Remembering Joel Easter

    Dedication. Enthusiasm. Passion.

   All three of those words echoed throughout the obituary for Bedford icon Joel Easter, who passed away late last week.

   One of the most accomplished wrestlers in Bedford’s storied history, Easter was also a small business owner and a beloved family man. On the mat, Joel collected three state medals, including a runner-up finish as a junior 105-pounder.

   I’ll remember Joel for his coaching style and the pride he showed upon the wrestling achievements of his sons Trey and Ryan.

   A memory that sticks with me came when Trey capped off a strong high school career with a seventh-place medal in the state tournament. 

   I was standing in the back hall of Hershey’s Giant Center after the medal ceremony, and in giving Trey time before interviewing him, those joyous few moments between a father and son were pretty cool to see.

   The next year, along comes Ryan and all he does is win four state medals, the first to do so, one-upping his dad in the process. And again, the father-son moments were the same from a journalist’s perspective and must have been just as cherished from a family mindset.

   While I’m sure it did happen, I always thought how cool would those dinner conversations discussing state medals have been for the Easter clan, like “Hey, we’ve got eight state medals, come beat that!”

   And it’s probably cliche to say coaches have a special insight to their particular sport, but I’ll also remember Joel Easter for that. On more than one occasion at a big tournament, I’d just happen to be standing close enough to hear him describe the larger picture in either an individual match or a round, whether Bedford was involved in it or not, and think “yeah, this guy knows what’s up.”

   No doubt, Joel will be missed in Bedford wrestling, Pennsylvania wrestling, and beyond. 

   My deepest condolences go out to Sheila, Trey, Ryan and the extended Easter family.

SanctionPA hits magic number

   We made it!

   On Tuesday afternoon, the SanctionPA committee announced that 100 school districts in Pennsylvania have now approved the formation of a girls wrestling program.

   With that comes the fulfilling of a standard set by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) that would make the sport eligible for inclusion in the state’s official array of sponsored sports.

Officially, Pennridge is the 100th program. The process began less than three years ago in the formation of a grassroots committee made up of coaches, administrators, and others interested in promoting and building the idea of girls wrestling to get to a day like today. That group and it’s end goal, of which I have represented District 5, is a testament to our dedication to this initiative.

   “Meeting the 100-school threshold further cements SanctionPA’s viewpoint that if you create equitable opportunities for girls athletics, growth will follow,” said SanctionPA president Brooke Zumas, who is also the girls coach at Parkland High School. “When we launched this initiative in March 2020, girls wrestling as a whole was treated as a novelty and not as a legitimate sport on its own validation. But with the collaborative work of people across Pennsylvania, it is clear that girls wrestling is a robust and needed sport that fulfills what was a void in the wrestling community and our state. In a few weeks, athletes will compete in what we hope to be the last non-PIAA sanctioned Pennsylvania girls wrestling state tournament. We congratulate each and every school and athlete, past and present, who helped pave the pathway for the great sport of girls wrestling in Pennsylvania.”

   High school girls wrestling participation in Pennsylvania grew by over 80% during the 2022-23 season and has experienced over a 400% growth in the past five years. Since the school year began last fall, 46 schools have approved a girls wrestling program.

   “PIAA would like to congratulate those member schools that are sponsoring girls’ wrestling and supporting their growth,” said PIAA executive director Robert Lombardi. “We are looking forward to developing a first class program to highlight these athletes and wish to thank all those involved with SanctionPA for their commitment to this growing sport.”

Pennsylvania girls in preseason national rankings

    As the high school girls wrestling season draws near, here is a rundown of girls from Pennsylvania schools listed in the latest national rankings by USA Wrestling. Not included are those from out of state who attend a Pennsylvania prep school, such as Wyoming Seminary, or those that are not of high school age:

100 pounds

4. Valarie Solorio, Canon-McMillan

21. Julia Horger, Bensalem

106 pounds

9. Lexia Schechterly, Lake Lehman

17. Ana Malovich, Butler

112 pounds

5. Aubre Krazer, Easton

117 pounds

11. Sierra Chiesa, Northwestern

23. Journie Rodriguez, JP McCaskey

26. Eliana White-Vega, Cumberland Valley

122 pounds

9. Savannah Witt, Palisades

10. Haylie Jaffe, Kennett

127 pounds

4. Jordyn Fouse, Bishop McCort

132 pounds

16. Isabella Dias, Harry S. Truman

138 pounds

9. Marissa Rumsey, Williamsport

145 pounds

None listed

152 pounds

14. Avry Rahal, Mercer

17. Raegan Snider, Bishop McCort

28. Patron Plummer, Chestnut Ridge

164 pounds

11. Jael Miller, Punxsutawney

17. Abbie Miles, Laurel

180 pounds

None listed

200 pounds

None listed

225 pounds

None listed

Remembering Jim Clark

   In the sports world, it’s a small group of athletes and coaches who can say they went out on top.

   Chestnut Ridge coaching icon Jim Clark was one member of that club.

