Here’s a look at how Centre County’s wrestling teams stack up for upcoming season
It took quite some time for Centre County to celebrate a PIAA wrestling champion from the area.
Before 2020, it had been seven years between seasons that a wrestler claimed a PIAA gold. In 2020, three local wrestlers from Bald Eagle Area and St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy won Class 2A titles. Then State College’s Pierson Manville won a state title for the county last year.
Manville is back to defend his crown, one of seven Centre County athletes returning after taking home PIAA medals last year.
There are also some weight changes to know about this year. There are still 13 weights, but all of the changes came at the lower weights to align more with the National Federation of State High School Associations weight classes. The weight classes for the upcoming year will be: 107, 114, 121, 127, 133, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285.
Here’s a look at how each team stacks up heading into the season:
Bald Eagle Area
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Ron Guenot (7th, 17th)
Assistant coaches: Kyle Wallace, Eddie Hockenberry, Kyle Fluke, John Dubbs, Troy Guenot, Mike Cook, Hunter Guenot, Steve Stem (JH), Ken Shirk (JH), Dave Lomison (JH), Rory McCoy (JH), Travis Stem (JH), Chase Gardner (JH)
Last season’s record: 12-3
Last season’s accomplishments: District 6 Duals (3rd), District 6 individual tournament (2nd), Southwest Regional (5th), My House Trojan Wars (2nd), West Branch Ultimate Warrior (5th)
Key losses: Noah Foltz, Kevin Taylor, Matthew Knepp, Grace Stem
Returning letterwinners (name & class): Coen Bainey, Sr.; Jeffre Pifer, Sr.; Nate Fry, Sr.; Hunter Ishler, Sr.; Lucas Fye, Jr.; Mason Reese, Jr.; Austin Moyle, Jr.; Cameron Dubbs, Jr.; Owen Johnson, Jr.; Eric Clark, Jr.; Shawn Knepp, Jr.; Caleb Lanning, Jr.; Garrett Myers, Jr.; Gavin Bennett, Jr.; Gavin Guenot, Soph.; Caleb Close, Soph.; Eden Eveleth, Soph.; Grace Crestani, Soph.; Cameron Corl-Alton, Soph.
Key newcomers (name & class): Adain Adams, Sr.; Angelina Grieb, Jr.; Mason Lanning, Soph; Eli Fry, Soph.; Austin Stine, Soph.; Alex Surovec, Soph.; Luke Tobias, Soph.; Connor Maney, Fr.; Kayson Tice, Fr.; Liam Purcell, Fr.; Gage Gardner, Fr.; Nick McCully, Fr.
Outlook: The Eagles had a ton of success last year, which culminated with three wrestlers claiming PIAA medals.
Bainey, Fye and Close were those medalists with Bainey claiming the highest finish in third. Fye and Close each made their first trip to Hershey, and came away with a fifth and eighth place finish, respectively.
All three of those wrestlers are back and coach Ron Guenot is expecting them to be leaders, along with some others that include Jeffre Pifer, Cameron Dubbs, Mason Reese and Gavin Guenot.
The team has 19 letterwinners returning — 16 boys and three girls.
BEA also gets its second season underway for its girls’ program. The Eagles became the first school in Centre County to help start the wave for the sport for girls.
They’ve lost program spearhead in Grace Stem, but the other girls that competed last year are back in Eden Eveleth, Grace Crestani and Cameron Corl-Alton.
“We are looking forward to another exciting year of Bald Eagle Area Wrestling. As has been the case for the last few years, our December schedule will be difficult with us competing at the King of the Mountain and Trojan Wars tournaments,” Ron Guenot said. “This will be a good indicator of what we need to work on as a team as we approach January. We are excited that we have a roster of about 30 wrestlers. In our second season, we look forward to continuing to build on the tradition of BEA Girls’ Wrestling.”
Bellefonte
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Mike Maney (17th year, 15th)
Assistant coaches: Mark Coppolo, Nate Alterio, Keith Taylor, Jeff Gardner, Ryan Smith
Last season’s record: 11-2
Last season’s accomplishments: Mt. League (3rd), District 6 Duals (3rd), District 6 Individual Tournament (4th)
Key losses: Jude Swisher, Aidan O’Shea, Tyler Putnam, Garret Choates, Nate Smith, Nolan Weaver
Returning letterwinners (name & class): Gage Long, Sr.; Addison Shawley, Sr.; Nash Irwin, Sr.; Grady Garrison, Jr.,; Noah Weaver, Soph.; Cameron Garcia, Soph.
