Wrestlers now turn to 'Plan B'

Seeding was determined from the Cedar Run District dual matches. Two restaurants were sponsoring the hospitality. Parents and Osbourn High School personnel were supposed to help with concessions.

The Cedar Run wrestling tournament was set to take place at Osbourn on Feb. 6.

That is, until the snowstorm which covered Northern Virginia threw the Prince William County and city of Manassas wrestling postseason into complete chaos.

The tournament was moved from Saturday to Monday. But with Manassas schools closed both days and again on Wednesday, the tournament is now cancelled.

And Loudoun County, where district member Loudoun Valley is located, has already closed school for the entire week.

Further complicating matters is more snow scheduled to hit the area Tuesday and Wednesday.

District activities directors were scheduled to meet on Tuesday to plan the remainder of the winter sports schedule.

"We're in a holding pattern," Battlefield coach Jack Brady said. "The ADs will try to sort it out for us."

Cardinal District wrestlers are preparing for the Northwest Region match at Colonial Forge High School on Feb. 13.

The Cardinal tournament was cancelled after the snow wiped out both attempts to have it. A possibility remains, however, of expanding the regional seeds from four to six.

Whatever the format, all wrestlers will enter the Saturday's match, should it still go on, having had to improvise their conditioning thanks to Prince William County schools being closed for the past three days.

"Our guys have been out running and shoveling snow," Hylton coach Nate Murphy said. "It's been just me contacting them and seeing what they're doing. There's nothing I can make them do."

Forest Park coach Seth Cameron has told his wrestlers to stay conditioned no matter how they do it.

"Do something like shovel snow or have a snowball fight," Cameron said. "Do something where you're running around."

Some Forest Park wrestlers have parents who are members of a gym in their neighborhood. At least two wrestlers have small mats and can wrestle in their homes.

Brady has told his athletes how to handle the conditions they face. He has corresponded with some through email and they have told him how they are staying conditioned.

"My guys have been instructed to watch what they eat and work out two hours a day to keep up their stamina," Brady said. "Most are pretty good about doing that.

"With the school systems that are closed, we have to wait and see what our ADs come back with. The weather isn't helping us out."

The date for Manassas Park's Region B tournament is to-be-determined. It was originally scheduled for Feb. 13 at Strasburg High School.

Manassas Park was scheduled to wrestle in a Northern Sub-Regional Tournament in place of a district tournament. The Sub-Regional, scheduled for Feb. 6, was cancelled.

Brentsville was supposed to compete in the Region II tournament on Friday at James Wood High School.

No announcement has been made regarding a postponement.

Staff writer Robert Daski can be reached at 703-878-8049.