Cebulski, Argos set to wrestle in Malta

On Saturday, October 25, Malta High School graduate Chad Cebulski will be in town with a bunch of his friends. Last week, Cebulski was in town to do some fishing with friends and hang out in his father's new man-cave. On the 25th, he might want to repeat the fun filled weekend he had in Phillips County, but that will have to wait as he and nearly 30 of his University of Great Falls Argo Wrestling teammates will be in town at an inner squad meet to be held at Malta High School.

"The team likes to go to someone's hometown to start the season to kind of get the word out about the UGF Wrestling Team and get people interested in our program," said Cebulski on Sunday afternoon.

Last season the Argos got their season underway in Florence with an inter-squad meet where there was a strong turnout. Cebulski said he hopes to see a large crowd come out for his homecoming in two weeks as well.

"We are hoping to get a good turnout from people across the Hi-Line and people I grew up with," said Cebulski.

It has been about five years since Cebulski has wrestled in front of the Malta faithful and in that time he has found a lot of wrestling success including a fourth place finish at the NAIA Wrestling Championships in Topeka, Kan., where he helped the Argos team to a second place finish at the event. Cebulski has started his senior year at UGF and has high expectations for himself in his final year of wrestling.

"I had some good success last year and I am only looking to build on that," the 157-pound grappler said. "I am hoping to have a great year wrestling. I'd like to bring home that National Championship. It will be tough, but that is what I am here to do this year. I think it is an attainable goal for the team and for myself."

Grand View College of Des Moines, Iowa, has wonthe NAIA Championship for the last three years and they look like they haven't skipped a beat going into the 2014-15 season, according to Cebulski. With that fact in mind, Cebulski is confident that he and his teammates can challenge for the title.

The Argos wrestling team consists of a roster with nearly 40 athletes in its ranks. Cebulski said he thought that for the meet in Malta the team would be bringing about 20-to-30 wrestlers to dual on the night and he said if you are a fan of wrestling, Malta High School would be the place for you on October 25.

"People can expect to see some good wrestling," he said. "We have some tough kids on this team and we have been working hard and are in shape. Everyone is coming to battle that night so it should be an exciting night for everyone who shows up to watch. It's kind of weird to think that I will be wrestling at my old high school. I never thought that would happen."

The event will be an inner-squad dual to see who makes varsity and see where everyone is as a team. Cebulski has found great success as an Argo wrestler, he said no one's position is simply handed to them and he has to earn his spot on the varsity squad.

"My chances are pretty good," he said. "But we have some tough guys coming in at my weight so it is not going to be easy."

The Argos start their regular season on November 1 at the Trapper Open in Powell, Wyo., and the following week at the Cowboy Open in Laramie, Wyo., before Cebulski and his teammates return to the HI-Line when they travel to Havre to wrestle in the Montana State Northern meet on November 13. Cebulski won't return to the Hi-Line to wrestle until February 21 when he and his teammates return to Havre for the Western Regional Tournament – UGF's season consists of 27 separate meets before the NAIA National Wrestling Tournament in March.

"The Top Four from Regionals advance to Nationals," Cebulski said. "We will try to get as many people qualified as we can there. We can take 12 guys so hopefully a bunch of us advance."