Franklin Regional grad Spencer Lee falls in Olympic gold medal match

Spencer Lee’s dream of becoming an Olympic champion fell just short Friday afternoon in the men’s freestyle 57 kg final.

Japan’s Rei Higuchi, the top seed, used a takedown early in the second period to defeat Lee, 4-2. Higuchi got a second takedown late in the match when Lee tried a desperation move with 5 seconds left and the score tied.

Because Higuchi had a takedown, if the match would have ended in a tie, he would have won by tiebreaker.

“I’m a guy who believes more, (with) wins and losses, it’s more about effort, and I don’t think I put a lot of effort into that match,” Lee said. “I didn’t deserve to win today, and that’s OK.”

So what would have he done differently?

“Honestly, just do a lot more action, create more action, force him to wrestle me,” Lee said. “Yeah, he scored one scramble, but I think action favors me. I let him hang on my hands and kind of stand there, and he won one scramble and that’s it.”

Lee was awarded one point twice for forcing his opponent out of the circle and out-of-bounds. He also was able to fend off Higuchi’s single-leg attack in the first period.

Lee almost forced Higuchi out-of-bounds twice after the takedown, but Higuchi dropped to his knees as a defensive move. A wrestler can’t be awarded a point if his opponent’s knee is down.

“Freestyle needs to change that rule,” said Brian Kapusta, who has coached Lee. “But that’s the rule. I thought Spencer was as aggressive as he needed to be. You want to be aggressive.”

As a silver medalist, he became the first Westmoreland County athlete to earn an Olympic medal. Kurt Angle is the only former WPIAL wrestler to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Lee, however, gave his medal to his sister.

“I don’t think there will ever be perspective where I’ll think it’s good,” Lee said. “Twenty years from now, if you try to name Olympic silver medalists, I’ll bet you can’t. It’s because no one cares.”

When Lee was in high school, he finished second in the Super 32 tournament. He eventually hung the silver medal on the back of his door to remind him what second place felt like. He went back the next year and won gold.

When Eric Mausser first met Lee in 2013, the former Franklin Regional coach asked his wrestlers to write down their goals.

For the three years Mausser coached Lee, he wrote the same goal: “I want to be an Olympic champion.”

Mausser was in Lee’s corner for three years as he watched him win three consecutive PIAA Class 3A titles and four WPIAL titles.

He went on to win three NCAA Division I titles at Iowa, was a five-time NCAA All-American and twice was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top college wrestler.

He overcame numerous knee surgeries during his career.

“We’ll see, man,” Lee said. “I’m still figuring out whether I want to keep wrestling or if I want to figure out something else with my life. A lot of time and effort were put into getting back healthy enough to wrestle, and then I go and I fail.

“I’m going to seclude myself somewhere and figure out something else, I guess. I’m competitive. I want to be the best at what I do. If I did something, I’d want to be the best at it.”

The Franklin Regional wrestling boosters clubs (high school and elementary) held a watch party at Rick’s Sports Bar in Export on Friday. More than 200 people, including former wrestlers, current wrestlers, teachers and wrestling fans were there to cheer on Lee during his quest to become a champion.

Lee won three matches Thursday, defeating China’s Wanhao Zou, 3-2, in a rematch from the Last Chance Qualifier in Turkey; Kyrgyzstan’s Bekzat Almaz Uulu, 12-2, in the quarterfinals; and Uzbekistan’s Gulpmjon Abdullaev, 14-4, in the semifinals.

“Spencer is an unbelievable human being,” Franklin Regional coach Matt Lebe said. “He lives his life the right way and has very high character. He loves what he does and works hard.

“He’s passionate about wrestling. He’s always set high goals and wants to be an Olympic champion.”

Will he be back?

“If you know Spencer, he’ll be back,” Lebe said. “He’s ony 25, and he wants to win the gold medal.”

Note: Former Penn State All-American Aaron Brooks bounced back from a tough loss in the 86 kg semifinals to earn a bronze medal. Brooks defeated Uzbekistan’s Javvrail Shapiev, 5-0. Darian Cruz of Lehigh, representing Puerto Rico, finished fifth.