Starocci, Nijenhuis nearly come to blows in 182 final
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 head coach Jeff Havelka holds back Gerrit Nijenhuis after a scuffle following his bout with Erie Prep’s Carter Starocci Saturday night.
CANONSBURG – For now, at least, Carter Starocci will remain an enigma to Gerrit Nijenhuis, just out of reach and thoroughly frustrating.
Starocci, a senior from Erie Cathedral Prep who recently committed to Penn State University, staved off Nijenhuis, a junior from Canon-McMillan High School, 5-2 in the 182-pound finals of the Powerade Wrestling Tournament on Saturday night.
But it was what happened at the end that had most people talking and the coaches and referees separating the two wrestlers.
“Some people don’t have a lot of class,” Nijenhous said. “It was a bunch of things. I feel like he is a dirty wrestler. I lost so it is what it is.”
Midway through the match, Starocci used a leg sweep and caught Nijenhuis where men don’t want to be hit. At the end of the match, Starocci had Nijenhuis caught in an upright position and sent a straight arm to Nijenhuis’ chest that sent the C-M wrestler to the mat for a takedown as the buzzer sounded to end it.
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
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
The two traded some insults as they headed back to the middle of the mat to turn in their bands and that was when the situation escalated. It was brought under control after about 20 seconds by coaches and the officials.
“It was a physical match and they know each other and they’ve been rivals for a long time,” said C-M head coach Jeff Havelka. “It is what it is. Both were going hard and sometimes things boil over.”
The two met in the 170-pound semifinals of the PIAA Class AAA Championships in Hershey last March and Starocci won a controversial and disputed 3-1 overtime victory. Starocci went on to win the weight class and Nijenhuis finished third. Last night’s match only added to the rivalry of these two wrestlers, who could very well have another meeting in Hershey in March.
Security might have to be added.
“I feel I’m on a higher level,” said Starocci. “He talked trash and tried to push me.”
Meanwhile, McGuffey’s Christian Clutter dropped a 4-2 decision to Jared McGill of Chestnut Ridge in the first overtime. Clutter was trying to be the first McGuffey wrestler to win a Powerade title since Jeff Breese won at 119 in 2000.
“He rides really well. It was hard for me to get off the bottom,” said Clutter. “I rode him well but it came down to the end and I was a little gassed.”
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit Nijenhuis, right, and McGuffey’s Christian Clutter, center, take part in the Parade of Champions before the start of the finals at the Powerade wrestling tournament.
Cleveland St. Edward’s won the team title and Oak Park-River Forest, Ill., was second.
Canon-McMillan’s Ken Hayman finished fourth at 126 pounds after losing to top-seeded Colton Camacho of Franklin Regional in three overtimes. Wayneesburg’s Cole Homet, a freshman, took sixth place at 120 pounds after dropping a 4-2 decision to Nico Bolivar of Oak Park-River Forest, Ill. Scott Joll of Belle Vernon dropped a 143 major decision to Luke Stout of Mount Lebanon in the battle for third place at 182 pounds. And Gio Ramos finished eighth at heavyweight after a 1-0 loss to Brian Kilbane of Cleveland St. Edward’s.
“I think I could have finished better, definitely,” Hayman said. “I got finish shots better on my feet. I’ve got to get more on my offense. I tried to do a couple different things out there.”
Hayman saw his chances of making it to the finals at 126 pounds dissolve in a hard-fought 5-3 overtime loss to Angelo Rini of Cleveland St. Edward’s.
Rini got the critical points on a disputed takedown in the second period but Hayman’s takedown with 28 seconds remaining in regulation tied it. Rini got a clear takedown in the first overtime to win it.
The turning point in Clutter’s semifinal victory came in the third period, when he rode Kamal Adewume of Mason, Ohio, for the two minutes. The bout went into overtime and Clutter broke it open with three points in the second overtime to seal a 6-2 victory.
Nijenhuis and Joll put on an entertaining match in the 182 semifinals with numerous scrambles. Nijenhuis scored four of the final five bout points, including a crucial reversal with 10 seconds remaining in the second period, to cement a 6-4 decision.