Feb 28, 2024 3 min read

Name: Chris Vargo

School: Bentworth

Sport: Wrestling

Class: Senior

Vargo’s week: Vargo won his third WPIAL Class 2A championship last Saturday at 127 pounds with a 7-2 decision over Indiana’s Nico Fanella. The Edinboro commit, who attends school at Charleroi but wrestles for Bentowrth as part of a co-op, pinned his first three opponents to reach the finals.

Vargo will be seeking his fourth PIAA Class 2A Southwestern Regional Championship this weekend.

“I wasn’t pleased with my performance over the weekend at the WPIAL tournament, but when I look back on the accomplishment, it is something that I am proud of,” Vargo said. “I will not be looking ahead at the regional tournament, but I am looking forward to getting out there and competing.”

Vargo is 34-2 this season and has a career record of 126-11.

Three for Vargo: College wrestling has amended the points for a takedown to three instead of two, which is right down Vargo’s alley.

“I am so excited about the three-point takedown in college,” Vargo said. “You can really gain control of a match and you can really open up your offense. In college, they will bury you for stalling. There is a lot of stalling in high school, and people tense up on you.

“I think getting guys to open it up and let it fly will be really good for the sport, and that is something that should be started at a young age. You look at a kid like Bo Bassett from Bishop McCort. He has a relentless attack.”

First love: Vargo started wrestling when he was 3 and went to practices with his dad, who was the youth coach at Charleroi. His older brother, Jonathan, was also a wrestler, and Chris fell in love with the sport and started regularly competing at 6. He qualified for the state tournament in the 8-and-under division at 45 pounds.

Vargo played football until seventh grade and joined the Bentworth team when he entered high school.

“My brother is a lot bigger than me, but we worked out together,” Vargo said. “When he was in high school and wrestling in the individual postseason tournaments, I would go and warmup with him.”

Second home: Vargo trains at Quest School of Wrestling under the direction of Jim Akerly, who was an All-American at West Virginia.

“Quest is my second home and Coach Jim is close to a second dad, and I love him to death,” Vargo said. “He is one of the best and goes over the basics to make sure every aspect is the right way.”

Gone fishing: Vargo is eager to throw his line in the water when he heads up north for college. He will be on the same team with Burgettstown’s Gaven Suica and Parker Sentipal. Current teammate Vitali Daniels will also wrestle for Edinboro, and the quartet plans to make trips to Lake Erie for some down time.

Compiled by Jonathan Guth