By Lynn Saternow

Herald Sports Editor



MERCER COUNTY has taken some strong contingents to Hershey in the past for the PIAA State Tournament, but this very well could be one of the better groups when it comes to earning medals.

Sharon’s Jordan Moss, already signed at Pitt, seeks a second title, while a few others are solid contenders as well. Moss, Reynolds’ Mason Beckman and Commodore Perry’s Stephen Ceremuga are all undefeated and they’ve faced some tough competition.

It’s very rare that a Reynolds wrestler goes unbeaten through the regular season because of the national-level of competition that they face. But junior Beckman, already a two-time state place-winner, has had a phenomenal season. He hasn’t even been tested in the postseason thus far, notching 7 technical falls and 2 pins.

But as impressive as Beckman has been, one of the most awesome performances I’ve seen thus far in the tournaments was that of Moss Saturday night in notching a technical fall against Reynolds’ Luke Taylor.

Taylor came close to beating Moss the week before, losing 3-2. But Moss stepped up his game, changed his style a little bit and finished leg shots that he’d had trouble finishing the previous week.

Taylor is a very talented wrestler and should finish high on the medal stand at Hershey, but that night Moss showed what Pitt coach Rande Stottlemyer saw when he recruited him. Coach Dave Ciafre said they worked on some takedown finishes the past week and commented how fast Moss learns anything he’s shown.

Several other wrestlers have stepped up their games as well.

Reynolds of course has the Big Three — Beckman (119), Dylan D’Urso (125) and Austin Matthews (130) — who have been dominating opponents.

Commodore Perry also posted three regional champs — Ceremuga (189), Brandon Collins (152) and Brian Hooks (215) — no small feat for a little school like CP. Collins and Hooks both beat opponents who topped them the previous week at districts.

No wonder CP coach Kevin Drew is looking forward to states.

But Drew made a good point when he said, “It’s no coincidence you see very good wrestlers grouped together as lightweights or heavier weights on teams. They work out together and push each other.”

Of course at Perry, the big guys also have Drew and assistant coach Roger King to work with as well, a pair of terrific matmen in their own right.

And Drew’s point certainly reflects on the Reynolds Big Three as well, who get to battle each other everyday in the practice room.

ä Reynolds as a team always seems to crank it up a few notches at this time of year and coach Brian Hills takes five pretty solid wrestlers to Hershey. While they’ve taken more in some years in search of state team honors, this fivesome all could land on the medal stand.

That might secure another state crown.

Hills credits his staff — Joe Reichard, Casey Taylor, Ron Beckman and Michael Hills — for helping prepare the Raiders for every level of competition.

The Raiders are still smarting after losing in the state duals finals to Fort LeBoeuf. But while Reynolds has stepped it up, LeBoeuf has gone the other direction. In fact two Bison — Kody Pace (broken collarbone) and David Church (shoulder injury) — were forced to drop out of the regional tourney on the second day. LeBoeuf advanced only one wrestler, Jeremy King (152) to state and he saw his unbeaten season end at the hands of Collins in the finals Saturday.

Ridgway, which finished second to Reynolds at regions, will take four qualifiers, including 3 region champs. Those two teams will be in the hunt in Hershey.

Another team to watch at state will be Benton, which has a group of pretty talented matmen as well. Should be fun to watch the team race as well as how our locals move on through the brackets.

ä Of our local qualifiers, 6 earned medals last year: D’Urso, 4th at 103; Beckman, 3rd at 112; Moss, 3rd at 135; Sharon’s Lewendo Teague, 3rd at 160; Grove City’s Wes Phipps, 5th at 160; Greenville’s R.J. Malson, 4th at 189.

Others making return trips to Hershey and this year’s weights are Jamestown’s Tyler Roberts (112), Cody Copeland (140) and Ceremuga (189).

Copeland showed some freshman tendencies and going 1-2 last year at state, but the Trojan sophomore has been unstoppable this season in the tournaments and has a legitimate chance to win the weight class.

ä How good is this overall group from Mercer County? While it may be wishful thinking, they could have a slim chance to match the 1995 record-setting group of 6 finalists. That year’s champions included Reynolds’ Casey Taylor, Jamestown’s Tim Ault, Kennedy Christian’s Mike Garofalo and Greenville’s Terry Claypool, while Kennedy’s Mark Plotts and Joel Giroski each took second.

ä Speaking of past great wrestlers, several were in attendance at the regional tourney. I had a long chat with former Kennedy and Syracuse University star Gregg Casino. Both programs are now defunct, which of course I blamed on Gregg.

It had an interesting talk with former Commodore Perry and Edinboro standout Josh Pearce. Josh is lead trainer for Don Bebee’s House of Speed, which will be holding a grand opening at its new branch at the Y-Zone, located on Mitchell Road in Neshannock Township near New Castle.

He’s hoping to get some wrestlers involved, because it is a program for boys and girls, ages 8 and up. Several top pro athletes have gone through the program founded by former NFL great Bebee, one of the fastest players to ever play the game.

The grand opening is from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, although many top wrestlers will be at Hershey. Anyone interested can sign up by e-mail for a free pass to come and see what the program offers at other times.

“Unfortunately, it has taken me away from wrestling,” said Josh. “But it’s still very rewarding and I love it.”

The program was started by wide receiver Bebee, after he worked trained with Dr. Jeff Shutt. At the age of 33, Bebee ran his fastest time of 4.21 in the 40. Bebee played in 6 Super Bowls.

Anyone interested can contact josh at josh.pearce@houseofspeed.com or call him at 330-953-1518.

ä I was thrilled to see another former local on TV Sunday when I watched the Big Ten Championships. Joe Heskett, who began his career in the Kennedy Christian junior program and won a Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state title at 10, is assistant coach at Ohio State. He was in the corner for some finals matches.

Heskett left here at an early age, however, and was a 3-time state champ at Walsh Jesuit in Ohio and national champ at Iowa State.

Just think if Heskett had stayed at Kennedy. He would have been a junior in 1995 and no doubt a 4th KC wrestler and 7th countian in the state finals that year.