Simmering emotions boil over at Powerade
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan head coach Jeff Havelka holds back Gerrit Nijenhuis after a scuffle following his bout with Erie Prep’s Carter Starocci Saturday night.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis and Erie Preps’ Carter Starocci are held back by coaches and referees after they start to argue at the end of the 182 pound final. Nijenhuis lost 5-2.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis is taken down by Erie Prep’s Carter Starocci during the 182 pound final at the Powerade Tournament at Canon-McMillan
For nine months the thought of that match lingered in the mind of Gerrit Nijenhuis.
To many, a bad call by an official in the 160-pound semifinals of the PIAA Class AAA Championships last March cost Nijenhuis not only his bout against Erie Cathedral Prep’s Carter Starocci but also a chance to become a state champion.
More than one wrestler has seen his opportunity quashed by a call that was or wasn’t made. Nijenhuis, a junior now at Canon-McMillan, felt his fate was altered by it.
Starocci won the bout 3-1 and went on to win the state title.
Starocci told PA Power Wrestling that he hadn’t thought much about the rematch with Nijenhuis.
“I feel I’m on a higher level, but it is what it is,” he said. “I know everyone’s talking about it and how at states it was controversial. But I won, so, keep talking about it.”
So Saturday night at the Powerade Wrestling Tournament was an opportunity for revenge for Nijenhuis. Starocci and Nijenhuis were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the country by many services.
Sparks were expected to fly, but not the way they eventually did in the 182-pound final, the last and premier match of the tournament.
It was a loosely kept secret that these two wrestlers were not on each other’s Christmas card lists. But each was guarded and respectful in their comments leading up to the tournament.
No one expected an offensive showcase and it didn’t unfold that way. Referee Sean Kearney did another fine job in his calls and policing the mat. And he was quick to react after the match, when emotions spilled over.
Midway through the bout, Starocci tried a foot sweep that came up high and caught Nijenhuis in the groin. Nijenhuis bent over in pain but quickly recovered and made his way back to center for the restart.
The match had been lit.
With the clock running off the final seconds and Starocci holding a 3-2 lead, the two wrestlers were tangled at the edge of the mat. Starocci was in on a single-leg and was facing Nijenhuis when he shoved his arm into Nijenhuis’ chest, sending him to the mat for a takedown as the buzzer sounded.
Starocci landed on Nijenhuis, who took offense and scrambled to his feet. The two exchanged words walking back to the mat and went at each other.
Kearney and both groups of coaches got between the wrestlers and for a brief moment, it appeared it might escalate. But calm finally prevailed.
“Some people don’t have a lot of class,” Nijenhuis said after the match. “It was a bunch of things. I feel like he is a dirty wrestler. I lost so it is what it is.”
These two could meet again in the PIAA Championships. And it would be a good idea to keep this in mind: This is not the WWE and any physical contact like what almost occurred Saturday night will probably get a wrestler thrown out of the tournament.
If Nijenhuis wants to hurt Starocci, then beat him on the mat. Nijenhuis’ strategy needs revamped. His straight-on shots were easily defended by Starocci.
Accomplish that feat and Nijenhuis won’t have to worry about getting into high school wrestling’s version of road rage.
A win would say it all.