NEW PARIS – With four varsity wrestlers at home with the flu, Arcanum still made a good showing at National Trail that included Lehman Catholic and Dayton Belmont on the mats.

“It’s been a tough week (four out with the flu),” Arcanum varsity wrestling coach Andy Marker said. “Practice wise is what makes it difficult. We’re already small in number.”

Arcanum opened the evening winning three of five matches by pins against Dayton Belmont.

Keegan Artz lost a close match at the 138-pound weight class.

“I bumped him a weight class up and sent him out there,” coach Marker said about his junior wrestler. “Hindsight I wouldn’t have done it had I known he had the flu. I found out after the fact that he was sitting in the nurse’s office half the day. He still did a good job.”

Chase Gostomsky got Arcanum’s first pin of the night against his Dayton Belmont opponent in the 152-pound match.

Brad Byers at 160-pounds followed with a pin against Belmont’s challenger.

Not to be outdone Arcanum’s 182-pounder Lucas Gower pinned Dayton Belmont’s 182.

“They’ve been doing it all year. They’ve been doing a good job,” Marker said.

Arcanum faced Lehman Catholic next, winning three of four matches.

“I was real happy the way the guys went out and did tonight,” Marker said.

Adam Oda, wrestling for Arcanum, pinned Lehman Catholic’s 126-pounder.

At 138-pounds Keegan Artz got a pin for Arcanum against Lehman Catholic.

Lucas Gower made short work in his next match. Going two-for-two getting his second pin of the night for Arcanum at 182-weight class.

“We have the state duals Wednesday. I know the kids are looking forward to it,” coach Marker said. “We open up against West Liberty-Salem. We saw them earlier in the year at the Versailles invitational. We tied them 30-30 when we had our full lineup.

“They (West Liberty-Salem got the extra point for the tiebreaker criteria to beat us 31-30. We were fortunate enough to draw them (West Liberty-Salem) the first round, and hopefully we get a little payback.”