Northern Bedford's Joel Suter was prepared for the worst news - that he wouldn't be able to wrestle in the postseason because of an enlarged spleen from a bout with mononucleosis. His coach, Jan Clark, told the Mirror Wednesday "it doesn't sound good" for Suter to wrestle.
On Thursday afternoon, medical tests showed that the spleen was half the size it was Monday, so he was cleared to wrestle in the District 5 Tournament, which begins today in Windber.
"It was just unbelievable for a second," Suter said. "My family was there too. I was prepared to not wrestle. I was prepared for the worst, but I was not losing hope.
"It feels like the whole world was praying for me. I got annointed [Wednesday]. Everybody was asking me today at school and when I got back [about the results]. They mobbed me at practice. They all gave me high fives and were happy for me."
Suter said he's going to be wear a pad this weekend as a precaution. Suter, who is 19-0 with 16 first-period pins at 215, also hasn't practiced at all in February.
"I'll have to adjust some," he said. "I rolled around with my brother today. I'll have to roll around before I wrestle. I just have to get through districts."
The news wasn't as good for Bedford 285-pounder Dave Frederick, who will miss the tournament with a staph infection.
- Todd Irwin
