Friday, January 19, 2001
Elder wrestler chasing state title
By Chris Yeager
Enquirer Contributor
Nick Spatola, right, works out with teammate Elliott Spence.
(Tony Jones photo)
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Nearly a year ago, Elder wrestler Nick Spatola suffered a major bit of bad luck, badly spraining an ankle in a district quarterfinal match.
“It was the worst thing that happened to me,” Spatola said. “And I take it out on the mat with me every match this year.”
The motivation must be working. Though the 130-pound Spatola says the ankle isn't 100 percent, he's compiled a 22-2 record to date. One of those losses was to Moeller's Brian Zinkan, a fifth-placer finisher in last season's state meet. Zinkan edged Spatola 3-2 in the Coaches Classic tournament final.
The other loss came in last weekend's Catholic Invitational final. Spatola lost to national champion wrestler, C.P. Slater of Columbus DeSales High School. Slater also was an Ohio Division II state champion last year.
Spatola
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“What a match that was,” said Elder coach Dick McCoy. “Nick was beating Slater 10-5 in the last period and got caught in a mistake.”
The mistake led to a pin for Slater. But neither that loss, nor the ankle, will sway Spatola's goal for his final season.
Having placed twice, fifth at 103 pounds as a freshman, and fourth at 119 pounds as a sophomore, Spatola wants a state championship.
“Nick's one of the most dedicated kids I've had wrestle for me,” McCoy said. “He can win state.”
If so, he'd become only the second Elder wrestler to accomplish that, joining 1973 graduate Dave Shuler. Spatola already is the Elder career wins leader and is the school's only two-time state placer.
“We think he'll become Elder's only four-time 30-win (per season) wrestler,” McCoy said. “If he wrestles like he did at the Catholic Invitational, he'll go far this year.”
Part of what McCoy referred to is Spatola's tendency to tighten up for tough matches, becoming overly defensive on the mat when paired against very strong competition.
It's a tendency Spatola is aware of, too.
“When I'm offensive, I feel good. When I become defensive, I get beat,” Spatola said, adding he felt caution hurt him in his match against Zinkan.
“I didn't open up enough. I didn't set up my shots. That's the reason I was frustrated after that loss,” he said.
It's frustrating to him, at least a little, because he knows better.
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