March 14, 2010 — HERSHEY — Reynolds’ 119-pounder Mason Beckman climbed to the top of the podium and placed a big cherry on top of a sweet 49-0 season Saturday at the Giant Center in Hershey.
The Raiders junior is well-known for his prowess in the neutral position, but it would be his hard work in the offseason on top that brought home his first gold.
With a 2-0 lead from an escape and penalty points in the second period, he rode Benton’s Michael Rhone through the final two minutes.
“Last season and my freshman year I had a lot of trouble riding guys, turning guys and things like that,” Beckman said. “It actually got to the point where if I couldn’t take you down, I couldn’t beat you.
“This summer my brother and my dad said I have to get better on top. It’s the only way I am going to win. So all summer long and all season in practice I’ve been working on top. And sure enough, in the biggest match of the year it shows.”
After earning the match’s first point with 56 ticks left in the second frame, Beckman got in on a deep single-leg and Rhone headed for the outside circle.
With Rhone’s leg as the rope, the two played tug-of-war, and Rhone decided to grab the edge of the mat for extra leverage.
“He was kicking pretty hard for the out-of-bounds line and I was pulling back with all I had,” Beckman said. “It was extremely surprising when he grabbed the edge of the mat. But I’ll take a point either way. I would have preferred the two, but that one was a big point.”
When the match ended, Beckman threw his arms in the air and let out a scream of victory. As a freshman (2nd) and sophomore (3rd) he had come close but this time the bracket was all his.
“It’s absolutely indescribable,” he said. “You dream about it for so long and watch so many other guys win it and come so close. You finally get there and you don’t know what to do with yourself. It’s like you’re walking on air. It’s surreal.”
Surreal but lots and lots of fun.
In 2010, in addition to the PIAA title, Beckman also won titles at the Ironman, King of the Mountain and Manheim Tournaments.
“It’s been a blast, and the biggest difference between last year and this year is that I have just been having a ton of fun,” he said. “Every day in practice I came in with a smile on my face. I practiced harder every night. This year I focused more on giving everything I’ve got for six minutes rather than wins and losses.”
Beckman is now 147-12 in a three-year career.
Commodore Perry junior Stephen Ceremuga also closed his season with a perfect mark, taking a 5-4 decision in the 189-pound finals for a 42-0 record.
He became the Panthers’ sixth state titleist in school history and the first since Nevada Walker in 1998. The gold-medal win came against Travis Chesla from Towanda.
For Ceremuga, the difference was also the offseason workouts.
“The difference was the extra time in the summer,” he said. “People underestimate the power of going in three times a week and going on a wrestling mat and drilling with a friend just for a half-an-hour. It got me the state championship.
“All summer long I thought to myself about everything I did, ‘Will this help me on the wrestling mat?’”
Ceremuga was a PIAA qualifier in 2009 but did not win a medal. Now his sights are set much higher.
“I wanna win it next year,” he said. “I’ll be the only one from Commodore Perry to ever get two. That’s what I want.”
Ceremuga is 104-24 with his senior season remaining.
Also reaching the finals from D-10 were Jordan Moss (145) from Sharon and Seneca’s Matt Mongera (215).
Moss lost a 6-3 decision to Nick Carr of South Fayette, scoring the first takedown but giving up four straight points and allowing the clinching takedown with just one second left in the third.
Mongera held a 1-0 edge on Lackawanna Trail’s Eric Laytos in the second period, but Laytos flattened the Bobcats’ sophomore at the 2:16 mark.
Moss’ 2009-10 record was 45-1, and he finished his career with a 166-9 mark with four state medals.
Mongera was 41-14 this season and is 70-25 in his first two varsity seasons.
Local Sports
Ceremuga, Beckman win gold for D-10
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DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Big Reds shut down Lions
SLIPPERY ROCK — The Linesville baseball team, with its mix of experienced and lesser-experienced players, has been capable of two different kinds of games this season.
The first is the sharp, skillful kind of effort the Lions put together Monday in their 10-7 win over Cochranton in the District 10 Class A quarterfinals. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Mercyhurst outslugs Lake in D-10 semis
ERIE — After a District 10 Class A championship game appearance last year, the Conneaut Lake baseball team lost four seniors who were important to the team’s success.
Even though the talented quartet graduated and Lake featured just three seniors this year, the team came together and reached the district semifinals. The team’s end result, and the school’s last game as a baseball team due to Conneaut Lake, Conneaut Valley, and Linesville consolidating into Conneaut Area Senior High, was a 15-4 loss in six innings to Mercyhurst Prep on Friday at Ainsworth Field in Erie. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Panthers edge Tigers, reach D-10 title game
ERIE — The Saegertown baseball team made an art form of compiling mercy rule wins this season. Nearly all of the Panthers’ 20 regular season victories were by 10 runs or more, as double-digit hits and runs scored were the norm.
The playoffs have been a different beast for the defending District 10 Class AA champion Cats, but they continue to find ways to win. -
BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Cardinals come back from losers’ bracket to win D-10 title
The very first word spoken by Cochranton boys volleyball coach Brad Custead in his post-match interview will sum up Friday night’s District 10 championship finale better than all the words that follow it.
“Incredible,” he said. -
Bulldogs' trio ready for state track and field meet
Meadville’s best now look to be among Pennsylvania’s best as Paige Kassab, Chaykala Lindsey and Heather Sternby compete in the PIAA Class AAA Track and Field Championships, which run Friday and Saturday at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
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D-10 SOFTBALL: Tigers no-hit in loss to Braves
HARBORCREEK TOWNSHIP — The Maplewood softball team had no answer for Iroquois starting pitcher Megan Martin on Tuesday during the District 10 Class AA quarterfinals on the campus of Penn State Behrend in Erie.
Martin worked around two errors during a no-hitter that included zero walks. And the Braves’ offense was sure to back her up during Iroquois’ 10-0 victory in five innings. -
D-10 BASEBALL: Prep rolls past ’Dogs in four innings
ERIE — Hitting, they say, is contagious. And the Cathedral Prep baseball team had a full-blown outbreak against Meadville on Tuesday at Ainsworth Field, notching 13 base hits in a 16-1, four-inning rout of the Bulldogs during opening round action of the District 10 Class AAA playoffs.
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DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Lake storms past Eisenhower
ERIE — The Conneaut Lake baseball team started off its postseason with a bang. Numerous bangs, actually.
The Indians (12-7) slugged 19 base hits while bumping off Eisenhower 15-5 in six innings during opening round action in the District 10 Class A playoff tournament Monday at Ainsworth Field. -
DISTRICT 10 BASEBALL: Lions top Cards
ERIE — If this story had to describe every clutch hit, gutsy pitch, run-saving defensive play, or momentum-shifting moment during Monday’s playoff classic between Region 3 foes Cochranton and Linesville; there wouldn’t be room for much else in today’s newspaper.
The bottom line is: You should have been there. -
BOYS VOLLEYBALL: Bulldogs stop Trojans to cap perfect region slate
Meadville junior Matt Izbinski laced a hard spike down the line, and so ended the regular season for the Bulldogs boys volleyball team — with a 3-1 win over McDowell, and a 9-0 run through Region 1. It all summed up on Friday night at the House of Thrills.
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