Nazareth Area High School wrestling coach Dave Crowell says without reservation that Zach Horan is the most technically advanced wrestler he has coached in a 25-year career.
“He can go with a wide variety of takedowns, he’s good at counterattacking; upper body moves, lower body moves -- he’s just very good technically,” Crowell said. “Zach has advanced to be similar to a college wrestler now.”
Horan, who finished 38-2 this season and grabbed his third straight PIAA silver medal, is The Express-Times Wrestler of the Year.
Horan says he won’t be satisfied until he’s atop the medal stand in Hershey.
“I was very disappointed (at his second place finish this season),” Horan said. “The goal was to win, though I thought I wrestled pretty well throughout the tournament. But I’m frustrated, I want to win — I have never liked getting second.”
Brad Wilson spent some time with Horan. Read his report here: Nazareth Area High School’s Zach Horan is The Express-Times Wrestler of the Year
View full sizeExpress-Times PhotoSteve Powell likes it when his team wins championships or his wrestlers do well. He likes it even it more when they come back years later and tell him about their lives.Steve Powell has had more talented teams than this year’s Easton Area High School squad that struggled early in the season before coming on strong at state tournament time.
Powell, who is 424-98-3 in 26 seasons at Easton, the second-winningest coach in District 11 history, is The Express-Times Coach of the Year.
“We kept plugging away and kept working hard until we attained the results we wanted,” Powell said. “It was a tough task, but we believed we could do it.”
Read Mike Blouse’s story about Powell and the role his wife, Bobbi Jo, plays in his success here: Easton Area High School’s Steve Powell is The Express-Times Coach of the Year
Six state runners-up, four from Pennsylvania and two from New Jersey, highlight the remainder of The Express-Times All-Area team.
Liberty senior Anthony Marino at 119 and Nazareth’s Horan at 125 pounds are Keystone State silver medalists in Class AAA, while the Bethlehem Catholic tag-team of Randy Cruz at 112 and Kyle Dehaut at 152 pounds placed second in Class AA.
Senior Bobby Stevely, of Delaware Valley, at 125 and junior Jack Delia, of North Hunterdon, at 285 pounds took home silver medals in the Garden State.
The rest of the first team is a combination of experienced seniors and promising underclassmen.
Marino’s Liberty teammate, junior Anthony Cabrera, is the 103-pounder. Horan’s Nazareth teammate, junior Ryan Krecker at 145 pounds, also earned first-team honors.
Easton sophomore Mitch Minotti and Pen Argyl freshman Mikey Racciato are 130-pounders on The Express-Times All-Area team.
Junior Joey Rizzolino, of Easton, is at 135 pounds, with Red Rovers teammate Mark Hartenstine, a senior, the 140-pounder.
Northampton’s Austin Sommer came on strong late in the season and earned the spot at 152 pounds. Dehaut, though he competed in the postseason at 152, fits in nicely on our team as a 160-pounder — a weight he wrestled 10 matches at during the season.
Pius X senior Luke DeLuise pinned his way to the 171-pound position. Junior Ian Gimbar, of Saucon Valley, is at 189 and Warren Hills senior Kyle O’Donnell is the 215-pounder.
Marino, Horan, Rizzolino and Krecker all were named to the first team last season.
Express Times
On this page I will have all information on sports events from Nazareth High School and all other sports events in the country. I will also have news about myself and other people.
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