BVA wrestlers can no longer count on depth

By DAN PALM

Three seasons ago, the Belle Vernon Area wrestling team won its first and only WPIAL team title using a combination of talent and depth.
That 2015-16 team not only had some of the best wrestlers in the state, it filled all 14 weight classes and had talented wrestlers in reserve.
Things have changed a lot for the Leopards, who have only 12 guys on the roster and just three starters returning from last year’s team.
Gone to graduation are five starters, including two of the best grapplers in school history. Zach Hartman is wrestling at Bucknell and Brock Godzin is at WVU. Hartman is the all-time wins leader for BVA with 170 and finished second in the state last year at 160 pounds.
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