   Tonight, the local wrestling community is mourning the loss of Clark, who passed away after a brief battle with cancer.

   Clark put together one of the finest coaching careers Bedford County has seen in any sport, as he guided his Lions’ teams to a dual meet record of 342-158-3 over 31 years. 

   A large number of his wrestlers enjoyed individual success as well, with Clark in the head chair for 56 district champions, six regional champs, and nine state medalists.

   But perhaps Clark’s shining moment came in his final season in 2008, when the late Gary Pfahler captured the school’s first state wrestling championship in the 140-pound weight class. 

   Sitting matside for the Bedford Gazette that afternoon, I can still recall the emotional celebratory reactions of Clark and his longtime assistant coach, Scott McGill, after Pfahler held off a late takedown attempt by Burrell’s Jordan Shields when the final whistle sounded. 

   And when Clark had his arm around Pfahler walking away from the mat, both with big smiles, it was like they were on Cloud Nine, and rightly so. 

   It was the county’s first state wrestling title in 25 years. And it’s my opinion that the Clark/Pfahler combination for that elusive gold medal knocked down the door for what has transpired since on the big stage, as this area has captured four individual state championships and multiple team state medals in the last 13 years.

   Clark retired after that championship match for Pfahler, and he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame that spring. I went to that event in State College and in chatting with him, he was still in awe of being able to help win a state title for one of his own in what he knew was going to be his last head coaching assignment. 

   When writing about his retirement, he spoke of the time factor in going over lineups and putting his teams in the best position to win. His coaching resume speaks to that kind of dedication and why the 342 dual meet wins remain at the top of the county and district record book.

   Clark is also a member of the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2009.

   My condolences go out to Clark’s family and the Chestnut Ridge program.

Girls Wrestling ready for another big year

    When Brooke Zumas and Chris Atkinson started putting together what became the SanctionPA committee for girls wrestling in Pennsylvania, they knew the potential was there to create a sizable movement.

   In just a couple of years, it's become quite the movement.

   With the 2022-23 high school season starting soon, 75 schools across the state have formed a girls wrestling team. Extensive work from the grassroots committee and of course the schools has put the goal of getting 100 schools on board to cross a PIAA mandate to sponsor the sport well within reach.

   "Since the first girls team formed at a PIAA school (J.P. McCaskey in March 2020), the sport has shown phenomenal growth throughout Pennsylvania," said Zumas, who coaches the girls team at Parkland High School in District 11. "Every year, there are more girls than before that are wrestling in the state. Every year is history-making in its own right."

   In the time since the high school season ended seven months ago at the MyHouse State Championships at Central Dauphin High School, 40 new teams have been formed. Those 40 schools are from all around the state, further enhancing its presence in Pennsylvania.

   "I'm amazed at the support, particularly in the past year for the girls and in schools adding teams," said Atkinson. "It's getting really exciting with the addition of each new school as we get closer to 100. You can feel the buzz growing across the Commonwealth."

   Overall, 10 of the 12 PIAA districts in Pennsylvania have at least one girls wrestling program at a member school. District 3 has consistently led the way and has 27 of them, with District 11 at eight teams, and Districts 1 and 2 with seven apiece.

   Atkinson, who coaches at District 1's Souderton Area High School, continues to highlight the need for more education about girls wrestling, despite the ongoing growth.

   "I still feel like we have pockets in the communities who think girls wrestling is just a fad," he said. "Many stigmas associated with girls and wrestling are unfounded and just bad misconceptions. We need to more forward from that through education and promotion of the sport."

   Given the rate of schools forming teams, the 100-program barrier is likely to happen sooner than later.    It's probably a good bet to see it happen at some point during this high school season or by next summer, but a full-fledged state sanctioned sport may still have to wait a year, as the PIAA is currently in the first year of its next two-year enrollment cycle. 

   If that is the case, a state tournament that SanctionPA and its advocates would like to see run in conjunction with the boys likely wouldn't happen until the 2024-25 school year. That said, the extra time might be needed to discuss logistics of holding a boys (two classes) and girls state tournament together at one location. 

   In a meeting of the Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Committee last month, PIAA executive director Robert Lombardi said he is a proponent of hosting a combined state tournament, as it would further enhance the standing of girls wrestling, but was concerned about the postseason timeline as well as numbers when it came to coaches and officials.

   In terms of this coming season, a number of highlighted tournaments return for the girls, including Queen of the Mountain at Central Mountain on December 18, the Powerade girls tournament on December 28 at Canon-McMillan, and Mid-Winter Mayhem at IUP's Kovalchick Center on January 14. Several other schools are also holding tournaments and some dual meets are also scheduled.

   "There continues to be ample competition opportunities available for girls, and we are excited for another record-breaking season," said Zumas. "Girls wrestling is wrestling, and I think everyone that loves this sport is understanding that more and more, and working to support and grow the sport."

