More often than not, the Helias Crusaders enter wrestling duals shorthanded.
Unable to fill out a full 14-wrestler lineup, the Crusaders know they'll need some bonus points to get a team victory.
More often than not, the Crusaders have done just that.
Helias won nine matches by fall Wednesday night in a sweep of duals against the Camdenton Lakers (45-33) and Rock Bridge Bruins (66-12) at Rackers Fieldhouse.
"When we wrestle somebody with a full lineup, it can be tough for us to win a dual," Helias coach Weston Keleher said. "We've got some opens and some injuries.
"But we wrestled well enough to win."
Camdenton had a full lineup Wednesday night, while Helias had three opens to put the Crusaders in an 18-0 hole. But the Crusaders won six matches by fall against the Lakers to more than overcome that deficit.
"We were getting some big pins," Keleher said. "This team knows we're short sometimes in the lineup and we have to get some bonus points to win duals and they've gone out and done it this season.
"We are picking each other up and it's great to see that."
Helias' biggest win of the dual didn't come by fall.
At 195 pounds, Noah Wieberg of the Crusaders squared off with Jacob Wooden of the Lakers. Wooden defeated Wieberg by fall last month at the Harrisonville Tournament.
Wednesday night's rematch was scoreless after one period. Starting in the up position in the second period, Wieberg worked Wooden onto his back for three near-fall points, then got a third-period takedown in a 5-1 victory.
"Noah wrestled smart, he was wrestling with good positions," Keleher said. "That match really was big in us winning that dual."
Winning by fall for the Crusaders in the dual were Gavin Adams at 106, Jack Lage at 113, Randy Salaz at 138, Nikolai Careaga at 145, Jackson Careaga at 152, Dustin Luebbert at 160 and Curtis Rockers at 182.
Rockers' win came early in the first period.
"He came over to me and said, 'You're welcome, coach,'" Keleher said. "Curtis is a kid who has been a lifer with this program, starting with Tri-Caps all the way to the varsity."
The dual against Rock Bridge featured nine total forfeits, six by the Bruins.
Adams, Nikolai Careaga and Luebbert won their matches by fall for Helias against Rock Bridge. Jackson Careaga won by a 5-0 decision, while Lage won 9-5.
Lage, a freshman, got a late escape in the first period to cut the deficit to 2-1 against Evan Diehls. He then got a late takedown in the second period to take a 6-3 advantage. Lage scored a pair of third-period takedowns to seal the victory.
"Jack Lage is tough," Keleher said. "He's constantly putting pressure on his opponent, he's constantly going."
Helias is back in action Tuesday in a double dual against Blair Oaks and Fatima in Wardsville. Action is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.