Placer's Blachowski returns from injury, secures 99th career win

One month ago, Placer High School senior Katie Blachowski feared her high school wrestling career was over. A devastating knee injury threatened to derail everything she built, but her determination proved stronger than her doubt as she worked tirelessly to return to the mat. Wednesday night, Blachowski — a two-time state medalist and one of the most accomplished girls wrestlers in program history — erased any doubt about how her knee would hold up in emphatic fashion. Competing on senior night, Blachowski returned to the mat and pinned her opponent in the first round, earning the 99th victory of her career and bringing the Earl Crabbe Gym to its feet. Her pin punctuated Placer's 42-12 win over River Valley, marking a triumphant return just weeks after an injury many believed would end her season. For Blachowski, the milestone carried weight far beyond the win. "Winning 99 matches means it took a lot of losses to get there," Blachowski said. "You don't just get that from winning every single match. There was a big period where I lost a lot of matches, and I had to find my way back. I never thought there would be anything good to losing like that, but this is it." As the wins began to pile up, the possibility of reaching 100 career victories became real and she gave herself a new goal for the season. "My mom started to count," Blachowski said. "She supports everything I do. I love her so much. She was like, 'Katie, you're really close.' " Then came the injury. "It was sad," Blachowski said. "I was so close to getting 100. When I blew my knee out and thought I couldn't wrestle at state, at the very least I just wanted to break that 100-win mark." The diagnosis was sobering: a torn meniscus in the posterior horn and a partial ACL tear suffered during a dual tournament a month earlier. "I knew something was wrong as soon as I heard those two pops," she said. "I walked out and was like, 'Oh my God.' Tearing your meniscus hurts. That's what sucks. I couldn't kneel, I couldn't crouch, I couldn't bring my calves to my butt for the longest time." Rather than dwell on what she might lose, Blachowski chose to stay immersed in the program. "I didn't give myself the time to be sad about the injury," she said. "I knew it was going to change the trajectory of how I was wrestling, especially my senior year. But I told myself, 'I can mourn this when I'm done.' " She kept showing up to support her team, even when she couldn't compete. "I needed to show up to practice in my street clothes, on time, even though I couldn't get on the mat," Blachowski said. "I just had to keep going." When teammate Aeryn Cox was injured as well, the focus shifted to strength. "We just started committing ourselves to the weight room," Blachowski said. "We thought, at the very least, we'll be the strongest girls on that mat." Blachowski credits much of her resilience to those around her, especially Cox, noting her teammates and coaches helped shape her mindset and expedite her recovery. "I never really consider myself very motivated," Blachowski said. "It took my teammate Aeryn, who's unbelievably passionate. I was competitive with her, and I just did everything she did." She also pointed to her first coach as a freshman, Don Packheiser. "He instilled this idea into me of, 'Don't say you can't. You can, you're just not able yet,' " Blachowski said. "That's exactly what it's been like during my recovery. It sucks, but you're not able yet. You can." Even with medical clearance, returning to the mat came with nerves. "I was losing my mind all day," she admitted following Wednesday's dual. "I was thinking I was going to blow out my knee, that I'd never wrestle again, and that I'd have to get surgery early." Those nerves never fully disappeared. "I don't know if they went away," Blachowski said. "This is a very anxious sport. You tell yourself, 'If I get in a bad position, I'll give it up,' but it's so much easier to say that than when you're actually in a match. I know myself, and I don't want to give up." What steadied her was the sound of the gym. "Hearing my name being called by my friends, my family and the people who came to support me helped me settle in," she said. "That told me exactly why I was out there. That reinforced that whatever happened, that's why I went out there." The pin, the victory and the number attached to it were fitting for a senior night return. Placer girls wrestling coach Jeff LaShell praised Blachowski for her determination to get back on the mat and said her approaching milestone is one she should be proud of. "That's a big milestone. I went to Placer and wrestled here but I never got there. I ended at 96," said LaShell. "Her knee injury was such a huge, devastating blow, because we didn't know what that meant for the rest of her season. It's huge knowing that she has some strength in the knee to the point where she has some comfort and she's confident in how she can wrestle on it. I have no doubt that she will get to 100." For now, Blachowski will continue to focus on her path to the state championship tournament for a third consecutive season. She is currently ranked No. 9 in the state at 130 pounds.