The Eastern wrestling team will head out on one of its longest road trips of the season when they travel to Dekalb today and to Kirksville, Mo. on Saturday.

This trip will cover almost 850 miles.

“We traveled to Nebraska last week, and we had good results,” said Eastern head coach Ralph McCausland. “We’re not going to pin anything on travel.”

Friday night at 7, Eastern will wrestle against No. 23 Northern Illinois in their biggest interstate rivalry of the year.

The Panthers (1-5) lost 26-13 to the Huskies (11-3) at Lantz Arena last season, and McCausland thinks that Eastern has a good chance against Northern despite their ranking.

“We’re looking for a good weekend even against Northern,” McCausland said. “This isn’t Indiana (no. 8 ranked team who beat Eastern this year) who has six guys ranked, they only have one.”

Northern’s Sam Hiatt (20-6) is the only ranked Huskie and is No. 11 in the nation at 133 pounds. Hiatt’s also No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference at his weight class.

At 5 p.m. Saturday, the Panthers will wrestle Southern Illinois-Edwarsdville (2-9), Newman and the host team, Truman State (2-3).

Each of these schools are Division II.

Truman State lost their last dual meet to McKendree, who Eastern beat 31-30 two weeks ago. Last season the Panthers beat SIUE 34-7 in their final dual of the year.

“It’s spaced out well so we’ll have plenty of time to travel,”McCausland said. “And weigh-ins aren’t ’til 4 on Saturday, so we’ll be fine,”