The history of Bedford High School wrestling is marked by periods of exceptional success and individual achievement. Among these, the undefeated seasons of 1966-67 and 1967-68 stand out as milestones, showcasing the dedication and talent of the athletes and coaches involved.
The 1966-67 Season: A Resounding Success
The 1966-67 team achieved a perfect record of 10-0, marking only the sixth time in the 30-year history of Bedford wrestling that the team went undefeated.
Key Highlights:
- Head Coach: Ed Clark
- Assistant Coaches: John Topper, Bill Creps
- Boiling Springs Tournament: Ray Dunkle (1st Place)
- District V Tournament: Ray Dunkle, John Shaffer, and Sam Beegle (1st Place)
Ray Dunkle repeated as Boiling Springs Champion, and the team secured its first Inter-County Championship.
| Meet Number | Opponent | Result |
| 8 | Johnstown | BEDFORD 26, JOHNSTOWN 15 |
| 9 | Boswell | BEDFORD 20, BOSWELL 18 |
Each of the undefeated teams had two very tough matches. The 1966-67 team beat Johnstown, 26-15, and edged Boswell, 20-18.
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The 1967-68 Season: Continuing the Legacy
The 1967-68 season saw the Bedford wrestlers extend their unbeaten streak to 21 matches, building on the success of the previous year.
Key Highlights:
- Head Coach: Ed Clark
- Assistant Coaches: John Topper, Bill Creps
- Boiling Springs Tournament: Sam Beegle (1st Place)
- District V Tournament: Team Place: 1st; Jim Bowser, Sam Beegle, Jim Allen (1st Place)
- Regional Tournament: Sam Beegle (1st Place)
- State Tournament: Sam Beegle (2nd Place)
The Bisons were untouchable after exciting wins over Chestnut Ridge and Altoona. Bedford capped a great season off by winning the District Championship.
Sam Beegle ended his career as a state runner-up, losing to Upper Darby’s Andy Matter, who later became a two-time NCAA Champion at Penn State. Sam’s record this year was 19-1-0 with 13 pins.
Key Matches and Standout Performances
The 1967-68 Bisons opened the season with a 26-20 win over Chestnut Ridge, and got by Altoona, 24-21. Allen won by fall to make the final score, Bedford 26-20. Before a packed house at Chestnut Ridge, Bedford led 21-20 going into the final bout. In that heavyweight bout, Chestnut Ridge sent out football star Stan Mock, while Bedford moved Jim Allen up from 180 pounds.
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| Meet Number | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | Chestnut Ridge | BEDFORD 26, CHESTNUT RIDGE 20 |
| 2 | Altoona | BEDFORD 24, ALTOONA 21 |
Each of the undefeated teams had two very tough matches. The 1966-67 team beat Johnstown, 26-15, and edged Boswell, 20-18.
High School Wrestling - Undefeated State Champ - Athlete Highlight Videos - Jed Craner
Coaching and Team Dynamics
The coaches for the 1967 and 1968 teams were head coach Ed Clark and assistant coaches John Topper and Bill Creps. All three are in the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame along with two wrestlers from the team: Sam Beegle, who was a state runner-up, and wrestler-football player Tom Rogish. Clark and Creps are also in the Pennsylvania Coaches Wrestling Association Hall of Fame.
Team scoring at this time was different than it is today. Teams got six points for a first period fall and five for a fall in the second or third period. All decisions were three points. Wrestlers could earn riding time: one point for a minute more than the opponent and two points for two or minutes. If the match ended in a tie, it was a tie with each team earning two points.
Historical Context
The previous undefeated teams were in 1944 (8-0), 1955 (9-0) 1956 (9-0-1), 1961 (9-0), and 1962 (9-0). The 1962 team has already been inducted the Hall of Fame, and now the 1967 and 1968 teams that were both 10-0 will also be in the Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame.
The Bisons won the last meet in 1966, while both the 1967 and 1968 teams won 10 straight meets to take the winning streak to 21. At that time, it was the second-longest winning streak in Bedford wrestling history behind the teams in 1960 through 1963 that won 27 consecutive matches.
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