For coach Denny Harer, it was quite a milestone to reach 300 career wins, albeit one he jokingly laughed off at the time. Make no mistake though, he was more than honored.

“My days are over,” said Harer after a dual against South Williamsport last year. “It’s not about me. It’s about these kids and we learned that today. I’ve been around a lot of good wrestlers and it’s about them.”

While it was just January at the time, that was the beginning of an incredible three-month run for the Harer family.

Denny Harer earned his 300th win as coach, he was inducted into the District 4 Hall of Fame later in the year, and he got to watch his son Brandt Harer reach 100 career wins as a sophomore, and his eldest son Conner ride off into the sunset his senior year as not only District 4’s all-time wins leader, but a state champion as well.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Brandt Harer celebrates with his dad Denny after winning his match during the finals of the PIAA Class AA wrestling championships in Hershey. Both Brandt and his brother Conner won gold medals at states and his dad Denny eclipsed 300 career wins while being inducted into the District 4 Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The Harer family’s success last winter was named the Sun-Gazette Story of the Year for 2024.

Conner Harer won his third consecutive state medal last year, doing so at 160 pounds, as he went 55-0 to reach 188 career victories — and just five losses, four of which occurred his freshman season — to be the winningest wrestler in the district’s long history.

Conner was able to watch his brother Brandt win a state title before he took the mat and did that as well, and being able to go out as champions together in Conner’s senior year was a great moment that the Harers all could share with each other.

“”We’ve dreamed of this since were five or seven years old,” Conner said when discussing Brandt’s win last year at states. “When he won the state title, my heart lit up. All the nerves calmed before my match because I’m so happy for him.”

For Conner, the year was an outstanding one in which he went undefeated, won gold at every levle in the postseason, and closed his senior season on a high note.

“Winning states, everyone thinks that once you win it, you’re going to win it every single time and that’s not the case, especially with this sport,” said Conner after winning states last winter. “This was the perfect year. This was my last ride, and I was able to win it with my brother.”

And having their dad as a coach to witness it all with them? That’s pretty special too, and a moment that doesn’t happen all too often.

Denny returned to his alma mater to coach in 2020 and he noted in late 2023 how glad he was to have made that decision. Last year was the cherry on top of what he has accomplished.

“Coming back here was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Denny told the Sun-Gazette in 2023. “I love our hometown and you see the crowd. I said we were all going to do it together and I get to do it with my boys, so it’s a lot of fun.”

A fun ride indeed.

2024 SUN-GAZETTE STORIES OF THE YEAR

NO. 2 — Muncy football reaches the PIAA Class A semifinals for first time in program history as running back Austin Johnson rushes for 3,000 yards, highlighting a historic season for the Indians.

NO. 3 — South Williamsport’s softball team claimed District 4 gold for a third straight year en route to reaching the state championship game, losing to state power Neshannock.

NO. 4 — In the first year as a sanctioned PIAA sport, girls wrestling takes off. Williamsport’s Marissa Rumsey and Lillian Rumsey, and Montgomery’s Emily Murphy all take third at the state meet as the area has success.

NO. 5 — Tri-Town Little League becomes the first East Lycoming-based Little League all-star team to win the District 12 title since 1986 as the all-star team reaches the state tournament.

NO. 6 — Lewisburg’s Kimmy Shannon caps her outstanding swimming career with two gold medals at states, becoming the only area swimmer to ever win six gold medals at the state meet in swimming.

NO. 7 — The area sees success in girls basketball as Loyalsock reached the PIAA Class AAA semifinals with Hughesville, Neumann and Muncy all claiming District 4 championships in their classes as well.

NO. 8 — Warrior Run’s Natalie Hall, Raygan Lust, Sienna Dunkleberger and Claire Dufrene win a gold medal at states in the 1,600 relay. It’s the first-ever gold medal for Warrior Run’s girls track and field program.

NO. 9 — Loyalsock coach Ron Insinger battles cancer all season while coaching, leading the Loyalsock boys basketball team to the District 4 Class AAA championship in the winter.

NO. 10 — South Williamsport’s girls soccer team wins its third straight District 4 Class A title as Ella Moore becomes the first 100-goal scorer, 50-assist player in school history.

PAST SUN-GAZETTE STORIES OF THE YEAR

2023–Four area wrestlers win state gold while another four take silver, highlighting the area’s success in boys wrestling.

2022–Montgomery’s softball team wins the PIAA Class A championship, becoming the first team in Red Raiders’ history — in any sport — to win state gold.

2021–Loyalsock’s boys basketball team wins the programs first state championship after beating Brookville, giving coach Ron Insinger his first title.

2020–The COVID-19 pandemic upends sports, from youth through national level, including canceling spring sports for high school athletes.

2019–Montoursville native Mike Mussina is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

2018–St. John Neumann grad Alize Johnson and Loyalsock grad Kyle Datres are both drafted to the NBA and MLB, respectively.

2017–The inaugural MLB Little League Classic is played at Bowman Field between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates

2016–Former Lycoming College coach Frank Girardi is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame

2015–Lewisburg’s boys soccer team wins the PIAA Class AA championship, the first title in 15 years as they go 25-0

2014–The biggest LLWS ever: Mo’ne Davis, Jackie Robinson West, Dave Belisle and record ratings

2013–The Williamsport Outlaws fold amidst first season of outdoor hockey; cancel six weeks of games.

2012–Ugandans are the first native African team in the Little League World Series.

2011–Penn State fires Joe Paterno in the wake of Jerry Sandusky child abuse charges.

2010–Jersey Shore and Montgomery girls compete for PIAA softball championships; both finish second

2009–Loyalsock girls earn a PIAA Class A soccer championship

2008–Loyalsock wins PIAA baseball and softball titles on the same day.

2007–Frank Girardi retires after 36 seasons as Lycoming’s football coach

2006–South Williamsport girls win PIAA Class AA girls soccer championship.

2005–No. 14 seed Bucknell upsets No. 3 seed Kansas in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament.

2004–Down year in football as just one local team — Montoursville — finishes with a winning record

2003–Lycoming receiving Ricky Lannetti dies of MRSA the night before an NCAA playoff game.

2002–Louisville’s Aaron Alvey and Fort Worth’s Walker Kelly combine for 40 strikesouts as each throws a maximum nine innings in a U.S. semifinal game. Louisville wins, 2-0, in 11 innings en route to taking the LLWS title.

2001–Driver Blaise Alexander of Monotursville is killed in an ARCA series crash.

2000–Montoursville’s Mike Mussina leaves the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent after 10 seasons to sign with the New York Yankees.