The injury bug hit Haines High School wrestlers at a Metlakatla tournament last weekend, with two Glacier Bears making early exits from the competition.
“We started out really good at first, but petered out after injuries brought down morale a lot,” said coach Dennis Durr. “Guys are sore and a little out of shape, but we’re working out some of those mistakes.”
Haines finished seventh in the 10-team field, trailing Ketchikan, Craig, Petersburg, Thorne Bay, Metlakatla and Thunder Mountain, and topping Hydaburg, Juneau-Douglas and Klawock.
Grapplers were placed in “A” or “B” brackets based on ability.
Results for the Glacier Bears in their individual brackets included: sophomore Ketch Jacobson, second at 120 pounds; sophomore Mori Hays, fifth at 126 pounds; sophomore Austin Davis, fourth at 145 pounds; junior Zane Durr, fourth at 152 pounds; senior Casey St. Clair, fourth at 170 pounds; and freshman Carl Tupou, third, and junior Tyler Murphy, fifth, at 182 pounds.
Coach Durr said several wrestlers showed great improvement from last season.
“Guys got wins that hadn’t gotten wins in their entire career,” he said.
Freshman Cameron Merklin-Bauer (120 pounds) and junior Kai Hays (160 pounds) were sidelined by injuries.
“It’s a tough sport,” Durr said. “Muscles get stretched and people get bruises, black eyes, bloody noses.”
Haines travels to Petersburg for another tournament this weekend, this one expected to have a larger field.