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Altoona freshman Braiden Weaver and sophomore Luke Sipes have grown up in Sinking Valley three houses from each other.
They've been lifelong friends and their parents are friends. They go to school in Sipes' car every day -- although that might change as 16-year-old Braiden has hopes of getting his first car.
This year, in their first season at the high school level together, they both excelled on the wrestling mat. They excelled so much that they've been named the Wrestlers of the Year on the 40th annual Mirror All-Star Team.
"I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else," Sipes said. "I've known him since I can remember."
"Oh, that's awesome," Weaver said. "I've been wrestling with Luke my whole life. We always push each other in the room and outside of the room."
Sipes and Weaver won District 6 titles at 107 and 152, respectively, Northwest Regional titles and placed in the top seven at the PIAA Championships. Weaver placed fifth, while Sipes placed seventh for his second state medal.
Sipes went 41-5, which broke D.J. Hollingshead's record for season wins, while Weaver posted a 39-6 record, which is a school record for wins by a freshman.
Altoona coach Joel Gilbert, who was named Mirror Co-Coach of the Year with Tyrone's Quentin Wright, was happy for his young stars.
"That's really great," Gilbert said. "Those two guys had really good state tournaments. I know they wanted to end up a little higher (on the medals stand), but they're really good wrestlers.
"They put a lot of time into it, and they're well deserving of any accolades. I think this is just the start of some of the accolades that these two young men are going to accomplish before they leave Altoona."
"We had a lot of fun," Sipes said. "I got to be on the team with him in junior high before, but obviously now we're both a lot better. It just means more now in high school. It was so much fun trying to achieve our goals together."
Who is better wrestler?
"Better?" Sipes said with a laugh. "I don't know. I couldn't pick one of us as to who is better. I think it's a lot different. I'm bigger and in my weight classes guys are slower and stronger. In the light weights from 107 to 121, I think there's a lot of action and they're quicker."
Weaver laughed and said, "I would say Luke, but maybe if we were the same weight one day, I don't know."
Sipes had offseason labrum surgery, and he was concerned about not even wrestling this season.
But he was named the Mountaineer Duals Outstanding Wrestler, pinned Mifflin County's Parker Kearns without control in the Ultimate Warrior finals, beat Kearns again in the District 6 finals and earned a 3-2 win over McDowell's Artis Simmons for a regional title.
"I thought I had a solid year, especially with the circumstances," Sipes said. "I'm still not even 100 percent yet. I'm going to be though by next year. I'm pretty happy with how my season went. I'm just not satisfied. I think next year is going to be a lot better."
Everyone knew how good Sipes would be after winning districts, regionals and placing fifth at the PIAA Championships as a freshman. But Weaver, who placed fourth at the junior high state tournament, has been a revelation.
After losing an early-season battle against Tyrone's Korry Walls, Weaver won an Ultimate Warrior title, pinned his way through the District 6 Tournament, and beat Hickory's Brody Bishop, 6-1, in the regional finals to reach Hershey.
"I feel like I really made an appearance this year," Weaver said. "I definitely wanted to go out with a bang, place at states or try to win it. I feel like more people know who I am than at the beginning of the year."
"We knew he was pretty good in elementary and junior high school," Gilbert said. "He had placed at the Junior Olympic state tournament for years. We weren't sure to what extent he'd be good. It's a transition from junior high to high school. He transitioned well, and he got better as the year went on.
"I think the sky is the limit for that young man."
Sipes, who is 77-8 in his first two years, has been resting since the state tournament. He said he'll start lifting weights and wrestling at the M2 Training Center in Pleasant Gap next week.
"The lifting is going to be what's really important," Sipes said, "because I have to get that shoulder strong."
In Hershey, Sipes suffered two losses in which an official's ruling was controversial. In Weaver's 4-3 loss to Pennridge's Colby Martinelli in the consolation semifinals, he headlocked Martinelli late for a takedown but back points weren't awarded. A Flo Wrestling video and a Mirror photo appear to prove he should have gotten back points.
"I'm proud of myself," Sipes said, "and I'm sure Braiden is too. Coach Gilbert tells us all the time to forget the crowd, forget the bad calls and just keep wrestling. I keep my head up. Win or lose, I have to get ready for the next match."
"At the end of the day, I can't let it be a ref's decision to decide a match," Weaver said. "Either way, I've just got to keep fighting and keep wrestling."
They're both looking forward to next season, which will include wrestling in the King of the Mountain and Powerade.
"I'm so excited," Sipes said. "Every year I think is my year, but I think next year I can really do some damage down at Hershey. We'll be battle tested and ready to go come March, which that is the main goal."
"I just want to get into it," Weaver said. "I can't wait for next year to start. I feel like I could wrestle another season right now."