryan Stewart have high potential. Kieton Keller, Nathan Weber and Carl Cronin will also provide depth at 133, while Gavin Maslan and Brennan Veis will back up Matt Weber at 141.

Finally, at 149, the Lights have two stalwarts. Dylan Veis has been a two-year starter for the Lights there, while transfer Tony Evans has been impressive thus far, and both provide the Lights with yet another weight class where they’re loaded with talent.

“This is Dylan’s third year,” Thivierge said. “And there’s going to be no bouncing around for him, he’s going to stay at 149.

So I think you’ll see him have a lot more

confidence this season. Tony was a two-time judo national quailifier. He’s a very talented and technical wrestler, and he’s a very hard worker.”

In fact, the Lights are built on hard work. Up and down the lineup, Northern isn’t just talented and decorated, the Lights are tough and hard-nosed, and they are also an experienced, tight-knit group, and that’s thanks in large part to the program Thivierge has been building throughout his time at MSU-N.

“This team isn’t just talented, we have great kids,” Thivierge said. “We have great leadership, they’re good students, they push and challenge each other but also support

■ See Wrestling Page 8

6

MSU-Northern

October 2018

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

Lights: MSU-N men have all the pieces in place ■ From Page 3 back for us is huge,” coach Huse said. “Especially early on and also late in the year. Those four main guys know our stuff, they know the league, they’ve all been in the middle of some great battles and they know what it takes to help make our program successful. So those guys will be big for us this season.”

Big can best describe Huse’ batch of new additions to the roster as well.

While guards Mascio McCadney (6-3) and Kamari Burnside (6-0) will be instrumental in making Northern’s backcourt even deeper, the additions of three transfers on the front line will be huge for the Lights, especially with the loss of Reeves, who averaged 16 points and nine rebounds and set Northern’s all-time record for blocked shots.

Those new additions in the paint include junior Cedric Crutchfield (6-8), who plays long and strong on both ends of the floor, junior Joe Fons (6-6) and junior Kavon Bey (6-5).

“Overall, we’ve actually upped our size in the post,” Huse said. “Vertically and horizontally. These guys can all bang in the paint and score inside and out. We’re really excited about that group because, when you add them with Justin, I think we have a chance to have as tough a front line as anyone out there.

“Our new guards are also very good on both ends of the floor,” he added. “They are talented and athletic and they check off a lot of boxes for us.”

Northern will also red-shirt several players this season, including T.J. Reynolds, Eddie Harmon and Trevor Herzog.

And they’ll red-shirt in a season when hopes are high for the Lights, who went 9-9 in the Frontier and 19-12 overall a year ago.

Huse says that he expects his team to continue to play the style of basketball Northern fans have grown accustomed to watching. But new personnel tweaks will also come into play.

The Lights will get a chance to perfect that style long before conference play starts, with an early schedule that includes a trip to Lewiston, Idaho, to face New Hope Christian and Cascade Conference power North Idaho, two games against Dickinson State, home games against Portland Bible College and Oregon Tech and a trio of games in Phoenix, Arizona, that include battles against GSAC powers Menlo College and Vanguard University, as well as a game against Embry-Riddle.

“I really like this team from a standpoint of they’re a very efficient group,” Huse said.

“They are all high-percentage, low-mistake players. They play smart and have a lot of basketball intelligence. And that fits with what we want to do, which is play tough defense, take smart shots, shoot for a high percentage from the field and the free-throw-line and get after it with the hustle plays. I know that’s not the most glamorous type of basketball, but it’s the type of basketball that gives you a chance to be great and this group does that.”

Indeed, Northern has always been great with field goal percentage, on both ends of the floor. Last season, the Lights averaged 82 ppg, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. The Lights

also held their opponents to under 50 percent shooting, something they’ve done for a long, long time under Huse.

So with a team that certainly has the makings of a classic Northern squad — a team that can shoot, play smart, play tough defense and, most importantly, play together — it stands to reason that optimism surrounding the Lights would be high. And it is.

“I have all the confidence in the world that we should be a very good, very relevant team night in and night out this season,” Huse said.

“I know it’s hard to say exactly what our potential is in October, but with what I’m seeing from this group, I can see that our ceiling is very high. These guys work hard, they come and get after it every day, they’re growing

www.havredailynews.com every single day and I don’t see any reason why they can’t be one of the top teams in our league come tourney time. So we’re excited about this team, and we’re certainly excited and looking forward to this season.”

The season begins Oct. 27 when the Lights host Salish Kootenai College in the Armory Gymnasium. Northern will then go on the road until Nov. 23-24 when the Lights host the AmericInn Thanksgiving Classic. The Lights play their two early Frontier Conference games on the road, at Rocky Mountain College Nov. 29 and at Carroll College Dec. 1. MSU-N begins Frontier play for good Jan. 4-5 with home games against UM-Western and Lewis-Clark State, respectively.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern's Adam Huse, right, shoots over the Rocky Mountain College defense during a Frontier Conference playoff game last March in Havre. The Lights have a great mix of veteran returners as well as a host of talented newcomers. Northern opened its season last week and will look to be one of the top teams in the Frontier Conference this season.

MSU-Northern

www.havredailynews.com

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

October 2018

3

Lights built to shine bright this winter George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com You want consistency in college basketball — look no further than the Montana State University-Northern Lights under veteran head coach Shawn Huse.

In Huse’ tenure at Northern, the Lights have averaged 20 wins a season, have reached the semifinals of the Frontier Conference Tournament 12 times and have gone to five different NAIA national tournaments. That’s consistency.

