Blue Flu: Virus, Comets both take toll on Tiger wrestlers

Fort Scott's Jason Thorpe controls Chanute's Chad Klauman during a 145-pound bout during a Southeast Kansas League dual at the FSHS gymnasium Thursday night. Thorpe prevailed over Klauman, 5-2, in this match but the Blue Comets, ranked No. 7 in Class 4A by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, won the dual by a score of 51-27. (Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

Fort Scott High's wrestlers had it bad enough going into a Southeast Kansas League wrestling dual with Chanute at the FSHS gymnasium Thursday night.

The Tigers were already devastated by the flu. Five wrestlers were either out with the flu or just back from missing matches because of it.

The visiting Blue Comets, ranked No. 7 in Class 4A as a team by the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association, took advantage of the Tigers' woes to roll to a 51-27 victory in the dual.

Even head coach David Brown couldn't attend the match because he was sick with the flu. So assistant coach Alvin Metcalf consulted with Brown most of the day to determine what the Tigers' lineup should be.

"I talked with Coach Brown all day about what we were going to do and who we were going to have to leave out," Metcalf said. "Tyler Sharp (112 pounds) is sick with the flu. My son, John (160), just came back today for the first time all week. And Drew Bryant's (285) been out 2 1/2 weeks with the flu. We just got (Jacob) Durossette (125) and Cole Stewart (103) back because they had the flu."

On top of that, 171-pounder Christian Tavenaro ended up missing the dual after spraining his knee during warmups.

The Tigers (5-2 SEK, 13-4 overall) are not deep at some weights. Stewart is the only one who can make weight at 103 and Bryant is the only heavyweight. With Sharp, Bryant and Tavenaro out, Fort Scott was already giving up 18 points to the Blue Comets (4-1, 11-5) in forfeits.

But Stewart, in his first action since the Paola Tournament on January 22, pinned Chanute's Brent Slocum in the middle of the second period to cancel out the forfeit that came up at 112.

The Tigers picked up two more forfeits to take an 18-6 lead in the dual. Jerad Heckman was awarded the victory at 119. Durossette then expected to take on Tim Wrestler, ranked No. 2 at 125, in the next bout. But Chanute head coach Andy Albright -- a former FSHS wrestler under Brown -- decided to switch Wrestler to the 130-pound slot, where he pinned Race Kastl 53 seconds into the match.

Troy Clark, ranked No. 4 at 135, pinned Fort Scott's Victor Hughes at 135, which tied the dual at 18-18.

Jared Fiscus, ranked No. 6 at 130, moved up two weight classes to take on John Hughes at 140. Although freshman Hughes lost 9-0, Metcalf appreciated his effort.

"John Hughes did a good job against Fiscus," Metcalf said. "Fiscus was a State qualifier last year and John did a very good job tonight. He kept fighting and refused to get pinned."

Jason Thorpe gained a 5-2 victory over Chanute's Chad Klauman at 145 pounds, which brought the Tigers within one point in the dual, 22-21.

Chanute won the next four matches. Sam Son, ranked No. 2, won at 152 over Bryce Daly on a technical fall. Tyler Kidwell pinned B.J. Wilson at 160. Skylar McGinnis claimed a forfeit at 171 when Tavenaro couldn't go. And Jared McComb pinned Dane Cummings at 189.

Brendan Blackburn picked up Fort Scott's last victory in the dual when his 215-pound match against Ross Debler was stopped on an injury default. Jacob Reed accepted a forfeit for Chanute at 285.

The Tigers were also scheduled to take on Columbus but the Titans were not able to make the trip due to the cancellation of school there. Fort Scott and Columbus will make up their dual at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Pittsburg, where most of the league schools are gathering to make-up snowed-out duals on the final day of the regular season. Columbus itself has to make up five duals Saturday.

"We have to come back, have one day of practice," Metcalf says. "Then we're going to wrestle Columbus down in Pittsburg and we have to send the JV to Burlington at 5 in the morning (Saturday). Then we'll have the next week to get ready for the Regionals over in Chanute."

CHANUTE 51, FORT SCOTT 27