By Alex Frazier
New coaches – As promised, here is a run-down on this year’s new Suburban One League coaches.
Nate Wachter, Plymouth Whitemarsh
New teacher, new coach, new Dad.
A lot of things are new for Nate Wachter this year.
Wachter comes to Plymouth Whitemarsh with a laundry list of credentials. At Germantown Academy, he was a five-time private school state champion and two-time National Prep champion. Last year he was inducted into the GA Athletic Hall of Fame.
“They got a big find to have him as their head coach right now,” said GA coach Steve Hill. “He’s like a Pied Piper. Everybody around him gets excited because he’s so enthusiastic about what he’s doing, and he loves being around kids. He’s always upbeat, positive. We’re rooting for him.”
After high school, Wachter went to Penn State where he qualified for the NCAA Nationals all four years. Twice he was a match away from being an All-American. He was All-Big 10 his senior year.
Wachter started as secondary education major at Penn State, but because of wrestling he couldn’t do his student teaching, so he switched to pre-law/criminal justice.
He then had the opportunity to go to Drexel, where he earned his Masters of Education, while being an assistant to Jack Childs.
“I always wanted to teach,” said Wachter. “And coaching was always something I wanted to do.”
Wachter was being groomed to take over for Childs, who was supposed to retire soon. But when that didn’t happen and the PW job came up, Wachter jumped on it.
While at Drexel, he had the opportunity to coach two All-Americans, though he only takes credit for developing Ryan Hluschak, Northern Lehigh’s state champion.
“I worked out with him every day and taught him everything I knew,” said Wachter. “The only thing better than being an All-American is coaching one, and I finally got that.”
At Nationals last year, he heard from former PW wrestler and friend Anthony Stagliano that Bob Lorence was retiring. Upon returning to the area, he also heard it from assistant coach Dom Sabia. Finally, he got a call from Lorence himself and he suggested that Wachter submit a resume.
The rest is history.
“I love PW,” he said. “When I grew up at GA, all my friends went to PW. I have great kids and a great pool to pull from.”
Wachter is a long-term substitute at Colonial Middle School.
“Teaching at the middle school helps out a lot,” he said. “I see kids every day, and I say, ‘Why aren’t you wrestling?’ My eighth grade this year is going to be one of the best classes we’ve had in a while.”
Wachter knows PW quite well, as his stepbrother Justin Giovinco was the Colonials’ two-time state champion.
“Those kids are incredibly lucky,” said Hill. “He’s had experience as a coach, college experience as a wrestler, and he’s had a ton of success as a wrestler, and he’ still in wrestling shape and could wrestle with any one of those kids. I know he’s excited about the job, and we’re excited too. He’s going to do good things there.”
Wachter will especially develop the promising upper weights like sophomore John Staudenmeyer.
“He’s just going to help that kid turn the corner,” said Hill. “He’s been running Drexel’s practices for the past three years, so he knows the system of running a practice. He has plenty of experience getting a team ready for the end of season competition and understands scheduling and when to peak.”
And if that’s not enough newness in Wachter’s life, he is also the proud father of a month-old girl, Briella Rose Wachter.
He and his wife gave their daughter the middle name of Rose after the Phillies Pete Rose. Wachter was born in 1980 when Rose played for the World Champion Phillies. And their daughter was born on the day the latest Phils won the World Series (technically it was early the next morning).
“Plus her cheeks were all rosy when she came out, and they’re still rosy,” he said.
Wachter already is thinking ahead.
“She’s a handful,” he said. “She’s really strong. I’m not going to make her wrestle, but if she wants to I’m not going to deny it.”
Eric Knoblouch, Bensalem
Eric Knoblouch is quite familiar with Lower Bucks wrestling. He graduated form Harry S Truman in 2001. He wrestled for the Tigers for four years, placing third at regionals and qualifying for states his senior year. He finished his career with 97 wins.He went on to Penn State but did not wrestle.
Instead he started his own construction company, which allowed him to coach. One of his success stories was his brother Brian, who graduated from Council Rock South.
Two years ago he received a call from his former assistant high school coach Bob Ciaccia, who had moved on to Bensalem. As a result he started coaching at Bensalem two years ago, at first as a volunteer and then last year as the freshmen head coach. When Doug Hansbury resigned last year, he applied for the job and was hired at the recommendation of Hansbury.
Knoblouch’s transition has been smooth so far, in part because he knows the wrestlers in the program. Because both the ninth grade and high school programs are relatively small, they work together, which allowed Knoblouch to become familiar with all the wrestlers in the program.
“It was an easy transition,” he said. “I have a good relationship with the kids and everybody seems pretty pleased. I went to every varsity meet and I was on the sidelines and in the corner throughout post-season and everything else, so I was really involved with the ninth grade and the high school last year.”
Knoblouch knows he has a formidable task ahead of him to build the Owls into a premier program, especially with the tough competition in the National Conference.
“One of the main reasons I got the job is we’re able to continue building what coach Hansbury was building over the past couple of years,” said Knoblouch.
Last year the Owls placed third, notching a win over Pennsbury in the process, but that will be tougher to do this year with the addition of both Council Rocks and William Tennent.
“We’re just trying to move forward,” said Knoblouch, “and start building up the youth program. Hopefully we’ll have the time to do it.”
While Bensalem has a strong youth program, the Owls lose wrestlers in the middle school years.
