Beast of the East Delivers One of the Nation’s Best High School Wrestling Showcases

The 2025 Beast of the East tournament once again lived up to its reputation as one of the crown-jewel events in high school wrestling. Held at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Delaware, the two-day showcase featured a deep field of nationally ranked teams and elite individual competitors from across the country.

Considered one of the top in-season high school tournaments in the United States, Beast of the East annually draws some of the strongest programs and wrestlers in the sport. Past editions have featured future collegiate champions and Olympians, and this year was no different with a loaded competitive slate from start to finish.

Nationally Competitive Field

Teams such as Blair Academy, Lake Highland Prep, Malvern Prep, and Bishop McCort headlined the team race, with Blair Academy ultimately earning the top overall team score. Other programs like Notre Dame Green Pond and Bethlehem Catholic also placed strongly, underscoring the event’s national depth.

Bergen Catholic was also represented well in the field, placing eleventh overall in the team standings while freshman standout Ryan Halal finished sixth at 106 pounds in his first Beast appearance.

High-Level Individual Competition

Beast of the East brought together a host of elite individual talents and nationally ranked wrestlers competing for hardware across weight classes. Several championship finals featured high profile matchups — including top-ranked competitors at 113, 120, and 150 pounds — and demonstrated the kind of elite competition that makes this event a must-watch each December.

Champions in the finals included highly ranked athletes such as Rylan Seacrist of Brecksville at 113 pounds and Bo Bassett of Bishop McCort at 150 pounds, continuing their strong seasons with Beast titles. Other weight classes saw fierce battles and standout performances that highlighted both technical execution and mental toughness.

A High-Profile Tournament Tradition

Since its inception, Beast of the East has been viewed as one of the premier tournaments in high school folkstyle wrestling — in the same conversation with the Ironman and Powerade tournaments as top competitive events — and this year’s edition reinforced that legacy. Wrestlers and teams used the event as a measuring stick against some of the best competition in the country, setting the tone for the remainder of the season.

View some of the best moments from the 2025 Beast of the East above. Sweeney FX Wrestling will continue coverage of top national tournaments and standout performances throughout the wrestling season.