Easter and Bloomsburg — The perfect match

   Ryan Easter has been able to enjoy his highest wrestling accomplishments to date with family and friends nearby.
   He's hoping the same will happen at the next level. Easter has announced plans to wrestle at Bloomsburg University beginning next year.
   Easter projects as a 133-pounder for the Huskies.
   "As soon as I got here, I knew this was the place for me," said the Bedford senior. "It had small class sizes, the campus size was what I wanted, and the coaching staff was great. It was just perfect for me. The distance from here was also a plus, because I didn't want to be too far away from home."
   Easter says he considered Drexel and Pitt, and also took a visit to North Carolina State.
   At Bloomsburg, he'll join a roster that currently has a number of former Pennsylvania high school standouts. That includes Saucon Valley's Bryan Israel, whom Easter owns a pair of wins at the state tournament against. He beat Israel for a fifth-place medal as a freshman.
   In last season's state tourney opener at 120 pounds, Easter rode Israel out in the ultimate tiebreaker for a 1-0 victory on the way to his runner-up finish and third state medal. Also on Bloomsburg's roster this winter is Conemaugh Township's Tanner Cahill.
   The task is simple, in words, for Easter in college — rise to the top.
   "My goal is to be an NCAA champion," he said. "That is every kid's dream, to be standing on the podium at nationals knowing you're the best in the country."
   Through three varsity years at Bedford, Easter has put together quite a resume. He's 109-16 and a three-time District 5 champion, to go with his state finishes in order of 5th, 6th, and 2nd. Another state medal will make him the Bisons' only four-time medalist in history.
   But there's still some other unfinished business. Aside from possibly becoming Bedford's first state champion since 1964, Easter is eyeing tournament wins in December's King of the Mountain and the Southwest Regional in early March, two events where he has been in the finals every year so far, but come up just short of a title.
  In terms of individual victories, Easter needs 21 to become his school's all-time leader (Brian Gibbons, 129), and is within striking distance of the Bedford County record of 138, set by Chestnut Ridge graduate and Clarion freshman Tyler Dibert just last season.
   "I would like to go undefeated this year," said Easter. "I really want to get the regional championship, being in the finals three times now, and I also want to be King of the Mountain champion to get my season off to a great start."

Photo by Bedford Gazette

   Bedford's Ryan Easter is seen here locking up a cradle against an opponent last season. Easter, 109-16 and a three-time state medalist, will wrestle for Bloomsburg University beginning next year.