Remembering Tyler Chesney and Dick Fisher

    Two more Bedford County natives, Tyler Chesney and Dick Fisher, that I have fond memories of have passed away in the last several days and weeks. Sadly, my most recent postings to this blog are of the same variety. I apologize for the lateness on this as I have wanted to write some words about each of them, but just haven't found the time to sit down and type. That said, both Chesney and Fisher deserve my thoughts.

   Chesney is one of the more decorated wrestlers in Northern Bedford history, as he put together a varsity record of 119-21, never losing more than six bouts in any of the four years. In 2009, Chesney joined an exclusive group of District 5 wrestlers by winning his fourth district championship. 

   That senior postseason for Chesney is something I remember most about him. In my years of covering the sport, the 125-pound bracket for the District 5 Tournament at Windber Area High School was as good as I've seen on paper. Chesney was the top seed, followed by Bedford's Devin Cook, North Star's Joey Lascari, and Hyndman's Levi Hosselrode in that order. For perspective, Chesney was a two-time state qualifier and a state medalist, while Cook and Lascari would each win two state medals in their careers. And Hosselrode was perhaps a step below those three, but still a tough competitor. The semifinal round went as expected with Chesney meeting Hosselrode and Cook drawing Lascari. 

   Right off the opening whistle, Chesney caught Hosselrode with an ankle pick and converted it for a quick takedown on his way to a 10-3 decision that I thought was a closer matchup that what that score ended up. Cook defeated Lascari on the other mat to set up the final. After the semifinal round was over, I said to WAYC Sports color commentator John Topper that I loved Chesney's aggressiveness from the start. That wasn't normally Chesney's style from my point of view, but he set the tone right away. He parlayed that into a 3-1 victory over Cook for the history-making achievement. 

   After a regional runner-up finish, Chesney eyed his first state medal the next weekend in Hershey. But he lost his first-round match and now had to battle just to have a shot at the podium. Chesney reeled off five consecutive victories, which is no easy thing to do. That included a 1-0 win over Cook in the consolations before avenging his regional final loss to Tyrone's Ronnie Garbinsky, 12-7 for third place in the state. As aforementioned, Chesney was almost always the winner on the mat and those last days in a Northern Bedford singlet cemented that status.

   Fisher had retired as athletic director at Chestnut Ridge just prior to my time at the Bedford Gazette, but I got to know him a little bit in seeing him at any number of Lions' sporting events as well as the annual Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame banquets. Fisher was inducted to the Hall in 2019. While I didn't know Fisher well, many of the remembrances I've seen of him this past week echo the same thoughts I have about him - a warm and engaging personality, professional, doing what's best for the athletes. 

   Whenever we chatted, those types of qualities stood out. Former Chestnut Ridge volleyball coach Wendy Miller called Fisher "one of the good guys," and I would say that certainly rings true.

Remembering Kai Burkett

    The local wrestling community suffered another tough round of news with the tragic loss of Chestnut Ridge's Kai Burkett last night.

    A senior, Burkett was pronounced dead on the scene of a two-car accident late Friday in Napier Township. State police in Bedford reported that Burkett swerved to avoid debris in the roadway before losing control of his vehicle and being struck by a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. The driver and passenger of the other vehicle sustained minor injuries. All three involved were wearing seat belts.

   Burkett had put together a stellar three-year varsity wrestling career with the Lions, including three District 5 individual championships and a pair of state medals, fifth place in both his sophomore and junior seasons. He had a 106-22 record, and was a key member of Chestnut Ridge's last three teams that all earned medals at the PIAA Class AA Duals. Burkett was also a member of the school's golf team.

   One word that I've used to describe Burkett's wrestling is consistent. I felt like every time I watched him, I knew what I would see from him, win or lose. He wrestled smart, stayed in good position, and he had one of the best tilts in the area. Even if opponents saw it coming, he'd hit it and often for multiple sets of nearfalls.

   Similar to his older brother Aaron, Burkett displayed a quiet demeanor around the mat. But on the couple of occasions I interviewed him, he was very personable and knowledgeable about the sport. 

   Though I hadn't spoken to Kai recently, both my family and the Burkett family attend the same church. But his name, as expected, came up in an informal conversation I had a few weeks ago with Chestnut Ridge head coach Josh Deputy, who is also Burkett's uncle. I asked the question about incoming prospects to the varsity team, so we chatted about the Lions' vaunted lightweights and where wrestlers might fit in. Of course, that included Burkett front and center.

