Your future, our focus
By RANDAL HOROBIK
Tribune Sports Editor
Prior to his team's Saturday showdown with No. 3 North Idaho, Northwest College wrestling coach Jim Zeigler made one demand of his team.
"I told them I wanted that moose," said Zeigler.
The Moose - a traveling trophy contested each year between the Northwest College and North Idaho athletic programs - had spent the two previous years of its existence on the North Idaho campus. It was an idea spawned by Zeigler during his time as athletic director at Northwest.
"Region 18, where North Idaho competes, is always competing near the top of whatever sport they're in, and that's where we want to be," said Zeigler. "At the time, we met in every sport, so we talked that it would be a good idea to have something just between our schools."
This year, however, the Trappers and North Idaho have met only on the wrestling mat. With North Idaho holding an 18-point lead from the two schools' earlier dual meeting in Couer d'Alene, it appeared The Moose was destined for another year in Idaho.
"I really wanted to win the dual," Zeigler said. "But I figured if I told the kids we needed a 19-point win, then even if we didn't get The Moose, I'd at least get what I wanted in winning the dual. We just started winning match after match, and pretty soon one of the kids comes over to me and says 'coach, I think we can get that moose.'"
And get The Moose, they did. The Trappers finished winning seven of the 10 matches to score a 30-10 victory in the dual. The traveling trophy will spend its first year in the possession of the Northwest College athletic department.