On the eve of his team's match against North Carolina, wrestling coach Clar Anderson seemingly has picked up a new profession-card dealing. He's certainly done more shuffling than any blackjack dealer on the Vegas strip the last couple of days.
With two projected starters gone with a injury in the preseason, three more starters missing from the Appalachian State match and another starter falling victim to the flu, Anderson has had to re-order his lineup almost from match to match just to fill the starting slots.
And apparently, Anderson may be tired of the shuffling and just may decide to play with a short deck when his team (5-7, 0-1 in the ACC) faces No. 21 North Carolina (5-3, 2-0) tonight at 7 p.m. in Cameron.
"I may forfeit a few matches [tonight]," Anderson said. "But the guys I put out there, I expect them to compete and do well. [Tonight] will be important for ACC seeding, but also for the individuals, it'll be a chance for them to show where they are and how far they've come."
Deuce Harris (157 pounds), who missed the team's last match with a strained back muscle, and Sean Meakim (133 lbs.) are expected to return to Duke's lineup against the Tar Heels. Jason Gorski (141 lbs.) will have his jaw re-evaluated tomorrow to determine his status for North Carolina. Heavyweight Alex Hunt, however, may have to miss tonight's match with the flu.
The injuries could not have a poorer timing, as the Blue Devils are heading into the bulk of their ACC schedule with matches against North Carolina and Maryland in the next week. The Tar Heels have already shut out Maryland 40-0 and trounced Virginia 32-6. Earlier this season, the Cavaliers beat Duke 37-7.
"It's definitely the most inopportune time for these guys to get hurt," Anderson said. "I was hoping we could bounce back; we have such a thin team that it's pretty tough."
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