Updated Bedford County Numbers

   Here's an updated all-time wins list among wrestlers from the six Bedford County Schools, as well as some other things at the bottom.

Top 10 in Wins - Bedford County
141 - Ryan Easter, Bedford
138 - Tyler Dibert, Chestnut Ridge
133 - Derrick Claar, Chestnut Ridge
132 - Trent Crouse, Chestnut Ridge
132 - Josh Snyder, Hyndman
129 - Brian Gibbons, Bedford
128 - Jake Bennett, Hyndman
128 - Cory Thomas, Bedford
126 - Brandon Reasy, Northern Bedford
122 - Eric Gibbons, Bedford

Record-Breaker
   Chestnut Ridge's Aaron Burkett has 111 wins entering his senior season. Given his talent and the loaded Lions' schedule, which give him a chance to earn at least 4-5 wins alone in events like the Athens Tournament, the Powerade Tournament, the Ultimate Duals, and postseason team and individual tournaments, Burkett is well within striking distance of Ryan Easter's mark of 141 set two years ago and could be the first county wrestler to get to 150 wins.
   The other two wrestlers that should crack 100 wins, and do it early in the upcoming season, are Chestnut Ridge's Conner Buttry and Bedford's Jonathan Gabriel. Buttry has 95 and Gabriel is at 91.

Bedford County State Champions
2015 - Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford
2008 - Gary Pfahler, Chestnut Ridge
1983 - Paul Clark, Everett
1977 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1976 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1975 - Jan Clark, Northern Bedford
1964 - Ron Hamilton, Bedford
1945 - John Heacock, Bedford

Long time since a Two-Time
   As you can see, the county hasn't had that many champions in its history, and Northern Bedford's Jan Clark was the last repeat winner nearly 40 years ago. The legendary Clark won three and was a four-time finalist.
   Can Gabriel become a two-time champion? It's certainly possible, though standing in the way at 126, where I believe the Bison star will finish the year, could be Central Cambria's Max Murin (champ at 113 last season), or maybe the likes of Reynolds' Cole Matthews (champ at 120), Athens' Brian Courtney (runner-up at 120) or Fort LeBoeuf transfer Charlie Lenox (AAA qualifier for Erie McDowell, owns a pin over Bethlehem Catholic's Luke Karam).
   Paul Clark and Gary Pfahler were seniors when they won their titles, so Gabriel was the first junior to win since Jan Clark's 1976 title.
   Including Gabriel, this has to be perhaps the area's best chance ever to have multiple state champions in one season. Burkett (2nd, 6th previously at 106) and Buttry (3rd at 195) will be among the favorites in their weight classes, while Chestnut Ridge sophomore Justin McCoy (6th at 120) can't be overlooked, and incoming freshman Jared McGill (2-time PJW champion, 5-time finalist) could contend.