The Streak (Easton High School Wrestling)

The Streak was a period of 68 years over which Easton High School always produced at least one individual district champion in the sport of wrestling.[1][2][3] From 1948 to 2015, Easton had 185 individual district wrestling champions, while never failing to have at least one champion, in any year. Competing in Pennsylvania's PIAA District 11, a district that has long been regarded as one of the most competitive districts in the US[4] for the sport of wrestling, Easton High School's Streak was considered to be a testament to the program's consistently excellent performance.[5]

District champions by year

Year

Wrestler (weightclass)

State Champion

NCAA All American

1948

Dick Rutt (105)

Qunidi Pompilli (114)

Charles Debellis (129)

Mario DiVietro (156)

1949

Santo Calcagnetti (95)

Dick Rutt (103)

Clair Rutt (112)

Qunidi Pompilli (120)

Charles Debellis (133)

Jim Mangino (138)

Gene Abbott (145)

Claude Danner (165)

Tom Riehl (185)

1950

Dick Finelli (95)

Harry Cather (103)

Jim Mangino (145)

1951

Jack Uhler (95)

Dick Finelli (103)

Harry Cathers (112)

Gus Basso (120)

Dan Finelli (127)

Sam Divetro (138)

Art Cathers (145)

Oscar Dorsey (154)

Art Schaeffer (HWT)

1952

Dick Finelli (115)

Gus Basso (123)

Al Zarbatany (136)

Sam Divietro (141)

1953

Joseph Piscitello (145)

Bill Schaeffer (HWT)

1954

Tom Gaines (97)

Larry Gaines (114)

Charles Dentith (147)

1955

Larry Gaines (122)

Nido Collina (140)

John Divetro (167)

1956

Gino Delorenzo (147)

1957

Ted Sulkin (105)

1958

Malcom Purdy (97)

Bill Kelley (135)

Phil Richards (140)

1959

John Vincent (105)

Bill Kelley (140)

1960

John Vincent (114)

Malcom Purdy (122)

1961

Malcom Purdy (122)

Dick Dewalt (129)

Larry Callair (HWT)

1962

Alton Boyer (98)

Jim Balsco (106)

Dick Dewalt (136)

Willie Falwell (148)

1963

Ray Ferarro (115)

1964

Bob Ferarro (98)

Don Doll (106)

Chuck Amato (168)

1965

Bob Ferarro (115)

Rueben Roberts (123)

Steve Diacount (183)

1966

Bob *Ferarro (130)

1967

Dwight Dansor (115)

1968

Bob Pratt (130)

Craig Fox (136)

Barry Snyder (141)

1969

Ed Gigliotti (106)

Chico Lutes (115)

Bob Pratt (130)

Barry Snyder (141)

Mike Capobainco (148)

1970

Brad Weaver (98)

Larry Davis (136)

1971

Ed Kovacs (91)

Rocky Creazzo (98)

Brad Weaver (106)

1972

Greg Shoemaker (88)

Rocky Creazzo (95)

Tom Heilman (180)

1973

Greg Shoemaker (98)

Rocky Creazzo (103)

Russ Snyder (132)

Darwin Brodt (167)

Lee Guzzo (185)

1974

Greg *Shoemaker (105)

Brain Lutz (119)

Russ Snyder (138)

Darwin Brodt (167)

Lee Guzzo (185)

1975

Bob Weaver (98)

Fred Stoelzl (132)

Jim Palmer (HWT)

1976

Bob Weaver (98)

1977

Bob Weaver (105)

Dave Smith (132)

1978

Rick Scarpantino (145)

Dan Kasperkoski (HWT)

1979

Dan Kasperkoski (HWT)

1980

John Cuvo (98)

Randy Ascani (119)

Pete Stoelzl (126)

1981

Randy Ascani (119)

Pete Stoelzl (126)

Barry Rutt (138)

Chip Easterday (167)

1982

Jack Cuvo (98)

1983

Jack *Cuvo (98)

Jody Karam (155)

1984

Jack Cuvo (98)

Mark Benton (105)

Brian McIntyre (126)

Jerry Hulbert (132)

1985

Jack *Cuvo (105)

Jerry Hulbert (138)

Jeff Karam (155)

1986

Trevor Purdy (126)

Mike Disora (132)

1987

Doug Hager (112)

1988

Moss *Grays (132)

1989

Moss *Grays (135)

Dave Disora (140)

Tony Rizzolino (152)

1990

Steve Calandra (130)

Moss Grays (145)

Dan Goffredo (171)

1991

Greg Geiger (140)

1992

Gino *Cerulli (103)

1993

Eric Thompson (160)

1994

Eric Thompson (160)

1995

Jamarr Billman (112)

1996

Willie Saylor (103)

Chris Kelly (112)

Gary Rute (119)

Bryan Snyder (125)

Jamarr Billman (130)

Rich Morris (135)

Eric Greshko (140)

1997

Chris Kelly (112)

Bryan Snyder (135)

Jamarr Billman (140)

1998

Gino Fortebuono (112)

