2-12-05

I wrestled a kid that took 1st in the Districts and Regions last year. I

lost 8-5. I had a horrible 1st period again, gave up 7 points in the 1st.

Otherwise I wrestled excellent…scoring two escapes, a takedown, and he goot

hit with stalling. I'm still disappointed with the loss. Going against

seniors makes me a little nervous.

2-15-05

We are in the State Sectionals. We are wrestling a very good team in the 1st

round, which we probably won't win. I was wrestling really good up to this

point - I shot in and came out the back door, as I shifted to take him down,

my knee popped. I finished the match wrestling basically on 1 leg and

pinned the kid with a bottom leg cradle, I thought I was done wrestling for

the season because everyone thought I tore my meniscus.

2-17-05

I went for an MRI today. They think it's an almost torn meniscus, water on

the knee, and a contusion to the patella. Things are not looking good, and

to make it worse my knee kept locking up. Sometime for hours it would stay

in the same position and I can't move it.

2-18-05

Today I went to the orthopedic for my knee. The orthopedic said that the MRI

was not correct at all. It was just a strain on the ligaments that hold the

kneecap in place, and that I should be able to return for Districts if my

knee is up to it and I can tolerate any discomfort. I was told to keep

putting ice on it and rest it for the entire weekend. On Monday I should

start light cardio on the bike. We talked to a Chiropractor we know and she

started me on these laser treatments for my knee and the surrounding areas

of my knee. She was like I can't 100% guarantee full recovery but she

thought it would be a lot better.

2-20-05

There was a party at my coach's house today. It was great. We played Madden

2005 and Fight night. Then we ate lots of food. He cooked everything

imaginable. We ate Twinkies and Tostitos with a hint of lime. They were

awesome. We got a 10-pound Crunchbar and between the 15 of us, we ate

about half of it. Then we went to the quarters and semis of the State

Sectionals. After that we went back to my coach's house and had the best

dessert, ice cream and fruit. My coach and teammates are so much fun to

hang out with we had the best time. I got home that night and my dad was

like get on the scale lets see the damage …so I did and it said 129.3…I

started out at 123.6. My dad freaked out and was like ""How do you think

you're going to lose this weight? You can't work out hard because of your

knee!" He was really upset because I can't work out like everyone else can

and loose it.

2-21-05

For the whole week I've been going for these "laser treatments" for my knee.

My friend who runs track, and gets shin splints it helps him be able to run

in the track meets. It definitely works because I started to feel better

after the 4th and 5th treatment.

2-22-05

Our whole team is getting really sick with a stomach flu. It started out

with our 125 pounder. Then our 103 pounder, and then it got to me. I left

practice feeling fine and 4 over. I got home and had a little salad, but I

couldn't finish it because my stomach wasn't feeling too good. I went to bed

and 20 minutes later I started to throw up. This went on till about 3:45 in

the morning. I threw up a grand total of 12 times. The only bright side to

this is the fact that I am 4 pounds under!!! My dad went out and got me

these Pedialyte pops and a 2.4-pound Pedialyte bottle. I was able to drink

all of that and 4 pops and I still stayed at 118. My dad kept teasing me

"there is a weight loss program for you".

2-25-05

D-Day!! I'm seeded 3rd and wrestle a kid I stuck in a dual match. My knee is

feeling great. I'm pumped and ready to go. I'm 2 under so this way I can eat

something tonight and I'll be fine for the next day's weigh-ins. Well, I

pinned the kid in the second period with a guillotine. Tomorrow, I wrestle

the kid that beat me in the dual match 8-5 and is last year's Districts and

Region champ.

3-8-05

I am just writing about 2-26-05 today. I pulled off one of the BIGGEST

upsets. I beat Schmidt 3-2. The match was 0-0 going into the second period.

He took down and I rode him out the whole period. We both got hit with

stalling once. 0-0 going into the 3rd. I take down and escape its 1-0 me. I

got hit with stalling and it was tied. I took him down with the

match-clinching take down with 30 seconds left. With 7 seconds left the ref

hits me with stalling. I won the match. It was the most amazing moments.

I've never felt this way after a wrestling match. Except for maybe winning

the Neptune Classic. It was such a good feeling. Joe Schmidt is such a

great kid he came up and was talking to me in the stands afterward. Now it

is time for Quinn of Southern. I feel like I can definitely beat him. I

wrestled Quinn amazingly. I took him down with 4 seconds left in the 1st

period. It was 2-0 me. I took down and escaped, 3-0 me. I got an amazing

bear hug on him and it was on the line but the ref didn't give me 2 even

though I had my toes in. Then 3rd period its still 3-0 me. The crowd was

going crazy. He takes down and after about 30 seconds I let him go because

I don't want to get hit with stalling. He shoots a shot and gets me over his

head and I get slammed to the mat and break both bones in my forearm. I just

remember screaming and all of the pain. I looked right at my trainer Steve

Rivera and up at my mom and Steve says "Matty sit down just sit down". I

remember the craziness in the gym and that's it. It was the most pain and

disappointment of my entire life. I was going to be a District 24 Champion.

At first I told my coach in the trainers room I am done I am never wrestling

again. Then I told Vinny Salek I was beating him, I was beating him. The

pain was so intense nothing like anything in my life. I was taken away in

an ambulance. My coach came and saw me at the hospital and that was the

best to see him there and some of my teammates. They had to cut my singlet

off of me in pieces. I was worried my coach would be upset but he was like

don't worry about it. I kept thinking in the hospital why did this happen

to me. I was really upset. The pain meds they gave me just took all of the

pain away in an IV. I had to have my arm set in the Operating room under

anesthesia and stay overnight on my birthday. But I can't tell you how

many people wished me well and were so supportive of me. Some of my

teammates and friends came by with bags of food for me. Subs, cake,

sweedish fish, cookie dough, candy, chips gatorade, etc. My moms friends

came by with stuff for ice cream sundaes and chips and cookies. One mom

made me chicken parm and shells and another brought me a banana split. That

was the only good part of what happened being able to eat anything and

everything. I said to my parents on Sunday night the reason this must have

happened is that I am a freshman and Schmidt and Quinn are seniors and it is

meant for them to go to AC. Even though I think this I am still so

disappointed because I was winning and would have had my name on the wall in

our school. People that I didn't even know kept coming up to me at

Regions. Everyone was signing my cast and wishing me a fast recovery.

Fourteen weeks is a long time of not being able to really do anything.

Eight weeks in the cast and six weeks of just therapy and being careful.

This obviously ended my freshman-wrestling season. Everyone really believed

I would have been wrestling in Atlantic City. I will be there but just to

watch. Mark Lee is the only one going from East and I wish him the best of

luck there he really deserves it. He was a great captain along with Jay. I

would like to thank the gentleman from Monmouthshore.com and Steve Rivera

for giving me the opportunity to write this journal this year. If you

haven't already guessed my name is Matt Frank. And I definitely will be

back next year.