A Legend's Return: Bill Barger to coach Walsh Jesuit Warriors

The rumors have been swirling.

For months, credible sources have indicated that Head Coach Sonny Marchette might not return to the helm of Walsh Jesuit due to a conflict in his work schedule.   While assistant coach and former 3x State Champ and NCAA Runner-up Clint Musser seemed the logical “heir apparent”, there was significant doubt for a number of reasons that he would take the top spot.  Names have been flying through the proverbial “rumor mill” as to who would take over one of Ohio’s three most high-profile programs (along with Lakewood St. Edwards’ and St. Paris Graham). 

But one name not heard was the most obvious choice of all:

Bill Barger.

To understand the significance of Barger’s return, a brief look at the history of Division I (or “AAA” as it was known prior to 1988) is in order.  Much of the early competition was dominated by Maple Heights.  From 1956-1977, this blue-collar Cleveland suburb produced a public school program unrivaled in Ohio.  Coached by the famed Mike Milkovich, from 1956-1977, Maple Heights won nine state titles and posted six runner-up finishes.  Milkovich’s son Tom would become the greatest Ohio wrestler of his generation and while his son Pat would go from a less-acclaimed high school career to a collegiate career which saw him became the youngest NCAA Champion in history and a 4x NCAA Finalist. 

But a storm was gathering in northeast Ohio to the west of Maple Heights that would challenge and eventually surpass their dominance.  Rising from complete obscurity in the mid-1970’s, Lakewood St. Edward would become a dynasty that over the past three decades is unrivaled in Ohio and unmatched in the entire nation.  Under the direction of the late Howard Ferguson, St. Edward went from a mere 25th in the state in 1976, to 8th in 1977, to 1st in 1978.  

The 1978 state tournament was a “changing of the guard” in “AAA” team competition.  Lakewood St. Edward stunned the field that year, winning easily with 94.5 points, while Maple Heights was a distant third with 54.5.  In the 29 year period from 1978-2006, St. Edward has won 21 of 29 state titles.  However, a closer look at their great run shows that they won ten straight titles from ’78-’87, and ten straight from 1997-2006 (with no end in the apparent near future), but only two titles in the nine year span from 1988-1996. 
What happened? While St. Ignatius and St. Joseph’s each grabbed a title in 1988 and 1990, it was the rise of Walsh Jesuit which replaced the dominance of St. Edward’s in the 1990’s.  From 1990-1996 Walsh Jesuit was the premier program in Ohio, and St. Edward was in the unfamiliar role of chasing the top dog.  In that seven-year span Walsh claimed five state championships and two runner-up finishes, including breaking the state scoring record with their national championship 1995 squad (still believed by many to be the best team ever assembled in Ohio).  St. Edward claimed just one title. 

However, the numbers did not begin to tell the story as far as the rivalry between the programs.  If Lakewood St. Edward program could be summed in a word, that word would be “discipline”.  By contrast, if Walsh Jesuit could be summed up in a word, that word would be “attitude”.  Walsh, lead by the charismatic Bill Barger, relished their role as the “bad boys” of the sport.  With a squad comprised almost entirely of wrestlers who came up through the vaunted North Akron Wrestling Club, this team was not afraid to wear their attitude on their sleeve.  They were better than you, they knew it, and they let you know it. The architect of the program was their colorful head coach, Bill Barger.  It was Barger, along with Perry Rienzi among others,  who developed the North Akron Wrestling Club that produced these talented wrestlers.

Perhaps it was the contrast between the two programs fueled their rivalry- suffice it to say that there was no love lost between Walsh Jesuit and Lakewood St. Edward. Such was Barger’s competitiveness with St. Edward that he tried to fight the transfer of Walsh to Division II. 

In 1996 Walsh Jesuit, previously an all-boys school, became co-educational, and one season later, as a result, they moved into Division II.  The transfer of Walsh to Division II heralded a new streak of ten straight state titles in Division I for St. Edward’s.  Walsh Jesuit, meanwhile, claimed three more titles in Division II and five runner-up finishes. 

