The water polo season has unfortunately opened up with two key injuries to Seniors Kyle Griffin and Ross Frankenfield. While the team has been able to maintain a winning record (3 and 1) in terms of games, it has lost two four-year water polo players.

Griffin, who also swims for MHS during the fall, suffered a midshaft humeral fracture while attempting to land a jump on his snowboard at Hidden Valley. His original prognosis would keep him out for the entire season, but Griffin said he hopes to return by the end of the season.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to play towards the end when the state tournament rolls around,” Griffin said.

The midshaft humeral is a bone that connects the shoulder to the elbow. Griffin completely snapped his in half. He plays left flat for the team, a shooting position which involves heavy use of the arm, so Griffin said there was no way he could have played much this season. In order to fill the void, Coach Joe Schoedel has made several moves. Griffin said Schoedel has more juniors in the mix, and has converted Robert Henige, senior, from goalie to a shooting position.

“At the start of the season, we had to move Henige from goalie to a field position to make up for the injuries,” Griffin said.

Despite his injury, Griffin said he recognizes that the Mustangs, who are currently second in state, will continue to dominate.

“I expect us to really finish the season strong,” Griffin said.

Frankenfield said he completely shattered his middle finger while weight lifting during his strength training class.

He has been going through what he calls an accelerated training program, so now he can swim and anticipates to make a return by early May. But for now, Frankenfield offers a basketball analogy regarding him and Griffin.

“Right now it’s like we’re a basketball team, but we’re missing the Center,” Frankenfield said.

As four-year high school swimmers, teammate Grant Morris, junior attacker, certainly agrees that they are the “Centers.”

“They’re a main reason we’re second in state,” Morris said.

Frankenfield said he has high expectations for the team when him and Griffin return.

“We’re going to destroy, no question,” Frankenfield said.

Morris, also a swimmer, said he can see how the injuries have hurt the team. He said with Griffin and Frankenfield playing, the Mustangs would be undefeated.

“They’re great players,” Morris said. “You can just see the difference without them.”

Morris said that since the team has subtracted two seniors for a majority of the year that he and other players have to step up to make things happen.

“We’re a good team,” Morris said. “We just have to keep having people coming to support us.