There’s No Doubting Thomas

Keith Thomas is wrestling again for El Camino Real High, much to the amazement of observers--and himself.

“Miracle is a pretty strong word,” the 6-foot-1, 147-pound senior said. “But even I can’t believe I’m back.”

Four months ago, Thomas, a linebacker and special teams player, suffered a severe knee injury during a kickoff against Chatsworth when a teammate’s helmet struck the side of his right leg.

Thomas, who placed second in the City Section wrestling finals last season at 135 pounds, suited up for football on a lark. He wound up being carried from the field, his knee in shambles and his wrestling future in jeopardy.

“Someone took a picture of me being carried off the field, and I was crying,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t upset about football. Football wasn’t my sport. I was really upset about the wrestling season.”

The diagnosis: severed anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, and a torn posterior cruciate ligament. In short, a dislocated knee.

Or, as Thomas puts it: “A torn ACL, MCL and something CL.”

Confused and despondent over the prognosis in October, Thomas can afford a bit of jocularity now. He will take an 8-0 record to the mat today in the opening round of the City dual-meet finals at El Camino Real.

“He is determined and he’s going to give it all he’s got,” said Terry Fischer, El Camino Real’s wrestling coach. “He wants to make it to the state finals.”

After a remarkable rehabilitation, Thomas joined the wrestling team Jan. 9 and recorded a 10-8 come-from-behind victory over Andres Ojeda of Chatsworth in a 145-pound match.

“I told the doctor I wanted to come back by Jan. 24,” Thomas said. “He said I might be wrestling by February . . . if I worked really hard. The doctor said I would never really be [free of] pain.

“There were times when it was pretty bad. It just felt like it was aching all the time. It still aches. When the storms are coming, my knee throbs.”

During a match last week against Tony Mendoza of San Fernando, Thomas limped to the mat, his right leg heavily bandaged and a leg brace restricting his mobility.

Thomas twice summoned the attention of trainers and coaches. But he was in control throughout and emerged with a 13-4 victory.

Thomas spent the first week in bed after being injured. After a month of having his leg immobilized, Thomas began physical therapy three times a week.

“They told him he’d never walk right again or wrestle again,” Fischer said. “I thought he’d be back in about three months. The doctor disagreed. The trainer disagreed.”

Thomas can qualify for the state meet in Stockton on March 6-7 by winning a City title Feb. 28. Thomas has competed at 145 and 152 pounds this season.

Thomas has relied on his lanky build and quickness. But he has been forced to make adjustments.

“The brace kind of gets in the way,” Thomas said. “I used to lead with my right leg and shoot with my right leg the whole time. Now, I lead with my left leg and shoot with my left leg.

“A lot of people have said, ‘You’re crazy. You’re not going to be wrestling. But that just motivated me to get better.”