Bethlehem Catholic's Darian Cruz completed his high school career with a 16-4 major decision over Bedford's Ryan Easter to capture his second consecutive PIAA Class 2A title, this time at 120 pounds.

Cruz won the title at 106 pounds last year.

Cruz had never wrestled Easter before, but adjusted quickly en route to the title.

"I had no time to feel him (Easter) out or figure out what he knows how to do best," Cruz said. "I just tried to do what I know how to do best and it turned out well, thank God."

The tenacity Cruz showed in the finals is something Bethlehem Catholic coach Jeff Karam is accustomed to seeing.

"We always stress to our kids a sense of urgency," said Karam. "And Darian, being a senior, defines what we try to instill in the other kids when it comes to a sense of urgency.

"He's just a scoring machine and he doesn't let up."

Even though Cruz was dominant in his victory over Easter, he knew he couldn't take the Bedford junior lightly.

"You've got to prepare for the show, the big match," Cruz said. "It's all about who performs.

"I could tell he (Easter) was really nervous out there and he took a lot of shots. He's only a junior so hopefully he comes back here next year."

Cruz, on the other hand, would not allow the nerves to get to him or get in the way of another state title.

"I couldn't let nerves get to me," Cruz said. "For the first couple of seconds, I took the crowd in and then thought, 'okay, time to get to work.'

"You can't let it get to you and you just have to have fun. Especially for me, being a senior and it being my last match."

While Cruz celebrated another title, Bethlehem Catholic's Luke Karam (106) and Zeke Moisey (126) came up short in their finals matches on Saturday. While both were pinned, Karam's loss came in overtime of a 2-2 contest with Saegertown's Devin Brown in a bout that might have been tough for Brown to win in a rideout because of a stalling warning he received in the second period.

Karam had a gameplan for the overtime, but just wasn't able to execute it the way he wanted to.

"I just wanted to go in there and tie him (Brown) up," Karam said. "I wanted to try and get a wrist and get around him for a takedown but it didn't unfold that way."

Even in defeat, Karam knows that experience he gained over the weekend will benefit him in the years to come.

"I definitely learned a lot being out here," Karam said. "Hopefully I'll be out here again next year in the first place spot."

Moisey advanced to the finals with a first-period pin, but fell victim to the same thing in his championship bout against Trinity's Ryan Diehl, a defending state champ, who scored the fall in 46 seconds. Moisey was frank in discussing the bout afterwards.

"Go big or go home," Moisey said. "I got my confidence back in the semis and went out and wrestled my match in the finals and almost got the move I tried to hit but missed it, and there's nothing I can do about that.

"I'll come back stronger next year."

That move was something coach Karam was asked about afterwards, and he thought Moisey had it locked in tight. But Diehl countered and forced Moisey to settle for a second consecutive silver medal.

"Sometimes Zeke will do that," Karam said. "Zeke has great technique but he's also a big move guy. And I've got to be honest with you, I know it's the state finals, but we treat it just like any other match and it's not like he hit that move poorly. He executed it well.

"I really have to look at it on tape because it looked like he hit it so perfect and he just kept going with it instead of just stopping his momentum. And I've never seen that happen to Zeke, honestly, in that situation. Usually when he hits it that way, he gets it. It's the first time that I did not see him stick it."

Karam knows it won't be hard to motivate Moisey to make sure he's not a runner-up again next year.

"It doesn't take much," Karam said. "When you finish second in the state twice, believe me, you don't have to be a great coach to get motivated for the next one. There will be a lot of self-motivation.

"Zeke Moisey will not finish second next year."

Other Bethlehem Catholic wrestlers coming away with medals this past Saturday were Ryan Todora (seventh at 138), Josh Alpha (fifth at 195) and Andrew Dunn (sixth at 285).

The Golden Hawks also won the team title, finishing with 94.5 points, followed by Benton (70), Saegertown (46), Trinity (44.5) and Burrell (44.5).