Key newcomers (name & class): Max Murray, Sr.; Colton Perryman, Soph.; Aaron Shawley, Soph.; Wyatt Long, Fr.; Jackson Long, Fr.; Jack McHail, Fr.; Ezra Swisher, Fr.; Isaac Gall, Fr.
Outlook: There will be something unusual for the Red Raiders when the season gets underway this year.
It will be the first time in 15 years that Bellefonte doesn’t have a returning PIAA medalist on the roster. Also, the lineup might be the youngest that coach Mike Maney has had in his 15 seasons at the helm of the Red Raiders.
“These things aren’t necessarily a negative, but rather an opportunity,” Maney said. “The returning state medalist typically would be the leader and team captain. There is now an opportunity for individuals to take on this leadership role.”
Maney’s squad lost a pair of Division I wrestlers in Jude Swisher (Penn) and Aidan O’Shea (Franklin & Marshall). However, a pair of returning seniors, Gage Long and Addison Shawley, are among those he’ll look to for leadership.
“Throughout his career, Addison has proved capable of winning big matches,” Maney said. “He will need to stay hungry, motivated and believe he is capable of having the same success, and seek to make the PIAA Championships. Gage started to figure some things out throughout the year last season. He has started the season off with some great practices.”
Maney expects his lineup will have 4-5 freshmen and 4-5 sophomores. With so much youth, it can be difficult to get them to buy into what the coaching staff is trying to accomplish. However, Maney noted that his team has been very open and receptive for what he and his staff are trying to do.
“The point of emphasis, regardless of who or how many take the mat, is there is standard when you wear a singlet to represent Bellefonte,” he said. “You are going to compete hard, give your very best on and off the mat, and focus on being better than you were yesterday. If these things happen, the results will take care of themselves. If this team can stay together and healthy, there is an opportunity to surprise people throughout the year.”
Penns Valley
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Joel Brinker (16th, 23rd)
Assistant coaches: Mike Wise, Wayne Yearick, Colby Stover
Last season’s record: 10-7
Last season’s accomplishments: Panther Tournament (2nd), Fred Bell Tournament (1st), Qualified for AA Team Duals, District 6 Individual Tournament (5th), PIAA State Qualifier (Jack Darlington), PIAA medalist (Ty Watson, 6th)
Key losses: Cole Felker, Noah Fetterolf, Micah Fetterolf, Nate Long
Returning letterwinners (name &class): Hunter Lyons, Sr.; Kollin Brungart, Sr.; David Martin, Sr.; Micah Good, Sr.; Chase Fleshman, Sr.; Jack Darlington, Jr.; Colten Shunk, Jr.; Nick Cain, Jr.; Ty Watson, Jr.; Ethan Fetterolf, Jr.; Brandon Corl, Jr.
Key newcomers (name & class): Keith Dalton, Sr.; Zach Rummel, Soph.; Heath Senator, Soph.; Max King, Soph.; Landon Hess, Soph.; Rylee Winkelblech, Soph.; Ty Steiger, Soph.; Conner Myers, Fr.; Brayden Lisowski, Fr.; Sawyer Fetterolf, Fr.
Outlook: The Rams will get their season started a week after the season officially begins at the Babbit Duals, which is the normal starting point for the squad.
Coach Joel Brinker said “the team looks to be balanced” from a weight and class standpoint. There are 11 letterwinners returning, including PIAA qualifiers Ty Watson and Jack Darlington.
Watson had a sixth-place finish in his first trip to Hershey as Darlington made his first trip too. Watson finished second in the county last year with 41 wins. His 31 pins last year led the county, and also set a record for Penns Valley.
The pair will look to make it back this season, and hope to have some others along for the ride on the mat, rather than in the stands.
Colten Shunk looked like he was going to make it a trio at last year’s PIAA Championships, but an injury in the District 6 Championships halted that. Now he’s back, looking to build upon last season’s successes.
“(I’m) really excited with this year’s team, with many seeing varsity action in the past, along with a strong group of underclassmen that are coming up,” Brinker said. “This year’s team has the makings of having a nice year.”
Philipsburg-Osceola
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Justin Fye (8th, 2nd)
Assistant coaches: Aaron Levonick, Brandon Anderson, Donny Clark, Tim McCamley, Tyler Anderson, Bub Lumadue, Jared Ricotta, Cory Wood (JH), Jeremy Weller (JH)
Last season’s record: 15-7
Last season’s accomplishments: District VI AA Individual Tournament (4th), qualified 7 for the PIAA SW Regional Tournament.
