The Bethel Park wrestling team had started off great with a 43-27 win against Upper Saint Clair to start their season. However, they dropped their last three matches to Peters Twp, Kiski Area, and Indiana.

The Indiana contest was a great match to watch despite the loss. The Hawks battled and kept it close in a 39-36 loss. Their current record is 1-3.

The team is led by senior and captain Vinny Riepole. He wrestles in the 162-pound weight class and has amounted to a 3-1 record on the mats so far this season. He has wrestled all four years in high school and has helped the team tremendously in and out of wrestling. He excels in the classroom and sets a good model for the upcoming wrestlers.

We asked what he thinks the wrestling team can do to finish the year off strong, he optimistically replied, “I think our best shot of winning the section, which is our goal, is for everyone to give it 100% in and out of the room. Between lifting, running, and wrestling, if everyone works as hard as they can day in and day out, there’s no doubt we will be contenders.”

The Bench brothers, Bryson and Aiden, are the next set of brothers to come through Bethel Park and achieve success at a high level. Bryson, who is a junior, wrestles at 138 and is at 3-1 so far this year. He has shown great progress and determination since entering the program his freshman year. His younger brother, Aiden, wrestles at 106 and is an unblemished 4-0 this year as a freshman. He has already shown flashes of being a great wrestler to come for Bethel Park.

Another freshman Mason Kernan is following in his brother’s steps to become another wrestling great at Bethel Park. His older brother, Hunter, was in the Class of 2018 and currently wrestles for the University of Pittsburgh. Mason, who currently wrestles 113 pounds, has started off his career 3-1 for the team, and he and Aiden will be fun to watch for years to come.

The Bethel Park wrestling team’s next match is this Tuesday at home vs. Chartiers Valley. They also face Ringgold on Friday. This week presents a good opportunity for the Hawks to get back on the winning track.