Wrestlers, coaches holding their breath
Apr. 16—The week between wrestling regional and state tournaments is routinely used to keep wrestlers free of injury and any skin issues. Of course, this year brings a whole new concern that has had coaches and wrestlers on pins and needles.
Since regionals were completed and the pill was drawn, everyone has been concerned with avoiding shutdowns associated with Covid-19. It's something that has hit several teams during an abbreviated season and will remain an issue through the state tournament next week in Huntington.
"That's the hardest part for us, because we know in 10 days a lot can happen," Independence coach Jeremy Hart said Saturday after the Patriots claimed the Class AA-A Region 3 championship.
He also knows a lot can't happen if one thing goes wrong. The Patriots missed nearly three weeks not because of a team-related positive case, but because of contact tracing.
That's the ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment. And there is nothing anyone can do about it.
"There isn't. Just business as usual for this time of year," second-year Woodrow Wilson coach Matt Osborne said. "We kind of keep that stuff out of our heads and just hope that doesn't happen."
Like Independence, the Flying Eagles also went through an extended quarantine. One of their wrestlers tested positive six practices into the preseason, followed by five more within a matter of days.
In such cases, quarantines are understood. But being forced to shut down because of extenuating circumstances is not met well by the coaches, especially when it threatens wrestlers' shots at state championships.
"It's not right," Osborne said. "You're just taking it away from the healthiest population we've got. I hope that doesn't happen."
Greenbrier West coach Jeremy Tincher feels the same. The two-time defending Class A state champion Cavaliers qualified nine wrestlers for the state tournament.
"Our approach is just to try to be as normal as possible," Tincher said on Tuesday. "We have been very blessed and very fortunate that it hasn't gotten to us. I got seven more days. If we can forge on here for the next seven days and get this thing over with, I'll be a happy guy."
The delay to the start of winter sports and Covid concerns have forced a change in the tournament schedule. Usually a three-day weekend event, this year the tournament will run four days and be broken down by classifications. Class AAA will run Monday and Tuesday, followed by Class AA-A Wednesday and Thursday.
Everyone will be holding their breath a little while longer.
"We say we have our whole team going to states, but at the end of the day they have to go in the classroom all day, and unfortunately with the contact tracing and stuff like that, it's bit us bad several times," Hart said. "Hopefully we can stay away from that and get these kids to Huntington and make it a great year for them."
Email: gfauber@register-herald.com
