Gilman isn't the only school to have a wrestling team faced with a short roster at the start of the season, but the Greyhounds are a perfect example of what the student-athlete sometimes has to endure to compete and help his school and his team.

In a Dec. 8 match against No. 10 John Carroll, Gilman coach Henry Franklin had to ask four of his varsity wrestlers to move up at least one weight class and in a couple cases two.

"This year, unfortunately, with injuries and the weight certification process we haven't been able to fill specific sizes," said Franklin. "And that means sometimes bringing up kids a weight class or two."

According to the certification process wrestlers can only lose 1.5 percent of their body weight per week, which sometimes means a slow process of meeting weight requirements.

"It's somewhat of a challenge with the weight certifications," said Franklin. "Say you have one kid, only one, for 135, but according to the process he isn't allowed to weigh 135 now because he will lose weight during the season. So right now he has to weigh 137.

"It's a huge challenge for the lower weight classes. Say you have a kid who will wrestle 103, but right now he weighs 108. He has to wrestle up at 112 and gradually lose the additional weight."

In the John Carroll match, Gilman forfeited three classes at 103, 119, 125 and then asked Andrew Riina (189), Conner Webb (215) Devon Porchia (285) and Nick Young (171) to wrestle up in class.

Riina, up two weight classes, actually gave away a full 20 pounds to his opponent, Webb nearly as much. And Young, who would normally wrestle at 160, moved to 171 where he faced John Carroll's Matt Miller, a returning state champion at 152, who has moved to 171 this season.

All four Gilman wrestlers lost by pin, hard results to swallow even when taking one for your team.

"It's definitely true all those kids were sacrificing themselves going up in weight," said Franklin. "And just being part of a wrestling program is tough. But one of the great things about wrestling is that you don't have to win to win, as long as you give it your all."

A wrestler who gives it his all can be proud of his effort, his performance and his result no matter what it is.

And as Franklin said that night, his team got a jump start in the learning process.

"They now know what they have to do to get better," he said. "And knowing it this early in the season they have time to work on it ..."

Gilman will face a similar tough task Saturday (Dec. 11) at the Quaker Classic at Friends School where six teams will compete beginning at 9:15 a.m.