Ledyard — Picture it: A basement cave, decorated in Early Concrete, the one the Ledyard High folks call the "bomb shelter." Late on a Friday afternoon and about two dozen kids partake of end-of-practice sprints across the wrestling mats, masks on, demeanors reflecting equal parts determination and desperation.

This would not make the TV commercial that trumpets the glory of high school sports.

And yet there's no place they'd rather have been.

Because they have their season back.

This was Friday in the bomb shelter, the wrestlers of Ledyard High preparing for Saturday's invitational in Guilford. Allyn Quibble, the former champ-turned-coach, prepared his team Saturday's 6 a.m. departure, gently reminding them to watch their food and drink intake for the evening. You make weight or you don't.

This sport is not for everybody. Wrestlers are old school. They practice discipline and hygiene. They are tougher than vinegar. And they needed every bit of their resolve to process the pandemic. Because no group of high school athletes suffered worse than they did.

"Every other sport got at least something. Even football," said Ledyard senior Connor Doran, who was the 2020 Class S champ at 113 pounds as a sophomore. "We were left in the dust. No sympathy from anyone, which I thought was pretty harsh."

Wrestling's rhythms begin and end with proximity. It's you and the opponent on the mat, pretzel-twisting and learning that six minutes feels as though it can last longer than some marriages. It is for that reason state high school athletic officials put the kibosh on the 2020-21 season. A kid like Doran, with college aspirations, had no junior season and no film to show prospective coaches.

"Very difficult for sure," he said. "Really hard to be able to get in a room and practice because all the clubs I used to go to were closed. You just couldn't wrestle. We just could condition and lift."

Quibble: "Last year was hard. I see basketball, guys right there next to each other, too, getting to play. It didn't make a whole ton of sense when it came to the science of it. How are you going to let five guys on the court all on each other all the time? It can be just as physical sometimes. But I think just the whole physical part of wrestling made the health department say it was a no go."

It is a "go" now. But COVID cases are altering sports calendars everywhere. At Ledyard, wrestlers do not need their masks when they are on the mat. But they must wear them for everything else, including conditioning. It's not easy.

"I'm glad I don't have to wear a mask on the mat. Honestly, I think I would pass out," Doran said. You are battling for six minutes straight. I get tired even without a mask. I can barely make a presentation in class with a mask on."

Then Doran paused and said, "I don't want to spread it to my family. But I'm vaccinated and my family is, too. So I feel safe."

But they may never feel comfortable.

"I only worry about it because we have a kid that's not vaccinated and it can affect the entire lineup," Quibble said. "Being vaccinated is helping the kids to continue participating. But I'm worried about it. We try to keep masks on as much as possible. We have wipes and keep the mats clean. But even if you are vaccinated you can still spread it. I keep my fingers crossed very day.

"I tell the kids to be vigilant. Don't hang around with wrong friends or someone you know to be a close contact. Don't go over their house. Be smart. Don't go to parties. Try to stay focused on your commitment."

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro