Ridge shuts down for a few days

pu,byline By HARRY FREZZA JR.
Staff Writer
One of the pre-season goals the Ridge High School wrestling team had this year was to qualify for the state team playoffs for the first time since 1990.
The Red Devils currently have a 6-9 dual meet record with four matches to go, so they still have a mathematical chance. But their quest has hit an obstacle.
Coach Jay Roussey said Friday night that several Red Devils have come down with impetigo, forcing the team to have postponed Wednesday night's match at Montgomery, and today's scheduled dual meet at home with Bound Brook. Roussey said he hopes the team will be able to wrestle at Phillipsburg Thursday.
Roussey said that two wrestlers had the skin rash, two others got checked and were negative and two more had their skin checked Friday. Bridgewater-Raritan postponed a match with Voorhees earlier this month because of its wrestlers came down with a skin infection, something that is common during the season.
Participation in sports that involve skin-to-skin contact, such as football or wrestling is common. Impetigo usually appears on the face, especially around an athlete's nose, mouth or arms.
"It really takes only one wrestler (to shut the schedule down," Roussey said. "It really spreads like wildfire."
He added that his school takes extensive steps to combat it.
"Our kids cannont be on our team unless they shower," he said.
Roussey said he hopes to have the meets with Montgomery and Bound Brook made up at some point. But since the season is a week shorter this year that might be difficult to accomplish. The state wrestling tournament in Alantic City has been moved up a week because Boardwalk Hall is hosting the Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Touranment from March 7 to 10.
Ridge is scheduled to wrestle Phillipsburg and have a quad with Franklin, New Egypt and Matawan at Franklin next Saturday. The cutoff date for the state wrestling tournament is next Saturday. Schools must have at least a .500 record to qualify.
"It's frustrating," Roussey said. "We really wanted to wrestle Bound Brook because we like our kids to wrestle all the schools in the district (District 18)."
Bound Brook will wrestle Lawrenceville today at 1 p.m.