A rope, a field, and some hand-to-hand combat. Mats certainly weren’t an option.

Those were the humble beginnings of former Northwestern state champion and current Faith Christian Academy head wrestling coach Ben Clymer when he began the program at the Quakertown-based school.

At Northwestern, Clymer produced an overall 119-18 record, and was also a two-time district and regional champion.

Today, 12 years later, it appears a long way away from the national powerhouse Clymer has developed through his intestinal fortitude and his steadfast faith.

Clymer will bring six regional champs and four third-place finishers to Hershey this weekend for the state championships. His 10-member unit will certainly be in elite company.

Prior to that, Faith Christian participated in District 1 in 2009-10, but they were idle until Clymer’s arrival.

It was a beginning for Clymer that was hard to make up. His trek has been a steady pipeline of enacting faith and family values.

“We would run the hill that led to a soccer field,” recalled Clymer during his first season in 2014-15. “There was a pavilion by the soccer field and I would tie a rope at the top of it, so our guys could climb it. We also had hand-to-hand combat in the field.”

In his first year, Clymer’s squad had one match, losing 12-10 to Philmont Christian with three wrestlers in the lineup. But Clymer stayed the course with his relentless drive and faith.

“We soon went down to a Jiu Jitsu center about 15 minutes away from the school, and we were able to work out there. Everything was not always calculated, but we were hustling. I had a Jeep Liberty that seated five, but I would put eight or nine kids in it.

“I knew God had a plan for us.”

However, the groundwork began to be laid in his second year when Clayton Moore became the program’s first district champ and the team finished eighth at the district’s Class 2A tournament.

“People around the program realized there was a lot of energy building,” recounted Clymer. “We also started to gain more support from the parents.”

A few years later, their success moved as rapidly as a runway truck on a steep, downward incline hill.

Since the 2021-22 season, the Lions have accumulated an overall 77-10 match record, notched numerous tournament titles and have crowned eight state champions.

They also have posted four consecutive state team duals titles, four straight regional team championships, and appear to be on their way to gaining their fourth individual team championship title this weekend in Hershey.

Incredibly, the Lions could have 12 individual champions at Chocolate Town.

In the process, Faith Christian has been the top-ranked team in the country by numerous wrestling polls on numerous occasions the last three years. Wrestlers from the surrounding areas have targeted the Lions’ program as their pathway to current and future success and have transferred there. They have had a plethora of commits for college wrestling programs across the country.

For any coach, the cavalcade of accolades, honors, and awards would easily inflate any coach’s ego. The private Bucks County school has developed into a national high-profile program.

Yet, Clymer has stayed on his blue-collar, faith-filled journey to guide his wrestlers.

Like his earnest beginnings at Faith, Clymer has kept his humility.

“I’m really grateful I get to be a coach for this program and be a part of these guys’ journey,” said Clymer. “More than anything else, we are grateful to God for the stages he has given us, and we are extremely grateful.”

He also credits a consistent flow of family support. Clymer has preached a healthy and fulfilling pathway on and off the mat.

“All of these amazing feats are a credit to the guys and their families and the lofty goals they set for themselves,” stressed Clymer. “They understand to reach their goals and full potential; they need a lifestyle that reflects that.”

Several of his wrestlers have competed in major summer tournaments throughout the country such as the US Marine Corps Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. Freddy and Joey Bachmann have competed in Puerto Rico and abroad.

“They are constantly looking for opportunities to compete on big stages to test where they are at. All of our guys have helped set the bar for the program, and a huge reason why we have enjoyed our success.

“We are always looking to impact people for Christ and compete on whatever stage he gives us.”

Scott Clymer, one of three other brothers and a former state champion at Northwestern, was confident Ben could turn Faith Christian into a perennial winner in many ways.

Like his brother, Scott was a two-time district and regional champion and registered a 151-22 overall record.

“He knew it was going to be an uphill battle,” emphasized Scott, who is an assistant coach on his brother’s staff. “We’ve always come from successful programs with good numbers with a little bit of depth and talent.

“But the way he started coaching from day one until now, there is no difference. He instilled certain characteristics in the boys that went further than on the mat. His goals haven’t changed from the first year.

“As good as he is as a coach, he is a better role model.”

Scott noted how the program had to clear some initial hurdles.

“He would have some international students and would pull kids out of the cafeteria to wrestle,” said Scott. “We took our lumps, but that’s what fueled him. But those first couple of years were so much fun and comical in a way. We had some kids put the ankle wraps on their wrists because they didn’t know.

“He was a young father and you could see him taking the team along the same way with diapers, potty training and kindergarten. He showed patience, kindness, and hardness.

“He started to develop a youth program, and you could see the talent starting to develop and it was becoming exciting. People saw him as a leader and a coach. That’s why people still gravitate toward him.”