   The state is broken into three regional tournaments, all of which are set for Sunday, March 5. Parkland hosts the East Regional (Districts 1, 2, 11, 12), J.P. McCaskey will hold the Central Regional (Districts 3, 4, 5), and Kiski Area will host the West Regional (Districts 6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

   Central Dauphin will once again be the site of the MyHouse State Championships, which will take place on Sunday, March 13. 

   

   

Remembering My Dad

    Everyone has those days that get etched in the mind from some circumstance, good or bad. You can't remember what you ate for breakfast yesterday, yet the tiniest things from those particular minutes or hours stay with you.

   Those days. For me, June 2, 2021 will forever be a time to pause, reflect, and remember. 

   One year ago marks the final time I saw my dad in person. It was early on a Wednesday morning, the last day of several that my dad had been spending with us after traveling north from his home in Florida. 

   It was like old times as we chatted for close to two hours about life. We talked about sports, something near and dear to both our hearts. We discussed what was going on in the world, what was going on with my family. In hindsight, it's of course become one of those things you wish would have lasted longer, if just for a minute more.

   But life gets in the way. I had to get some sleep, and my dad needed to get ready to head a bit further down the road to visit my sister and her family. 

   I'll never forget the last hug we had. Then I turned around and walked out the door.

   

   We would talk again and exchange text messages on the phone, but about two months later, God called my dad home. It was a major shock to my system. The cliche is that you're never ready for it, but man, I sure was not. It can happen to anyone at any age, though even at 74 years old, I thought my dad still had a lot of life to live. 

   Again, in hindsight, there's so much I wish we would have talked about over the years. I feel like I've learned more about him in the short months since than before last June. 

   My dad fought for this country in the U.S. Army. Of course, I knew that, but I knew none of his service record or awards until I read old paperwork on it. 

   Before retirement, my dad worked all over the country and made numerous contacts and friends across a long career while also doing much of the same with church work. Of course, I knew that too, but to have someone travel in from Oklahoma to my dad's memorial service at his home church in Florida, even for one person, means you made an impact somewhere, somehow.

   If you know me, I'm about as private of a person as can be when it comes to discussing emotions or thoughts. It's probably why writing came so natural to me. Covering a wrestling match or a softball game was always easy. Talking about myself, let alone trying to eulogize a parent - not so much.

   That part would have been easy for my dad. I even joked during my eulogy that he probably would have enjoyed writing and delivering his own version if he could have. I did not inherit the gift of public speaking from him. Looking at the crowd there that day, my dad was the person who could have known nobody there and fit right in. Me, I'd be in the corner taking in my own personal thoughts with maybe a few quick hellos.

   In some ways, it seems like it's been that long since those first few days of a 'new' reality. In other ways not. The word I use most with the last year is 'numb'. I know it's real, but I haven't felt like myself. It's been difficult not being able to pick up the phone and just say hello, or for him to text me about NCAA wrestling or how the Bedford County teams are doing, as he still would despite me not in full-time journalism anymore. (Yes, sports fans, I still follow along).

   In between planning services, trying to clean out a house and selling one from 1,000 miles away, and the associated decisions that need to be made while also working and maintaining your own family life hasn't been easy, or fun for that matter.

   It hasn't left a whole lot of time to grieve or reflect, and that has been the hardest part. You feel so distracted. You want the clock to stop even though you know it can't. You want moments back that you know aren't available until we meet again in Heaven. 

   I closed my eulogy that day by saying "My father wasn't a perfect man, but he was the perfect dad for me." 

   My dad wasn't perfect, I'm not either, but I believe he had a kind heart and truly cared for people. I try to do the same as much as possible so my son can someday say the same about me.

   Healing is taking it's time, but it's starting to come now that most of the extraneous, necessary things have been taken care of. Which is leaving more minutes for memories.

   And those are many, from throwing the ball in the yard, to a trip to the Little League World Series, to him holding his grandson for the first time and so much more in-between and around, my dad was that 'perfect' dad.

   My dad made an impact. That's what matters above all else.

   Thanks Dad.

   

   

Northern Bedford adds girls wrestling

    Most people who attend a wrestling match at Northern Bedford County High School drive up or down Route 36 on their way to it.

   In something that’s purely coincidental but also somewhat fitting, you’ll be taking that same-numbered roadway to find the newest, and numerically similar, sanctioned girls wrestling program in Pennsylvania. On Tuesday night, Northern Bedford became the 36th official girls program in the state after receiving unanimous formal approval at the district’s regular board meeting.

   Locally, NBC joins Chestnut Ridge in sponsoring girls wrestling at the varsity level. The two District 5 schools each added their names to a growing list of girls teams within five months of each other.

   “I’m excited to hear that Northern Bedford has added girls wrestling,” said Ryan Spring, a District 5 representative on the SanctionPA task force. “I figured they would be at some point because of the strong girls’ youth program they have put together over the last several years. To see it happen for the high school girls already competing for Northern Bedford, and for those to come up in the future, is outstanding.

