John Heacock
In the long traditional rich history of Bedford Wrestling, only one Bedford wrestler has made it to the Pennsylvania State Final three times. In the 1940s Bedford did not have a junior high program, but many times, a young eighth grader named John Heacock attended the varsity practices.
Attending those practices paid off for Heacock. As a freshman in 1944, John won the District 5 103-pound title and advanced to the state tournament. At this time the district champion advanced directly to the state tournament.
At the state tournament, John won his first two matches before losing 4-0 to Forty Fort's Bhaerman in the finals, 4-0. John's record was 9-3-0 and two of his losses were to Stan Hodoroski of Boswell. John said that he probably would not have won districts except that Hodoroski was injured.
In 1945, John won the 112-pound state championship. John
scored a fall in the quarterfinals. In the next two matches Heacock defeated two wrestlers who are in the Pennsylvania Coaches Wrestling Hall of Fame. In the semifinal he defeated John Reese of Kingston, 2-0. In the finals he defeated Don Maurey of Clearfield, 6-2. Maurey then went on to win state titles his next three years. John finished the season undefeated at 12-0-0.
In 1946, in the 120-pound weight class, it was a rematch of the 112-pound title bout of 1945.
Defending champion Heacock took on Clearfield's Don Maurey, but the results turned out different. Maurey's aggressive style gave him a revenge victory and the 120-pound crown. Maurey finished the season at 14-1-0, while Heacock was 8-2-1. Both Heacock and Maurey lost dual meet decisions to Stan Hodorowski from Boswell.
That year Heacock had a good tournament prior to the finals as he knocked off a defending state champion (120-pound) Robert Miller from Lancaster McCaskey in the quarterfinals, 6-1. In his semifinal match, Heacock nipped talented Gene Bowman from Cannonsburg, 5-4. Bowman is also in the Pennsylvania Coaches Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Heacock lost in the district finals in 1947 to Hodorowski from Boswell. This time Heacock was injured and did not go to states.
John had other interests beside wrestling. He was an honor student, a member of the Blue and White Band, president of his class, and a football player at Bedford High School, earning three letters.
John went on to wrestle at Lock Haven State Teachers College. He was undefeated in dual meets as a junior. He wrestled in the NCAA Tournament at Lehigh and lost his first match.
As a senior, he only wrestled half of the season and his only loss was to the outstanding NCAA wrestler, Tony Gissoni, 3-0.
After graduation from college, John returned to Bedford to teach and coach. From 1955 to 1960 John was an assistant wrestling and football coach.
In 1960, he went to teach at the Penn State/Schuylkill Campus at Schuylkill Haven, PA.
John married Carole Bonadio in 1954. They have three daughters. John and Carole live in Pottsville.
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In the long traditional rich history of Bedford Wrestling, only one Bedford wrestler has made it to the Pennsylvania State Final three times. In the 1940s Bedford did not have a junior high program, but many times, a young eighth grader named John Heacock attended the varsity practices.
Attending those practices paid off for Heacock. As a freshman in 1944, John won the District 5 103-pound title and advanced to the state tournament. At this time the district champion advanced directly to the state tournament.
At the state tournament, John won his first two matches before losing 4-0 to Forty Fort's Bhaerman in the finals, 4-0. John's record was 9-3-0 and two of his losses were to Stan Hodoroski of Boswell. John said that he probably would not have won districts except that Hodoroski was injured.
In 1945, John won the 112-pound state championship. John
scored a fall in the quarterfinals. In the next two matches Heacock defeated two wrestlers who are in the Pennsylvania Coaches Wrestling Hall of Fame. In the semifinal he defeated John Reese of Kingston, 2-0. In the finals he defeated Don Maurey of Clearfield, 6-2. Maurey then went on to win state titles his next three years. John finished the season undefeated at 12-0-0.
In 1946, in the 120-pound weight class, it was a rematch of the 112-pound title bout of 1945.
Defending champion Heacock took on Clearfield's Don Maurey, but the results turned out different. Maurey's aggressive style gave him a revenge victory and the 120-pound crown. Maurey finished the season at 14-1-0, while Heacock was 8-2-1. Both Heacock and Maurey lost dual meet decisions to Stan Hodorowski from Boswell.
That year Heacock had a good tournament prior to the finals as he knocked off a defending state champion (120-pound) Robert Miller from Lancaster McCaskey in the quarterfinals, 6-1. In his semifinal match, Heacock nipped talented Gene Bowman from Cannonsburg, 5-4. Bowman is also in the Pennsylvania Coaches Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Heacock lost in the district finals in 1947 to Hodorowski from Boswell. This time Heacock was injured and did not go to states.
John had other interests beside wrestling. He was an honor student, a member of the Blue and White Band, president of his class, and a football player at Bedford High School, earning three letters.
John went on to wrestle at Lock Haven State Teachers College. He was undefeated in dual meets as a junior. He wrestled in the NCAA Tournament at Lehigh and lost his first match.
As a senior, he only wrestled half of the season and his only loss was to the outstanding NCAA wrestler, Tony Gissoni, 3-0.
After graduation from college, John returned to Bedford to teach and coach. From 1955 to 1960 John was an assistant wrestling and football coach.
In 1960, he went to teach at the Penn State/Schuylkill Campus at Schuylkill Haven, PA.
John married Carole Bonadio in 1954. They have three daughters. John and Carole live in Pottsville.
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Class of 2007
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania