Wrestlers hurt by injuries, fatigue

With only two dual meets left on the schedule, it is time for the Michigan wrestling team to look ahead to both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. But a few Michigan wrestlers are probably looking for some rest and relaxation.

Michigan has been bitten recently by the injury bug. Compounding the problem is a roster that featured five freshmen against Purdue. There isn't a lot of experience on the team with the grueling preparations for the two championship meets in the near future.

Corey Grant suffered a deep calf bruise at the end of Thursday's practice and is expected to miss the last weekend of the season. But Michigan coach Dale Bahr said it could have been much worse.

"We thought that his leg was broken," Bahr said. "He's not moving around too well right now, but at least his season's not over."

Frank Lodeserto has been bothered by a nagging ankle sprain suffered Jan. 24 against Wisconsin.

"We'll probably keep him out until Big Tens," Bahr said. "It's real hard to recover from an ankle sprain if you keep wrestling. The only thing you can do is rest it."

The two freshman mainstays in Michigan's lineup, Andy Hrovat and Charles Martelli, are looking to stay strong through the end of the season.

"It's a long season for the freshman," Bahr said. "It's real tough for them to maintain their intensity for the whole season."

Bahr said that Martelli has been going through some difficult times on the mat.

"He's at his low point, as far as this season goes," Bahr said.

Hrovat, on the other hand, seems to have found what it takes to make it through a long season. In the match against Purdue, Hrovat moved into 10th-place all-time for wins by a freshman.

"I gotta give credit to the conditioning and coaching I've been getting," Hrovat said. Michigan assistant coach "Joe McFarland has been getting on me lately to improve my mental side and that's helped a lot."

Bahr credits the attitude Hrovat brings to the mat for helping him this season.

"He's not afraid to go after points, which you don't usually see in a freshman," Bahr said. "He's out there laughing and smiling which is great to see."

Injuries and fatigue aside, the Wolverines feel they will be ready to grapple with the best in the next month.

"It might seem unrealistic with the inexperience we've got," Bahr said. "But we want to win at some Big Ten titles and then go see what happens at NCAA's."

02-15-99