The pain dissipates with every passing day and every passing match for the seventh-ranked Old Mill wrestling team, but the hurt has far from subsided, especially when the 112-pound match is called.
That lineup spot was reserved for Joey Ackermann, who was supposed to be a key contributor in the Patriots? quest to defend its Class 4A/3A state tournament title.
But Ackermann never made it back for his junior season, as he died shortly after his 16th birthday.
Ackermann passed away on Oct. 13 after a freak yard work accident in which he sustained severe burns to more than 90 percent of his body on June 14. He spent the next four months battling infections, respiratory distress and neurological and heart damage before succumbing.
“Any death is tough, but when it is someone so young, who was your teammate and friend, it?s even more difficult,” Old Mill 189-pound senior Ethan Brown said. “That could have been any of us. It makes you think about life.”
Old Millhas done everything it could to dedicate this season to Ackermann?s memory, including wearing light blue plastic bracelets ? similar to Lance Armstrong?s “Livestrong” ones ? that read “Joey 4ever in our hearts.” The Patriots also have held moments of silence before matches and practices and break their pre-match huddle by yelling “Joey.” His family also created a Web site ? joeyackermann.com ? which was originally used to update his condition. But it has developed into a tribute for him, as it features his photos and comments from friends and family. A scholarship fund has been set up in his name.
Old Mill 119-pound junior Willie Pumphrey said the hardest part of the season, which also included former Mount St. Joseph assistant Dan Youngblood taking over as coach for the highly successful Jim Grim, was the team?s first match on Dec. 5 against Hammond when Ackermann wasn?t there.
“I just got so used to Joey being right there before me,” Pumphrey said. “Reality really hit me right there and then. What happened to him could have happened to me. Since Joey passed away, I?ve just tried to appreciate everything life has to offer.”
The Patriots said Ackermann’s death has made them work even harder this
season as they try to win another Anne Arundel County title this weekend at
Arundel and defend their state title in coming weeks.
Old Mill enters the event 16-3 after it lost to Stephen Decatur, 31-28, in the finals of the 4A/3A East Dual Meet Tournament.
“No one expected us to be in contention this year because we?re younger than we have been in a while,” Old Mill junior heavyweight Aaron Hawkins said. “This whole season has been a roller coaster for us and to win a state title for Joey would make it so special.”