   “I’m also proud of the task force’s work over the last two years. Together, we’ve worked hard through the Covid pandemic and other challenges to get 36 schools on the map and receive the PIAA’s emerging sport status. 

   “During my time covering boys wrestling for the Bedford Gazette, I saw such passion for the sport from so many in this area. I had no doubt that wrestling on the girls’ side would be well-received here. That was a main reason in joining the task force when Brooke (Zumas) and Chris (Atkinson) were seeking others from around the state to put this together. Having two of the 36 make their home in Bedford County is pretty special given that we’re part of the smallest district in Pennsylvania.”

   As aforementioned, Northern Bedford has built a solid foundation with its girls youth program. Many of those young ladies have enjoyed tremendous success. That includes current high-schoolers Jordyn Fouse and Raegan Snider.

   At the 2022 MyHouse PA Girls state tournament last month, Fouse won the 130-pound championship while Snider placed sixth at 136. Fouse has been a household name to those close to the sport for years, and she has also gained national recognition is being ranked in or near the top 10 of her weight class across the country by USA Wrestling.

   That pipeline of talent should only continue to happen for Northern Bedford with the success shown by Fouse, Snider, and others that so many times is seen as a harbinger of future accomplishments.

   “Dave and Jen Fouse were the ones who started the girls (elementary) program at NBC,” said veteran Black Panthers’ boys coach Brian Dutchcot, who oversaw three girls on the high school team and four in junior high this past season.“I’m sure their vision one day was to see a varsity program.”

   Statewide, of the 36 official girls wrestling programs, Northern Bedford becomes the 21st school to approve a team since the start of the 2021-22 academic year. 

Lions solid again on statewide stage

    Chestnut Ridge continues to keep itself among the current who’s who in Pennsylvania wrestling after another strong weekend performance in Hershey, with the Lions grabbing more hardware for their ever-expanding trophy case.

   The District 5 champions rebounded from a semifinal loss to eventual Class AA winner Saucon Valley with two victories on Saturday to finish in third place.

   More on Saucon Valley and the always hot topic of public vs. private in a bit, but let’s touch on the Lions first.

   Chestnut Ridge was making its 10th straight appearance in the Class AA duals and wound up with its sixth top-four finish, and its fourth time as the state’s third place medalist. The Lions were previously the runner-up in 2015, third in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and fourth in 2013. 

   Those six medals are second best over that time frame in Class AA behind Reynolds. The Lions have come up short in some recent state semifinals, but if you get there enough, you’d like to think getting to another final and maybe winning a title will come at some point.

  By the way, Chestnut Ridge’s junior high team crowned five champions and rolled to another Mountain Conference championship on Saturday, so it doesn’t appear that the Fishertown school’s hold on the local wrestling scene is going away anytime soon.

   Speaking of the Mountain Conference, props to Northern Bedford and Bedford for finishing second and fourth, respectively, in the final team standings. The future looks promising for those two local programs.

- Hail to the Panthers -

   What a finals performance it was for Saucon Valley in its 29-22 triumph over Notre Dame Green Pond.

   Obviously, any championship is special, but this one has to be especially sweet for the Panthers. Just last weekend, Notre Dame humbled Saucon Valley 50-5 for the District 11-AA crown. 

   From a 50-5 loss (SV won two bouts but lost a team point) to a 29-22 victory in seven days. I can’t recall such a turnaround by any team, certainly not one in that short of a time frame.

   So what changed?

   For starters, there’s no love lost between these two teams right now, so motivation on Saucon’s side seems rather easy from where I sit. Given that margin of a loss (and a 35-15 one in the regular season), I would guess that Chad Shirk’s message to his team was wrestle with a “nothing to lose” mentality. 

   Saucon Valley also was about as healthy as could be with everyone available in Hershey. That included two-time state champ Ryan Crookham, who of course and just to add fuel to the fire won both those titles in a Notre Dame singlet.

   In the final, the Panthers scored some huge bonus points early before securing things in the next to last bout that allowed a meaningless forfeit to ND ace Brandon Chletsos at the end.

   Before moving to Bedford County, I briefly covered wrestling in the Lehigh Valley and worked a few Saucon Valley showings. I found Shirk to be a likable interview and a good young coach at that time. In kind of a similar fashion to Chestnut Ridge, Saucon Valley has turned itself from a strong program in its own area into one of the best in the state on an annual basis.

   It should also be noted that local officials Mike Eichelberger and Jeff Beach worked the Class AA championship match between Saucon Valley and Notre Dame. I’m not certain, but I’m not sure that District 5 officials have ever done a team dual state final before. Kudos to them.

- Public-Private debate rages on -

   Barring some kind of decision from the PIAA that splits state championship events into one with public schools and one with private, or non-boundary, schools, the vocal battle over the current setup is sure to continue.

   Even with Saucon Valley’s somewhat unexpected win in Class AA against a private school, don’t expect the debate to simmer down.