   News of Burkett's passing spread quickly across social media. A number of former and current teammates as well as numerous other wrestlers along with several regional wrestling programs offered their condolences.

   Below are a few from Twitter:

   From Nathan Holderbaum, three-year varsity teammate who also posted a photo of he and Burkett warming up before wrestling: "I can't express the amount of pain I feel. Fly high Kai, love you brother."

   From Dave Marko, Central coach: "Prayers go out to the Chestnut Ridge wrestling family and the Burkett's from both my family and the Central Dragon wrestling family. Words can't express the sadness for your loss." 

   From Hannah Hutzell, Chestnut Ridge graduate and wrestling fan: "The Burkett's are some of the most selfless, humble, genuine, and kind people on the face of the Earth... my heart breaks for them... they always rally around community members in need... now it's OUR TURN to support them."

   Unfortunately, a senior season with so much potential for Burkett won't happen. My heartfelt prayers and sympathies go out to the Burkett's, the Deputy's, and the entire Chestnut Ridge wrestling family.

Remembering Dave Musselman, Carlton Haselrig

   Wrestling offseasons continue to seem just as busy as the seasons themselves, and 2020 is no different in that respect.

   However, this week was a sobering one locally, with the loss of both Dave Musselman and Carlton Haselrig.

   Musselman was a longtime official in District 5, while Haselrig is the only six-time NCAA champion in the sport's history.

   I got to know Musselman early in my time at the Bedford Gazette. Though I don't exactly recall the date, my first encounter with him was at his full-time work as the owner of Musselman's Barber Shop in downtown Bedford. 

   Of course, during the wrestling season, I would see him at numerous dual meets, the Thomas Tournament, and the postseason events. Most of our chats though took place with "Muss" cutting my hair inside his shop. 

   Often, a copy of that day's Gazette was sitting on one of the chairs, or he would be reading the sports section whenever I came in the door. We'd talk wrestling a lot as you might expect. If it was during the season and he was reading my story from an event, he would ask my opinion on certain individuals or teams, or if there was a controversial call or something that came up, he would ask about that. 

   We would also discuss other sports and deer hunting as well. Although I have never hunted, I was always glad to hear what Dave and his family were up to in search of a big buck. He would talk about his kids or grandkids going out, too. I could tell that he was a proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

   Haselrig's story is well-known. He won a PIAA wrestling championship as a high school senior at Greater Johnstown before claiming his six national titles. He won three Division II crowns at UPJ which allowed him to compete in the Division I national tournament, where he won three of those as well. Current rules do not allow for lower-level champions to compete in the Division I bracket anymore.

   Despite not playing college football, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Haselrig and he developed into a starting guard and pro-bowler before alcohol and drug problems ended his career.

   I met Haselrig on one occasion, at a clinic at Claysburg-Kimmel High School over a decade ago. It was organized by current Martinsburg Central wrestling coach Dave Marko, who was at the helm of the Bulldogs at that time. 

   Haselrig went over some football drills with members of the high school and youth teams. Myself and a couple of other media members interviewed him afterwards, and one thing I'll remember is his warm personality and openness to discuss his off-the-field issues. 

   Musselman was 73 and is survived by his wife, five children, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Haselrig was 54 and is survived by his wife and eight children among others. My condolences to both families.

Third time the charm as Cassidy claims state gold

   Kaden Cassidy had already put together one of the most dominating individual wrestling seasons in Bedford County history, but those accomplishments could have rung a little hollow if the Bedford senior couldn't stand at the top of the podium on Saturday afternoon.
   That wouldn't be a problem though, as Cassidy closed his high school career in style with a 10-6 decision over Saegertown's Kenny Kiser for the Class AA 138-pound state championship at the Giant Center in Hershey.
   After finishing third as a freshman and again as a junior, Cassidy finally reached the finals and didn't squander that opportunity. Leading 8-6 late, he fended off a headlock attempt by Kiser for a takedown himself that sealed the victory.
   "It feels amazing (to win a state title) right now," said Cassidy. "It hasn't really hit me yet, but I'm sure it will feel better later."
   Cassidy is the fourth Bedford wrestler to win a state championship, joining John Heacock (1945), Ron Hamilton (1964), and Jonathan Gabriel (2015). Overall in the county, he becomes the ninth different PIAA wrestling champion.
   With his semifinal round win on Friday night, he also became just the third wrestler from the county to collect three state tournament finishes of third place or better. The others are Heacock, who was a three-time finalist, and Northern Bedford legend Jan Clark, who was a three-time champion and four-time finalist in the 1970's. Ironically, Clark is currently an assistant coach at Bedford.
   Cassidy's title also gave the county another first, with different champions in consecutive years for the first time, following Jared McGill's triumph for Chestnut Ridge last March at 170.
   The historical accomplishments don't end there. Cassidy finished the season a perfect 38-0 and won 24 of them by technical fall, which is believed to be a new state record in Class AA. That includes technical falls in 18 of his first 21 bouts. He began the state tournament with two technical falls as well.
   In the postseason, he had four technical falls and three pins, with his closest decision being the championship win against Kiser. Other than that and a 3-2 victory at the Thomas Tournament over Freedom's Kenny Duschek, who placed third in the state at the weight, Cassidy didn't have any win by less than six points.
   The George Mason University bound Cassidy finished his career with a record of 106-7.
   "I came in here with all the confidence in the world and got it done," he said. "My coaches, Jan and (Bedford head coach) Joel (Easter) have done so much for me. It feels awesome to be a state champion in my senior season, especially with all the injuries I've battled before."

