Easton High School in Easton, Pa
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PAGE 1 "Easton's All-Americans" By Scot Davis The Northeastern part of the United States has had a long and storied history in the sport of wrestling, but probably none better than the state of Pennsylvania. One of the storied programs from that state is Easton High School in Easton, Pennsylvania. The wrestling program at Easton High School has produced numerous wrestlers going on to become All-American Wrestlers at the collegiate level. I don't know what high school has produced the most College All-Americans, but it's probably a private school where wrestlers attend from all over the country. With this said, it is truly amazing when a public high school ranks among the best in this respect, and the Easton High School Wrestling Program must certainly be regarded as one of those public schools, with 32 wrestlers going on to capture All-American honors at the college level, an amazing number for a public high school. This historic wrestling program goes back well over a half century ago (starting in 1947-48) with their first alumnus achieving All-American honors at the Division I level in 1969. Bob Ferraro, wrestling for Indiana State University captured a NCAA (D1) 4th place finish at 150 pounds in 1969. Yes, almost 50 years ago. Ferraro went on to become an NCAA (D1) Runner- up (150 lbs) in 1970, a two-time NCAA (D1) All-American. Bob had an overall collegiate record of 93-4, with an amazing 62 pins. His one loss during the regular season as a Senior at Indiana State was avenged later in the annual East-West Meet, defeating the same opponent that had defeated him in the NCAA Finals. Ferraro received the 1970 “Outstanding Leadership Award” at Indiana State. After graduation in 1971, Ferrao completed a master’s degree while pursuing a wrestling coaching career. First, as an Assistant at Indiana State University, then he accepted the Head Wrestling Coach position at Bucknell University, serving in that role from 1973 to 1997. There he was honored with ECWA "Coach of the year" honors in 1986, 1987 and 1992. Bob's achievements in wrestling started the path for future Easton High School grads to follow. Ferraro is a member of the Indiana State University Sports Hall of Fame, the District 11 (PA) Hall of Fame in 1984, District 4 (PA) Hall of Fame in 1992. He was selected as Wrestling USA Magazine's 2006 "Man of the Year" and Wrestling USA Magazine's "Impact Award" in 2009. Bob Ferraro certainly brought additional acclaim to Easton High School as an alumnus, besides his “All-American” wrestling achievements, he went on to be Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA). An organization that recognizes high school "Coach of the Year" and "Athlete of the Year" in 22 different sports. The NHSCA has also founded the NHSCA Senior Wrestling Nationals in 1989, and developed the NHSCA Coaches Convention. Bob is also Co-Founder of the Fusfro Digitel Network and is currently about to launch an online Hall of Fame, recognizing NHSCA "National Coach of the Year" and NHSCA "National Athlete of the Year" for all 22 sports recognized by the NHSCA. Ferraro says, "I am proud to have been the first Division I NCAA All-American from Easton High School in PAGE 2 1969 and 1970. Since then, there have been many over the years, Easton has distinguished itself as one of the top wrestling programs in the country." The list of Easton High School grads going on to achieve College All-American honors is impressive! They are: NCAA DIVISION 1: • Bob Ferraro - 1969 NCAA (D1-4th place), 1970 NCAA (D1-Runner-Up), Indiana State University • Bobby Weaver - 1982 NCAA (D1-3rd Place), Lehigh University. Weaver also went on to capture an Olympic Gold Medal in 1984 (105.5 lbs). In addition, Weaver was an Olympic Alternate in 1976, and Olympic Team Member in 1980. He was a silver Medalist in the World Championships in 1979. • Jack Cuvo - 1987 NCAA (D1-5th place), 1988 NCAA (D1- Champion), 1989 NCAA (D1- Champion), East Stroudsburg University • Tom Marchetti - 1989 NCAA (D1- 4th place), Bucknell University • Jamarr Billman - 1998 NCAA (D1- 5th Place), 2001 NCAA (D1--5th Place), 2002 NCAA (D1-5th Place), Penn State University and Lock Haven University • Dr. Bryan Snyder - 1999 NCAA (D1-4th place), 2000 NCAA (D1-5th Place), 2001 NCAA (D1- Runner-Up), 2002 NCAA (D1-Runner-Up), University of Nebraska • Alex Krom - 2009 NCAA (D1-4th Place), University of Maryland • Jordan Oliver - 2010 NCAA (D1-4th Place), 2011 NCAA (D1-Champion), 2012 NCAA (D1- Runner-Up), 2013 NCAA (D1-Champion), Oklahoma State University • Mitchell Minotti - 2014 NCAA (D1-6th Place), 2015 NCAA (D1-8th place), Lehigh University NCAA DIVISION 2 and NAIA: • Eric Burgey - 2012 NAIA (Champion) William Penn College (Iowa), 2013 and 2014 NCAA (D2- Champion), Notre Dame College (Ohio). NCAA DIVISION 3: • Mark Hartenstine - 2014 NCAA (D3-4th