   Most of the chatter comes down to whether the private programs actively engage in recruiting, which reared its ugly head around here with the sanctions handed down against Bishop McCort in Johnstown. The penalties were upheld by the state and in the courts, that suspended its coach and banned the wrestlers from competing in the upcoming PIAA postseason.

   I’ve read a few social media comments suggesting schools such as McCort, Notre Dame, and Bethlehem Catholic (which won its fourth Class AAA team title on Saturday) be moved to wrestle at the prep level with programs like Blair Academy and Wyoming Seminary.

   As talented as Becahi and Notre Dame are currently, they’re nowhere on the level of the top prep schools. Earlier this season, Blair beat Notre Dame 52-6 and the only Crusader points came via a forfeit in the last weight. In 2018, Wyoming Seminary shut out a very good Becahi team, 56-0. 

   I’ve also seen the usual “public schools do it too” comments in regards to recruiting talent. 

   Look, are there wrestlers moving between public schools? Absolutely, but I don’t view that sentiment as a totally fair assessment. Public schools may get one or two here and there (Crookham an example in going back to Saucon Valley which he did last year but didn’t wrestle), but it’s the multiple kids year in and year out that isn’t sitting well (in most sports) among the public programs that largely abide by their district’s boundaries while others can be made up of anyone from any address.

   To be clear, I don’t fault any athlete for attending a private school. The onus in my opinion is on the PIAA to separate the classes. 

   Another commenter I saw suggested Notre Dame move up to Class AAA, as Bethlehem Catholic did several years ago.

   Don’t bet on it anytime soon. One, the new classification cycle (every two years) was recently released and ND did not do a voluntary move up. Also, remember that Bethlehem Catholic won four straight Class AA dual titles before voluntarily moving up. After this weekend, Notre Dame is still seeking its first.

   It’s not breaking news, but across the river in New Jersey, they get it by separating the publics and privates. Sure, crowning seven team champions (5 public, 2 private) can be argued as too many perhaps, but you don’t hear a lot of bickering back and forth. Oh yeah, and one individual champion at each weight. Simply put, a better postseason format.

- College update -

   As with high school, local collegiate wrestlers are eyeing the postseason with hopeful eyes.

   Among them is Bedford native Kaden Cassidy, who is turning in a solid first season at 141 pounds for George Mason.

   Cassidy is 15-5 and posted one of his best wins with a 3-2 decision last week over Saul Ervin of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, who is a returning NCAA qualifier at the weight.

   Also in Division I, Chestnut Ridge product Justin McCoy has a 12-1 record at 165 pounds for Virginia. McCoy will be seeking a third straight NCAA berth when the Cavaliers host the ACC Tournament next month.

    Everett alum Garret Cornell has a 23-6 record at Messiah this winter. Cornell is looking to improve on his fifth-place medal from the NWCA nationals a year ago.

Girls wrestling program comes to Chestnut Ridge

    Girls wrestling is picking up steam across Pennsylvania, and that wave of momentum has now reached local shores as Chestnut Ridge formally approved a varsity program at its school board meeting Tuesday night.

   With it, Ridge is the 24th district in the Commonwealth to add girls wrestling to its scholastic athletic offerings. Early this morning, postings to social media put the number at 25 with the addition of Big Spring.

   “I am excited that Chestnut Ridge has chosen to give these girls the opportunity, and given another avenue for the female student athlete to perform at the college level,” said Lions’ head coach Josh Deputy. “We will continue to hold these girls to a high standard as we do with our boys program and look forward to preparing them for the next level.”

   Wrestling followers of the Lions are well-accustomed to success on the boys side, as Deputy and others along with former head coach Greg Lazor guided Chestnut Ridge from a strong local program to one of the best in the state over the past decade.

   It would be no surprise to see the same level of attainment for Ridge’s girls team. Individually, sophomore Patron Plummer has already made a name for herself in winning a girls state championship last winter. Plummer’s accomplishments are sure to be a calling card for growth of the program.

   Statewide, Chestnut Ridge is the 11th school district to add girls wrestling since the 2021-22 school year began three months ago. In addition to being the first from District 5, the Lions join Central Mountain and Bald Eagle Area as those from either District 5 or District 6. Although the PIAA has established a 100-program minimum to recognize girls wrestling as a official sport, getting to 25 schools is a major goal. With that number now achieved, girls wrestling can be given emerging sport status by the state’s athletic organization.

   “Right now, girls high school wrestling in Pennsylvania is growing at an incredible rate,” said Brooke Zumas, a leader in the SanctionPA movement to certify the sport and the head coach at Parkland High School. “More schools have reached out and are in conversations to form teams than we’ve ever seen. We’re excited to reach the 25-school mark and apply to the PIAA’s Emerging Sport program.”

   With the high school season quickly approaching, excitement is at a high level.

   “The upcoming season should be an awesome high school wrestling season for girls in Pennsylvania,” added Zumas. “There are competitions across the state, and this year there will be regional tournaments in addition to states hosted by PAUSAW. Especially after last year when the pandemic limited the competition, we can’t wait for the upcoming opportunities that the girls will have.”

