Lake Orion wrestling coach Doug Kline knew that to take on the state’s toughest schedule, his team would have to remain healthy.
In recent weeks, however, the team has struggled to get anywhere near 100 percent.
‘Right now we have five starters out with assorted injuries,? Kline said. ‘The young men we replace them with put forth great effort, I don’t have to worry about that.?
Case in point, some of the younger members of the LO squad nearly pulled off a comeback effort against Rochester Adams last week.
Wins by Doug Mack and Justin Ruddy got LO within striking distance.
That brought up freshman Curtis DeGeorge at 130 pounds, who along with Mack and Ruddy has impressed Kline immensely this season.
Unfortunately, DeGeorge fell victim to a late takedown by Adams’s Matt Bienick in a 7-6 heartbreaker.
‘We see Adams in our team district and hopefully we will have some of our kids back as well and that should make a huge difference and give our other guys a lift,? Kline said.
The team district comes up at Lake Orion on Friday.
Also last Wednesday, the Dragons topped Avondale 47-30.
That two-match night began a busy stretch for the team, which topped Novi Catholic Central 42-21 the next night and went 3-2 on the weekend at the Oakland/Macomb Challenge.
The Dragons topped Romeo (33-31), Roseville (37-24) and Warren Woods Tower (35-27), falling to both Chippewa Valley (31-36) and L’Anse Cruse (30-39).
On the day Jake Pratt (103 pounds), Jake Varilek (152, Allen Sigler (160), Morgan Maciejewski (171/189) and Evan Gros (189/215) went 5-0 for Lake Orion.
Last Wednesday was also ‘Senior Night? for the wrestlers at LOHS. For more on this, see this week’s web edition.