1999

Matt Ciasulli (103)

2000

Chad Sportelli (103)

Jake Giamoni (135)

Ryan Kilpatrick (171)

2001

Chad Sportelli (103)

Matt Ciasulli (119)

Dan Brown (140)

Ryan Kilpatrick (160)

Justin Mclennan (189)

2002

Alex Krom (103)

Matt Ciasulli (125)

Matt Lear (152)

2003

Seth Ciasulli (103)

Alex Krom (112)

Mike Rogers (140)

2004

Mike Rogers (152)

Sean Richmond (160)

Jason Groller (275)

2005

Jordan Oliver (103)

Brad Gentzle (119)

Alex Krom (135)

Zach Pizarro (189)

2006

Jordan Oliver (103)

Russ Souders (119)

Ju Ju Drummond (125)

Braylin Williams (140)

2007

Desmond Moore (103)

Kegan Handlovic (112)

Jordan Oliver (119)

2008

Kegan Handlovic (119)

Jordan Oliver (130)

Chris Wilson (215)

2009

Chris Wilson (215)

Justin Grant (285)

2010

Mitchell Minotti (130)

Joe Rizzolino (135)

2011

Joe Rizzolino (135)

Mitchell Minotti (140)

2012

Mitchell Minotti (145)[6]

Tyler Greene (182)

2013

Robbie Rizzolino (132)[7]

Evan DiSora (160)

2014

Elijah Brown (152)[8]

2015

Evan Fidelibus (132)[9][10]

Jimmy Saylor (145)

The end of the streak - 2016

The Streak ended on February 27, 2016.

Years with only one champion

Of the 68 years in the streak, there were 17 seasons in which the streak was sustained by just one champion:

1956

Gino Delorenzo (147)

1957

Ted Sulkin (105)

1963

Ray Ferarro (115)

1966

Bob *Ferarro (130)

1967

Dwight Dansor (115)

1976

Bob Weaver (98)

1979

Dan Kasperkoski (HWT)

1987

Doug Hager (112)

1988

Moss *Grays (132)

1991

Greg Geiger (140)

1992

Gino *Cerulli (103)

1993

Eric Thompson (125)

1994

Eric Thompson (119)

1995

Jamarr Billman (112)

1998

Gino Fortebuono (112)

1999

Matt Ciasulli (103)

2014

Elijah Brown (152)

Notable wrestlers who contributed to the streak

Bobby Weaver, Olympic Gold Medalist (1984), Two-time Olympian (1980, 1984), Olympic Alternate (1976), World Champion (1979), NCAA Division I All American (Lehigh)

Chuck Amato - Defensive Coordinator - Akron, Former Head Football Coach - NC State, former defensive coordinator - Florida State, Two-Time ACC Wrestling Champion (NC State)

Phil Richards - CEO of Northstar Resource Group

Jordan Oliver - Two-Time Division I NCAA Champion, Three Time NCAA Finalist, Four Time All American (Oklahoma State)

Jack Cuvo - Two-Time Division I NCAA Champion, Three-Time All American (East Stroudsburg)

Bryan Snyder - Two-Time Division I NCAA Finalist, Four Time All American (Nebraska), Current Associate Head Coach - Nebraska

Jamarr Billman - Three-Time Division I NCAA All American (Penn State/Lock Haven), Current Head Coach - Easton Area High School

Bob Ferraro - Division I NCAA Finalist (Indiana State), former head coach, Bucknell University

Barry Snyder - EIWA Champion (Penn State), NWCA Hall of Fame as an Assistant Coach at Easton, former head coach, Lafayette College

Mitchell Minotti - Two-time NCAA Division I All American (Lehigh)

Alex Krom - NCAA Division I All American (Maryland)

Dick DeWalt - EIWA Champion (Penn State)

Willie Saylor - Editor, FloWrestling, 2016 National Wrestling Journalist of the Year

Desmond Moore - MMA Fighter - America's Top Team

Justin Grant - Two-Time Olympic Trials Qualifier

References

1. http://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/news/article/-7862996797390588561/its-all-over-eastons-district-11-title-streak-ends-at-68/
2. http://www.mcall.com/sports/varsity/mc-district-11-3a-wrestling-tournament-0227-20160227-story.html
3. http://articles.mcall.com/1998-03-30/news/3179814_1_district-titles-district-championships-team-s-second-year
4. http://www.win-magazine.com/2010/11/wins-top-ten-wrestling-hot-spots-in-the-united-states/
5. http://www.nhsca.com/?page=COY_Wrestling
6. http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/02/easton_high_area_school_wrestl.html
7. http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/02/easton_area_high_schools_robbi_1.html
8. http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/02/easton_area_high_school_extend.html
9. http://www.flowrestling.org/video/761582-evan-fidelibus-keeps-eastons-streak-alive
10. http://highschoolsports.lehighvalleylive.com/news/article/4972189206886944213/pa-wrestling-2015-a-glorious-night-of-streaks-old-and-new-at-district-11-class-aaa-wrestling-tournament/