Wrestling: Shoulder pain forced South River's Ryan out of GMCT

Many attending Saturday's Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament finals suspected defending 195-pound champion Doug Ryan of South River injury defaulted to Monroe's Pat Dressel in a rematch of the 2014 title bout due to his surgically repaired leg.

One of the conference's best all-around athletes, Ryan broke his leg just before the start of the 2014 football season and had a metal rod inserted.

The senior, however, entered the final with a banged up shoulder and was unable to compete beyond the first period of last weekend's final.

"He had a hurt shoulder," South River head coach Bobby Young said. "It was bothering him. He really aggravated it in the semifinal match. He said it was bothering him."

Young said he told Ryan going into the final that he should stop wrestling at the first twinge of discomfort.

"No sense in hurting it more," Young said, noting that Ryan consulted with a doctor and was held out of Tuesday's dual against East Brunswick as a precaution.

"We're just resting him up."