“That’s what we’re trying to eliminate,” said Knoblouch.
He will look to regional qualifiers J.C. Meza (152/160) and Frank Lippincott (130) to be the kingpins of the rebuilding effort.
Dan Winters, Neshaminy
Dan Winters didn’t expect to be a head coach quite so soon in his career.
But last year Mike Ortman unexpectedly resigned and having been his assistant for four years, it was logical for Winters to take over.
“It was a goal of mine,” he said. “I think I can do a good job.”
Winters graduated from Neshaminy in 1999. He was captain of the team as a junior and senior, and in his final year he missed placing at states by one match.
From there he went on to letter four years at Lycoming, where he was also captain his junior and senior years. As a senior, he was having his best year, running a 10-1 record before he injured his back and was forced to quit.
Having majored in biology, he returned to the Neshaminy School District to teach science. Now he is teaching teachers as an instructional technology coach.
Having been coaching in the school district for six years, Winters is very familiar with the kids and the program.
“I have a lot of young kids,” he said. “Right now it’s just establishing rules and procedures and a work ethic in them.”
Winters knows the importance of building the program from the ground up.
“It’s got to be a system from the youth all the way up to the middle schools and the high school,” he said. “Everybody has to be on the same page, instilling the same philosophy all the way through.”
He even takes the time very Monday to work with youth practices.
Winters is relying on three of his seniors this year—Tom Burke (152), John Lindquist (140), Pat Burns (171)—to help lead a young team into the future.
“These guys have been in the lineup the past couple of years,” he said. “I’m looking for them to bring their leadership qualities and teach these young wrestlers how to practice and how to be disciplined and how to win.”
Winters will also look for leadership from two other seniors, Kyle Brooks (125) and Bill Chrome (130)
Ortman’s goals this year are to finish in the top three in the National Conference and do well in districts.
Eric Knoblouch and Dan Winters are contemporaries. “He’ll do a very good job,” said Knoblouch. “He was a few years ahead of me. He was one of the hardest working wrestlers I’ve ever seen.”
It could be interesting when the two teams get together this year. Last year Neshaminy “upset” Bensalem, so Knoblouch is looking for a little revenge this year.
Around the league – There were some interesting results in the opening league matches, Wednesday. Council Rock North edged archrival South 29-26, and in another National Conference matchup, Harry S Truman shocked William Tennent, 34-33. In the Continental Conference, Central Bucks West flexed its muscles with a 33-26 defeat of Hatboro-Horsham.
• Souderton advanced four wrestlers to the finals of the Great Valley Invitational, and came away with one champion and a fourth-place team finish. Joe Stolfi won the 189-pound weight class, while Chris Force (135), Peter Jenne (160) and Rob Smothers (215) settled for silver medals. John Lewis (112), James Turnure (125), Brad Volm (171) and Ian Eisenhart (285) all took fourths.
• Council Rock North went 1-4 at the Boyertown Duals, twice losing to the host Bears, 31-25 and 45-27. The Indians also lost to St. Marks (Del.) 47-15 and Bethlehem Liberty 29-26. Their only win came against Owen J. Roberts, 51-17.
• Upper Dublin took top honors at the New Hope-Solebury Tournament. The Flying Cardinals crowned two champions—Nick Dimuzio at 119 and Matt Gusick at 125—and had six other placewinners. Sean Carson took silver at 189, while Steve Volovar (130), Dave Tucker (135), Pat Reilly (140), Dom Visco (145) and Paul Choi (152) ran the middleweights for third place finishes.
• Pennsbury went 4-0 at its own duals. The Falcons defeated Harry S Truman 38-28, Fleetwood, 61-8, Skyline (Va.) 38-31 and Central Bucks West 42-27. Truman overpowered Kutztown 66-13 but lost to Cedar Cliff 42-27. Central Bucks West also lost to Cedar Cliff 52-19, but clobbered Fleetwood 59-15.
• Abington finished fourth at the Bullet Invitational at Brandywine Heights. John Lee (125), Max Barsky (160) and David Osei (285) won championships. Matt Lancaster (140) and Cody Carrigan (152) took home bronze medals, while John Trasser finished fourth.
• Plymouth Whitemarsh finished third at the Catasaqua Duals. The Colonials blew by Allentown Allen 70-9 and took Wyoming Area 47-24. They lost to Whitehall 57-16 and to host Catasaqua 42-31 before avenging the loss to the hosts in the consolation finals, 36-33. Both Tommy McManus (103) and Dylan Peay (125) won their matches by identical 9-8 scores to help the Colonials to a bronze medal.
Top Five SOL teams
1. Quakertown
2. Council Rock North
3. Council Rock South
4. Pennridge
5. Central Bucks West
Top Guns
103-Scott Wolfinger, Quakertown
112- James Bak, Harry S Truman
119-Chris McGinley, Central Bucks West
125-Tim Santry, Upper Moreland
130-Matt Martoccio, Council Rock South
135-Matt Rust, Quakertown
140-Jon Brodzik, Central Bucks East
145-Jim Vollrath, Council Rock South
152-Colin McConnell, Pennridge
160-Ed Shupe, Council Rock South
171-Devon Passman, Central Bucks East
189-James Nicholson, Upper Moreland
215-Dan Clemenson, William Tennent
285-David Osei, Abington
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