As the Lights embark on a brand new season, which they open next week at home, Huse once again has assembled a team that will not only be consistent but also talented and tough, In other words, the Lights will continue to play the kind of basketball their fans have been accustomed to for nearly two decades now.

“This team has shown all the signs of being a team capable of playing Northern basketball,” Huse said. “We’re really excited about what we have this season. Of course, we also know it’s a long season. We know we have a long way to go, and we know we need to get better each and every day, so this team also has a lot to prove, and time will tell. But with where we’re at right now, the signs are there that we can be a very relevant team in our league this season.”

No doubt, the Lights have talent across the board, but as is always the case, Huse will have to replace some outstanding graduated talent, including two-time Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and 2018 All-American Ryan Reeves. Also gone is standout guard Charles Porter as well as forward Paco Jones. Huse will have to replace those key pieces by blending together new faces with key returnees.

“That’s what this non-conference season will be about for us,” Huse said. “Right now, the new guys are learning our program. It’s all new to them and they’re still figuring it out. Meanwhile, we have a bunch of great returners who are doing a great job with leadership and all the things we ask those guys to step up and do.

“So while we do have a lot of new faces, it’s fun because those guys, mixed with our returners, it’s like an injection of new life into our program. It’s a new season, a new team,

and with the mix of great returners we have, and with all of the new guys, it’s a really exciting time for our team.”

The returners include senior Justin Dunsmore, who averaged 10 points and five rebounds per night a year ago and is Northern’s verteran-most player. Also back is shooting guard Adam Huse, a junior who averaged 11 ppg a year ago, while leading the Frontier

Conference in 3-pointers. Point guard Caulin Bakalarski and Devin Bray also return a wealth of experience for Northern’s back court, as both saw time in the starting lineup a season ago, while sophomore James Frey rounds out Northern’s returning roster.

“The leadership and experience coming

■ See Lights Page 6

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Justin Dunsmore is a key returning senior for the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team this season. The Lights have a great mix of veteran returners as well as a host of talented newcomers. Northern opened its season last week, and will look to be one of the top teams in the Frontier Conference this season.

4

October 2018

MSU-Northern

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

www.havredailynews.com

Skylights starting fresh

George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

The Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team enjoyed quite the ride the past few years. From multiple trips to the NAIA national tournament, appearances in the Frontier Conference championship game and countless NAIA All-Americans and Frontier Conference honors, the Skylights have cemented themselves as a premier team in women’s basketball.

But that ride came to a grinding halt a year ago, as devastating injuries set Northern back on its way to a 3-15 record in Frontier Conference play, as well as just 11 wins overall. From start to finish, injuries decimated the Skylights a year ago, and they could never get on track.

Now though, a new fall has arrived and it’s once again time for Northern to take to the court. While injuries aren’t the issue at present time, Northern is dealing with putting together a nearly brand new team this season. Fortunately, the man constructing that team is longtime head coach Chris Mouat.

“We've had it pretty good for a while now, with having teams that return a lot of players and a lot of experience,” Mouat said. “This season, I’d say we return less experience than maybe we ever have. We are definitely inexpe-

rienced and pretty youthful.”

Indeed. Even with Northern’s struggles a season ago, they did have quite a bit of veteran experience, but gone from that team is former NAIA All-American Jacy Thompson, as well as starters Brandy Lambourne, Peyton Filius, Kealani Sagapolu and Shiloh McCormick. Naomi Terry is also gone, after retiring from basketball due to injuries.

So heading into a new season, the Skylights return just senior Jessica Curl and sophomore Tiara Gilham as players with any starting experience at the Frontier level.

Sophomore Peyton Kehr and senior Lily Hilderbrand also return, after seeing extensive playing time a year ago, while red-shirtfreshmen Allix Goldhahn and Jada Nicholson will also move up to impact the Skylight roster this season.

“We don’t have a ton of returning experience,” Mouat said. “But we’ll lean heavily on those returners. Jess and T (Gilham) played

■ See Skylights Page 5 Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern sophomore Peyton Kehr is one of just a handful of returning players for an otherwise newlook Skylight women's basketball team this season.

www.havredailynews.com

MSU-Northern

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

October 2018

5

Skylights: Lots of new faces for MSU-N women ■ From Page 3 a ton for us last year, and are going to be a big presence in the post. Peyton Kehr got a lot of experience last year, and I think Allix really benefitted from her red-shirt season.

She’s playing really well right now and has grown a lot as a player. And that whole group, all of our returners, they are doing a great job of showing leadership for our team right now, so we’re really excited about that group.”

As much as the returners will be key to Northern’s success this winter so, too, will a host of newcomers. At the top of the list is junior Hailey Nicholson (6-0). The former AllStater from Malta joins her sister Jada with the Skylights, after playing two years for the famed University of Montana Lady Griz, and her impact on the Northern program will be a big one.

“She’s such a unique athlete,” Mouat said of Nicholson. “She’s tall, she’s long and she can play all over the floor. She brings a lot to our team, not just with her ability and her skill, but also her experience from having played at a very high level. She’s going to do a lot for us this season, and we’re very excited to have her in our program.”

While Nicholson can play a multitude of positions, Mouat also brought in a handful of transfer guards as well, including Petra Sellin (5-9) and Gokce Aslan (5-3) from NCAA Division II programs, as well as Sam Caruth (5-9) and Sabin Keo (5-8) from the junior college ranks.

“Those four bring a lot of experience from a lot of different places,” Mouat said. “And each one of them brings a unique skill set to our team. G (Aslan) and Petra can both play the point, while Sam is a great shooter, and has long range from the three. Sabin was a two-time defensive player of the year at her junior college as well, so collectively they bring a lot to the table, and they all are very talented players.”

