What's in a rivalry?

I enjoy my job every day. I get to go somewhere different, see something different, and then tell the story on a nightly basis. Rivalries in any sport are the most fun to cover in my opinion.
When I moved to Bedford County six and a half years ago, I of course didn't know where the rivalries were, but it didn't take me long to figure out where to find them. Bedford vs. Chestnut Ridge, Northern Bedford vs. Tussey Mountain, and just about any time that one of our local schools gets together with another one in any sport becomes one to circle on the schedule.
Last night's wrestling match between visiting Chestnut Ridge and host Bedford was the latest example. It's a match that's been anticipated ever since early February when the Bisons beat the Lions, 29-24, for the District 5 Dual Meet title to advance to Hershey for the PIAA team tournament.
Here's my basic ingredient list for a great rivalry, using the match, a 39-32 win for Chestnut Ridge, as the example.
- Talented individuals.
There wasn't any shortage of wrestling talent on the mat last night. I have no doubt that several of them from both sides will be in my coverage for the Gazette deep into the postseason.
- Outstanding play.
In this case, the 132-pound bout was an unbelievable highlight. Bedford's Garrett Thomas and Chestnut Ridge's Trent Crouse battled so hard for six-plus minutes (Thomas prevailed 5-3 in overtime) that it had to make anyone, no matter which side you were rooting for, be glad to have attended. Thomas twice was deep on a single, and twice Crouse got out of the jam, including the first with a funk. The Bedford wrestler didn't panic though as he scored a reversal for a lead. Crouse came back for a reversal of his own, but was nailed for stalling twice in the final 30 seconds to send it to the extra period.
- Passionate fans.
Each of these teams has a loud, boisterous group of fans which makes the atmosphere electric to say the least. Enough said.
- Intangibles.
By this, I'll give you two examples from last night. I'll start with the coaching. Both Bedford and Chestnut Ridge have great coaching staffs that allow their wrestlers to succeed at the highest level. They know how to work kids in the practice room, convert that work into the actual matches, and they are great motivators.
The other example of an intangible is the official, or officials in this case. Mike Eichelberger and Doug Fogel always do an outstanding job of what they are paid to do. They control the mat, protect the wrestlers, and keep things running smoothly. There's always going to be calls, no matter what sport, where fans and/or coaches don't agree with, and I know the Chestnut Ridge people didn't like Fogel's stalling calls, especially the second one, against Crouse. That said, I make my way to various matches/tournaments around the state this time of year, so I see a lot of different officials and styles of officiating. Personally, I regard both Doug and Mike as two of the best in Pennsylvania.
I saved quotes from Chestnut Ridge coach Greg Lazor and Bedford coach Brian Creps for this blog. In it, they summed up the overall theme of the night.
"Our pep speech was pretty much 'If you need motivation for this match, then you need to go home because you're on the wrong team'," said Lazor.
"Any time these two teams with the wrestling traditions they have get together, it's going to be a fun match," added Creps. "If you're a wrestling fan and you didn't come to the match tonight, you sure did miss it, because it was a lot of fun."
If you didn't catch the match, read my story about it, along with five action photos, in today's Bedford Gazette. It's worth the read.