GREAT FALLS — Last weekend, the sixth-ranked Providence Argos men's wrestling team started its season strong with two dual wins over Clackamas Community College and Eastern Oregon.
"We're on our way to where we want to be," head coach Steve Komac told MTN Sports on Tuesday. "It shows that we've covered a lot of ground the last couple seasons."
"This last weekend, I saw a lot of competition," 165-pound wrestler Bridger Hall said. "A lot of new guys that we haven't had in the team, they really stepped up, got some big wins."
Coming into the season, Providence was predicted to win the Cascade Collegiate Conference, a big reason being the team entered the year with 12 wrestlers in the top 25 of their respective weight classes.
Hall is one of said athletes, coming in at No. 12 at 165.
"I think we can put a lot of guys on the podium at the end of the year," Hall said. "I think we can even give the top two teams Life (Ga.) and Grand View (Iowa) — who a lot of people think are untouchable — I think we can give them a big run for their money."
The Argos host their first dual this winter season on Wednesday, welcoming in the only other collegiate wrestling team in the state — No. 19 MSU-Northern.
Hall — who attended Missoula Big Sky high school — said the dual is "big for Montana."
"It's a matchup that everyone, all wrestlers around the state look forward to," Hall said. "I look forward to it, I think Northern looks forward to it. I think it's a big thing, especially for the wrestling community here in Montana."
Providence took down Northern both times the teams squared off last year, and Komac expects this one to be very competitive.
"We expect nothing but (Northern's) best effort every single time," Komac said. "I'm expecting a tight dual, and it'll show us fighting through some adversity. We're not 100% full strength, which means we've got to have some guys step up for us and compete for us well, and I think they will."
MSU-Northern visits Providence at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The dual takes place at Providence's McLaughlin Center.