Key losses: Nick Coudriet, Scott Frantz, Austin Foster, Luke Hughes, Jimmy Richtscheit, Dom Shaw, Chase Klinger
Returning letterwinners (name & class): Ben Gustkey, Sr.; Nate Fleck, Jr.; Marcus Gable, Jr.; Ian Phillips, Jr.; Andrew Hensal, Jr.; Sam McDonald, Soph.; Hunter Kephart, Soph.
Key newcomers (name & class): Dawson Snyder, Sr.; Jake Bainey, Sr.; Trevor Cort, Sr.; Haydn Kephart, Jr.; Ean Williams, Jr.; Isaiah Smeal, Soph.; Dylan Koptchak, Soph.; Matt Rowles, Soph.; Jake Shaw, Soph.; Layne Russell, Soph.; Chris Twoey, Soph.; Trezden Dixon, Soph.; Ace Foster, Fr.; Caleb Hummel, Fr.; Dom Davis, Fr.
Outlook: The Mounties will have a lot to replace to start this season after losing seven wrestlers to graduation.
Still, P-O has seven returning letterwinners.
“The coaching staff is excited about the season,” Mounties coach Justin Fye said. “We look forward to a young group of talented student-athletes to continue the Mountie tradition and get us to where we want to be. Individually, we are looking for Ben Gustkey and Marcus Gable to be leaders this year. Marcus has a lot of postseason experience, and has big goals for himself this year. We look forward to seeing how Ben, Sammy McDonald, Hunter Kephart, Caleb Hummel, Nate Fleck and Ian Phillips do this year.”
Fye praised McDonald and Kephart, who placed in the District 6 tournament last year as freshmen. He is also expecting big things from Hummel. As for Fleck and Phillips, Fye can’t wait to see what they can do at their natural weights as last season they were bounced around the lineup.
P-O could be weak in the upperweights with only one returning letterwinner in Andrew Hensal in that range. So look for the Mounties to rely heavily on the little guys.
One thing is for sure though — Fye will have his team ready and still working toward their goals.
“We are excited to see how our young guys step in and contribute,” he said. “Many of our freshmen and sophomores had a lot of success at the Junior High level, so we expect them to continue to develop, and contribute this year. Our goal is to contend for a league title, qualify for team duals, continue to improve throughout the season and prepare for the postseason in mid-February.”
State College
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Ryan Cummins (20th, 10th)
Assistant coaches: Bud Price, Max Miller
Last season’s record: 7-5
Last season’s accomplishments: King of the Mountain (3rd), Powerade (16th), Escape the Rock (11th), District 6 Individual Tournament (3rd), PIAA NW Regionals (5th), PIAA Individual tournament (6th)
Key losses: Owen Barr, Shane Focht, Braden Newby
Returning letterwinners (name & class): Hayden Cunningham, Sr.; Eric Weaver, Sr.; Carter Weaverling Sr.; Pierson Manville, Jr.; Nick Pavlechko, Jr.; Jacob Campbell, Jr.; Johnny Coates, Soph.; Asher Cunningham, Soph.
Key newcomers (name & class): Nick Berrena, Soph.; Brady Bucher, Soph.; Anna Lackey, Soph.; Mason Sanderson, Fr.; Izaiah Vasquez, Fr.
Outlook: Three years ago, the Little Lions reached the PIAA dual championships for the first time since 2003.
There are three wrestlers on this year’s squad that were on that team — Hayden Cunningham, Eric Weaver and Carter Weaverling. All freshmen then, now the trio are seniors.
Cunningham is looking to get on the mat again for the first time in two years, as he’s had to miss the previous two years due to injuries.
And let’s not forget State College has a returning state champion in Pierson Manville, third-place finisher in Nick Pavlechko and Cunningham’s younger brother, Asher, who finished eighth as a freshman last year.
Pavlechko will close out duals for the Little Lions, saying duals start at 107 pounds, as he bumps up to heavyweight this year after wrestling 215 as a sophomore. One more wrestler to keep an eye on will be freshman Mason Sanderson, who is the son of Penn State Associate Head Coach Cody Sanderson.
Add that all up, and this squad has the making to be even better than that 2019-2020 team.
“We are looking forward to another great season,” State College coach Ryan Cummins said. “We have some very experienced and successful underclassmen returning this year that will help guide our young wrestlers. The team is excited to compete and improve as a team and individually from last season.”
