1/5/2011
Nanticoke finds success
DAVE ROSENGRANT Notebook - Times Leader

During the middle years of last decade, the Nanticoke wrestling and football programs were the butt of jokes all around District 2.
Enter Ron Bruza.
He turned around the football program as head coach this past season and has been a helper in the wrestling team’s transformation going from the midst of controversy and struggling to find athletes to a legitimate contender for the Wyoming Valley Conference Division II championship.
Trojans head wrestling coach Joe Ebert tabbed Bruza as assistant coach when he took over six years ago. Their relationship goes deeper than just wrestling since Ebert married Bruza’s sister.
The football team proved it wasn’t a pushover any longer with a four-win season in 2010. The wrestlers flexed their muscles last week at the Tunkhannock Kiwanis Wrestling Tournament when they finished in eighth place out of 24 teams and had six medalists.
“He’s a big name at Nanticoke,” Ebert said about Bruza last week at the event in Tunkhannock. “He did a lot for me in the room. And now that we have football in the room, we’re starting to get more guys out. Football and wrestling go hand-in-hand.”
Perhaps the biggest contributor for the Trojans so far this season has been 130-pounder James McMoore, who defeated District 2 Class 2A runner-up Nick Heck, from Wyoming Area, twice at the tournament. Kyle Koviack, a 171-pounder, is a returning regional qualifier for Nanticoke. The top finisher for Nanticoke at last week’s event was 103-pounder Joe Brady, who placed third.
“This is kind of the team I’ve been waiting for,” Ebert added.
The wait is over, and with a thriving junior high program as well, the Trojans appear to be here to stay for years to come.
The Trojans have a bye today and begin their WVC DII season next Wednesday with a meet against GAR.

12/15/2010
Wyoming Valley Conference Wrestling capsule
Times Leader

Nanticoke (2A)
Coach: Joe Ebert, 6th year Last Year: Division II: 1-4, Overall: 6-12

Key Losses: Joe Bond

Probable Lineup: 103: Joe Brady, So.; 112: Kyle Gavrish, Fr.; 119: Joe Lacomy, So.; 125: Josh Allabaugh, Jr.; 130: James McMoore, Sr.; 135: Klayton Kasprzyk, Jr.; 140: Zack Weidow, So.; 145: Maurice Wood, So.; 152: Mike Colatosti, So.; 160: Kyle Hamilton, Jr.; 171: Kyle Koviack, Sr.; 189: Pedro Bracero, Jr.; 215: open; 285: Alex Leiby, Sr.

Outlook: The Trojans enter the season in a position to vastly improve from previous years with a full lineup. They also have a regional qualifier returning in Kyle Koviack to lead the way. Combine the senior with grapplers who have been in the program for several years – at the elementary, junior high or varsity levels – and Nanticoke could be a dark horse to claim the division, especially if other teams continue to take the Trojans lightly.