© NCSU Student Media
Sophomore Darrius Little tries to take control during a wrestling match in Reynolds Coliseum Sunday afternoon. The Pack lost 12-30 to Ohio.
Sunday’s wrestling match versus Ohio University was overshadowed by significant injuries to two nationally ranked competitors. Senior No. 15 Joe Caramanica at the 141-pound weight class was out with a neck injury, and junior No. 3 Darrion Caldwell, at 149-pounds, was out for his second straight dual with back spasms. The Wolfpack, overmatched because of these injuries, fell to Ohio 30-12.
“[Injuries are] a part of wrestling” Kody Hamrah, a redshirt senior at 157 pounds, said. “We have had more [injuries] than usual this year, but it’s just something we’ve got to work through.”
Hamrah, along with freshmen Quinton Godley at 165 and Jake Burge at 174, was victorious Sunday.
“[Godley and Burge] wrestled awesome matches,” Hamrah said. “The guys who were in there did real well.”
Redshirt junior Ryan Tice stepped in at 141 for Caramanica and sophomore Sean Smith replaced Caldwell at 149.
“[Caramanica and Caldwell] are two important people on the team. The guys that are filling in are doing their thing, but [those] are some big injuries that can hold [us] down,” Godley, who was battling a thumb injury himself, said. “[We] can not let injuries hold [us] down. Once those two guys get back on the mat, all things will be good.”
Godley fell behind in his match 2-0 going into the third period, but came out victorious after an escape for a point and a takedown for the two match-winning points.
“I haven’t been doing too well, so I was just trying to go out with a bang,” Godley said. “[When] I was down 2-0, I knew I had to get a takedown. I knew he was about dead, so I wasn’t stressing a lot. I was just trying to get into his head a little bit.”
According to Godley, he was not going to let a thumb injury keep him from wrestling against Ohio.
”I don’t let my injuries hold me down. I just go out there and try not to act like a little wimp when I’m out on the mat,” he said. “I try not to take any injury time and hold mine out to the end.”
Concerning the team’s injuries, coach Carter Jordan added, “I have never seen anything like [what we have had to face]. It has been pretty devastating, but at the same time I have been really proud about the resilience of the team.”
The Pack travel to UNC Greensboro Feb. 11 and then take to the road for their final two conference matches of the season at Virginia and Virginia Tech.
“We need to build some momentum” Jordan said. “It’s really been three steps forward, two steps back this season, because of the injuries. Win, lose or draw, we’ve got some tough duals coming up. Once we get everyone healthy next week, it will be extremely important [for us] going into the ACC tournament. “
On March 7, the team will travel to Blacksburg, Va. for the ACC Tournament, followed by the NCAA Tournament held in St. Louis March 19-21.
“What we’re focused on is seeding for the ACC and NCAA,” Jordan said.