LANCASTER, N.Y. — When high school wrestlers in Erie County take on wrestlers from surrounding counties this season, they're facing athletes who had a three-week head start.

What You Need To Know

  • High schools in Erie County are finally hitting the mats for a wrestling season
  • It came after one lawsuit and months of mixed messages
  • Here’s what the past few months have been like for wrestlers at one of those schools
​​​​

"It seemed kind of unfair that they were able to do what we do, but 30 minutes down the road," says Myles Gronowski, a junior at Lancaster.

"It was annoying, not being able to wrestle," says Bryce Bolognese, a Lancaster senior. "At least trying to go out there and compete with other people. Seeing kids that live 20 minutes away from us being able to wrestle while we had to sit there and not be able to. It was frustrating for us.”

On April 21, Section VI announced that high school wrestling could start on May 3, and while most counties in the section were on board with the delayed start date, Erie County was alone in opposing it. The county's department of health recommended against holding a wrestling season in this academic year, citing the county's COVID numbers (more than 100 active cases per 100,000 people) and saying that wrestling was a "high-risk" sport.

Three weeks later, on May 14, Erie County announced that its wrestling teams could begin a season, joining high schools in the surrounding counties. Lancaster's wrestlers were surprised to hear the announcement after some of them figured the season was gone.

"I was at work making pizzas," says Bolognese. "I was happy. Finally being able to wrestle, and conclude my senior season.”

"I was sitting on the couch, and my buddy texted me," says Gronowski, who had to lose 10 pounds in the next week.

With wrestling moved to the spring, many athletes had to choose between wrestling (typically a winter sport) and a second sport. Some schools don't have the numbers to field a team, and some athletes are juggling two practices a day across two sports.

"I’m going from baseball practice at 2:30 p.m. to coming here," says Josh Jelonek, a senior at Lancaster. "Going out there in 85-degree heat, and you’re running around and doing whenever, then you come back in here, and in here it’s like 80."

Still, a shortened season is better than no season.

"I’m just happy to have a season," says Michael Schaefer, a freshman (and defending section champion) at Lancaster. "I get to work at the sport I love."

"You get discouraged, but the whole wrestling community got behind this whole thing and made it happen," says Clint Schaefer, Lancaster's wrestling coach (and Michael's older brother). "Now it’s a chance to compete. It’s a chance to get better. That’s all we were asking for the whole time."