Bishop Guertin's Austin Steinruck has position over Merrimack's Charlene Haddad in the 106-pound battle during Thursday night's dual meet at Merrimack's H. Dana Taylor Gym. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

MERRIMACK – Merrimack High School wrestling coach Bryan Dine is a realist.

He knows it’s only January, and his injury-illness plagued team’s 60-24 dual meet loss to Bishop Guertin doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things.

“They’re always ready to wrestle,” Dine said. “You hope to put out your best lineup every night. But even in a typical season it happens two or three times – and you hope it’s for the divisional tournament.”

But the Division II championships won’t be until next month, and Dine had to go up against a good BG team without senior captain Cooper Carlson and Mitchell Krupp, both nursing injuries.

“Merrimack’s beat up, let’s be honest,” Guertin coach Paul Rousseau said. “Some of their better wrestlers aren’t here, they did the best they could to fill out a lineup. … They’ve been coming along really, really good.”

The Cards recorded nine pins, and were dominant at the heavier positions. For example, BG’s Charlie Bellavance recorded his win in just seven seconds at 220.

“In the middle, we’re a little bit weak,a lot of freshmen,” Rousseau said. “But in the upper weights, a lot of seniors, we’re strong.”

Guertin (John Forcier at 138, Jack Foster 152) and Merrimack (Nickolas Murphy at 145, Brendan Curley at 160) split the first four matches with pins, but then Guertin went on a run, beginning with Kaelem Wagner’s win at 170. The streak included Hunter Rheaume at 182, Zach Connerty at 195, Bellavance at 220, Rocco Geraci at 285 in 25 seconds, Austin Steinruck at 106, and Jack Kaler at 113. After the teams traded forfeits, Colin Foley won over Emily Angelo when Angelo injured her shoulder a few minutes in.

Rousseau loves his young, inexperienced wrestlers.

“Jack Foster at 152 is unbelievable,” Rousseau said. “He’s never wrestled before. …They work really hard, they’re really committed to the program.”

Enough to make Guertin a title contender? He downplays that thought, especially after Will Murphy is out for the season at 160.

“And we had a couple of other real good wrestlers leave the program for other sports,” he said. “But if these guys fight, we have seven or eight kids who can make some noise. There’s only 14 matches. If you have seven who can win, you’re halfway there, and then have some young kids sneak in, and then you have a chance to win the meet. … It’s wide open.”

But there was nothing wide open last night, as the outcome was really never in doubt. Just wait a few more weeks, that will change in Division II.