   

Cassidy flexes muscles in GMU debut

  NCAA DI preseason: McCoy moving up, McGill seeks a fresh start  

   The more things change, the more they stay the same.

   For Kaden Cassidy, that means a new zip code and a different level of competition. But the results of George Mason University's wrestleoffs on Friday night showed much of the usual dominance that we saw throughout Cassidy's stellar high school career that produced a 106-7 record with three top-3 state finishes including his 2020 PIAA Class AA title.

   During his senior season at Bedford, Cassidy rung up 24 technical falls among his 38 wins, and he was back to the old tricks as a George Mason freshman with a pair of techs to solidify himself as the 141-pound starter when the Patriots begin their season next weekend.

   Cassidy bookended the wrestleoffs with his victories, winning the opening match by a 20-4 count against three-time Pennsylvania state medalist Nathan Higley before a 16-0 shutout of Shawn Nonaka to close out the proceedings.

   With an eye already towards March, Cassidy said himself that it's "back to work tomorrow."

   "My goal is (to be an) All-American at NCAA's," said Cassidy. "I think if I wrestle my best and get better at my weaknesses, I can do that."

   Cassidy also offered his thoughts on what makes collegiate wrestling a different game from that of the high school variety.

   "I would say the biggest difference in college wrestling is that everyone is good for the first three minutes," he said. "The last four minutes of the match is where the better wrestler separates himself."

   Cassidy greyshirted at George Mason last year but kept up with his wrestling and conditioning before transitioning this fall to being on campus. He also took part in several mixed martial arts competitions, and is trying to reap the benefits of that as it pertains to being on the mat.

   "MMA helps with the handfighting aspect of wrestling," he said. "There's nothing compared to a grown man throwing punches at you, so it helps with the hand fights."

   Speaking of changes, former Chestnut Ridge standouts Justin McCoy and Jared McGill are also in the news.

   McCoy will enter his third year of varsity action at the University of Virginia, but it will be a new look with him moving from 157 to 165 pounds. The two-time NCAA qualifier and returning Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up is ranked 20th in the preseason 165-pound poll by Intermat.

   Meanwhile, McGill will not be wrestling for the University of Pittsburgh this winter after opting to enter the transfer portal. He went 11-10 overall at Pitt between his redshirt and freshman seasons at 174, but in a September quote to Pittsburgh Sports Now said "things didn't work out at Pitt", and "I'm going to find a new home and a good fit for me."

Remembering Rob Reed

    Most high school athletic programs have at least one person that is that go-to in any situation type.

   Rob Reed fit that category at Northern Bedford. His warm personality also made him a favorite throughout the Black Panthers’ profile in local sports.

   Reed, who unexpectedly passed away last week, has been fondly remembered over the past several days.

   I didn’t know Rob too well, but it was always nice to chat with him for a few minutes. Most of our interactions took place on the football sidelines, where Reed served as an assistant coach. 

   He would usually ask me about other games that particular night. At NBC, cell phone service is spotty at best, so I didn’t always have the score or any information, but I would do my best to seek it out. I do remember that Rob would often ask about Bedford or Chestnut Ridge, more so than Northern’s local rivals in the Inter-County Conference. 

   One other thing I’ll remember about Reed was his willingness to help out the younger or more inexperienced players on the Panther sidelines. This was mentioned by Northern Bedford head coach Garry Black in a piece for the Altoona Mirror, and also stated on the team’s Facebook page in announcing his passing. I saw that aspect of his teaching/coaching ability first hand on many occasions. 

   Also on the Facebook page, it was noted that Reed wore blue pants on at least a couple of game nights, which gave me a laugh. I also own some blue pants and have worn them quite often, including I’m sure at Panther Community Stadium at some point or another. Rob wore them for a game with Williamsburg, whose colors are blue and white. He said he was color blind. I’m not, as of yet and I try to only wear them at a game when both teams have blue or neither team does, but it gave me a smile and a chuckle to have something in common, at least a little bit.

   If and when I get to Northern Bedford for an athletic event again, I’ll miss the friendly face that Rob Reed was. My condolences go to his family and friends.

   

Remembering Cory Isenberg

    The most prominent word I would use to describe Cory Isenberg is “dedicated.”

   Throughout her sportswriting career, Cory was exactly that and so much more. And that is why the news of her passing on Wednesday night was met with a wealth of fond memories and admiration for the longtime Johnstown Tribune-Democrat scribe.

   Cory died at age 64 after courageously battling cancer for the third time in her life. 

   I didn’t know her that well outside of the sports media world, but I always enjoyed the moments and events when our paths crossed. 

   At the state track and field championships every May, Cory and I would usually sit near each other under the media tent at Shippensburg University, as I regularly covered the first day of the meet for the Bedford Gazette. We never planned it that way, it was just one of those quirky things that you tend to sit in the same place each year. I’ll always remember her pleasant, upbeat attitude whether we were discussing the day’s happenings at the state championships or local district playoffs in baseball and softball that also take place in that same timeframe.