Place), Wilkes University • Henry Callie - 1978 NCAA (D3-Champion), 1980 NCAA (D3-5th Place), Millersville College • Mike Rogers - 2007 NCAA (D3-Runner-Up), Carson Neuman College • Jason Groller - 2007 NCAA (D3-6th Place), Shippensburg College PAGE 3 • Andrew Goldstein - 2008 NCAA (D3-8th Place), Gettysburg College • Zach Pizzaro - 2010 NCAA (D3-5th Place), Wilkes College JUNIOR COLLEGE: * Robbie Rizzolino - 2014 NJCAA (5th Place), 2015 NJCAA (5th Place) TOTAL ALL-AMERICANS: 32 (21) – NCAA-D1, (4) – NCAA-D2, (4) – NCAA-D3, (1) - NAIA, (1) - NJCAA Not only did Easton High School produce outstanding wrestlers, but many went on to highly successful careers. As previously mentioned, the National High School Coaches Association Founder and CEO Bob Ferraro, is one of those individuals that was successful beyond the sport of wrestling. Another is his good friend Phil Richards. Phil wrestled for Easton High School and went on to compete in college at Temple University, serving as "Team Captain." Richards received "Outstanding American" honors from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame-Minnesota Chapter in 2010. Wrestling for Easton High School Coach John B. Maitland, Richards served as Team Captain and was a District 11 Champion. In the “Business World," Richards has been highly successful and received numerous industry awards, including: GAMA International Hall of Fame, and the International Management Award from GAMA International, every year since, some 40 years. In 2007 he received the 66th annual John Newton Russell memorial award, the highest honor in the insurance industry from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Phil's book "25 Secrets for Sustainable Success" was published in March of 2007. Phil has been a "featured speaker" around the World and serves on several boards, too numerous to mention. He also serves as an adjunct Professor Emeritus of Insurance for the Carleton School of Management at the University of Minnesota and past Adjunct Professor at Central University Finance and Economics in China, along with many other honors and credentials. Phil still credits the character values and determination to achieve was developed from his participation in the sport of wrestling, Phil Richards states: “Wrestling at Easton was as much a religion as a sport. Both changed the trajectory of the lives of believers. Wrestling freed many who were “all in” from poverty. But mediocrity evaporated in either case.” Other notable Easton Wrestling Alumni include: Chuck Amato, Head Football Coach at North Carolina State, and former Defensive Coordinator under Coach Bobby Bouden at Florida State; Dr. Bryan Snyder, Assistant Wrestling Coach at the University of Nebraska and National Freestyle “Coach of the Year” with Coach Mark Manning in 2018; Naomi Karam, Vice President at NBC News and Emmy Award Winner. She now serves as President of the Easton Wrestling Boosters Club; Willie “Smalls” Saylor, National Rankings Editor for FloWrestling; These are just some of Easton’s accomplished Alumni! Easton High School connections to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame not only includes former Easton High School grads Bob Ferraro and Phil Richards, but former Coach Steve Powell, Dick Hammer (Radio station broadcaster who promoted wrestling with meet broadcasts) and former Coach David Crowell. PAGE 4 Obviously with so many outstanding wrestlers produced at Easton High School there had to be great coaching. The Red Rovers have certainly had that! Four names come to mind in Easton Wrestling Coaches John Maitland, Bob Zarbatany, Dave Crowell and Steve Powell. Coach John Maitland came to Easton High school in 1951, as an Assistant Wrestling Coach. He served in that capacity until 1967, becoming Easton High School Athletic Director in the fall of 1967. As Easton HS Head Wrestling Coach, Maitland's teams accumulated an overall record of 107-55-7. Three Red Rover Wrestlers captured Pennsylvania State Titles. Maitland was elected to the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1976 and the District 11 Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978. He was Easton Area School District "Schoolman of the Year” in 1968. He transitioned to Athletic Director at Easton High School in 1967, later receiving Pennsylvania "Athletic Director of the Year" honors in 1985. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. Former Easton wrestler under Coach Maitland, Phil Richards, created the "John B. Maitland Scholarship" in 2008. Following Coach Maitland at Easton High School was Bob Zarbatany. A 1953 graduate of Easton High School, Coach "Zarb" held the Head Coaching reigns for ten years, from 1967-68 to 1976-77. His Red Rover teams captured four Eastern Pennsylvania League championships, four District 11 Team Titles, and his 1969 and 1974 teams would have captured State Team Championships, had team points been kept in those days.