State wrestling champions from Bedford County
1945 - John Heacock, Bedford
1964 - Ron Hamilton, Bedford
1975 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1976 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1977 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1983 - Paul Clark, Everett
2008 - Gary Pfahler, Chestnut Ridge
2015 - Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford
2017 - Justin McCoy, Chestnut Ridge
2019 - Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge
2020 - Kaden Cassidy, Bedford

Kaden Cassidy, seen here in control of Freedom's Kenny Duschek at the Thomas Chevolet Tournament in January, became Bedford's fourth-ever state champion on Saturday.

Class AA State Tournament Preview, Picks

   The 2020 PIAA Class AA and Class AAA state tournaments begin on Thursday in Hershey. With official brackets released earlier today, here's my look at each of the 14 weights in Class AA. Reynolds and Saucon Valley have the most wrestlers in the field with nine each, while Chestnut Ridge and Southern Columbia are sending eight apiece.

106 Pounds - This to me seems like a very wide open bracket, where I could see five or six different wrestlers finding their way to the top of the podium. That includes Chestnut Ridge freshman Calan Bollman. I said in my last blog posting regarding the Lions team success again that Bollman is probably his school's next superstar, and he could certainly cement that status next weekend. Also in the top half of the draw with Bollman are Wyoming Area freshman Jaden Pepe and Notre Dame sophomore Evan Maag. Montoursville freshman Branden Wentzel and Brookville's Cayden Walter, a junior, are the regional champions on the bottom side of the bracket. Bollman owns a 7-3 win over Walter from earlier in the season.
   Darkhorse - Catasauqua's Jaryn Hartranft.
   Spring's Pick - Wentzel.

Chestnut Ridge's Calan Bollman, 106 pounds

113 - The top half of this bracket will draw a lot of attention up until and throughout the tournament, with a pair of state champions in Reynolds junior Gary Steen and Notre Dame junior Brett Ungar among the competitors. If both were defending champs from the same state, the PIAA would have separated the two from meeting until the finals. But this isn't the case either way, as Steen won his title two years ago while Ungar was a New Jersey champion last winter before transferring across the river. They have met twice this season. Steen won 6-4 at the Ironman Tournament in December, and Ungar scored a 3-1 overtime win at the state duals. Other notables here include Chestnut Ridge junior Kai Burkett, Muncy freshman Scott Johnson, South Park junior Joey Fischer, and Athens sophomore Gavin Bradley.
   Darkhorse - Johnson.
   Spring's Pick - Steen.

120 - Troy senior Sheldon Seymour is a defending state champion and the favorite from at least the top half of this bracket. His lone loss is to Benton junior Gable Strickland, 8-5 last week. Strickland is in the bottom half with a wealth of other talent that includes Elizabeth Forward senior Ryan Michaels, Southern Columbia sophomore Kole Biscoe, and Notre Dame sophomore Brandon Chletsos.
   Darkhorse - Bishop McDevitt's Nate Smith.
   Spring's Pick - Seymour.

126 - A pair of defending champions highlight 126 pounds. Notre Dame sophomore Ryan Crookham won at 120 last year, while Forest Hills sophomore Jackson Arrington was the 113 champ. The other two regional champions are Tunkhannock senior Dave Evans and Harbor Creek sophomore Connor Pierce, who are a combined 82-3 this season.
   Darkhorse - Biglerville's Levi Haines.
   Spring's Pick - Crookham.

