When two people are put on a foam mat and told to pin one another to the ground, an accident is bound to happen.

The boys’ wrestling team competed Feb 14 in the State Tournament when one of their wrestlers was taken away to the hospital.  Sophomore Chris Leatherman had broken his neck.

“Neck injuries in wrestling are not extremely common, but injuries period in wrestling are really common,” Leatherman said.

Leatherman was finishing up a match when his injury took place. His opponent illegally dropped him out of bounds, but only received a warning against unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I laid on the mat a couple of minutes, and then they carted me off,” Leatherman said.

Leatherman had his neck worked on at the hospital and was back in school on Monday. Now in a neck brace, Leatherman has had to take on a different lifestyle.

“It’s a completely new environment, I used to be out and about and everything, but now I’m stuck in my room,” Leatherman said.

Although he was told he may not wrestle again, Leatherman still smiles and stays strong through his journey.

“I thought I was tough. That was the first thing that went through my mind,” Leatherman said.