Sussex Central High School: Difference between revisions
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== Team Overview == | == Team Overview == | ||
Sussex Central wrestling has been a Delaware power since its formation at Millsboro High in 1959 and Georgetown High in 1960. Early success included Henlopen Conference championships for Millsboro and Diamond State Conference championships by Georgetown in the 1960’s, prior to consolidation of the schools in 1969. Famed for its 56-match winning streak in the mid-60’s Georgetown ruled downstate wrestling while Millsboro was a dominant team in the small-school Henlopen. | |||
The wrestling program at Millsboro High was started in 1959 with Charles Bailes as the first coach. He was succeeded by Roy McIntyre and then by John Young, who coached the team from 1965 until the merger in 1969. Millsboro competed in the Henlopen Conference for dual meets and individual tournament. The team competed in the Independent Schools tournament in 1963 and 1964 to qualify individuals for the State tournament until the Henlopen Conference tournament became a qualifier in 1965. | |||
Georgetown High wrestling began in 1960 when Herm Bastianelli formed a team of strong local farm boys. Georgetown teams dominated downstate wrestling in the 1960’s, winning numerous Diamond State Conference championships and compiling the famous 56-match winning streak from 1962-1968. Georgetown’s first individual state champion was Vic Pizzaia in 1962. Five more individual state championships followed before consolidation in 1969. | |||
The two schools merged in 1969 during the statewide school consolidation initiative. The Golden Knights and the Blue Devils became the Blue and Gold of Sussex Central and the winning continued. | |||
Sussex Central started with the same success as in the past - defeating Caesar Rodney in their first match 34-14. Regular epic battles in the 70’s against CR and Smyrna in packed gyms led to the ‘Big 3’ label as these programs vied for conference titles year after year. Bastianelli coached a total of 11 state and 60 conference champions. In 1976, after winning the Henlopen Conference championship, Herm Bastianelli turned the team over to Phil Shultie. | |||
After some lean early years, the program returned to prominence, churning out wrestlers that terrorized the competition – nobody liked to go against the tough wrestlers from Central. Individual state and conference championships piled up – 37 state titles and 80 conference champions was the tally for the Shultie years. During the 2010 season Sussex Central was a nationally ranked wrestling team. | |||
Shultie and longtime assistant coach Chip Illian retired in 2017 after winning that year’s state dual meet championship. Phil Shultie remains the winningest wrestling coach in Delaware history with 432 victories. SC wrestler Shane Miller followed Shultie and has led the team to a state title in 2024 and the state finals in 2025. | |||
Sussex Central has won three team State Championships – 2008, 2017, and 2024. The Golden Knights have been finalists eight times. The combined programs have crowned 57 individual state champions and 157 conference champions. | |||
Sussex Central wrestling continues to roll into the future with strong middle school programs and a vibrant youth wrestling system. | |||
== Legacy Schools == | == Legacy Schools == | ||