While Curl, Gilham and Hilderbrand form a strong front line for Northern, Mouat also added former Columbia Falls All-Stater Sydney Hovde (6-0) in the paint. The North Idaho College transfer adds to Northern’s size and ability on the inside, while Box Elder’s Cecelia Vielle and Froid’s Morgan Mason will likely red-shirt this season.

“Sydney is going to really come in and compete hard for us,” Mouat said. “She’s blue collar, she’s a hard worker, a great rebounder, especially on the offensive boards, and she’s really good around the rim. She’s not as tall as some of the other posts in the league, but she will surprise people with how tall she actually plays. She’s very good, and she’s going to have a big impact on our inside game.”

Inside and out, the Skylights will have a lot of new faces on the floor this season, but even with a relatively new roster, don’t expect the Skylights to change how they play.

Northern will continue to be an up-tempo team offensively, and a stout, defensive group that emphasizes hard-nosed defense and rebounding — two staples of Mouat’s tenure at MSU-N.

“Offensively, I think we have a chance to be very balanced,” Mouat said. “We’re kind of built to score by committee. I think we’ll be able to run up and down the floor a bit more because we have a lot of athletic ability, but overall, we’re not really going to change what we do or what we’re about.

“Defensively, with our depth and athleticism, we’ll be able to go back to playing a lot more man-defense this year,” he continued.

“With all of our injuries last year, we had to play a lot more zone, so I think the biggest thing is, we’ll be able to challenge more teams with our man-defense this season. And in the post we’re taller and longer than we have been in a couple years, so that will be big for us from a defense and rebounding standpoint.

So on both ends of the floor, we’re going to use our athleticism, and it’s exciting.”

Of course, with a new and relatively young team, all of those things will take time, and the Skylights will have to learn and grow against what Mouat says is the toughest nonconference schedule he’s ever constructed.

The Skylights go to Washington to take on a pair of Cascade Conference teams in the Adidas Northwest Classic Oct. 26-27, before coming home to open their Armory Gymnasium schedule against NCAA DII Minot State.

Then, at the University of Providence Tournament, Northern will face a pair of national tourney teams from a year ago in Arizona Christian and Westmont. The Skylights also play NAIA rival Dickinson State twice and have three tough games in Arizona in December, including the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and San Diego Christian, two more national tourney squads.

“This is the toughest non-conference schedule I’ve ever put together,” Mouat said.

“And it was done for a reason. I wanted to test our team and put them up against really tough teams. We play a lot of tough road games, and this hard of schedule is really going to not only prepare us for our league but also help us grow as a team.”

And growth is something that Mouat admits will take time.

“It’s a process,” he said. “Really, across the board we’re brand new. So it can be a bit unnerving. But there’s an excitement to it, too, and this team is really growing at a fast rate.

This group brings really good energy, they play extremely hard, they all work really hard and there’s a lot of enthusiasm and excitement with this group, and that lifts the level of play up in practice every day. Every single day, they’re improving, and it’s very exciting.

And I’m really pleased with how this group has come together, and with their attitude and work ethic each and every day. It’s exciting.”

No question, the Skylights are a team that will continue to grow and improve. Northern has talent, athleticism, and a strong work ethic, and the Skylights also have Mouat, one of the most veteran coaches in the Frontier Conference, and a man who has guided Northern through every different kind of season one can imagine. And now that it’s finally time to start playing games, starting with Mount Royal Friday night in Great Falls, Mouat is excited to see what his team will look like against a real opponent, and he’s excited to start the journey of a brand new Skylight season.

“The goal right now is just to continually get better,” Mouat said. “And this team is already doing that. Our practices all fall have been great. But we also know you have to go out and earn that, too, and now it’s time to do that. Now the season starts, and now we’ll really find out where we’re at. With this tough early-season schedule, we’ll find out what we’re made of for sure.

“But I’m really excited about this group,” he continued. “It’s going to be a process, and there will be growing pains along the way.

But I think the ceiling for this team is really high. There’s a lot of talent and athleticism on this team, they have a great work ethic,

and a great desire to get better. So I think the potential for this team is sky high this season.”

The Skylights opened their season with road games against Mount Royal and Northwest University, as well as Northwest Christian University. Northern’s home opener is an exhibition game against Minot State Nov. 11. The Skylights open Frontier Conference play Nov. 29 at Rocky Mountain College and Dec. 1 at Carroll College.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern senior Jessica Curl, who also played volleyball for the Skylights, will be a key returning player for the Northern women on the hardwood this season. Overall, the Skylights have a lot of new faces, but they also have a veteran head coach in Chris Mouat. Northern opens its home schedule with a game against Minot State Nov. 11 inside the Armory Gymnasium.

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MSU-Northern

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

www.havredailynews.com

Skylights starting fresh

George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

The Montana State University-Northern women’s basketball team enjoyed quite the ride the past few years. From multiple trips to the NAIA national tournament, appearances in the Frontier Conference championship game and countless NAIA All-Americans and Frontier Conference honors, the Skylights have cemented themselves as a premier team in women’s basketball.

But that ride came to a grinding halt a year ago, as devastating injuries set Northern back on its way to a 3-15 record in Frontier Conference play, as well as just 11 wins overall. From start to finish, injuries decimated the Skylights a year ago, and they could never get on track.

Now though, a new fall has arrived and it’s once again time for Northern to take to the court. While injuries aren’t the issue at present time, Northern is dealing with putting together a nearly brand new team this season. Fortunately, the man constructing that team is longtime head coach Chris Mouat.

