Trappers ‘just don’t lose to Western Wyoming’

An upset of a top-ranked team would be sweet success for the No. 14 Northwest College wrestling team, but the true fruits of the labor put into Apodaca Dual Showdown may not be seen for another two weeks.

The Trappers will square off with the nation’s fourth- and fifth-ranked teams when they host the 18th Annual Apodaca Duals in Cabre Gym Friday and Saturday.

The challenges will serve as a barometer for Northwest, which will have two weeks before traveling to Des Moines, Washington, for the NJCAA West District Championships.

“It’s great competition. It’s a final measuring stick before we go,” NWC head coach Jim Zeigler said. “It’s our final test run to get an idea of what are the last couple of things that we have time to fix.”

The Trappers will have their hands full with No. 4 Iowa Central and No. 5 Iowa Western and Zeigler said he wants to see continued improvement in their final competition of the regular season.

“We’re just trying to prepare to wrestle the best that we can,” Zeigler said. “We’re getting closer and closer toward our peak. Hopefully we’ll see the early signs of them getting it.”

Northwest opens with Iowa Western at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Reivers feature five wrestlers ranked in the top five of their respective weight classes, which sets up a couple marquee matches with the Trappers.

NWC sophomore John-David Henderson seems to get better as each week of the season passes, and will need to be at his best when he takes on Iowa Western’s Oscar Ramirez, who is the top-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds.

The Trappers last saw Ramirez at the NJCAA National Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

“That’s a grudge match for us. That’s the guy who beat Jeff McCormick last year in the (quarterfinals),” Zeigler said.

Henderson is unranked, but Zeigler feels like he presents a tough matchup for Ramirez.

“I think his skill set’s good. (Ramirez) doesn’t do much. He really is a defensive wrestler, and John-David is very offensive, so we’ll see how it goes,” Zeigler said. “I think John-David’s skills match up in some ways better than Jeff’s did.”

Fellow sophomore Eduardo Penha, ranked No. 4, will wrestle

in two bouts against top-eight opponents this

weekend.

Penha opens against Iowa Western’s Clay Stine, who is ranked third.

Trapper freshmen Heber Shepherd (184 pounds) and Justin Polkowske (165) will each get a shot to knock off the top wrestler in their class, and Zeigler wants them to seize the opportunity. 

Zeigler said Shepherd, whose father wrestled at Brigham Young University and has a long history with the sport, is capable of more than he knows right now.

“Until Heber steps up and beats somebody that’s ranked way above him, that he’s not expected to beat, he won’t make that jump,” Zeigler said. 

The coach has tried to convince Shepherd of his own potential as the Apodaca draws near.

“‘You’re part of a great program, you’ve got the work ethic, you’ve got everything you need to make that jump,” Zeigler tells him. “‘Why not you? Why not? Step up and beat this guy.’”

Northwest takes on No. 4 Iowa Central at noon on Saturday.

Western Wyoming will also be in attendance but will not wrestle Northwest for a third dual this season.

“When you gotta wrestle them at the regional tournament, you can wrestle each other too much and the best guy doesn’t always win after that,” Zeigler said.

North Idaho, the nation’s eighth-ranked team, was scheduled for four duals this weekend, but withdrew from competition Tuesday afternoon due to injuries.

Zeigler was told that the Cardinals had only four healthy wrestlers, and could not field a competitive lineup.

Zeigler called it an “unfortuante situation” for the Cardinals.

Western Wyoming takes on Iowa Central at 7 p.m. on Friday and then Iowa Western at noon on Saturday.

Apodaca Award presented Friday

The Apodaca Duals will again kick off with announcement of the Apodaca Award, which recognizes the Trapper who best exemplifies the ideal qualities of a well-rounded Northwest College wrestler.

“It’s what the kid represents to the program. Sometimes that means it’s the best wrestler on your team, sometimes it’s not,” Zeigler said. “It’s the person who contributes to the team in some way or some fashion that makes a huge difference to those around him.”

The award is given in memory of former Trapper wrestler Christopher Brooks Apodaca, who died in 1998.

Not wanting to tip his hand too much, Zeigler would say only that the award is generally, though not always, given to a sophomore, and could be anyone on the Northwest roster.

“It’s always a tough choice at first,” Zeigler said. “You bounce different kids through your head, you lean one way then you lean another way and then miraculously somehow all of a sudden, it dawns on you. The kid’s standing right in front of you and you go, ‘How could I not have known? That’s it right there. That’s him. That’s the kid.’”

The award ceremony begins at 6:45 p.m. Friday with Northwest’s dual versus Iowa Western to follow.

Northwest claims Wyoming

Northwest’s second dual victory of the season over No. 12 Western Wyoming proved the in-state rankings might not corroborate with the national rankings.

“We have a lot more history here, so even if Western Wyoming is ranked above us, we just don’t lose to Western Wyoming,” NWC assistant coach Seth Wright said. “We just don’t want to. I don’t care where they’re ranked. We’re competitive and we want to keep reestablishing that we’re the best program in the state.”

Wright and student assistant Gabe Escobedo accompanied the Trappers to Rock Springs while Zeigler was away for personal reasons.

The Trappers edged out the Mustangs 26-21, and won the head-to-head match 6-4.

Penha won a 13-1 major decision, Henderson won a 14-6 major decision, Cameron Braden (157 pounds) won a 6-5 decision and Polkowske won a 4-1 decision.

Shepherd and Dean Gerber won by way of forfeit.

Henderson’s match was crucial as the Trappers wanted at least four points from a major decision, and the sophomore executed the plan.

“He wrestled a really good match and stepped up for that occasion,” Wright said.

Braden won despite being down 5-4 in the waning seconds of the bout.

“I thought he got in a situation that was kind of tough,” said Zeigler who was able to watch the match on his iPad. “He just never quit, never quit. He ends up scoring at the buzzer, he got a takedown, to win it.

“He just showed that competitive spirit that we want.”

Friday

Western Wyoming vs. Iowa Central 7 p.m.

Northwest vs. Iowa Western 7 p.m.

Saturday

Western Wyoming vs. Iowa Western noon

Northwest vs. Iowa Central noon