Here’s a closer look at Centre County’s high school wrestling teams for the 2024-2025 season
Another wrestling season is soon set to begin for Centre County’s high schools.
Practices officially started Nov. 15, but State College will be the first county school to hit the mat competitively when the Little Lions host Shikellamy on Wednesday. Bellefonte, Bald Eagle Area and Philipsburg-Osceola will all get underway Thursday.
The Red Raiders and Eagles face off against one another in the opener, with the Mounties heading to Huntingdon.
Penns Valley will get things started on Saturday at the Babbit Duals at River Valley High School.
When it comes to girls wrestling, BEA, P-O and State College are preparing for Year 2 as a PIAA-sanctioned sport.
Here’s an in-depth look at each team:
BOYS
BALD EAGLE AREA
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Ron Guenot (19th, 9th)
Assistant coaches: Kyle Wallace, Eddie Hockenberry, Kyle Fluke, Mike Cook, John Dubbs, Hunter Guenot, Troy Guenot, Ronnie Garbinsky, Travis Stem, Brandon Maynard, Steve Stem, Brandon Guenot, Ken Shirk, Dave Lomison
Last season’s record: 12-4
Last season’s accomplishments: District 6 Tournament 2nd place, District 6 Duals 2nd place, King of the Mountain 2nd place, My House Trojan Wars 1st place
Key losses: Gavin Bennett, Eric Clark, Cameron Dubbs, Lucas Fye, Shawn Knepp, Mason Reese, Austin Moyle
Returning letterwinners: Caleb Close, Sr.; Alex Surovec, Sr.; Gage Gardner, Jr.; Caden Judice, Jr.; Liam Purcell, Jr.; Michael Wesley, Jr.; Tanner Guenot, Soph.; Dawson Lomison, Soph.
Key newcomers: Hunter Davis, Sr.; Austin Stine, Sr.; Kyle Watson, Jr.; Chayse Kellander, Soph.; Wyatt Knepp, Soph.; Logan Burns, Fr.; Ty Corey, Fr.; Brody Gardner, Fr.; Easton Grimes, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “We are excited to get our 2024-2025 season underway this year at the Dandy Duals in Towanda. This year’s roster includes a handful of returning letterwinners, who have had postseason success. We will have a busy December participating in three very competitive tournaments: Dandy Duals, King of the Mountain and Trojan Wars, as well as dual meets against Bellefonte, Central Mountain and Penns Valley. Our Laurel Highlands Conference tournament will take place on Jan. 3-4. With the graduation of multiple seniors, we will need continued improvement from our underclassmen throughout the season. Our returning regional qualifiers: Dawson Lomison, Gage Gardner and Alex Surovec, as well as state placewinners Caleb Close (3rd place), Tanner Guenot (5th) and Caden Judice (7th) will be looked upon to provide leadership.”
BELLEFONTE
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Mike Maney (19th, 17th)
Assistant coaches: Chase Gardner, Mark Coppolo, Jeff Gardner, Ryan Smith
Last season’s record: 11-6
Last season’s accomplishments: District 6 6th , 15th Southwest Regional
Key losses: Grady Garrison, Jeff Barnyak
Returning letterwinners: Cameron Garcia, Sr.; Noah Weaver, Sr.; Jackson Long, Jr.; Wyatt Long, Jr.; Jack McHail, Jr.; Ezra Swisher, Jr.; Logan Rarrick, Jr.; Ian Valimont, Jr.; Nolan Weaver, Jr.; Luke Hockenberry, Soph.; Gavin Lucas, Soph.; Quinn Park, Soph.
Key newcomers: Mason Englert, Soph.; Jacob Horn, Soph.; Carson Crawford, Fr.; Andrew Gall, Fr.; Mason Grove, Fr.; Jackson Van Orden, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “This year’s team has a lot of talent. Overall, the total number on the roster is pretty good, but a majority of the team is bunched together in certain weight classes. Our lineup is something that will need to be figured out during the course of the season as we get to certified weight classes. We only have two seniors, but Noah Weaver and Cameron Garcia have been with the program for the last four years and have set a great example to follow. Wyatt Long is ready to take the next step. I think he has the potential to reach the PIAA State Championships.
