Cardinals hatch new regional plan

North Idaho College travels to the Region 18 wrestling tournament with another new face in the lineup.

The Cardinals, who inserted two redshirts and moved a pair of talented sophomores up a weight class about a month ago, have pulled the redshirt off 157-pounder Nick Wright. Wright defeated Lee Morrison in a challenge match, coach Pat Whitcomb said.

Morrison, who is built more to wrestle at 141 or 149, and Mike Rogers had seen time at 157, though Morrison wrestled the majority of recent matches. Rogers, ranked fifth nationally, has been sidetracked by a “culmination of events,” Whitcomb said.

Wright, 3-1 in an open tournament, is a freshman from Grandville (Mich.) High, Whitcomb’s alma mater. Wright had knee surgery about a month ago, but he’ll be at full strength for the Region 18 tournament Saturday at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash. Depending on the weight class, the top three or four advance to the NJCAA tournament Feb. 25-26 in Rochester, Minn.

NIC is heavily favored in team race, but its primary goal is to qualify all 10 wrestlers for nationals.

“I’m excited to get going, but this is a weird year,” Whitcomb said. “In 2001, we wrestled the same 10 guys at the same weights all year. As of Wednesday, I still didn’t know who two of our guys would be.”

Aside from 157, Whitcomb was concerned about Jeff Hedges’ health at 125. Hedges was out for two weeks with a staph infection, but his recovery is on course. Seven Cardinals are ranked nationally, led by Kyle Frawley (No. 1 at 174), Justin Pearch (No. 2 at 141) and Derek Kipperberg (No. 2 at 149).

Despite compiling a 4-0 dual record against teams ranked in the top eight, NIC dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the national poll two weeks ago. Labette College, of Parsons, Kan., is ranked No. 1.

“I think it would take a bad outing or a bad scenario for one of our guys not to make it (to nationals),” Whitcomb said. “The key is trying to win it so it puts you in a better spot in the bracket at nationals.”