The Tyrone Wrestling Hall of Fame will induct three new members prior to the final home wrestling match tonight against Philipsburg-Osceola. Tyrone Wrestling Hall of Fame chairman Mark Westley announced that the three new inductees are Larry Strong (coach), Tony Yaniello (coach) and Harry Sickler (wrestler and contributor).
The three nominees are:
Larry Strong is a 1967 graduate of United High School and a four-year starter, first for coach Alex Zbur and then Bill Wilt. Larry Strong completed an amazing 21-0 record as a senior, winning the 103-pound PIAA state championship. In Larry’s title run, he defeated two future state champs, becoming United’s first and only state champ to date.
After his senior campaign, Larry attended Clarion State College, now Clarion University, where he wrestled for former Tyrone coach Bob Bubb. Larry came to Tyrone in 1971, to begin his coaching and teaching career where his coaching career lasted through the 1992-93 wrestling season. He first served as assistant to Pete Dutrow and then assisted Tony Yaniello beginning in 1979. During Larry’s 22 years as junior varsity coach, he amassed just over 200 wins, sending out a complete junior varsity squad nearly every season. When you think of Tyrone wrestling, Larry Strong’s name will always be mentioned among the great coaches who continued Tyrone’s rich tradition. With all these heralded accomplishments, Larry has also been inducted into the United High School Hall of Fame, he has received special recognition by the Indiana County hall of Fame, and was selected as the District VI “Man of the Year” in 1996.
It is difficult to let the sport of wrestling go once involved and Larry is no exception. He continues his interest and love for Tyrone and wrestling as a timer for high school dual meets and the District VI and Southwest Regional Tournaments.
Larry is a retired elementary school teacher and resides in Tyrone with his wife Linda, who also still contributes as score keeper for the Tyrone wrestling program, District VI and regional Tournaments.
Tony (Anthony) Yaniello is a 1971 graduate of Towanda High School and a 1976 grad of Penn State University, where he earned a varsity letter in wrestling. Tony Yaniello had the opportunity to move to Tyrone and become a head coach in a wrestling hotbed. He took over the Tyrone wrestling program in 1979 and continued Tyrone’s proud tradition until 1999. Through Tony’s 20 years at the helm, he compiled an overall record of 158-115-2, setting the career win mark throughout Tyrone’s rich wrestling history.
Tony coached 21 District Champs, six Regional Champs and three State Champs, along with many other state place winners. His teams also claimed three district titles, one Regional title and a runner-up, and in the 1982-83 season Tony’s Tyrone squad finished fifth in the state with six qualifiers. His teams earned a Top 10 Ranking seven times, including third in ‘82-’83 and second in ‘84-’85. Tony was also voted District VI Coach of the Year three times.
Before moving to Tyrone, he served as assistant coach at Sayre High School in 1977-78, when Sayre finished as team runner-up and claimed one individual champ at the PIAA State Tournament. In 2000, Tony also served as an assistant coach at Claysburg-Kimmel High School, claiming a District VI title at the team duals and the individual District VI Tournament, a Regional title and team runner-up at the PIAA State Tournament. Also in 2000, Tony ran the last AA vs. AAA Challenge of Champions. He is presently the Tournament Director of the District VI-AA and AAA Team Dual Meet Tournament and Assistant Director of the Southwest Regional Tournament.
Tony resides in Tyrone with his wife Ann.
Harry Sickler is a long-time contributor for all Tyrone sports. Mr. Sickler likes to refer to himself as the “Rudy” of Tyrone wrestling, taking the name from the Notre Dame football walk-on. Like Rudy, Harry participated from the sidelines, his high school record was an unforgettable zero wins and zero losses. Even though family commitments forced Mr. Sickler to give up wrestling his sophomore year, he never gave up his love and dedication for the sport. To this day, he proudly proclaims that high school wrestling is his favorite high school activity. “Where else can you find a better discipline and character builder?” Harry backs up his convictions by being an avid supporter of the Tyrone wrestling program in many ways. He just doesn’t know how to say no.
Harry resides in Tyrone with his wife Delores.
