Ripple effect

Successful wrestling programs are built on character – forged through hard work and dedication and tempered by a passion for the sport that only other wrestlers can truly appreciate.

“Unless you’re a wrestler, I don’t think people understand just how difficult the sport of wrestling really is,” University High senior Chase Fish said. “For starters, for most of us, we’re working hard to cut weight at the same time we’re training as hard as we can. Unless you’ve done that, you can’t know how difficult that really is.

“That’s why I think wrestling is the toughest sport of them all.”

So when Fish saw his senior season end with a broken ankle, it affected many.

To a lot of people, the 125-pound state Class 4A championship match was going to come down to Fish and Auburn-Riverside sophomore Michael Mangrum – the top-rated freestyle wrestler in the country. Fish’s only two losses this season have been to Mangrum, the national champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Ironically, the nightmare scenario was played out at East Valley’s Dream Duals.

A four-year starter and a third-place finisher at 112 pounds a year ago, Fish moved up from his regular slot at 125 for a rematch with Lake Stevens’ Kelly Kubec at 130.

Kubec won a semifinal showdown at last year’s Mat Classic, and Fish was glad to have another shot at the defending state champion.

“The two of them shot at the same time and something had to give,” coach Don Owen said. “It just happened to be Chase’s ankle.”

At first, Fish and his family were given a ray of hope.

“We went to Valley Hospital to get checked out and at first they didn’t think it was that serious of a break,” the senior said. “It was looking there for a while like I could actually continue wrestling even with a broken ankle.

“But then we went to a specialist and he saw that it was more serious than they first thought. I had to have surgery and they put in six pins and a plate.”

That meant a summer of hard work would go without a season-ending payoff on the awards platform in the Tacoma Dome.

“It was pretty emotional when I got the bad news,” Fish said. “My coach started crying. My mom cried.”

“I can say this: I don’t think I’ve ever had anything affect me as much or depress me as much as losing Chase this late in the season,” Owen said. “I’ve lost other kids along the way, but never one who has put as much time and as much energy into the program as Chase Fish.

“I’m just happy to have been able to coach him the past four years. He’s the kind of kid you get into coaching for.”

For the time being, Fish said, he’s come to grips with the finality.

“I went with the team to the Regional Tournament and it was hard to watch guys I’ve beaten win,” Fish said. “I’m sure it will be tough to walk into the Tacoma Dome and not be part of that all.”

“I think the closer he gets to the state tournament the more the reality will come to him that he isn’t going to be a part of that,” Owen said. “It’s hard for him and it’s hard for his whole family.

“I don’t think people realize just how much wrestling families put into the sport. Since Chase was literally old enough to walk, his dad has been hauling him down to the little kid wrestling program. As he got older he went from one freestyle tournament to another. He’s been wrestling all summer.

“For a kid like Chase, the senior year is what they’ve been focused on and what they’ve been living for, and to have it fall apart on him because of a freak injury is very difficult for the whole family.”

Being without Fish also makes University’s bid to defend its state Class 4A title that much more difficult.

“We’re right in the thick of a state championship race and to not have Chase really makes it difficult for us,” Owen said. “Not only would Chase pick up points, he would pin his way into the finals. Not having him probably costs us between 20 and 24 points. Look at the final point totals at state and figure out what another 24 points would mean.”

Fish, who routinely gave up 20 pounds to his opponents as a 103-pounder his freshman season, plans to continue his wrestling career next year.

His brother, Cory, starts as a freshman at Boise State.

“I’m going to go wrestle in college, but I’m not sure where just yet,” he said. “I could wrestle at the junior college level, like at North Idaho, or at a college like Great Falls.

“It would be great for my parents if it was at North Idaho. If they had to drive to Montana and then down to Boise to watch my brother, it would be pretty tough.”