Baylor finished second to Father Ryan in the Division II state wrestling tournament a year ago, and Cole Hayes tried to shoulder the blame for the missed championship.
“We lost by a couple of points. I felt it was my fault, especially because we had to forfeit all the matches I would have wrestled,” the Red Raiders senior said as the 2010 tourney approached.
A returning titlist from the 2008 season, Hayes was the favorite to win the 130-pound championship again. Instead, he could only watch that title match between two wrestlers he had beat earlier in the season. He was sidelined with mononucleosis and an accompanying enlarged spleen that had not returned to normal size.
“I had to bite my tongue at practices,” he said.
His time in the wrestling room was limited to critiquing teammates as they prepared.
“That was tough. I’m not the kind that likes watching,” Hayes said.
He went to the state tournament and sat on the first row. He took notes and scouted teammates’ upcoming opponents.
The bout with mononucleosis, which lingered for six months or longer, wasn’t Hayes’ first encounter with setbacks. He was primed to start as a freshman and was being touted as a possible four-time state champion, but he blew out a knee — tearing three of the four ligaments — before the season.
He rebounded as a sophomore to win his first state title and was well on his way to No. 2 when he came down with mono. Wrestling teaches its athletes to get up when knocked down, to try again and again, so Hayes entered his senior season with high hopes although he had twice endured major setbacks.
He begins the state tournament this afternoon with a 35-1 season record — but having endured setback No. 3.
“I had run up to the bookstore to get some materials required for a class, and I was going back to class,” he said. “I started down the steps and my foot slipped. My toes were pointed down after my heel caught, and the ankle rolled.
“I sat there for a minute and thought, ‘I’m OK. I can do this. Everything’s OK.'”
He got up and limped to class, where he remained for 15 minutes before deciding he needed to see the school nurse. By the time he got there his ankle had ballooned, and by late afternoon he was in a stabilizing boot and needed crutches to get around.
“It was one of those odd injuries,” Baylor coach Jim Morgan said. “He was going to the bookstore and trips. He has worked out this week and he’s come back as strong as he can. He has been doing cardio work. He’s a real trooper.”
Hayes’ injury was one of a handful that has crippled a team that might have been among the best in the school’s rich wrestling history.
“We went into the season with a fantastic lineup and thinking we had one of the best teams in Baylor history,” Hayes said. “Over the course of the season we have had seven starters out of the lineup.”
The rash of injuries began shortly after Thanksgiving. Among others who have been sidelined are Zach Watson (119), Trey Stavrum (145) and Adam Shuford (160). Nelson Pinkstaff, who would likely have been the Red Raiders’ 171-pounder, never made it to the wrestling room after suffering a shoulder injury in football.
“In more than 50 years of coaching, I have never seen kids face this much physical adversity,” Morgan said. “It happens. You have healthy years and years that are not so healthy, but I’m proud of the ones who stepped in and filled slots.”
The Red Raiders are healthy enough to shrug off only the second season with at least nine losses in the Morgan era. Watson and Hayes are definitely back, and Stavrum should be. They might be close enough to finish ahead of McCallie and to give favorites Father Ryan and Christian Brothers a serious race for the team title.
“Based on their performance at the duals (Ryan first, CBHS second), you’d think they’d be the favorites, but don’t leave out McCallie. I think they’ll be healthy this week, and they are always a good tournament team,” Morgan said. “For us it feels good to have a fairly healthy bunch in the wrestling room. We just want to keep it that way.”
TSSAA Division II
Wrestling tournament
Schedule
(All Times EST)
Today
9 a.m. — Weigh-ins
11 a.m. — Round of 16, quarterfinals; first two consolation rounds
7 p.m. — Semifinals; third round of consolations
Saturday
9 a.m. Weigh-ins
11 a.m. — Consolation medal rounds
7 p.m. — Championship finals
Returning Champions
Baylor: Zach Watson (119), Stuart Doster (140)
Christian Brothers: Daniel Baucke (130), Alex Johnson (135)
Father Ryan: Cole Mosey (112), Wes Wesley (171), Cory Norcross (285)
McCallie: T.J. Duncan (152)
Other returning area medalists
112: Alex Ward (McCallie, 4th/103); John Eady (Baylor, 5th/103)
119: Tim Westbrooks (McCallie, 4th/112)
125: Alex Manley (Baylor, 2nd/119); Taylor Silberman (McCallie, 5th/103)
135: Cole Hayes (Baylor, 1st/130, 2008); Michael Hooker (McCallie, 2nd/125 2009, 1st/112 2008);
145: Trey Stavrum (Baylor, 3rd/135 2009, 6th/135 2008, 4th/103 2006); Houston Clements (McCallie, 4th/135)
152: Matthew Cate (Baylor, 3rd/140)
160: Chase Martino (McCallie, 2nd/152 2009, 5th/130 2008)
171: Nathan Condrey (McCallie, 6th/171)
189: Mac Ferguson (Baylor, 2nd/171)
215: David Helton (Baylor, 2nd/189 2009, 3rd/189 2008); T.J. Satterfield (McCallie, 5th/285)
285: John Mackey (Baylor, 2nd/215)