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Avella's Spencer stopped shy of 4th section title
jtuscano@oberver-reporter.com
HOOKSTOWN - Mitch Spencer came into the Section 1 Wrestling Tournament hoping to accomplish something that only three other Class AA wrestlers could this season.
Win four section titles.
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But the name Spencer, a senior from Avella, is going to remember the most this season is David Demor.
Demor, a senior from South Side Beaver, is the reason Spencer is 24-2 and not 26-0.
Demor stopped Spencer for the second consecutive time, the latest coming in Saturday night's 135-pound final, 15-8, to foil Spencer's attempt for a fourth section title.
Just like the first meeting, Spencer gave up big points, this time a five-point move in the second period that turned an 4-3 lead into an 8-4 deficit.
"I got my hips out of place a little bit and that was it," said Spencer. "I felt I could get a few more takedowns but he's got a good center of gravity."
Demor won the first meeting, 9-6, catching Spencer with a four-point move near the end of the second period.
"I seem to catch him every time," said Demor. "That five-point move, I did that the last time."
Spencer and Demor could meet again next week in the WPIAL Championships at Chartiers Valley High School. The top four wrestlers in each weight class of the section tournament advanced.
"I'm disappointed but you have to take it as a learning experience," Spencer said. "You have to advance. That's what's important at this point."
While Spencer failed to win a section title, Washington County wrestlers had a strong showing, especially Fort Cherry, which had eight advance to the WPIAL finals. Six made it to the finals and five - Andrew (103) and Adam (125) Lucarini, Mark Zeno (160), Sam Guidi (171), and Gary Kiefer (189) - came away with a first-place finish.
Andrew Lucarini, a senior, captured his third consecutive section title with a 7-1 decision over Nick Greco of Keystone Oaks. Lucarini was the top seed and moved his record to 29-3 with the win.
"I'm just thinking about what I have to do ahead of me," said Lucarini. "I'm going to wrestle my own style and try to keep everything under control."
Andrew's brother, Adam, came from the No. 3 seed in the 125-pound weight class to win his first section title in a thrilling, 11-9 decision over Burgettstown's Mike Fleming.
Burgettstown's Ryan Watson celebrated his 100th career victory in the semifinals - a pin in 1:40 of Rob Valenzuela of Keystone Oaks - then started on his second hundred with a 5-2 decision over Fort Cherry's Corey Garry in the finals.
"I thought (winning 100) was possible but that it would be in the distance," said Watson, who battled injuries over the last three seasons. "I've been working hard and I've come through."
Watson won the first of his two section titles in his freshman season. A shoulder injury derailed his sophomore season.
"I've done so much work," Watson said, "that my arm is stronger than it was in my freshman season.'
Notes
Burgettstown's Dylan Fleming won the 130-pound title ... Zanetta won his fourth section title with a 13-6 decision over Chartiers-Houston's Vic LiPari at 119. ... C-H had a tournament-best nine qualifiers and came away with one title when Michael Innes won at 140. ... Avella's Kyle Appleby won at 152.
