Rare losses at Desales still drive UC’S Fickell
There aren't a lot of video clips of Luke Fickell the high school wrestler, which is strange given he won 106 consecutive matches and three state titles his last three years at Desales. One clip is easily found, though.
It's Fickell in the state heavyweight final his senior year. His opponent is Akron Hoban's Ray Edmonds, a massive presence who had committed to playing defensive line at Michigan. Fickell had done the same for Ohio State. The advance hype centered on the future rivalry. You guessed it might.
Fickell was 6 feet 5 and 230 pounds of lanky. Strong, but not in a weightlifter's way. Edmonds was 6-3, 270, none of it shy. Edmonds looked like a pop star's bodyguard. He'd lost once in 35 matches that year. Fickell was 38-0. Fickell pinned Edmonds in 54 seconds. Tossed him around like pizza dough. About 30 seconds into the match, Fickell dropped Edmonds with a single-leg takedown. Some 20 seconds later, he turned Edmonds with an arm bar. The whole blink-and-miss-it match looked so simple for Fickell. And maybe it was. After all, he'd been
(COVID-19 shutdown), and we're still managing the injury. We've got to be smart with that too. You don't want him to get in and re-injure it or put him in a bad position.”
Laine told reporters Monday he's ready to return.
“It's just up to the coach when he wants to put me back in,” Laine said. “I've been feeling really good the last week, week-and-a-half, but I feel ready to go.”
This isn't the first time Laine has dealt with an oblique strain, one of the most unpredictable injuries in sports. It's not like a broken bone or sprained MCL in the knee, which typically heal in predetermined amounts of time. Obliques are muscles that run alongside the torso and are critical in the pushing motion of skating.
During the game he was injured, Laine pulled up while forechecking behind the Colorado Avalanche net. He left the game, knowing what injury he'd sustained. Laine also strained an oblique with the Winnipeg Jets last season, prior to the trade that brought him and Jack Roslovic to Columbus.
That one took about three weeks. This one needed more time.
“I actually had it first game last year, also, so it's not new to me,” Laine said. “I think was a little bit worse than last year, but it's definitely not new. I've just got to heal quick and get back to action.”
The Blue Jackets could certainly use him in the lineup, regardless of when it happens.
They have won just twice in the 10 games (2-7-1) prior to their string of postponements.
“It's obviously a frustrating time to be injured, but injuries … they don't ask any questions,” Laine said. “They just happen sometimes. I've just got to find a way to get back and play the same way that I did before.”
Jenner, Robinson and Korpisalo remain on Blue Jackets’ COVID protocols list
The Blue Jackets didn't add any new names to their COVID-19 protocols list after testing Tuesday and Jakub Voracek was able to practice after an undisclosed injury kept him off the ice Monday.
Those were positives on the health front, but the Jackets also practiced without three players nearing the end of their 10-day isolation periods. Captain Boone Jenner, forward Eric Robinson and goalie Joonas Korpisalo were still on the protocols list for a third straight workout, which could keep them out for the game scheduled Thursday against Nashville.
Oliver Bjorkstrand was placed on the protocols list after testing positive Monday and is almost certainly out against Nashville unless he's asymptomatic and passes two COVID-19 tests within a 24-hour span. bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger