Sep 3, 2025 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter

Bentworth’s Ryan Moessner is a heads-up player. He has 100 career goals and 102 assists.

Even though Adam Moessner is two years younger than his brother Ryan, he’s the big brother.

Well, in terms of size.

Adam, a sophomore, is a few inches taller and a power forward on the soccer field, while Ryan, a senior, is more of a diminutive forward with loads of technical skill.

Though the two standouts for Bentworth bring different skill sets, they compliment each other perfectly.

They’ve played together for many years, but this will be their final time sharing the field at Bentworth.

Ryan is putting a cap on an excellent career. He scored his 100th career goal Tuesday against Elizabeth Forward. Adam is quickly making his mark as well.

They plan to enjoy each moment, while trying to lead the Bearcats to a third consecutive WPIAL title and possibly the first state title in team history.

“We have good chemistry,” Adam said. “We know where we like to run through (the defense) and what foot we like to go to.

“I look up to him. He’s much more technically gifted. I don’t dribble as much as he can. I hold it up more for him. It’s nice to have him around.”

Adam specializes in using his size to shield defenders to control the ball and distributing it through the lines of the defense. Ryan thrives by dribbling around opponents and using his quickness to create space to get his lethal shot off in front of the goal.

“They’re polar opposites,” Bentworth coach Nick Malarbi said. “As far as their abilities, they’re two different skill sets, but two perfect skill sets for the game. Even if they were on separate teams you’d always want a Ryan and an Adam on your team.”

The Moessners understand their roles well and know they can make each other better.

“He’s a big powerhouse and I’m a small player that tries to dribble past people,” Ryan said. “He can go right through people if they are in his way. I know if I play it up to him, he’ll be able to turn and play me through. I’m able to run before he even turns and I can trust him to pass the ball through the defense.

Make no mistake, both brothers can put the ball in the net. Adam had a hat trick and Ryan scored six times in a 13-0 shellacking of Greensburg Central Catholic in Bentworth’s Class A Section 2 opener last Thursday.

They got most of the second half off with the game well in hand. Even though Adam is only in his second season of playing varsity soccer, he looks like a seasoned veteran, and it doesn’t surprise his older brother.

“He’s been playing up with me his entire life, so he’s grown up playing with bigger kids,” Ryan said. “He’s just used to it at this point.”

Even though Ryan is smaller than his younger brother, he’s grown too over his four years.

Malarbi said when Ryan came in as a freshman he was all of 100 pounds and he’s matured ever since. Ryan had a couple of highlight reel goals in the win over Greensburg Central Catholic. One was a turnaround shot where he spun off a defender and ripped the ball into the net and he had a header, where he leaped high to meet the corner kick from Caden Hackinson and put a power header into the net.

“Ryan reads the game so well and reacts so fast,” Malarbi said. “He keeps getting better at finishing. When he came in as a freshman he was way smaller than he is today. Now he can jump, he’s strong and he can hold people off as well and it’s just pure power when he can get his foot on the ball.”

There’s a long way to go, but the Bearcats look as strong as they have the last couple seasons. They’re certainly contenders for a third straight Class A championship and maybe can finish with two gold medals after falling in the state championship game last year.

“That’d be the best way to end it I’d say,” Ryan said.