   One other quick story about Cory comes from the 2012 Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference football media day. It was held at Greater Johnstown High School, and was just a day or two after Clearville native Natalie Dell (O’Brien) had won a bronze medal at the London Olympics, of which I had written a front page feature for the Gazette. I can’t remember Cory’s exact words upon greeting me, but she was so elated for Natalie and for me as well to capture that moment even though it wasn’t her story or one in her coverage area. She always displayed that positive attitude and was just a pleasant personality to chat with and share interview time with coaches and athletes.

   And Cory wasn’t a great female sports reporter, she was a great sports reporter. Period. Man, Woman, it does not matter.

   That said, she was a trailblazer for female sports media personalities in this area. Go back just a few years and see how many women were (and many still are) involved with one of either the newspapers or television stations that cover District 5 and 6 schools. I won’t list them because I would probably forget someone, but I’ve always thought it was pretty impressive to have so many females covering sports, and all very well I might add, from this part of Pennsylvania. 

   And Cory was a big part of the beginning of that, whether she wanted the accolades or not.

   In my full-time sportswriting days, I felt like I had the passion and dedication similar to what Cory displayed. And yet I only made it to about a third of the time as her 35 years in the business. Why?

   Simple answer: There will never be another Cory Isenberg.

   My prayers and thoughts are with Cory’s family, friends, and colleagues at the Tribune-Democrat.

Girls Wrestling growing fast in PA

    The total number of girls participating in wrestling has grown nationally for 29 straight years.

    While that has included the wrestling-rich state of Pennsylvania, the past 12 months have seen the Commonwealth gain even more steam on that front, with a number of girls varsity programs having formed alongside their boys' teams.

    Early last year, a task force (of which I am part of) made up of coaches, school administrators, wrestling parents, and other wrestling representatives was formed with the ultimate goal of sanctioning the sport in Pennsylvania, meaning that the PIAA would recognize girls wrestling as an official sport and thus hold a state tournament. 

     Currently, PIAA by-laws state that 100 varsity teams must be formed to have the sport be considered for sanctioning. In mid-March of 2020, Lancaster's J.P. McCaskey became the first school to start a girls varsity program. Even with Covid-19 causing so many issues as we all know, that decision opened the gates for others to follow. In order, Easton (District 11), Executive Education Academy (District 11), North Allegheny (District 7), Central Mountain (District 6), Governor Mifflin (District 3), Annville-Cleona (District 3), Gettysburg (District 3), and Brandywine Heights (District 3) have all formed girls teams. 

     "Within the first six months of our initiative, and during a pandemic, eight teams (Brandywine Heights since) formed and many more have expressed significant interest," said Brooke Zumas, who is the chairperson of SanctionPA and a creator of the task force. "The fact that this was achieved when schools were shut down, school board meetings were virtual, and many schools halted funding speaks to the momentum and support that girls wrestling has across our state."

     Zumas, who coaches girls in wrestling at Parkland High School near Allentown, knew the effort could seem daunting at first, thus the task force was born.

     "In Pennsylvania, we saw a need to work collaboratively to continue to grow the sport and work towards sanctioning," she said. "As a group, we're focused on advocacy and education, especially educating coaches and schools about girls wrestling and helping schools to form teams."

     The idea of a girls wrestling team was an easy sell to the powers that be at Central Mountain, which announced its program was a go in early September.

     "Our school district and community were very supportive of sponsoring a girls wrestling program from the very beginning," said Wildcats' head coach Biff Walizer. "Our director of athletics, superintendent, principals, Central Mountain wrestling booster club, and school board members were all eager to have one of the first sponsored programs in the state, and to help lead the charge in getting girls wrestling officially sanctioned by the PIAA."

     Just prior to the beginning of the 2020-21 high school boys season, the task force rolled out a new initiative, #4GirlsWrestling, as a hopeful way to increase overall numbers among the girls. The goal is to get as many schools as possible to have at least four girls competing on the wrestling team. 

     But regardless of how its being done, girls wrestling is increasing exponentially. Zumas reports that 295 girls were listed on official rosters this year, including 41 freshmen that were part of a boys junior high team. That number is up from 229 last season.

     Girls tournaments across the state have taken place nearly every weekend for the last few months, and upcoming events include a PAUSAW (Pennsylvania USA Wrestling) sponsored state tournament on March 21 at the Spooky Nook complex in Lancaster.

     Locally in Bedford County, all of the school districts that have boys teams had at least one girl on a junior high or varsity roster. That includes Northern Bedford, where a strong girls wrestling club is already in place, making the Loysburg school a potential groundbreaker at some point for the first junior high or varsity girls program in this area.

     Jordyn Fouse, an eighth-grader at Northern Bedford, will be a name to know for the next few years in boys or girls wrestling on the local scene. Having competed since she was 5 years old, it didn't take long for her to love the sport.

