Grapplers on both teams intend to sport the color pink to their match in honor of Knightdale announcer Beth Teel's battle with cancer.

Teel emailed Knightdale coach Alex Von Hoene before this season started to inform that he might need a backup announcer to call Knightdale's matches. Teel had been diagnosed with breast cancer in September and underwent surgery to remove the cancer that month.

To Von Hoene's surprise, Teel, who continues to undergo chemotherapy, kept her post behind the scorers' table.

"I found it incredible she's got all this going on and she's worried about announcing high school wrestling," Von Hoene said.

"The kids were asking about her and I read them some of the email she sent me. They were floored she was thinking about them."

The Knightdale wrestlers wanted to show their appreciation and support for Teel and were aware of the effort of football teams nation-wide to wear the color pink during the month of October, when National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was observed.

"I talked to Brian Staples over at East Wake to find out how both teams could do something to honor her together," Von Hoene said. "We came up with the idea of the pink socks. It's not really original, but it is a good way to show her our support to say, 'Hey, we're here for you.' "

The East Wake program's collaboration in honoring Teel is appropriate. Teel's son, Caleb Churchwell, was a state championship contender for the Warriors in the 2003-04 season.

"It's a chance to honor someone that has been important for both schools," Staples said. "Since we don't wrestle in October this is a good chance for the winter sports to get involved in the cause as well.

"Any time we can do something community awareness-wise were all for it. Sometimes these kids live in a vacuum and it's good to get them to see what's outside."

Von Hoene said his kids really took to the initiative on their own, personalizing Teel's situation by relating it to family members and friends of theirs who are also affected by the disease.

"It affects everyone one way or another," he said. "I think they understand the importance of it and wanted to do something about it, and have shown their maturity in dealing with this.

"This is a great example of how we work as a family. The older players can tell the younger players, 'Hey, this is the right way to get it done.' "