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Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week

3 min read
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Name: Austin McDermitt

School: Burgettstown High School

Season: Senior

Sport: Wrestling

Weight: 120

McDermitt’s week: McDermitt dominated the WPIAL Section 2-AA Tournament at McGuffey, winning his third title and outscorng his opponents, 37-6.

McDermitt received a first-round bye for being a top seed and won the next two bouts by technical fall, 17-1 over Brett Johnston of Freedom in the semifinals and 20-5 over Jasper Wolf of South Fayette.

The victories moved McDermitt’s record to 32-1 and gave him his third consecutive section championship.

Closing in on records: The two victories in the section tournament moved McDermitt’s career record to 145-27. He snapped the Burgettstown school record of 135 wins by Rich Froats in January at the Chartiers Valley Duals and is five wins away from 150. Only 40 wrestlers reached that plateau in WPIAL history.

“I wasn’t thinking about it that much,” said McDermitt. “It’s pretty cool. It’s taken a lot of hard work. There was a lot of hard work I put in that most people didn’t see.”

McDermitt can’t reach 150 victories this weekend, when the WPIAL Class AA Championships take place Friday and Saturday at South Fayette unless he falls into the consolation rounds.

That isn’t likely.

McDermitt can become a three-time WPIAL champion with four straight wins in that tournament. Only three wrestlers from Burgettstown accomplished the feat: Rob Marshall (1956-58), Floyd Marshall (1958-60) and Bill Bertand (1973-75).

“We have a lot of good kids wrestle here,” said Burgettstown head coach Terry Havelka. “I would think he has to be in the top 10 (all-time) and in the top five that I have coached.

“Match in and match out, he has wrestled well. He’s broken records and dedicated humself. A state title would be the crowning jewel.”

One final step: McDermitt is a three-time state qualifier and two-time medalist. He finished in seventh place as a 106-pound freshman and in sixth place as a 113-pound junior. He wants to improve on that.

“I’ve definitely been working harder because this is the last time I have to accomplish my dream of being a state champion,” said McDermitt. “I’m also trying to have fun because it’s my last time.”

McDermitt will wrestle for Pitt-Johnstown next fall and Havelka knows that team is getting a tremendous competitor in McDermitt.

“He has natural ability,” said. “He has God-given talents. He wrestles in the offseason, and he has made wrestling his priority.”

Compiled by Joe Tuscano

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