Leading off today: Wantagh has postponed two dual meets and withdrawn from a tournament after a wrestler was diagnosed with herpes gladiatorum, a herpes simplex virus commonly known as "mat herpes,"
Newsday reported today.
Wantagh, ranked sixth in Division 1 by the New York State Sportswriters Association, postponed its Nassau Conference dual meet at Lawrence on Wednesday and tonight's dual at Bethpage. The Warriors have dropped out of tomorrow's Kujan Brothers Memorial tournament at William Floyd.
Wantagh participated in the Rocky Gilmore Tournament at East Islip on Jan. 10 and contacted the host school, which in turn notified officials of the nine other paticipating schools.
Herpes gladiatorum is a skin infection caused by the Herpes Simplex Type 1 virus and is spread by skin-to-skin contact. Lesions or clusters of blisters typically appear within about a week after exposure, and symptoms can include sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fever or tingling on the skin. The virus can reappear later, causing another infection that tends to be less severe.
"We shut it all down until we are sure that everyone is safe," Wantagh wrestling coach Jim Murphy told the paper. "We sent our entire team to the doctor to get checked out head to toe. This is an issue that has to be taken very seriously and addressed immediately."
The scare apparently does not extend back to Jan. 3, when Wantagh wrestled Sayville, Spencerport and Fulton at the Union-Endicott Duals.
Mount Sinai assistant coach Keith Wagner told the paper he bandaged a wound on the Wantagh wrestler's neck during Saturday's tournament. Wagner questioned the abrasion but the tournament continued.
"It apparently got worse over the weekend and his parents took him to the doctor on Monday," Murphy said. "He's currently taking Valtrex and is expected back wrestling on Tuesday."
Boys & Girls hot and bothered: Boys & Girls basketball coach Ruth Lovelace was upset before the Kangaroos, ranked 11th in Class AA, dropped an 87-79 decision to No. 6 Thomas Jeffereson in overtime. She was even less pleased when four of her players fouled out in a two-minute span of the fourth quarter and Boys & Girls gave away a six-point lead down the stretch.
Based on FiveBoroSports.com's report, it's safe to assume she doesn't exchange birthday cards with referee Ron Phillips, whom she had previously asked PSAL officials to exclude from working 'Roos games.
Boys & Girls was whistled for 31 of the game's 56 fouls. When asked if she believed Phillips, who worked the game with Vincent Murray, had it in for kids, Lovelace said: “You hate to think that, but then four kids foul out in regulation. What can I say?”
Lovelace did not place all of the blame on the officiating. Three turnovers and four missed free throws in the final two minutes were at least as important.
“We gave it away,” she said. “We make our free throws, we don’t go to overtime.”
Stripped-down ESG appears DOA: The local organizing committee has told the state that the Hudson Valley
