I spent many years photographing inside the Meadville High School gymnasium. I spent just as many years photographing Saegertown sports. So when given a chance tonight to document the Saegertown vs. Meadville wrestling match a ton of memories flooded back in. It was on these mats, on this floor that I photographed Spencer Lee as a little kid dominating just about everyone his age. Lee is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in high school and in college and will likely represent this country in the olympics someday. There is no way of telling if the next Spencer Lee is among these kids today. I looked across the gym and spied Matt Digiacomo taking notes and if he and I didn't obviously look older with more gravity taking over our features, I'd wonder if this was the year 2000 and we were writing and photographing for The Meadville Tribune. Well, oddly, it isn't 2000 but we were, in fact, there for The Meadville Tribune. Doc Brown waiting outside cuing up the Delorean. Also there was Mr. Carr, not sitting next to his pal Dick Lumley, but giving color commentary on Armstrong's broadcast. So good to see him. And Barry Anderson whose sons are quite good, and Jimmy Mulligan, perhaps not jumping as high as he did 20 years ago but still as animated as ever. I got a kick out of how many coaches I remembered photographing as kids. One coach had his daughter on his lap and I told her, not that she cared, that I photographed her dad when he was her age. |
That may have been a slight fib, but not by too many years. I do remember photographing him very young coming up the ranks of local wrestling. This was fun for me to see some folks I've known for a long time and it is fun to see good people from the past still doing what they love doing. And I am lucky also, to still be doing what I love.
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July 2024
For a very comprehensive look ate Venango Sports visit our friend's website: yardsandpoints.com is a website dedicated the long history of the Oil City and Franklin football rivalry by former sports editor Penny Weichel. It is an amazing labor of love and valuable resource for history. It is our go-to here at 8and322.com. Categories |