Here’s how Bald Eagle Area wrestling collected its historic 700th win
Bald Eagle Area wrestling coach Ron Guenot has paid his dues when it comes to the program.
He came through the elementary program coached by Lloyd Rhoades and eventually wrestled on the varsity team for legendary coach Dick Rhoades. And, on Tuesday night, he added his own name to the history books by coaching the Eagles to their historic 700th dual win in a 51-15 victory over Tyrone.
“It’s a honor for me to be a part of this,” Guenot said. “I’m just one of the thousands of people that have been involved over the course of all these years we’ve had this program. I was just lucky enough to be a part of that. I have to say thank you to Coach Dick Rhoades and his brother Lloyd, who was the elementary coach.
“Coach (Dick) Rhoades had almost 400 wins, and that’s over half. He’s a big part of who I am today, and how I grew up just idolizing the wrestlers that were in varsity when I was in elementary. I think that is continuing now. We got 700; we are going to try to get a lot more.”
BEA began its wrestling program in the late 1950s. Tuesday, the Eagles became the first District 6 program to reach the dual milestone.
“It’s amazing knowing that we’ve got our 700th win,” sophomore Cooper Gilham said. “It feels great competing out there and doing what I love and doing what the team loves.”
Added four-year starter and senior Garrett Giedroc: “It’s pretty awesome what all of (the) past Bald Eagle teams have accomplished, and to be a part of this is awesome. When I started as a freshman, I knew if we worked hard and we believed in what we practiced, then we would accomplish pretty big things.”
Gilham and Giedroc put together back-to-back victories late in the match to hand BEA a comfortable 21-15 lead with five bouts to go and with Tyrone having to forfeit many of those final bouts.
Gilham faced another talented sophomore in Hunter Walk for the Golden Eagles. The pair were in a constant scramble for most of their 113-pound match.
Gilham came out on top of one those scrambles in the first period with 23 seconds remaining. He earned an escape and used a strong ride in the third for a 3-1 win. He acknowledged that there was a little added pressure from the magnitude of the night, but he was going to come out the victor.
“Knowing I was wrestling a tough opponent like Hunter Walk,” Gilham said, “it was a great battle and the kid fought hard, but I just came out on top.”
Giedroc, who is just one of four seniors on the roster, hit two beautifully timed duck-unders on Tyrone’s Mason Walls. Giedroc hit one in the first period for an early 2-0 lead. The second came in the second period to hand himself a 6-3 lead going to the final period.
The four-year starter used a solid ride out in the third period to secure the win.
“I try to be a leader on the team and show as much positivity and encouragement to encourage the team to work hard,” Giedroc added.
Following those wins, BEA’s lead ballooned to 24 points thanks to four straight forfeits from the Golden Eagles. A pin from Drew Koleno at 145 pounds in 47 seconds, and another forfeit win for senior Richard Taylor cemented the final score.
Tyrone is coached by 2005 PIAA heavyweight champion and graduate in Terry Tate. He, too, has experienced a few of the Eagles’ golden years from 2002-2005, obviously on the opposite side.
“It’s just a testament to the already-winning tradition and everything that they have,” Tate said of the historic night for BEA. “You have a program built on a lot of great wrestlers. They just continue to make it happen. Watching their junior high, it’s obvious that it’s going to continue. They keep doing everything right. You don’t want to be the 700th win, but it’s cool to be here during the history.”
Tate’s team sure tried its hardest not to be that 700th win, even with giving up the forfeits.
Tyrone’s Alex Weaver began the dual by pinning BEA’s Kaden Bittinger in 3:38 at 160 pounds. After the Eagles were able to tie the match with a fall of their own from Brady Proctor, the Golden Eagles got a confidence-boosting win from Thomas Hicks at 182 pounds.
Hicks bumped up from his usual 170-pound spot to take on Dylan Bisel. It was a move that Tate said Hicks wanted to do.
Hicks survived from being lateral dropped by Bisel early in the first period. He rallied and earned a 7-2 win over Bisel, using a full ride in the second period.
“Compared to the way we wrestled Bald Eagle last year, we were a whole different team tonight,” Tate said. “My guys came out and fought hard. We had a couple of really close matches, a lot of really good matches. I’m proud of the way my guys wrestled tonight.”
Following Hicks’ win, BEA responded with back-to-back wins from Chandler Burns and David Close.
Burns tied the dual at 9-9 with an 8-4 decision over Anthony Dalesio at 195 pounds. Close pinned James Lewis in 48 seconds. However, a forfeit at 285 pounds from the Eagles again tied the dual at 15-15 before Gilham and Giedroc hit the mat.
“Tyrone wrestled well in places,” Guenot said. “We told the kids before the match, ‘We needed to wrestle a hard six minutes.’ Tyrone did that in some places, so hats off to them. I know they had a few forfeits, but the matches that were contested, it was a tough contest.”
So, after the victory, what does the future now hold for the winningest program in District 6 history?
For Guenot, he feels everything is heading in the right direction. The junior high program has won several tournaments this season and has just one dual loss. The elementary program has great numbers participating. There have been several tournament winners in that group too.
For Gilham, it will be emotional when his senior season is complete.
“It’s going to be rough, man, knowing I didn’t move here earlier on,” said Gilham, who joined the team last year. “It’s a family. We are all a huge family. It’s going to be tough leaving my senior year.”
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Bald Eagle Area 51, Tyrone 15
Tuesday at Wingate
160: Alex Weaver, T, pinned Kaden Bittinger, 3:38
170: Brady Proctor, BEA, pinned Zach Lash, 3:44
182: Thomas Hicks, T, dec. Dylan Bisel, 7-2
195: Chandler Burns, BEA, dec. Anthony Dalesio, 8-4
220: David Close, BEA, pinned James Lewis, :48
285: Parker Allen, T, won by forfeit
106: No match
113: Cooper Gilham, BEA, dec. Hunter Walk, 3-1
120: Garrett Giedroc, BEA, dec. Mason Walls, 6-3
126: Drake Holderman, BEA, won by forfeit
132: Alex Holt, BEA, won by forfeit
138: Noah Foltz, BEA, won by forfeit
145: Drew Koleno, BEA, pinned Noah Sprankle, :47
152: Richard Taylor, BEA, won by forfeit
Next match: Juniata at Bald Eagle Area, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published January 15, 2019 at 10:44 PM.