Prep wrestling | Marshall Craig steps into leadership role for Manatee after injury to Caleb Rudisill

BRADENTON -- Two days before Manatee's state title push began with Saturday's the Class 3A-District 8 tournament, the Hurricane who began the season with the best chance at a state championship was absent from one of his team's final practices before the postseason.

For the latter half of the season, Caleb Rudisill was relegated to a seat on the edge of the practice mats in the Canes' wrestling room with a brace on his knee.

When his injury was diagnosed as a torn ACL, his trips to practice became less frequent. One of Manatee's two seniors wasn't there to command the attention of the wrestling room and share his wisdom with a young team.

When Rudisill spoke, Marshall Craig was usually behind him. Rudisill and Craig were the only Hurricanes on this season's roster to win matches at states in 2015.

As Rudisill's voice faded, Craig's naturally grew until he at least partially filled the void left behind by Rudisill.

"Someone had to become the leader of the team and make sure everyone stays going hard in practice," said Craig, a junior. "I had to step up."

With Rudisill's season over, Craig is one of three Canes who will seek a second straight trip to the Class 3A tournament beginning this weekend. Manatee plays host the the Class 3A-8 tournament Saturday at 10 a.m. in Bradenton, and Craig gives the Hurricanes an obvious contender for a district title at 113 pounds.

Juniors Charlie Small and Matt McAleer also reached the state tournament last year, and they won county titles last week at 145 and 170 pounds, respectively.

Lakewood Ranch is the only other Manatee County team that competes in the same district as the Canes.

Hunter Reed, who finished third in Class 2A last year at 113 pounds, also won a county title and gives the Mustangs their most obvious contender at 120 pounds. Dylan Cameron, who won the county championship at Rudisill's vacated 132-pound class, finished fourth at the state tournament last year for Ranch.

Both teams had two additional county champions, who will wrestle in the Manatee High School gymnasium on Saturday with a chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Class 3A-Region 2 tournament.

"In order to have a chance you've got to qualify, so that's No. 1. This week it's real important to place top three," Canes head coach Andrew Gugliemini said, "So you don't have a (No.) 1 out the gate (at regionals)."

As one of only three Hurricanes at practice every day who went through the full postseason in 2015, Craig has to be a second voice for Gugliemini when discussing the postseason. He shares the burden with McAleer and Small, but both are quieter than Craig. The role suits the 113-pounder -- the second smallest wrestler in the lineup -- a bit more.

He had started to think about it anyway. The Canes have had a senior state-title hopeful each of the past two seasons, and Craig was following a similar trajectory.

Like Rudisill, Craig reached the state tournament for the first time as a sophomore and was ready to take a leap as a junior before sliding into the typical senior role.

"It was going to happen next year. I wasn't prepared for it to happen this early," Craig said, and then shrugged. "It happens. I've got to deal with it."

Earning respect, he said, wasn't difficult. He already was Rudisill's right-hand man, and one of the Hurricanes' most experienced and accomplished grapplers.

And experience is crucial this time of season. Even Rudisill admits to be overwhelmed by the moment during his first trip to the state finals before cultivating confidence for his second effort. Craig has gone through a similar birth of confidence since the end of last season and hopes his teammates can follow his lead.

"I feel like me and Caleb were kind of co-captains before, so I feel like my teammates knew that I was the one who would step it up," Craig said. "I'm expecting to become district champion this week and continue to follow that."

David Wilson, Herald sports writer, can be contacted at 941-745-7057 or on Twitter@DBWilson2

This story was originally published February 18, 2016 at 12:00 AM.