“Jackson Long had a shortened season last year due to a football injury, so I am excited to see him get a full season under his belt and get better each match. Ezra Swisher, of course with the last name, comes pressure and an expectation. Ezra has grown from a smaller freshman into a middle weight, and is always spending time getting better. He has big goals for himself to get to the PIAA State Championships and onto the podium. The upperweights: Hockenberry, Rarrick and Valimont got a full year of varsity experience last year, so we are looking forward to see them take the next step. They have been very coachable so far, but the point of emphasis regardless of who or how many take the mat is there is a standard when you wear a singlet to represent Bellefonte. 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.”
PENNS VALLEY
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Joel Brinker (26th, 19th)
Assistant coaches: Mike Wise, Baylor Shunk, Jaron Cunrod, Wayne Yearick, Colby Stover, Aaron Smith, Colten Shunk
Last season’s record: 10-4
Last season’s accomplishments: Qualified for D6 Team Duals, Placed 3rd in D6 Tournament, Placed 9th in SW Regional Tournament, four wrestlers qualified for PIAA Championships (Erik Carlile, Colten Shunk, Ty Watson and Ethan Fetterolf; Ty Watson placed 8th)
Key losses: Jack Darlington, Colten Shunk, Ty Watson, Ethan Fetterolf, Brandon Corl, Josh Lieb, Heath Senator, Nick Cain
Returning letterwinners: Landon Hess, Sr.; Zach Rummel, Sr.; Ty Steiger, Sr.; Riley Winkelblech, Sr.; Joel Conklin, Jr.; Sawyer Fetterolf, Jr.; Seth Fetterolf, Jr.; Brayden Lisowski, Jr.; Robert Martin, Jr.; Conner Myers, Jr.; Shane Rimmey, Jr.; Caden Simco, Jr.; Erik Carlile, Soph.; Tripp Watson, Soph.
Key newcomers (Name & class): Rivers Puissegur, Jr.; Christian Merrill, Soph.; Regan Miller, Soph.; Joey Torres, Soph.; Max Dinges, Fr.; Evan Lisowski, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “We had a tremendous group of seniors that graduated last year that provided great leadership. We are excited to see this year’s returning lettermen and newcomers step up and lead similarly. This year’s team returns many that saw varsity competition last year and many have high goals. The newcomers are seasoned and should be able to compete right away at the varsity level. The coaching staff looks forward to helping all the wrestlers reach their team and individual goals.”
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Justin Fye (10th, 4th)
Assistant coaches: Brandon Anderson, Aaron Levonick, Donny Clark, Tim McCamley, Bub Lumadue, Austin Foster
Last season’s record: 10-9
Last season’s accomplishments: Reached District Duals quarterfinals, Finished 3rd at Juniata Duals and 2nd at Mountaineer Duals
Key losses: Marcus Gable, Nate Fleck, and Haydn Kephart
Returning letterwinners: Hunter Kephart, Sr.; Mason Packer, Sr.; Matt Rowles, Sr.; Colton Chapman, Jr.; Evan Eichenlaub, Jr.; Connor Eichenlaub, Jr.; Ace Foster, Jr.; Caleb Hummel, Jr.; Averi Gable, Soph.; Connor Guenot, Soph.
Key newcomers: Bradley Peters, Soph.; Memphis Twoey, Soph.; Brody Jasper, Soph.
Coach’s comments: “This group works extremely hard. We have a good number of letterwinners returning this year. We will only have two seniors in the lineup to begin the year, Hunter and Mason, so we expect our underclassmen to step up and be valuable contributors this year. Caleb, Averi, Connor G, Ace, Colton, Connor E., and Evan E. have had success in their wrestling careers. Our goal is to get better each day and to be wrestling our best at the end of the year. We have an extremely difficult schedule that will push our kids to become confident and battle-tested.”
