Loyola wrestlers ready to surge
Loyola Blakefield's wrestling team started the season ranked No. 10 and had climbed as high as No. 6 last week before plummeting out of the Top 15 today.
What happened to the Dons?
"We had six starters out with injuries and I just decided to sit everyone [of his starters] at the Arundel Duals last weekend," said Loyola coach Steve Truitt. "It's the reason for our debacle"
The Dons were without Ben Smist (103), Colin Miller (130), Tamar Boone (145), Colin Schuster (152), Gus Moreno (160 and Moreno's backup T.J. Robinson, Tony Alongi-Huslig (189) and Drew Simmons (215).
With those wrestlers Loyola was 12-6, but over the past weekend the team went 3-5 and dropped to 15-11.
"The MIAA's [Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association] this Friday at Mount St. Joe's is what matters," said Truitt. "I decided to rest my team to be ready for the championships."
The MIAA Championship at McDonogh will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday and continue at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Truitt said he expects all of his starters to be back to compete against the likes of No. 1 Mount St. Joseph and No. 2 McDonogh.
"We could finish in the top two or the top five," Truitt said. "It depends on whether we wrestle to our capabilities. Right now, we've hit rock bottom and it's time to start working our way back up."
