That gasp you heard over the weekend was wrestling fans reacting to McDowell's returning state champion Steve Spearman not making weight for the District 10 Class AAA Tournament.
Spearman, who won the title at 130 pounds last season, had wrestled most of the 2010-11 season at 135, but he decided late to cut to 130, and he had the two-pound weight allowance. According to the Erie Times-News, he made the drop so senior Dylan Matz could wrestle at 135. Matz finished second at 135.
Spearman, a junior, wasn't at the tournament to watch his freshman brother, Shawn, win the 125-pound title. Shawn said his brother wasn't taking the news about not making weight very well.
"He's very depressed right now," Shawn Spearman told the Times-News. "He's very mad about it. Steve tried to keep [his] weight at 130, but he couldn't make it."
Corry's Levi Catalfu captured the 130-pound title, beating Cathedral Prep's Chris Capotis, 2-0, in overtime in the finals. Catalfu was pretty happy about Spearman not making weight.
"Everybody was amazed," Catalfu said, "but when I heard Steve didn't make weight, I was like 'That's awesome!' "
The top four District 10 wrestlers from each weight join the top three from District 6, the top three from District 9 and the finalists from District 8 for the Northwest Regional Tournament at the Altoona Fieldhouse in two weeks.
Spearman has won two Northwest Regional titles at 125 and 130.