“We've had it pretty good for a while now, with having teams that return a lot of players and a lot of experience,” Mouat said. “This season, I’d say we return less experience than maybe we ever have. We are definitely inexpe-

rienced and pretty youthful.”

Indeed. Even with Northern’s struggles a season ago, they did have quite a bit of veteran experience, but gone from that team is former NAIA All-American Jacy Thompson, as well as starters Brandy Lambourne, Peyton Filius, Kealani Sagapolu and Shiloh McCormick. Naomi Terry is also gone, after retiring from basketball due to injuries.

So heading into a new season, the Skylights return just senior Jessica Curl and sophomore Tiara Gilham as players with any starting experience at the Frontier level.

Sophomore Peyton Kehr and senior Lily Hilderbrand also return, after seeing extensive playing time a year ago, while red-shirtfreshmen Allix Goldhahn and Jada Nicholson will also move up to impact the Skylight roster this season.

“We don’t have a ton of returning experience,” Mouat said. “But we’ll lean heavily on those returners. Jess and T (Gilham) played

■ See Skylights Page 5 Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern sophomore Peyton Kehr is one of just a handful of returning players for an otherwise newlook Skylight women's basketball team this season.

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October 2018

5

Skylights: Lots of new faces for MSU-N women ■ From Page 3 a ton for us last year, and are going to be a big presence in the post. Peyton Kehr got a lot of experience last year, and I think Allix really benefitted from her red-shirt season.

She’s playing really well right now and has grown a lot as a player. And that whole group, all of our returners, they are doing a great job of showing leadership for our team right now, so we’re really excited about that group.”

As much as the returners will be key to Northern’s success this winter so, too, will a host of newcomers. At the top of the list is junior Hailey Nicholson (6-0). The former AllStater from Malta joins her sister Jada with the Skylights, after playing two years for the famed University of Montana Lady Griz, and her impact on the Northern program will be a big one.

“She’s such a unique athlete,” Mouat said of Nicholson. “She’s tall, she’s long and she can play all over the floor. She brings a lot to our team, not just with her ability and her skill, but also her experience from having played at a very high level. She’s going to do a lot for us this season, and we’re very excited to have her in our program.”

While Nicholson can play a multitude of positions, Mouat also brought in a handful of transfer guards as well, including Petra Sellin (5-9) and Gokce Aslan (5-3) from NCAA Division II programs, as well as Sam Caruth (5-9) and Sabin Keo (5-8) from the junior college ranks.

“Those four bring a lot of experience from a lot of different places,” Mouat said. “And each one of them brings a unique skill set to our team. G (Aslan) and Petra can both play the point, while Sam is a great shooter, and has long range from the three. Sabin was a two-time defensive player of the year at her junior college as well, so collectively they bring a lot to the table, and they all are very talented players.”

While Curl, Gilham and Hilderbrand form a strong front line for Northern, Mouat also added former Columbia Falls All-Stater Sydney Hovde (6-0) in the paint. The North Idaho College transfer adds to Northern’s size and ability on the inside, while Box Elder’s Cecelia Vielle and Froid’s Morgan Mason will likely red-shirt this season.

“Sydney is going to really come in and compete hard for us,” Mouat said. “She’s blue collar, she’s a hard worker, a great rebounder, especially on the offensive boards, and she’s really good around the rim. She’s not as tall as some of the other posts in the league, but she will surprise people with how tall she actually plays. She’s very good, and she’s going to have a big impact on our inside game.”

Inside and out, the Skylights will have a lot of new faces on the floor this season, but even with a relatively new roster, don’t expect the Skylights to change how they play.

Northern will continue to be an up-tempo team offensively, and a stout, defensive group that emphasizes hard-nosed defense and rebounding — two staples of Mouat’s tenure at MSU-N.

“Offensively, I think we have a chance to be very balanced,” Mouat said. “We’re kind of built to score by committee. I think we’ll be able to run up and down the floor a bit more because we have a lot of athletic ability, but overall, we’re not really going to change what we do or what we’re about.

“Defensively, with our depth and athleticism, we’ll be able to go back to playing a lot more man-defense this year,” he continued.

“With all of our injuries last year, we had to play a lot more zone, so I think the biggest thing is, we’ll be able to challenge more teams with our man-defense this season. And in the post we’re taller and longer than we have been in a couple years, so that will be big for us from a defense and rebounding standpoint.

So on both ends of the floor, we’re going to use our athleticism, and it’s exciting.”

Of course, with a new and relatively young team, all of those things will take time, and the Skylights will have to learn and grow against what Mouat says is the toughest nonconference schedule he’s ever constructed.

The Skylights go to Washington to take on a pair of Cascade Conference teams in the Adidas Northwest Classic Oct. 26-27, before coming home to open their Armory Gymnasium schedule against NCAA DII Minot State.

Then, at the University of Providence Tournament, Northern will face a pair of national tourney teams from a year ago in Arizona Christian and Westmont. The Skylights also play NAIA rival Dickinson State twice and have three tough games in Arizona in December, including the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and San Diego Christian, two more national tourney squads.

“This is the toughest non-conference schedule I’ve ever put together,” Mouat said.

“And it was done for a reason. I wanted to test our team and put them up against really tough teams. We play a lot of tough road games, and this hard of schedule is really going to not only prepare us for our league but also help us grow as a team.”

And growth is something that Mouat admits will take time.

“It’s a process,” he said. “Really, across the board we’re brand new. So it can be a bit unnerving. But there’s an excitement to it, too, and this team is really growing at a fast rate.

