Spinetti takes first at Burgettstown
Uniontown’s Nathan Spinetti showed he can compete with the upper-tier wrestlers in the WPIAL after winning the Burgettstown Tournament Saturday at Burgettstown High School.
Spinetti defeated Hopewell’s DJ Sims, 4-1, in the 285-pound finals, but his victory in the semifinals was what some would view as an upset.
The Uniontown senior edged Fort Cherry’s Corey Garry, 3-2, in double overtime.
Garry, who was a PIAA Class AA state qualifier last season and ranked No. 2 in the state in AA, came into the match undefeated and was the top seed.
“I was confident going into the match,” Spinetti said. “I knew it would be close after watching him wrestle Chartiers-Houston’s Nate Grandelis. I was excited to win my first big tournament. I had a chance to win at Southmoreland, but I blew it.”
Spinetti is the son of Jeff, who is an assistant coach at Uniontown at the Red Raiders’ last state champion.
“There is alot of pressure, but my dad and I go over things,” the younger Spinetti said. “Who better to learn from.”
Spinetti has another strong teacher in head coach Mark Jenkins.
“It was not to see Nathan get that signature win,” Jenkins said. “We have been waiting for this since last year’s section tournament.”
After a scoreless first period against Garry, Spinetti chose bottom in the second and escaped. Garry escaped in the third to tie the score at 1-1.
After neither wrestler could secure any points in the first overtime, the match went to the overtime rideouts.
Garry held Spinetti down until four seconds remaining when he was penalized for locked hands. Spinetti escaped to lead 3-1.
Garry got out early in the second 30-second rideout, but couldn’t get the takedown.
Spinetti pinned Freedom’s Derrick Skinger in 42 seconds in the opening round and Seneca Valley’s Clayton Hoover in the quarters at 1:48.
Spinetti’s record stands at 18-4.
“I was happy to win, but I have a lot to work on,” Spinetti said.
The Red Raiders’ Billy Seliga pinned Pine-Richland’s Bryce DeLeone in the first round in 3:34 at 106, then lost to Burgettstown’s Austin McDermitt at Seneca Valley’s Nick Zoria.
Bubbie Jenkins (113) pinned North Catholic’s Dan White in 38 seconds before losing to Seneca Valley’s Anthony Latess. Jenkins had to injury default out of the tournament.