Versatility counts
When it comes to athletic versatility, Mars graduates Ori Rinaman and Gabe Spurlock have it.
As seniors with the Planets, both were first team all-Greater Allegheny Conference football players. Rinaman rushed for 1,245 yards and Spurlock was a standout offensive tackle.
Rinaman went on to win a state title in the hurdles while Spurlock placed sixth in the state in the shot put in track and field last spring.
“We were best friends in high school,” Rinaman said.
Ultimately, they went their separate ways.
Rinaman is having a standout season as a freshman on the indoor track team at Shippensburg University. Spurlock is coming off a red-shirt year as a freshman tackle on the Duquesne University football team.
The pair did cross paths recently.
Spurlock is competing in throwing events for Duquesne's indoor track team. The Dukes and Red Raiders both competed in a meet recently at Bucknell University.
“Football is my main sport now, but I decided I wanted to do indoor track, too,” Spurlock said. “I talked to the coaches and it all worked out.
“I'm able to get my lifting and conditioning work in with the football team and I'm done with everything by 5 or 6 p.m. each day.”
Regardless, Rinaman marvels at his friend's willingness to do both sports.
“I could never do that. I can't even imagine it,” Rinaman admitted. “I'm busy all of the time as it is.
“We were able to catch up with each other at the Bucknell meet and that was good. I's hard to find time to even talk to each other during the season.”
And Rinaman is having quite a season at Shippensburg.
His time of 8.33 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles is fourth fastest in the PSAC this winter. His time of 49.97 seconds in the 400 meters is seventh fastest.
Rinaman teamed with juniors Ricky Meriwether and Tim Usher, and sophomore Dru Adighibe to run a 3:15.66 in the 4x400 meter relay last weekend in Boston. That's the fastest time in the PSAC this season.“I'm not even regularly on that relay,” Rinaman said. “We had an injury and they threw me in there.”The PSAC indoor meet is at Edinboro University Feb. 27.“I just want to stay healthy and hopefully place at the conference meet,” Rinaman said.Spurlock views the indoor track season a little differently. He has yet to place at a meet and has very modest goals.“Just do the best I can and try to improve,” he said. “I'm doing this to compete. I like to challenge myself.”His biggest challenge will be getting on the football field next fall and helping Duquesne continue its run of unprecedented success.The Dukes were 8-4 last season, qualifying for the FBS playoffs for the first time before losing a 52-49 decision in the opening round to William & Mary.“We've got a lot of starters coming back, but I feel like I'm getting strong enough to contribute next year,” said Spurlock, a second team all-state lineman at Mars. “I've been hitting the weights hard. I'm up to 270 pounds and I want to get up to 280 or 285.”Spurlock weighed 259 when he first came to Duquesne.“It's exciting, seeing Ori do so well in track right now,” Spurlock said. “I want that same success in football. We want to continue to improve as a program, win in the playoffs next year, and I want to play a part in that.”