Barger’s Legacy

Beyond the titles, if you think that Barger has not had a huge impact on the sport, here is a list of wrestlers he has coached:

Don Horning- 2x state champion, 2x Midlands Champion, NCAA 3rd
Rich Robusto- 2x State Champion who is now a doctor.
Marcus Mollica- 2x NCAA Champ, H.S. and Jr. National. Champ
Dan Leemaster- State Champ and H.S. National Runner-up
Clint Musser- 3x State Champ, H.S. Nat. Champ, NCAA Runner-up
Jimmy Johnson-, H.S. Nat. Champ, Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Adam Plouse- 2x state champ, 3x state finalist
Joey O’Neill- State Champ and two-time finalist
Sonny Marchette- 2x State Champ, Jr. Nat. Champ, JUCO Nat. Champ
Joe Heskett- 3x State Champ, H.S. and Jr. Nat. Champ, NCAA Champ, 4x NCAA All-American (four time top three finisher).
Jeff Knupp- 3x State Champ
Victor Sveda- State Champ, Jr. Nat.2nd, 2x NCAA All-American
Josh Zupanic- State Champ and 4x Finalist
Mike Pucillo- State Champ and H.S. National Champ
Dave Rella- 2x State Champ and H.S. National Champ

Other State Champions Coached by Barger:

Eric Sabo
Scott Overholt
Jamie Groudle
Brent Thompson
Brad Byers
Nate Gulosh
Dan Rooney
PJ Jones

Other wrestlers that came through Barger’s North Akron Wrestling Club but did not wrestle for Walsh include 4x state champions Johnny McGhee and Harry Lester.  Lester is currently on the United States World Greco-Roman team.

Current State of the Program

While Walsh remains a solid program, the strength of the program gradually faltered, in large part due to the Walsh switching from an all-boys to a co-educational institution.  Co-education meant that only half as many boys could be admitted- which greatly raised the academic standards for admittance- in essence, they became twice as competitive.  Talented wrestlers who came up through that North Akron Wrestling Club simply could not be admitted to Walsh anymore unless they were also outstanding academically. 

Moreover, the team is graduating 2x state champion/H.S. National champion Dave Rella and 2x state runner-up Quentin Keyes, leaving Chase Skonieczny as perhaps the only “blue-chip” talent left in the program.  

Other problems emerged.  According to a knowledgeable source who wished to remain anonymous, tensions developed between Head Coach Sonny Marchette and assistant coach Clint Musser.  Two of the finest middleweights this state has ever seen, my source indicated to me that both had their own ideas of how things should be run, and that both were trying to still be the “alpha dog” of the program, so to speak. 

The work schedules of both coaches Marchette and Musser for 2006-2007 made coaching difficult, leaving a void at the top.  Former Vietnam Veteran Barger has answered the call.  When asked what made him return my source said “I think it bothers him to see the program slipping.  I think he will stay involved as long as it takes for him to feel like the program is turned around.”

Bob Preusse of Amateur Wrestling News is a long-time friend of Barger, I asked him what Barger’s return meant to the Walsh Program:

“It remains to be seen how much Bills return really will mean in the long run. In the short run it will mean alot, it will rejuvenate the program. Talented kids on the mat still are the most important factor in having a powerful program. i think Walsh was having trouble finding the right coach, after all its a time consuming job.
Bill stepped in again out of loyalty. Maybe his batteries have been re-charged since being away from wrestling for several years. Bill's strength was always in being a leader, having the ability to put a good staff together. i think he will do this again. The other factor is will Walsh have a feeder sytem? Can the North Akron Y be the talent-producer it once was putting out elite kids like Dave Rella, Jeff Knupp, and Harry Lester ?? Cannot compete  with the best teams in the Ironman without serious talent on the mat.”

Interestingly, both my confidential source and Preusse believed that Barger, with his longstanding relationship with the school, will be able to have some “pull” in getting top wrestlers admitted that Walsh has been unable to get in the past few years.  My confidential source indicated that Barger “would not have stepped back in without some assurance of such from the Administration”.  Preusse agreed that Barger will be able to get more great wrestlers in than before:

“Walsh since going co-ed in the mid 90s is just a tough school to get admitted to. Its a great school, they have a waiting list to get admitted for both boys and girls. I think "borderline" will still not get in, but maybe a few wrestlers per year that are pretty good students will get in now-- kids who in the past decade were not being admitted. I am sure Bill would not have agreed to take the job if he wasn't assured by his admissions director and school administration that he will be able to get good wrestlers and students admitted to school. I think Bill will succeed, but to what extent i do not know.”

My confidential source indicated to me that the North Akron Wrestling Club is still very talent-rich- so if they can in fact start getting the “talent” into Walsh due to Barger’s influence, a resurgence could happen quickly.

Barger’s Staff

Bill Barger has always been sort of a “manager coach” as my confidential source put it.  As internet-wrestling guru BillyTickets said, one of Barger’s great strengths has been his ability to surround himself with great people without being threatened that they would get too much of the credit.  My source indicated to me that Barger absolutely wanted both Musser and Marchette to stay as involved as possible, though how involved that will be remains to be seen.  . 

Much remains be determined- but it can be said with certainty that those who may have thought (or hoped) the Walsh powerhouse would go “quietly into the night” were sadly mistaken.

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