Freshman Hayden Lieb has become the first Bethel Regional High School wrestler to earn an All-American title. The wrestler earned the honor this weekend at the 2017 National High School Coaches Association Tournament in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
“This is a big thing. It’s great not only for Bethel High School, but it’s good for Alaska wrestling. And it’s quite an honor, actually,” said Bethel wrestling coach, Darren Lieb, who’s also Hayden’s dad.
Hayden Lieb won his first four matches, making it to the semi-finals. He lost his next two matches, but Lieb won the fifth/sixth place match in overtime, securing his All-American award and finishing fifth out of 63 wrestlers in the 132-pound weight class.
BRHS Junior Thomas Dyment also competed in the National Tournament, finishing in the top 12 out of the 39 wrestlers in the 106-pound weight class. Dyment lost his first match, but came back to win his next four before losing his final match. Only the top eight wrestlers earn the All-American award, and Dyment finished one match away from competing for the title.
Coach Darren Lieb says that he couldn’t be prouder of his two high school athletes.
"These kids, I keep telling them they can compete with anybody else wherever they’re from."
Both wrestlers helped BRHS make Alaska history in December when the Bethel team earned its seventh state championship in the small schools division, more than any other small school in Alaska.
Now Lieb and Dyment are training for the freestyle wresting season, which has just begun.
