GHS Wrestling Grapples with Restrictions

Glastonbury's Michael Norman wrestles Wethersfield's Mark St. Andrew during a meet on Jan. 12. Norman pinned St. Andrew, improving his varsity record to 5-2

No high school sport in the state has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic more than wrestling. 

Football and cheer have also felt the heavy hammer of the pandemic, but wrestling lost an entire season last year and is now continuing to sludge through the regulations placed on the sport, which have limited participation and forced forfeits and canceled meets. 
           
Last Wednesday, Jan. 12, the Guardians hosted rival Wethersfield in a meet, but because of the harsh restrictions for high school athletes returning to competition following a COVID-exposure, nine of the 14 varsity matches resulted in forfeits.
           
“We’re showing up every day and the matches that we have had we are fighting until the end,” said GHS head coach Jake Jones. “Even if we aren’t winning the matches, we are going to look professional and be a respectable group.”
           
Despite having a majority of the meet result in forfeit, the Guardians and Eagles competed in five competitive matches with Glastonbury coming away with a 42-22 advantage overall (including forfeits). 
           
Glastonbury scored a pair of impressive individual wins. Sophomore Andrew De La Rosa (126 lbs.) pinned Wethersfield’s Mateo Aguire Ussher and freshman Michael Norman (145 lbs.) pinned Wethersfield senior Mark St. Andrew.
           
For Jones and the team, they’ll take what they can get because of what happened a season ago when they were limited to conditioning-only. 
           
Competition was reinstated this winter, but with the strict guidelines and recommendations for return to play that have been set by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC), which were updated on Jan. 11, have not allowed the team to have a normal meet.    
           
“We feel like they could cancel us tomorrow. We thought we would get really good updates with the new guidance but it really got worse for us,” said Jones, whose team has meets scheduled on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the season.
           
Jones added that because of the physical nature of wrestling, the return to play rules are overlay harsh, “Every Wednesday I’m waiting for someone to call and tell me it is canceled and every Friday afternoon I am waiting for the same thing and praying it doesn’t happen. We just want to get as many matches as we can this year.”
           
Michael Maciolek, the team’s only senior, did not get a chance to wrestle against Wethersfield and won by forfeit. It’s been a doubly bizarre season for Maciolek, who battled with mononucleosis to start the season and has had to endure multiple forfeits since returning. 
           
“It's been a little weird but I’ve tried to help any way that I can, whether that is coaching them in practices or just helping them out doing whatever I can,” said Maciolek.
           
Jones, who was an assistant for three years prior to taking over as the head coach last winter, said that Maciolek has been a big help, making sure the younger wrestlers are prepared for practice and meets, adding, “he knows how things are supposed to be done and he’s set a good example.”
           
Maciolek is one of three returning wrestlers, along with juniors Andi Jano and Nathaniel Post.
           
Jones praised the trio for persevering during last season’s cancellation and credited their work ethic. He added that Jano has made “a massive leap” since he was a freshman. 
           
Four days after the Wethersfield meet, Maciolek and Jano were able to compete and scored wins in a meet at Ledyard last Saturday. Maciolek pinned Koshawn Dempsey of Harding and Jano pinned Emanuel Velez of Harding on Jan. 15.  
           
Along with limited matches, the Guardians have also have obstacles of practices, which take place at Gideon Middle School, three miles away from where they have meets at the high school. 
           
Jones, who lives in Colchester and works in Groton, says the team has battled bus issues because of staffing shortage, along with the logistics of practicing at one location and having meets at another.
           
Through it all, Jones and the team have rolled with the punches. The hope is that the team is at full strength by the time the regular season finale rolls around on Feb. 9 against South Windsor at GHS. The class meets and the state open will soon follow
           
“COVID really makes it difficult, but we are thankful we have something to do. When the kids are at practice they are happy to be there and we work hard,” said Jones. 
           
Maciolek added that the last couple years have been challenging, yet the team’s bond cannot be broken. 
           
​“Wrestling groups are always close and this is the closest group that I have been a part of. I’m very grateful that we've all gotten even closer fighting through the practices and whatever we have to do,” Maciolek, who also plays football at GHS. “It’s all brotherly love and we just get out here every Wednesday and Saturday and try and do our best.”