This group brings really good energy, they play extremely hard, they all work really hard and there’s a lot of enthusiasm and excitement with this group, and that lifts the level of play up in practice every day. Every single day, they’re improving, and it’s very exciting.

And I’m really pleased with how this group has come together, and with their attitude and work ethic each and every day. It’s exciting.”

No question, the Skylights are a team that will continue to grow and improve. Northern has talent, athleticism, and a strong work ethic, and the Skylights also have Mouat, one of the most veteran coaches in the Frontier Conference, and a man who has guided Northern through every different kind of season one can imagine. And now that it’s finally time to start playing games, starting with Mount Royal Friday night in Great Falls, Mouat is excited to see what his team will look like against a real opponent, and he’s excited to start the journey of a brand new Skylight season.

“The goal right now is just to continually get better,” Mouat said. “And this team is already doing that. Our practices all fall have been great. But we also know you have to go out and earn that, too, and now it’s time to do that. Now the season starts, and now we’ll really find out where we’re at. With this tough early-season schedule, we’ll find out what we’re made of for sure.

“But I’m really excited about this group,” he continued. “It’s going to be a process, and there will be growing pains along the way.

But I think the ceiling for this team is really high. There’s a lot of talent and athleticism on this team, they have a great work ethic,

and a great desire to get better. So I think the potential for this team is sky high this season.”

The Skylights opened their season with road games against Mount Royal and Northwest University, as well as Northwest Christian University. Northern’s home opener is an exhibition game against Minot State Nov. 11. The Skylights open Frontier Conference play Nov. 29 at Rocky Mountain College and Dec. 1 at Carroll College.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern senior Jessica Curl, who also played volleyball for the Skylights, will be a key returning player for the Northern women on the hardwood this season. Overall, the Skylights have a lot of new faces, but they also have a veteran head coach in Chris Mouat. Northern opens its home schedule with a game against Minot State Nov. 11 inside the Armory Gymnasium.

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WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

Lights: MSU-N men have all the pieces in place ■ From Page 3 back for us is huge,” coach Huse said. “Especially early on and also late in the year. Those four main guys know our stuff, they know the league, they’ve all been in the middle of some great battles and they know what it takes to help make our program successful. So those guys will be big for us this season.”

Big can best describe Huse’ batch of new additions to the roster as well.

While guards Mascio McCadney (6-3) and Kamari Burnside (6-0) will be instrumental in making Northern’s backcourt even deeper, the additions of three transfers on the front line will be huge for the Lights, especially with the loss of Reeves, who averaged 16 points and nine rebounds and set Northern’s all-time record for blocked shots.

Those new additions in the paint include junior Cedric Crutchfield (6-8), who plays long and strong on both ends of the floor, junior Joe Fons (6-6) and junior Kavon Bey (6-5).

“Overall, we’ve actually upped our size in the post,” Huse said. “Vertically and horizontally. These guys can all bang in the paint and score inside and out. We’re really excited about that group because, when you add them with Justin, I think we have a chance to have as tough a front line as anyone out there.

“Our new guards are also very good on both ends of the floor,” he added. “They are talented and athletic and they check off a lot of boxes for us.”

Northern will also red-shirt several players this season, including T.J. Reynolds, Eddie Harmon and Trevor Herzog.

And they’ll red-shirt in a season when hopes are high for the Lights, who went 9-9 in the Frontier and 19-12 overall a year ago.

Huse says that he expects his team to continue to play the style of basketball Northern fans have grown accustomed to watching. But new personnel tweaks will also come into play.

The Lights will get a chance to perfect that style long before conference play starts, with an early schedule that includes a trip to Lewiston, Idaho, to face New Hope Christian and Cascade Conference power North Idaho, two games against Dickinson State, home games against Portland Bible College and Oregon Tech and a trio of games in Phoenix, Arizona, that include battles against GSAC powers Menlo College and Vanguard University, as well as a game against Embry-Riddle.

“I really like this team from a standpoint of they’re a very efficient group,” Huse said.

“They are all high-percentage, low-mistake players. They play smart and have a lot of basketball intelligence. And that fits with what we want to do, which is play tough defense, take smart shots, shoot for a high percentage from the field and the free-throw-line and get after it with the hustle plays. I know that’s not the most glamorous type of basketball, but it’s the type of basketball that gives you a chance to be great and this group does that.”

Indeed, Northern has always been great with field goal percentage, on both ends of the floor. Last season, the Lights averaged 82 ppg, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. The Lights

also held their opponents to under 50 percent shooting, something they’ve done for a long, long time under Huse.

So with a team that certainly has the makings of a classic Northern squad — a team that can shoot, play smart, play tough defense and, most importantly, play together — it stands to reason that optimism surrounding the Lights would be high. And it is.

“I have all the confidence in the world that we should be a very good, very relevant team night in and night out this season,” Huse said.

“I know it’s hard to say exactly what our potential is in October, but with what I’m seeing from this group, I can see that our ceiling is very high. These guys work hard, they come and get after it every day, they’re growing

www.havredailynews.com every single day and I don’t see any reason why they can’t be one of the top teams in our league come tourney time. So we’re excited about this team, and we’re certainly excited and looking forward to this season.”

The season begins Oct. 27 when the Lights host Salish Kootenai College in the Armory Gymnasium. Northern will then go on the road until Nov. 23-24 when the Lights host the AmericInn Thanksgiving Classic. The Lights play their two early Frontier Conference games on the road, at Rocky Mountain College Nov. 29 and at Carroll College Dec. 1. MSU-N begins Frontier play for good Jan. 4-5 with home games against UM-Western and Lewis-Clark State, respectively.

