Strouse hasn’t let diabetes slow him

Everything was falling into place for Tamaqua’s Bronson Strouse.

A District 11 junior high champion, Strouse was firing on all cylinders, ready to take down his next challenge.

But Strouse’s next test wasn’t on the mat.

“I was at junior high state championships and I lost 15 pounds when I weighed in and I like blacked out,” said Strouse, who was in eighth grade at the time.

Strouse, who was wrestling at 210 pounds at the time, weighed in around 185 pounds.

Something was wrong.

“I was seeded first at states. I beat the first kid, and then next two matches I went down and just lost it there,” Strouse said. “I went home and was sleeping in my bed and still didn’t feel right. My mom came up to my room and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital and I did.

“When I got to the hospital, I’m not sure, when I got to the hospital, my sugar was over 1,000.”

Strouse was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes that March.

“I would wake up in the middle of the night all the time and I would have to go to the bathroom,” Strouse recalled. “Everything I drank just went right through me.”

Fast forward nearly two years, and Strouse is thriving once again.

A regional qualifier a year ago, Strouse been dominant wrestling at 220 pounds for the Blue Raiders this season. The sophomore pinned all three of his opponents en route to his first Schuylkill League title last Saturday after placing fourth at the tournament last year. He currently has a 23-2 record.

Strouse acknowledged the diagnosis changed his eating habits – as well as his preparation before taking the mat.

“I just check my sugar before the match,” Strouse said. “And sometimes it’s high because of my nervousness and stuff. That’s been pretty normal so far. So that’s been going well.

But anxiety for Strouse can mean more than just nerves.

“I think the biggest thing is that, his sugar could be low, and/or his sugar could be high. And the way that occurs really affects how he feels, and how he’s able to reach his full potential as a wrestler,” said Tamaqua head coach Jim McCabe. “So if the sugar’s off and he’s really nervous and it causes the sugar to rise or drop, he could lose the sense of feeling normal like you or I would feel. We get nervous and that could cause problems. A person with diabetes could get nervous, and their blood sugar changes a lot more drastically than the average non-diabetic, which then causes an even greater problem, and an even greater challenge to work against.

“His coach last year, Jon Mashack, would say to him, ‘Bronson, if you feel good, then you are good.’ And I think that he likes to talk to someone before his matches, especially if it’s a bigger match, like the league championship, just to calm his nerves and make him feel like the diabetes isn’t gonna control him in his match, as long as he feels normal. And the more he can relax himself, and realize that, OK, everything’s OK, I feel good, then I shouldn’t have to worry about my blood sugar being too low or too high.”

And McCabe can relate.

“I was talking to someone the other day, and I said when I was in high school I was giving my father diabetic shots in the men’s room before I went out to wrestle,” he said. “My dad had it for a long time, and in the last couple years of his life, we pretty much took care of him … so when the blood sugar was low, we knew we had to get glucose in him. And if it was too high, we knew what we had to do. So I wasn’t necessarily trained, but I have a good understanding of it because I helped my dad deal with it for a long time when he couldn’t take care of it himself.

“It is an aid that I saw how much my father would become incapacitated when his sugar got too low. I could feel Bronson’s pains that he’s worried that it might get too low because he knows that it would really hamper his ability to be successful.”

It certainly hasn’t so far.

“I feel good,” Strouse said. “It takes a little bit to get used to. Eventually, it just goes away and doesn’t bother me. I feel normal.”

If there ever is a time Strouse when doesn’t feel as he should, McCabe knows he can get the care he needs.

“I think that’s the most important concept, that as long as we work together and he does a good job on his part, maintaining and monitoring his blood sugar level,” McCabe said. “And if I can’t have the answer, no matter where we go, whether it’s at Tamaqua or any other school, the athletic trainers are trained in that, and we can use them for our benefit to maximize what needs to be done in a specific situation.”

Once an obstacle, Strouse has put his diagnosis behind him – just like many of his opponents.