STATE COLLEGE
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Jason Nickal (30th, 1st)
Assistant coaches: Bud Price, Noah Hermasillo, Max Miller, Chris Sefter, Josh Rodriguez
Last season’s record: 4-5
Last season’s accomplishments: 3rd Place PIAA Individual State tournament, state placers: Nick Pavlechko, 3rd; Pierson Manville, 2nd; Asher Cunningham 1st
Key losses: Nick Pavlechko and Pierson Manville
Returning letterwinners: Nick Barrena, Sr.; Asher Cunningham, Sr.; Xavier Zeruth, Jr.; James Whitbred, Soph.; Jon Whitbred, Soph.; Noah Young, Soph.
Key newcomers: Kael Davis, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “We will have an overall young team that I expect to get better as the season progresses. We will rely on the leadership of Asher Cunningham on and off the mat. He is an exceptional talent that is headed to Penn State. We have a very challenging schedule with some of the toughest competition in the country. We start off the season with the Ironman in Ohio, follow that up with King of the Mountain and Powerade all before Christmas. This will put our guys to the test and help us to prepare for the rest of the season. We would love to see the State College fans and alumni come out to the first home dual on Dec. 4. I would also like to highlight our Dec. 17 match against Central Dauphin that will take place in Rec Hall.”
GIRLS
BALD EAGLE AREA
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Eddie Hockenberry (2nd, 2nd)
Assistant coaches: Ron Guenot, Kyle Fluke, Kyle Wallace
Key losses: Angie Grieb
Returning letterwinners: Eden Eveleth, Sr.; Grace Crestani, Sr.; Cameron Corl-Alton, Sr.
Key newcomers: Rebekah Guenot, Sr.; Lily Spicer, Jr.; Shaylin Harter, Soph.; Harley Spayd, Soph.; Addison Tice, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “This year’s roster includes a handful of returning letterwinners, who have had postseason success. We will be participating in Queen of the Mountain, as well as a dual against Central Mountain. We have added a few more wrestlers to our girls roster, which we are extremely excited about. Returning state qualifiers, Eden Eveleth and Grace Crestani (8th place) will look to lead the girls team.”
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Chris McCully (2nd, 2nd)
Assistant coaches: Dave Hunt, Josh Glessner
Last season’s record: 5-2
Last season’s accomplishments: Lady Mountie Invite Team Champs, 3rd at Curwensville Team tournament, 4th at Queen of the Mountain, sent six girls to PIAA Regionals, and one PIAA State Medalist
Key losses: Isabella DuVall, Halee Grubb
Returning letterwinners: Marleana DuVall, Jr.; Daisy Glessner, Jr.; Annabella Hunt, Jr.; Charli Hunt, Soph.; Veda Kephart, Soph.
Key Newcomers: Makayla Briscoe, Fr.; Cayce Davidson, Fr.; Kendyl Meersand, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “We have a bigger schedule this year, and I’m excited for us to get underway. As a team, we have some pretty hefty goals that we don’t believe are too far out of reach. We return a solid foundation of talent with one of the top sophomores in the state in Charli Hunt, and a freshman stud moving up in Kendyl Meersand. Our anchor, Daisy Glessner, at the end of our lineup has put in a tremendous amount of offseason work, and is looking to make a big splash at the end of the year.”
STATE COLLEGE
Head coach (years coaching overall, at school): Eshia Willingham (2nd, 2nd)
Assistant coaches: Joshua Gunter
Last season’s record: 0-0
Last season’s accomplishments: Four regional qualifiers, Anna Lackey competed at states
Returning letterwinners: Christine Armstrong, Sr.; Anna Lackey, Sr.; Isabelle Dubler, Soph.; Starlynn Emel-Rash, Soph.; Sophia Fomichev, Soph.
Key newcomers: Isabelle Dubler, Soph.; Pyper Lane, Fr.
Coach’s comments: “Currently, we have 11 high school and five junior high wrestlers. We have a wonderful team of staff and volunteers, who are working hard to give the girls the best we possibly can, so they can succeed on and off the mat. I would consider all but one of them newcomers. Therefore, I don’t focus too much on winning, but rather on heart and hard work. Of course I want to see my girls win, but success is a peace of mind knowing you’ve done your best. At the end of the day, if my girls are pushing themselves and truly giving their all, I’ll have joy from that. We’re excited for the season ahead and wish every team the very best.”