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern's Adam Huse, right, shoots over the Rocky Mountain College defense during a Frontier Conference playoff game last March in Havre. The Lights have a great mix of veteran returners as well as a host of talented newcomers. Northern opened its season last week and will look to be one of the top teams in the Frontier Conference this season.

MSU-Northern

www.havredailynews.com

WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

October 2018

3

Lights built to shine bright this winter George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com You want consistency in college basketball — look no further than the Montana State University-Northern Lights under veteran head coach Shawn Huse.

In Huse’ tenure at Northern, the Lights have averaged 20 wins a season, have reached the semifinals of the Frontier Conference Tournament 12 times and have gone to five different NAIA national tournaments. That’s consistency.

As the Lights embark on a brand new season, which they open next week at home, Huse once again has assembled a team that will not only be consistent but also talented and tough, In other words, the Lights will continue to play the kind of basketball their fans have been accustomed to for nearly two decades now.

“This team has shown all the signs of being a team capable of playing Northern basketball,” Huse said. “We’re really excited about what we have this season. Of course, we also know it’s a long season. We know we have a long way to go, and we know we need to get better each and every day, so this team also has a lot to prove, and time will tell. But with where we’re at right now, the signs are there that we can be a very relevant team in our league this season.”

No doubt, the Lights have talent across the board, but as is always the case, Huse will have to replace some outstanding graduated talent, including two-time Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and 2018 All-American Ryan Reeves. Also gone is standout guard Charles Porter as well as forward Paco Jones. Huse will have to replace those key pieces by blending together new faces with key returnees.

“That’s what this non-conference season will be about for us,” Huse said. “Right now, the new guys are learning our program. It’s all new to them and they’re still figuring it out. Meanwhile, we have a bunch of great returners who are doing a great job with leadership and all the things we ask those guys to step up and do.

“So while we do have a lot of new faces, it’s fun because those guys, mixed with our returners, it’s like an injection of new life into our program. It’s a new season, a new team,

and with the mix of great returners we have, and with all of the new guys, it’s a really exciting time for our team.”

The returners include senior Justin Dunsmore, who averaged 10 points and five rebounds per night a year ago and is Northern’s verteran-most player. Also back is shooting guard Adam Huse, a junior who averaged 11 ppg a year ago, while leading the Frontier

Conference in 3-pointers. Point guard Caulin Bakalarski and Devin Bray also return a wealth of experience for Northern’s back court, as both saw time in the starting lineup a season ago, while sophomore James Frey rounds out Northern’s returning roster.

“The leadership and experience coming

■ See Lights Page 6

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Justin Dunsmore is a key returning senior for the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team this season. The Lights have a great mix of veteran returners as well as a host of talented newcomers. Northern opened its season last week, and will look to be one of the top teams in the Frontier Conference this season.

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WINTER SPORTS PREVIEW

MSU-Northern

www.havredailynews.com

Lights aim for a very big season on the mat George Ferguson

Havre Daily News sports editor gferguson@havredailynews.com

Montana State University-Northern wrestling coach Tyson Thivierge always has high expectations for his team. And he’s never afraid to put those goals and expectations on display.

But as the Lights get ready to embark on the 2018-19 season, goals and expectations might just be at an all-time high because the Lights are loaded.

Coming off a 2017-18 season in which Northern crowned five NAIA All-Americans, and all five finished in the top four at last year’s national tourney, the Lights graduated just one grappler. So, it stands to reason that Thivierge, with a lineup full of talented and tough seniors, would be excited about what his Lights can do on the mat this season.

“I don’t know how many years in a row I’ve said we’re a young team,” Thivierge said, “but that’s not the case this year. This is the team we’ve been waiting for, building for, all these years. We’ve got a room full of older, experienced guys, and it’s exciting.”

Exciting indeed. But put a different way, the Lights are no doubt going to be a powerful player in the Cascade Conference, and the NAIA, all season long.

Leading the way for Northern’s roster is a veteran group of senior leaders, but it’s not just experience that’s on the side of the Northern seniors, they’re all really good wrestlers.

Brandon Weber, a national champion in 2017, returns for his final year at 157 pounds.

Weber battled through injuries last year to reach the national championship match for the second year in a row, and now he returns for one last season with the Lights.

“Brandon’s motivation is to get back to the top of the podium,” Thivierge said. “He wants to go out on top.”

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Brandon Weber and the Montana State University-Northern Lights are loaded with talent and experience as they head into the 201819 season.

Weber’s brother, fellow senior Matt Weber is also back after reaching the finals at 141 pounds last March. He lost a heartbreaker in the finals, but he returns for his final season as a Light, hungry for more.

“Matt’s really focused,” Thivierge said.

“He’s kind of been through it all in his career. He’s seen ups and downs and injuries.

He’s been an All-American and he’s been to the finals, so his focus this year is to not leave anything on the table. He wants to be more aggressive, score more points, get

more pins. He’s really focused and he’s hungry.”

The Lights also have senior leaders and returning All-Americans at 165 and 174

■ See Wrestling Page 7

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October 2018

7

Wrestling: Northern is experienced and talented ■ From Page B1 pounds, respectively. Andrew Bartel, who finished fourth at 165 is back, as is Chris Nile, who came on strong last year to finish fourth at 174.

“Bart (Bartel) is another guy who has been through all the ups and downs of college wrestling,” Thivierge said. “And now it’s his turn to be that top guy. I think getting All-American last year shows how much he’s grown in his time here, and he’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever had in the room, so he’s poised for a big year. Chris came here last year and he was rusty, but boy, when he knocked that rust off, you saw what he was capable of. He had a great finish and that’s going to carry over into this season.”