The Lions will graduate seven seniors, several of whom were multiple champions and runners-up. Yet, there is a steady pipeline that will keep flowing, fueled by Clymer’s undying creed.

“We have gotten this far with the help of Christ and our families,” said the head coach. “As a result, our kids have an unbound work ethic to succeed.

“It has been a great experience, and we’re all in this together.

His brother knows he has done it his way.

“He has never rushed or chased success,” said Scott. “He has done it the right way and in an unwavering way.”

And it all started with a rope, a field, and some hand-to-hand combat.

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PIAA Wrestling Championships Schedule ... The PIAA Wrestling Championships begin Thursday at the Giant Center in Hershey and run through Saturday night’s championship finals. Competition will include the girls tournament along with the Class 2A and Class 3A boys brackets.

Session 1

Thursday (March 5)

Class 2A

• Preliminaries and first round: 9 a.m.

• First-round consolations: 12:30 p.m.

Girls

• First round: 2 p.m.

• First-round consolations: 3:30 p.m.

Class 3A

• Preliminaries and first round: 4:30 p.m.

• First-round consolations: 8 p.m.

Session 2

Friday (March 6)

Class 2A

• Quarterfinals and second-round consolations: 8 a.m.

• Third-round consolations: 10:30 a.m.

Girls

• Quarterfinals: 11:45 a.m.

• Second-round consolations: 1:15 p.m.

Class 3A

• Quarterfinals and second-round consolations: 2:15 p.m.

• Third-round consolations: 4:45 p.m.

Session 3 — Friday Night (March 6)

Girls/Class 2A/Class 3A

• Semifinals: 7 p.m.

Class 2A/3A

• Fourth round consolations: 9 p.m.

Girls

• Third round consolations: 9 p.m.

Session 4 — Saturday (March 7)

Class 2A/3A

• Fifth round consolations: 9:30 a.m.

Girls

• Fourth round consolations: 9:30 a.m.

Girls/Class 2A/Class 3A

• 3rd-, 5th- and 7th-place matches: 11:30 a.m.

Session 5 — Saturday Evening (March 7)

Girls/Class 2A/Class 3A

• Parade of Champions: 3:40 p.m.

• Championship finals: 4 p.m.

Note: Consolation rounds may begin about 10 minutes after the previous round concludes, and sessions involving multiple classifications will proceed sequentially.

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Area wrestlers set for Hershey ... A total of 10 area wrestlers will compete this week at the PIAA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey. Below are the opening-round matchups.

Girls

142 pounds

• SC-2 Avery Baldwin, Jr., Dallastown (35-5) vs. SE-3 Anna Trelease, So., Northern Lehigh (22-2)

170 pounds

• SC-1 Madison Rife, Jr., Central Dauphin (30-3) vs. SE-4 Alisa Williams, Sr., Panther Valley (31-7)

235 pounds

• SE-1 Brenda Banks, Sr., Panther Valley (33-0) vs. SC-4 Layla Barrios, Jr., Central Dauphin (12-6)

Class 2A Boys

114 pounds

• SE-5 Rylan Reitz, Fr., Tamaqua (39-8) vs. SW-4 Will Edwards, Fr., West Branch (36-9)

152 pounds

• SE-4 Chase Sukanick, So., Northwestern Lehigh (26-14) vs. SW-7 Dawson Shaffer, So., Berlin Brothersvalley (29-9); SE-3 Rory Dixon, Jr., Mahanoy Area (48-5) vs. SW-2 Lucas Boyer, Jr., Elizabeth Forward (29-5)

160 pounds

• SW-7 Mason VanAllman, So., Tyrone (35-12) vs. SE-4 Nolan Koehler, So., Northwestern Lehigh (33-9)

172 pounds

• SE-3 Vinnie Fugazzotto, So., Northwestern Lehigh (39-8) vs. NW-2 Rocco Allegretto, Jr., Johnsonburg (38-8)

189 pounds

• NW-3 Emery Johnson, Jr., Reynolds (42-9) vs. SE-2 Luke Fugazzotto, Sr., Northwestern Lehigh (31-3)

Class 3A Boys

215 pounds

• W-4 Brayden Collins, Jr., Canon-McMillan (41-12) vs. NE-5 Evan Gillespie, Sr., Pleasant Valley (34-4)

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History in the making ... Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks will be after her fourth state title this weekend, and third since the PIAA sanctioned girls wrestling. Banks will look to cap a career that has already established her as one of the best wrestlers - girls or boys - in the state.

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Last ride ... Northwestern’s Luke Fugazzotto will also look to cap a stellar career with his fourth straight trip to Hershey, one he hopes will end with a third consecutive medal. Fugazzotto was second as a sophomore at states and placed seventh last year.