State Power Bethlehem Catholic Hopes to Make Move to Class AAA
According to Express-Times reporter Ryan Holmes, the Bethlehem Catholic Golden Eagles have petitioned to move up to the PIAA Class AAA Division. Head coach Jeff Karam has been very vocal about his his desire to shut-up the critics once and for all. The move to Class AAA may just do that. BECA has been untouchable as a Class AA team and the move would allow PA Wrestling fans the opportunity to see some high profile match-ups in the near future.
Class AA programs who have been playing second fiddle to Bethlehem Catholic over the past four years, such as Reynolds, Fort LeBeouf, and Boiling Springs, should all be ecstatic about the possibility of parting ways with BECA. Karam and his staff have captured the past four (4) PIAA Class AA Dual Team Championships and top tier Class AAA programs should be worried.
Although it may seem Bethlehem Catholic is making a “sacrifice” to move up to Class AAA – they aren’t the first nor will they be the last – PIAA Team “wrestle up.” Based on the PIAA’s 2014-2016 School Classifications there are already a total of twelve (12) PIAA Schools that are classified as Class AA schools but choose to wrestle in Class AAA. Bethlehem Catholic would make the thirteenth school that elects to compete a PIAA Class higher than it’s calculated enrollment. As listed below Bethlehem Catholic falls close to the middle of the list of schools that is calculated as a Class AA school but competes in Class AAA.
Calc Total Enrollment – School Enrollment – Co‐op Enrollment – Sport Calculated Class – Actual Class – School – District
324 320 7 ‐ AA AAA Punxsutawney Area High School 9
323 308 30 ‐ AA AAA Oil City Area Senior High School 10
322 278 88 ‐ AA AAA Saint Marys Area High School 9
319 319 0 ‐ AA AAA Clearfield Area High School 9
306 306 0 ‐ AA AAA Bradford Area High School 9
300 300 0 ‐ AA AAA Middletown Area High School 3
292 292 0 ‐ AA AAA Warren Area High School 10
278 278 0 ‐ AA AA Bethlehem Catholic High School 11
234 234 0 ‐ AA AAA Titusville High School 10
230 230 0 ‐ AA AAA Philipsburg Osceola Area High School 6
228 228 0 ‐ AA AAA Waynesburg Central High School 7
206 206 0 ‐ AA AAA Bald Eagle Area High School 6
184 184 0 ‐ AA AAA Westinghouse High School 8
Ryan Holmes | The Express-Times
April 23, 2014
The Bethlehem Catholic wrestling team endured severe scrutiny this past season with wrestling fans asking why it was competing at the Class AA level.
Well, those questions are on their way to being settled.
According to Bethlehem Catholic coach Jeff Karam, the Golden Hawks’ high-powered lineup will be competing at the Class AAA level next season. The District 11 wrestling committee turned in a unanimous vote to allow the move and, upon approval from the PIAA, Becahi will be a Class AAA team for the 2014-15 season.
“This is something that we discussed with the administration for a little over a year,” Karam said of the decision. “We want the best competition and moving up will get us up against that. That’s no slight to (Class) AA, but we feel it’s time to go in a different direction and try to improve.”