No doubt, Northern’s group of returning All-American seniors will be big leaders for the Lights this winter, but across the board, Thivierge could very well have the deepest team he’s ever had.

At 197 pounds, sophomore Isaac Bartel returns after busting onto the scene as a true freshman to finish third at nationals.

“Isaac was phenomenal last year,” Thivierge said. “To finish third as a true freshman, that speaks volumes to how good he is, and he’s only going to grow and get better.”

Bartel is indicative of how deep the Lights are in the upper weights once again.

Rylan Moldenhauer is a standout who will back Bartel up at 197, while Steeler French returns for a third year at 184. But he also has company in the form of his older brother Jake, whose journey has taken him from playing football at Carroll College, to wrestling for the Lights, to playing football for the Lights, back to Northern’s wrestling room.

“Steeler peaked at the right time last year,” Thivierge said. “Being a national qualifier last year was big for his confidence, and I think he has a lot of momentum coming into this season. With Jake, he came to me and said, I know who I am, I need to wrestle. So they’re going to really push and challenge each other all year, and it’s really

going to be good for both of them.”

Like at 184, the Lights also have two grapplers at 174 who will push and challenge each other. Sophomore Chase Short joins Nile at 174, and those two could very well be the top duo in the country at weight class.

“They’re going to be battling again,” Thivierge said of Nile and Short. “Chase had a really good season last year, and he dedicated his entire summer to wrestling.

So there’s going to be fireworks in our room all year with those two. But they’re also going to make each other better.”

At heavyweight, the Lights will go with former Havre Blue Pony Jase Stokes. He started his collegiate career playing football at Montana Tech, but transferee to, and redshirted at Northern last winter. Now, Stokes, a four-time state champion, will be the man at the end of Northern’s lineup every night.

Xavier Moran will back Stokes up at heavyweight.

“When Jase came to us last January, he was rusty,” Thivierge said, “but now things are changing for him. He’s getting his feet back, his conditioning back, and when you add all that to the great motor Jase has and how hard he works, he’s progressing really fast. Everything is going to fall into place for Jase.”

As good as Northern looks to be in the upper weights, the Lights can be equally as dangerous at the front end of their lineup, too.

Sophomore Nick Kunz and junior Landon Bailey were national qualifiers at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively a season ago, and they should be even better this winter.

“Nick Kunz had a huge year last year,” Thivierge said. “He’s just so competitive, he hates to lose. He’s really driven and focused.

Landon was another guy last year, who really came on strong the second half of the season. He’s a really tough kid, and he’s got a lot of momentum going into this season.”

The Lights have plenty of depth at those

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Tyson Thivierge is once again at the helm of a Montana State University-Northern wrestling program that has become one of the elite of NAIA wrestling. The Lights started their season at home last week.

two spots, too. Junior Rob Pair is a veteran at 125 pounds, while youngsters Caleb Frank and Ryan Stewart have high potential. Kieton Keller, Nathan Weber and Carl Cronin will also provide depth at 133, while Gavin Maslan and Brennan Veis will back up Matt Weber at 141.

Finally, at 149, the Lights have two stalwarts. Dylan Veis has been a two-year starter for the Lights there, while transfer Tony Evans has been impressive thus far, and both provide the Lights with yet another weight class where they’re loaded with talent.

“This is Dylan’s third year,” Thivierge said. “And there’s going to be no bouncing around for him, he’s going to stay at 149.

So I think you’ll see him have a lot more

confidence this season. Tony was a two-time judo national quailifier. He’s a very talented and technical wrestler, and he’s a very hard worker.”

In fact, the Lights are built on hard work. Up and down the lineup, Northern isn’t just talented and decorated, the Lights are tough and hard-nosed, and they are also an experienced, tight-knit group, and that’s thanks in large part to the program Thivierge has been building throughout his time at MSU-N.

“This team isn’t just talented, we have great kids,” Thivierge said. “We have great leadership, they’re good students, they push and challenge each other but also support

■ See Wrestling Page 8

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Wrestling: Lights poised for big things in March ■ From Page B1

www.havredailynews.com

Montana State University-Northern

Winter Sports Schedules Lights Basketball October Oct. 27

vs. Salish Kootenai College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm November

Nov. 9

Nov. 10

Nov. 17

Nov. 20

Nov. 23

Nov. 24

Nov. 29

at New Hope Christian Lewiston, ID - 4:00 pm at the Collge of Idaho Lewiston, ID - 6:00 pm at Salish Kootenai College Pablo, MT - TBA at Dickinson State Univ.

Dickinson, ND - 7:30 pm vs. Portland Bible College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Oregon Tech Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 7:30 pm December

Dec. 1

at Carroll College

Dec. 9

Dec. 10

Dec. 16

Dec. 17

Dec. 18

Helena, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 4:00 pm vs. Univ. Alberta-Augustana Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at Menlo College Chandler, AZ - 12:00 pm at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Chandler, AZ - 6:00 pm at Vanguard University Chandler, AZ - 12:00 pm January

Jan. 4

Jan. 5

Jan. 8

Jan. 12

Jan. 17

Jan. 19

vs. University of MT-Western Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at University of MT-Western Dillon, MT - 7:30 pm at Lewis-Clark State College

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

Lewiston, ID - 4:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 7:30 pm at Montana Tech Butte, MT - 7:30 pm February

Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 6

Feb. 8

Feb. 14

Feb. 16

Feb. 22

Feb. 23

vs Rocky Mountain Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Carroll College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. University of Providence Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT- 8:00 pm at Carroll College Helena, MT - 7:30 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 7:30 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 8:00 pm vs. University of MT-Western Havre MT - 8:00 pm

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 6:00 pm at Montana Tech Butte, MT - 5:30 pm

Skylights Basketball October Oct. 26

Oct. 27

at Northwest University Kirkland, WA - 8:00 pm at NW Christian University Kirkland, WA - 5:30 pm November

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Montana State University-Northern's Andrew Bartel, right, is part of a seasoned and talented senior class for the Lights this season. Northern's senior class is hoping to help the Lights earn an NAIA national championship in March.

each other and take care of each other. To have a team like that, it takes a lot of the coaches’ plate. It’s a really fun team to coach.”

