Bethel Park’s wrestling team advanced to the WPIAL semifinals last year and finished with an impressive 19-3 record.
The Black Hawks placed fourth in Class 3A in the Trib HSSN final rankings after defeating North Hills, 39-15, and North Allegheny, 26-19, in the first two rounds of the WPIAL tournament.
Trinity edged the Black Hawks, 27-26, in the semifinal round as did Franklin Regional, 28-27, in the third-place consolation match.
Bethel Park coach Tyler Nauman is looking for more of the same — if not even better results — this season.
“We look to win our section and be in the hunt for the Top 3 in the WPIAL as team,” Nauman said, “and individually, we’re looking to qualify a number of wrestlers to states.”
Nauman has a host of dedicated grapplers to work with, including 11 returning starters.
Back in their familiar starting roles are seniors Ethan Higgins (145 or 152 pounds), Seth Miller (133), Michael Gibson (285), Ryan Walsh (189/215), Hunter Goelz (189/215), Aden Stout (139), Maksim Miller (160) and Jaden Palombine (114/121), and sophomores Pierce Reinhart (121), Colton Fisher (127) and Ian Buchelli (145/152).
“We will only have three or four freshman or sophomores who are new to the lineup,” Nauman said. “And we’ve added Ryan ‘Goose’ Gossett to our staff as an assistant coach.”
Higgins was 34-10 with 13 falls last season and owns an 83-41 career record. He won a section title and placed fifth in the district.
Higgins started the 2023-24 season by winning seven of his first eight matches, later strung together a seven-match winning streak, and finished strong with 15 consecutive victories and 16 wins in 18 matches.
“This year, I expect my team to be able to compete with any other team we will come up against,” Higgins said. “We will perform just as well as last year, if not stronger, and I have complete trust and confidence in my teammates that they will win.
“As for my own personal goals, it’s the same as it’s always been — to win and dominate in every match I am in and bring home a PIAA state medal.”
Miller won 32 matches with 11 falls in 2023-24. He won eight of his first 10 bouts and was victories in eight of nine matches in February, then ended the season by wining three of his final four matchups.
“I believe our team can compete at a very high level this year, just like last year,” Miller said. “We are a very solid team that has a lot of potential together and (individually). I believe that we will be able to compete all the way through WPIALs, and we have a very good opportunity to make it to states and make it far. My peers are putting in the work inside the wrestling room and outside.
“I have a personal goal of making it to states and competing there. It is a very hard year to make it in our region, but I believe the work I put in during the offseason will assist me in making it there.”
Double-digit winners for the Black Hawks last year included Stout, 26-11 with 10 pins, Palombine (22-11), Fisher (20 wins), Goelz (19), Bucheli (18) and Gibson (16).
Bethel Park will compete in an all South Hills Section 3-3A this season along with Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township and Upper St. Clair.
The Black Hawks won last year’s section title with a 5-0 record.