132 - Glendale's Brock McMillen became his school's first ever state champion last March and now the junior will look to repeat. The bottom of the draw features Burrell junior Ian Oswalt, Brockway senior Anthony Glasl, and East Pennsboro senior Adam Jacob. McMillen beat Oswalt 3-1 in overtime for the Southwest Regional title.
   Darkhorse - Reynolds' Kaeden Berger.
   Spring's Pick - Oswalt.

138 - Bedford senior Kaden Cassidy is hoping the third time is the charm to put a cap on a strong high school career. Cassidy is in his third state tournament and has finished third in each of his previous appearances, having lost in the semifinals both times. This year's path could have the Bison standout looking to exact some revenge on the Jones family from Saucon Valley, as the semifinal on top here looks like Cassidy vs. freshman Jacob Jones. Last year, Josh Jones beat Cassidy on his way to the title at 132. The elder Jones is now at George Mason, where Cassidy will become his teammate next season. The bottom half of 138 is a minefield of talent, with Saegertown senior Kenny Kiser, Trinity senior Patrick DeMark, Southern Columbia junior Patrick Edmonson, and St. Joseph's junior Zack Witmer among the main players.
   Darkhorse - Notre Dame's Holden Garcia. I'll make a note here because this is one weight where I think a regional fifth-placer could be a title contender. Garcia had a stellar grade school career in New Jersey (I went to elementary school and high school with his dad) before joining Notre Dame's squad as a freshman this year. He's 1-2 against Jones this season, but he beat him 5-0 for the District 11 title two weekends ago.
   Spring's Pick - Cassidy.

145 - There's two unbeaten wrestlers, Sullivan County junior Nate Higley and Redbank Valley senior Ethan Wiant, in this weight but I'm not sure either would be the favorite. That distinction likely lies with others such as Bald Eagle Area senior Gage McClenahan, Forest Hills sophomore Erik Gibson, and Saucon Valley senior Thomas Spirk. Also not to be discounted is Berlin senior Tristan Pugh, and I think a Pugh-Gibson semifinal is possible on the bottom side of the draw. Gibson and McClenahan have split their matchups in the district and regional finals recently.M
   Darkhorse - Midd-West's Avery Bassett.
   Spring's Pick - Gibson.

152 - St. Joseph's senior Caleb Dowling has finished no worse than fourth at any of his three state tournaments but is still seeking his first title. Other likely contenders here are Palisades junior Ben Haubert, Burrell junior A.J. Corrado, and Southern Columbia freshman Wes Barnes.
   Darkhorse - Bishop McDevitt's Tyler Martin.
   Spring's Pick - Dowling.

160 - Like 126, there are two returning champions in the fold at 160 pounds with Frazier senior Thayne Lawrence and Notre Dame senior Andrew Cerniglia. Lawrence is a two-time champion but maybe doesn't get as much talk as that would suggest around the state, for whatever reason. Bottom line to me is he's not flashy but gets the job done. Cerniglia is also well-regarded. Both are Division I recruits, Lawrence to Lehigh and Cerniglia at the Naval Academy.
   Darkhorse - Benton's Nolan Lear.
   Spring's Pick - Cerniglia.

170 - This is a sneaky good weight with three wrestlers (St. Joseph's Tyler Stoltzfus, Freedom's Trent Schulteis, and Saucon Valley's Matt Arciuolo) all in the national rankings by at least one publication. Stoltzfus beat Schulteis in overtime for the Southwest Regional title last week.
   Darkhorse - Montoursville's Cael Crebs.
   Spring's Pick - Stoltzfus.

182 - In my opinion, this bracket will come down to the four regional champions. Ellwood City senior Austin Walley, Reynolds senior Bryce McCloskey, Saucon Valley senior Dane Csencsits, and Montoursville junior Dylan Bennett are those talked about.
   Darkhorse - Kane's Cameron Whisner.
   Spring's Pick - Walley.

195 - If you're selecting confidence picks this week, as in who's most likely to win a certain weight, Southern Columbia senior Gaige Garcia almost has to be that pick in my eyes. Garcia has pinned his way through the postseason so far, and I wouldn't be surprised if he adds four more on his way to a repeat title in Hershey.
   Darkhorse - Brockway's Eric Johnson.
   Spring's Pick - Garcia.

