By Ed Piper
You could feel Caden Kestler's frustration. The 145-pound wrestler loves to wrestle, and he thought with a leg impairing him that he was out for the season.
High school athletes have already experienced so many off-again, on-again occasions during these 23 months of COVID, that they enjoy moments where all that is put aside and they can play basketball, get out on the soccer field, or grab an opponent on the wrestling match.
So, a week ago, Caden got out of his brain freeze: If he could go dirt-biking, he figured, he could probably compete in wrestling and not do the leg any more harm. He will have ACL surgery after the season.
At Cathedral Catholic Wed.. Jan. 19, Kestler left the bright red CCHS mat and said to an individual, "I couldn't get him." He and Don counterpart Jack Wilson struggled for hand control, and Wilson defied the Viking grappler.
"It was about the hands. He (Wilson) was trying to grab my hands, and I couldn't (avoid it)," Kestler explained. He wasn't making excuses, but the brown-haired junior informed a reporter he had just returned to team practice in the La Jolla team room the day before. That's not enough time to get some conditioning and start feeling a rhythm and practicing some of his moves to be proficient.
Kestler took the Don sophomore down for a takedown early in the first period. Wilson subsequently pulled a reverse and took control, tying the score at 2-2.
Caden showed some of his explosive strength in this round, still rested.
In the second period, Kestler scored again, but so did Wilson. 6-4, Dons, period 2 ended.
Finally, Wilson, wrestling on his school's Senior Night before a COVID-constricted home crowd, built up an 8-4 lead as he moved closer to a pin. It finally happened 48 seconds into the period. Match over.
Are you still glad you came back this season, before City Conference and CIF? Caden: "Oh, yeah."
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