     "I have always looked up to my brother (Alex, a three-year varsity starter, now wrestling at Shippensburg University), and when I saw that he was doing it, I knew I had to," she said. "So I quit dance after two weeks and started wrestling.

     "Wrestling is overall an awesome sport and I enjoy everything about it. A few things that stick out to me are the lessons it teaches you. You have to give it your all every single second when you are on the mat. It's also a sport that really shows if you put in the work, many amazing things come out of it. One of the best things about wrestling is all the amazing people you meet because the wrestling community is just one very big family."

     While Fouse already owned several high-level accomplishments, the current season has brought more notoriety. Among the highlights are a Powerade Junior Tournament championship, a victory in the prestigious Tulsa Nationals, and winning the Mountain Conference Tournament this past weekend and being named that event's outstanding wrestler.

     "Winning Tulsa Nationals and Mountain Conference are some of my favorites," said Fouse. "Nine years ago, I never would have thought I would be traveling to different states to do the thing I love."

     Her athletic ability aside, Fouse's comments about girls wrestling overall make her a perfect example of what the task force desires for so many all across Pennsylvania.

    "With how big girls wrestling has grown in PA and especially in my area, I take that as a huge accomplishment," she said. "When I started wrestling, there was maybe only one other girl in this area wrestling. The 2019-20 girls program at my school had about 30 girls. Knowing that they wouldn't be able to experience the amazing sport if I didn't work hard to get it going throughout the years is huge to me."

     As for SanctionPA, it's full steam ahead.

    "Participation numbers will continue to increase and one day, hopefully soon, girls wrestling will be an official sport in Pennsylvania," said Zumas. "In the meantime, the girls will continue to represent our state well within Pennsylvania and at the national level. I fully believe as we look ahead to the day that the sport is sanctioned in every state, Pennsylvania will be the best state in the country for both boys and girls wrestling."

     

McCoy earns second straight NCAA berth

    The Virginia Way is a popular hashtag phrase used by the University of Virginia's wrestling program whenever it publishes a post on Twitter.

    And for Justin McCoy, that way will land at a familiar, but not so familiar, destination next month. On Sunday, the former Chestnut Ridge star and current Cavaliers' sophomore finished as the 157-pound runner-up in the Atlantic Coast Conference championships which were held at N.C. State. Seeded second, McCoy defeated Virginia Tech's Connor Brady, 8-6, in the semifinals before dropping a 12-3 major to top-seeded and former NCAA finalist Hayden Hidlay of the host Wolfpack. As an ACC finalist, McCoy also earned all-conference honors.

    The semifinal win was good enough to take McCoy to his second straight NCAA Division I Tournament, which will be held in St. Louis in three weeks. 

    McCoy is 9-2 this season with both losses to Hidlay. He has been ranked between 15th and 20th at the weight by most publications and was 16th by Intermat prior to the conference tournament.

    "The season has gone pretty well so far," McCoy said just a couple of hours after the ACC Tournament. "It's been a little different having a shorter season, but there's some pros and cons to it. I've definitely cherished every match that I've been able to compete in just because it's a short season. I think I've wrestled well, but I'm definitely always looking to improve. I know I have to get better to beat the top kids in the country."

    Familiar in that it will be a second time in as many tries to reach college wrestling's marquee event, but not so familiar in that it will be McCoy's first time to step on one of the eight mats at the national championships. After placing fourth in the ACC tourney last year, McCoy was ready to go for the NCAA meet in Minneapolis. However, the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United States forced the cancellation of most anything sports related throughout the late winter and spring. 

   Wrestling can be as much mental as physical, and McCoy hopes a better mindset in 2021 can help him get to where he wants to go.

    "An area I think I've improved is my confidence," he said. "I've realized that I can wrestle with anyone in the country, and score from any position. But that's still something I need to keep improving on, especially against the best guys. I think I've also gotten better at re-attacks off of my opponent's offense."

    With Covid-19 protocols still limiting attendance and changing the overall atmosphere of events, McCoy has taken it in stride.

    "It really has been a lot different without fans. It's a little disappointing, but I try to make the best of it. I just try to focus on myself and what I need to do."

    That will be the case in St. Louis, where crowds are expected to be capped at 25-percent of the capacity of the Enterprise Center. Nonetheless, McCoy is set to make final preparations for what he hopes could land him his first NCAA medal.

   "I think a lot of the work has already been put in," he said. "My coaches and I will likely break down a lot of film on myself and make sure I'm crisp and ready to go. I'm sure we will also break down film on my first-round opponent."

   The brackets for the NCAA Division I Tournament will be released on March 10.

   McCoy's former Chestnut Ridge teammate, Jared McGill, also competed in the ACC Tournament on Sunday. A redshirt freshman at Pitt, McGill lost a pair of close bouts to finish his collegiate season. At 174 pounds, McGill dropped an 8-6 overtime decision in the quarterfinals and then was defeated 3-1 by one of McCoy's college teammates, Vic Marcelli, in the consolation semifinals.

   

   

      

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.