Huskies battle tough opponents as conference draws to a close

Publish Date:02/05/2010

By Patrick Tretina

A classic David versus Goliath matchup is on tap for the Huskies this weekend. NIU wrestling faces its final road test when it challenges MAC counterparts Eastern and Central Michigan this Friday and Sunday, respectfully. “This is a big weekend for us,” said NIU head coach Dave Grant. “With two MAC [meets], it’s going to have a big effect on the rankings.” Eastern Michigan is coming off a nice win against rival Buffalo placing them firmly in third place in the MAC standings heading into this weekend. But the Huskies’ biggest challenge will be Central Michigan, who is ranked No. 6 in the nation, holding an impressive 11-2 record with recent victories over No. 25 Old Dominion and No. 15 Virginia Tech. The Chippewas have six top 15-ranked wrestlers on their roster as well. Despite the tall task in hand, Grant remains confident. “We‘re not worried about that,” Grant said. “Our guys looked good this week.” The Huskies are riding a big win of their own. NIU is fresh off a 42-0 pounding of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville last Friday. Although the Huskies may not possess six ranked wrestlers, redshirt juniors Bryan Deutsch and Vince Castillo have performed well lately. Deutsch brings his impressive six-match winning streak to the table this weekend, facing off against Eastern Michigan’s Aaron Sulzer and Central Michigan’s No. 14 Steve Brown at the 157-pound weight class. Deutsch also grabbed runner-up for the MAC Wrestler of The Week with his 6-point rally to nab a 7-3 decision over Steve Ross of SIUE last Friday. Castillo was scratched from the lineup at the SIUE meet but will be back in action to test his four match win streak against Eastern Michigan’s Mike LeHolm (14-5) and Central Michigan’s Conor Beebe (15-6). “Our guys are focused and ready to take care of business,” Grant said. The Huskies are in the final stretch of their season and this weekend could determine who they face at the MAC tournament March 6-7.