And no doubt, the Lights will be fun to watch. Northern fans will get a chance to see the Lights at home, when they host North Idaho College Nov. 1, rival Providence Nov. 14 and Northwest College and Dickinson State Jan. 24. The road schedule for Northern’s duals include The Cardinal Duals Nov. 17 at North Idaho, The Argo Duals Nov. 30 in Great Falls, Southern Oregon Dec. 18, a special battle with NCAA DII Minot State Jan. 10 in Forsyth and the regular season-finale against Providence Feb. 6 in Great Falls. The Lights will also attend tournament at the University of Wyoming, Northwest College (Trapper Open), the Spokane Open, the Reno T.O.C., the Tyler Plummer Classic Jan. 12 and the Missouri Valley Invitational Jan. 18-19.

Of course, the season culminates with the Cascade Conference Championships Feb. 15 in Great Falls, and the NAIA National Tournament March 1-2 in Des Moines, Iowa.

And Iowa is where the Lights are look-

ing to make their mark. Winning a national championship is something Thivierge has been building toward since he took the job at his alma mater, and while unseating Grand View will never be easy, pursuing that goal is something this Lights’ squad is certainly not afraid to do. The Lights have gotten close several times in recent years, with a fourth-place finish a year ago and a second in 2016.

“A national title is always the goal in my mind,” Thivierge said. “And this team has that goal. They want it, they feel it, they’re motivated by it. I think they’re motivated by last year, too, but at the end of the day, this is a new season, and I want this team to make their own mark. They have the opportunity to write their own story.

“There’s a lot of fire in our room,” he continued. “There’s a lot of energy. These guys work extremely hard and the ceiling for this season is very high in my opinion.

So if we stay healthy and we as coaches train them properly, there’s no reason why this team can’t write their own story in the history of this program, and that’s what I want for them. That’s the goal.”

Nov. 11

Nov. 16

Nov. 17

Nov. 20

Nov. 29

vs. Minot State University Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Arizona Christian Univ.

Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Westmont College Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm at Dickinson State Univ.

Dickinson, ND - 5:00 pm at. Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 5:30 pm December

Dec. 1

Dec. 4

at Carroll College Helena, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Yellowstone Christian Col. Havre, MT - 6:00 pm

Dec. 9

Dec. 10

Dec. 18

Dec. 19

Dec. 20

vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 2:00 pm vs. Univ. of Alberta-Augustana Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at Benedictine Univ. at Mesa Phoenix, AZ - 6:00 pm at Univ. of Science & Arts Phoenix, AZ - 4:00 pm at San Diego Christian Col. Phoenix, AZ - 4:00 pm January

Jan. 4

Jan. 5

Jan. 8

Jan. 12

Jan. 17

Jan. 19

vs. University of MT-Western Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at University of Providence Great Falls, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT - 6:00 pm at University of MT-Western Dillon, MT - 5:30 pm at Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston, ID - 2:00 pm

February Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 6

Feb. 8

Feb. 14

Feb. 16

Feb. 22

Feb. 23

vs Rocky Mountain Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Carroll College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. University of Providence Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. Montana Tech Havre, MT- 6:00 pm at Carroll College Helena, MT - 5:30 pm at Rocky Mountain College Billings, MT - 5:30 pm vs. Lewis-Clark State College Havre, MT - 6:00 pm vs. University of MT-Western Havre MT - 6:00 pm

Lights Wrestling December

October Oct. 26

vs. Eastern Oregon Univ.

Havre, MT - 7:00 pm November

Nov. 1

Nov. 3

Nov. 10

Nov. 14

Nov. 17

Nov. 18

Nov. 30

vs. North Idaho College Havre, MT - 7:00 pm at Cowboy Open Laramie, MT - 9:00 am at Trapper Open Powell, WY - 9:00 am vs. Univ. of Providence Havre, MT - 7:00 pm at Cardinal Duals Coeur D'Alene, ID - TBA at Spokane Open Spokane, WA - 9:00 am at Argo Duals - TBA

Dec. 1

Heritage Inn Open Great Falls, MT - 9:00 am

Dec. 18

Dec. 20

at Southern Oregon Univ.

Ashland, OR - 7:00 pm Reno Tournament of Champs Reno, NV - 9:00 am January

Jan. 10 at Minot State University

Forsyth, MT - 7:00 pm Jan. 12 at Tyler Plummer Classic

Dickinson, ND - 9:00 am Jan. 18-19 at Missouri Valley College

Marshall, MO Jan. 24 vs. Northwest College

Havre, MT - 6:00 pm

Jan. 24

Jan. 26

vs. Dickinson State Univ.

Havre, MT - 8:00 pm at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Prescott, AZ - 7:00 pm February

Feb. 6 at University of Providence

Great Falls, MT - 7:00 pm Feb. 15-16 at Cascade Conference

Championships

Great Falls, MT - 7:00 pm March March 1-2 NAIA National

Championship

Des Moines, IA