220 - This is a strong weight with a number of options for the title. Chestnut Ridge senior Duane Knisely is one of them after beating Mount Union's Jake Ryan and Glendale's Cory Johnston back to back for the Southwest Regional crown. Also in the conversation should be Montoursville's Cameron Wood, Brookville's Nathan Taylor, and Wilson's Kolby Flank. Ryan, Johnston, Wood, and Taylor are all in the top half, with Knisely and Flank a potential semifinal meeting on the bottom.
   Darkhorse - Eisenhower's Cael Black.
   Spring's Pick - Ryan.

285 - Brookville senior Colby Whitehill is a defending champion and the favorite, but there are some other top contenders for the big boys. They include Meyersdale junior Jalen Stephens, Southern Columbia senior Lear Quinton, Saucon Valley senior Nick Warnke, Reynolds junior Guy Rocco John-Daniello, and Tamaqua senior Bronson Strouse.
   Darkhorse - Laurel's Mitch Miles.
   Spring's Pick - Whitehill.

Lions continue to thrive on statewide stage

   A bunch of smiles stood out as Chestnut Ridge once again posed for team pictures following Saturday's conclusion of the PIAA state dual meet championships.
   That's become the norm with the Lions, who found themselves with another round of medals and a team trophy before they departed Hershey's Giant Center.
   Chestnut Ridge finished third in Class AA for the third straight season, and earned its fifth medal overall from the team tournament. The Lions have the three third places along with a runner-up finish in 2015 and a fourth-place effort in 2013.
   In eight short years, Chestnut Ridge has transformed itself from one of the stronger programs in the region to among the top two or three on the state's small school level. Only Reynolds, which won its fourth consecutive championship and has medaled in each of the past eight years, has more hardware than the Lions over this time period.
   Certainly, there are a number of factors for it that have been well-chronicled before.
   A really strong feeder program, a top-notch coaching staff, and a brutal regular season schedule are just a few of them.
   But some teams just know how to compete on the big stages, and Chestnut Ridge is one of them. The Lions have found themselves in several big situations in Hershey over the years, and have delivered on more occasions than not.
   That's why there's five team trophies sitting in the school right now, and that's why the top teams know when the Lions are standing on the other side of the mat, it's likely going to be a heavyweight fight for every team point available.
   It's no secret that success breeds success, and that rings true at Chestnut Ridge, where the wrestling bloodlines often run deeper than the family bloodlines.
   I spoke to Calan Bollman after he won the 106-pound title at the Thomas Chevrolet Tournament at Bedford two weeks ago. I asked the talented freshman what he may have learned or seen from previous wrestlers at Chestnut Ridge.
   Here was his response: "My (assistant) coach right there (was standing nearby), Tyler Dibert, the Buttry boys (Austin and Conner), they have all helped me. And even Jared (McGill) and Justin (McCoy). I remember watching all of them when I was like six or seven years old, and we would go to tournaments on the weekends. They've just helped a lot with the program and they're giving back to it now."
   In that answer, Bollman rattled off a who's who of some of Chestnut Ridge's most decorated wrestlers in its history. Among other things, all that group did was win 12 state medals collectively, including state titles for McCoy (2017) and McGill (2019).
   Like many of them, Bollman came to the varsity ranks highly decorated and expected to do big things. And whatever he may have picked up in the past, he's putting to good use with a 30-3 record to date as perhaps the next superstar for the Lions.
   That’s just one example of current wrestlers taking a page from those before them. It’s not exclusive to Chestnut Ridge at all, but in this day, the Lion program is taking full advantage of it.
   That said, in a team concept, you need everyone to contribute. And Chestnut Ridge gets that too, whether it's an upset win or just staying away from getting pinned or surrendering major bonus points.
   Just this weekend, look at Duane Knisely moving up to heavyweight twice and beating a pair of really good kids (Southern Columbia's Lear Quinton and Saucon Valley's Nick Warnke). Or how about Luke Moore's win over Saucon's Thomas Spirk, who was a state medalist last year.
   Those are the kind of things that have to happen to do what Chestnut Ridge is doing.
   That's what Reynolds does, and if you want to be where the Raiders are, that's what you do.
   Honestly, if I had to bet money this past weekend, I would have said I thought this was Southern Columbia's year. But yet again, Reynolds is Reynolds as I've heard so many say in the confines of the Giant Center.
   As for the near future, Reynolds will be of course there, Southern Columbia will have a strong group back, Saucon Valley is a mainstay in the medal hunt, Notre Dame wants what it doesn't have yet, and Forest Hills is coming on fast with a young group of high talent already with more on the way.
   But don't forget about Chestnut Ridge. Yes, I'd bet on that too.