Bedford seeking new leader

   Earlier this week, Bedford wrestling coach Brian Creps resigned after 14 seasons of leading the Bisons program.
   Creps posted an overall record of 182-63, with eight Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championships. Bedford also won five straight District 5 Dual Meet titles from 2008-12.
   Bedford placed fourth in the Class AA Duals in 2009, becoming the first D5 team to medal in the event up to that point. Creps also coached a number of standout individuals, including four-time state placer Ryan Easter, and 2015 state champion Jonathan Gabriel.
   Creps is underrated as a coach in my opinion. I believe he knew the strengths and weaknesses of his wrestlers as well as anyone, and his really good Bedford teams found ways to win matches where they were at least a slight underdog before the first whistle blew.
   A pair of examples of that come from the state duals. In 2008, Bedford’s first dual was against Shady Side Academy, a team that featured Dane Johnson, Matthew Cunningham, Roman San Doval, Geoff Alexander, and Frank Martellotti.
   Bedford’s Devin Cook scored the key win, 4-3 over Martellotti, to push the Bisons to a 34-32 upset. Bedford then beat Towanda to reach the semifinals against Bermuduan Springs. The locals fell just short there, but it helped pave the way to that 2009 fourth-place effort.
   In 2012, the Bisons pulled out a 30-29 quarterfinal victory against Pen Argyl despite strategically forfeiting to state medalists Matt Williams and Mike Racciato. With Bedford leading 21-12, Creps opted against an Easter-Williams battle and forfeited to the Green Knights. After Williams had his hand raised, he threw his headgear in disgust at not getting to wrestle Easter, and that cost Pen Argyl a team point. As the remainder of the match played out, the Bisons would lead by seven points at the end, and it was an easy call to forfeit to Racciato with no danger of losing the dual.
   Unfortunately, Bedford’s program has fallen on hard times in the past few years, without a state qualifier in either 2017 or 2018. But I would still think that the position should draw plenty of interest.