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ICYMI … A total of 23 area wrestlers medaled at the Schuylkill League Wrestling Tournament over the weekend, up from 17 last season. Lehighton’s Chris Whiteman (145) and Tamaqua’s Bronson Strouse (220) placed first. Jim Thorpe’s John Newhall, Lehighton’s Tyler Schock (152) and Panther Valley’s Hunter Kennedy (170) all had runner-up finishes. In addition to the finalists, the following area wrestlers finished in the top six: Jim Thorpe – Andrew Eisenhardt (sixth, 120), Ethan Mordaunt (third, 195); Lehighton – Nate Kemmerer (fourth, 126), Lucas Sangiuliano (fifth, 132), Logan Pagotto (third, 138), Brett Gasker (sixth, 220); Panther Valley – Colby Newton (third, 120), Tanner Kennedy (fourth, 160), Derrick Beckham (third, 182), Aaron Eidem (fifth, 285); Tamaqua – Randy Steigerwalt (sixth, 113), Aaron Coccio (fourth, 120), Pierce Demetriades (fifth, 126), Caleb Sell (fourth, 132), Brandon Mader (fourth, 138), Khalid Holland (sixth, 152), Carson Krell (fifth, 170).

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JV TOURNAMENT ... Several area wrestlers also had strong showings at the Schuylkill League JV Tournament over the weekend. Panther Valley’s Louden Breiner (103-113), Lehighton’s Cody Engle (132-138) and Tamaqua’s Noah Griffin (160-170) all placed first. Lehighton’s Jagur Lynn (106-113) and Tamaqua’s Anthony Gogal (160-170) had runner-up finishes.

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MILESTONE … Lehighton’s Nate Kemmerer surpassed 500 team points Saturday at the Schuylkill League Tournament. Kemmerer, who placed fourth in a loaded bracket, currently has 98 career wins.

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WELCOME BACK ... Lehighton’s Cody Scherer returned to the mat Tuesday night with a first-period pin against Pine Grove and followed that up with another first-period fall on Wednesday against Blue Mountain. Scherer, a Schuylkill League runner-up a year ago, missed the beginning of the season recovering from an injury he suffered during football season.

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OFF THE MAT … Four Times News area wrestlers were ranked in Off the Mat’s fourth issue of Class AA rankings. Northwestern’s Caleb Clymer was ranked seventh at 170 pounds, while Panther Valley’s Hunter Kennedy was eighth, up from ninth last week. Clymer was sixth and Kennedy eighth in last week’s poll. At 160 pounds, Northwestern’s Jackson Bernhard was 11th, down from 10th last week. Tamaqua’s Bronson Strouse was still ranked 15th at 220 pounds. Panther Valley’s Tanner Kennedy, who was 11th, last week, dropped out of the rankings. Two District 11 teams were still in the top-25. Saucon Valley held firm at the No. 9 spot, while Wilson stayed at 19th.

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WHAT TO WATCH FOR … Panther Valley will host the 9th Annual Coal Cracker Tournament this weekend. It is a double-elimination, two-day tournament featuring a 32-man bracket, with action taking place at both the high school and middle school on Friday. Among the 32 teams competing will be host Panther Valley, Jim Thorpe, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern and Tamaqua. Awards will be given to the top-eight wrestlers in each weight class. Trophies will also be awarded to the first- and second-place teams, as well as the tournament’s outstanding wrestler. “Coal Cracker should be a good one. Lots of good local competition,” said Palmerton head coach Justin Petersen.

Below is a schedule of events for the varsity tournament:

Friday, Jan. 26

Round 1 - Pigtails (8 mats): 4-5 p.m.

Round 2 - 16 man (8 mats) and first round consolations: 5-7 p.m.

Round 3 - Quarterfinals (8 mats) and second round consolations: 7-9 p.m.

Round 4 - Third round consolations (8 mats): 9-10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 27

Round 5 - Fourth round consolations (4 mats): 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Round 6 - Semifinals (4 mats): 12-2 p.m. and consolation quarterfinals: 12-2 p.m.

Round 7 - Consolation semifinals (4 mats): 2-3 p.m.

Round 8 - Third, Fifth, Seventh-place matches (4 mats): 3-4 p.m.

Round 9 - Finals (2 mats): 4:30-5:30 p.m.

There will also be a JV tournament held Saturday at the high school. Wrestlers eliminated on Friday night can be added to the tournament. Medals will be awarded to the top-three place winners in each bracket. It will be an eight-man, double elimination style bracket. Every wrestler will be guaranteed at least two matches.