Novice wrestler off to 8-4 start
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
No one is more surprised than Anthony Bliss at the success he has had in his first year of varsity wrestling.
The Allentown High School junior hasn’t wrestled in three years, and never could have imagined he would start 8-4 as an undersized, but quick, heavyweight.
”Not at all,” Bliss said. “I was expecting to get wrecked.”
Bliss isn’t being humble or coy, just honest, when he talks about his expectations coming into the year. He hadn’t wrestled since his eighth grade year, instead focusing on football when he got to high school.
”Freshman year,” he said, “I looked inside the gym and watched them and really wanted to come back.
”I’ve been to a couple matches,” he added. “I used to go to matches and watch and think about all the stuff I could be in.”
It didn’t happen until this year. He finally had been away long enough.
”I just came back because I really missed it over the years,” Bliss said. “I don’t know why I ever quit. I worked out, I was lifting and playing football.”
Bliss’s return to the mats has helped strengthen the Redbirds in an already strong department. For once, AHS head coach Larry Kimport has more than one heavyweight on his roster.
”It’s the first time in my five years here we have another, and now we have three heavyweights,” Kimport said. “It’s sort of sad for the two that they have to sit by. He has kids to drill with. He would be a real good heavyweight anyway.”
Jacob Stein, also a junior, is 4-1 in limited action, and senior Ernest Pitts is 2-0 though he’s also well on the light side. In practice, Bliss finds himself drilling with Stein plenty.
”Jake Stein, he makes me work during practice,” Bliss said. “He tires me out. He’s a good wrestler.”
Bliss has proven to be a quick study. His fourth straight win by fall last Wednesday pushed him to 8-4 on the season. Only one of his victims has survived the entire six minutes; seven others have all been pinned. His latest victim from Princeton High lasted just 39 seconds.
”I think it’s that right off the bat, I put the kid on the mat and I think it surprises them,” Bliss said. “It stuns them.”
Bliss isn’t big. Kimport estimates him to be around 240 pounds, but even if he gives up 30-40 pounds, he’s not at a disadvantage.
”He’s a small heavyweight, but he’s very athletic,” Kimport said. “He has huge balance. A lot of big guys don’t. And he’s aggressive.”
Bliss played left guard on the offensive side and defensive tackle in football for an AHS team that set history this fall for wins and advancing beyond the first round of the state tournament. He’s found success on the mat as well.
”My speed just takes over,” he said. “The first couple days, I was a little rusty. After a while, it came back in my head. It felt natural when I started to do it again.”
Bliss is hopeful that the season of wrestling will help him for football, and he’s looking forward to making the most of his two years of wrestling that he will have by graduation.
”I just wanted to get back into it,” Bliss said. “I think it’ll help me with my speed for football and I’ll have better agility.”
Bliss has helped the Redbirds to a fast start. They were 7-1 going into Tuesday’s scheduled match against Nottingham. Peddie was to follow Wednesday, and Notre Dame visits on their heels Saturday.
”Our schedule will get a little rough,” Kimport said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun now. This is how we see how we measure up.”
Bliss knows that the challenges will get tougher for him and the Redbirds. They are happy with the start, but won’t be satisfied until they prove themselves against some tougher teams.
”We’re excited to see what we’re made of and see what we can do against some harder teams,” Bliss said. “We know the last couple matches, we dominated. They were good teams, but not quite as good as us. We’re looking forward to some harder competition.”
In their 64-16 win over West Windsor-Plainsboro North last Friday, the Redbirds got wins from Stephen Alpaugh, Robert Beck, Jordan Rugo, Jack Giglia, Steven Weitz, team captain Justin Miller, Robert Korn, Jake Koch, Frank Juba, Tom O’Shaughnessy and Stein. AHS didn’t even use last year’s district champions James Mottram and Alec Rugo, both who are injured. Miller and Juba also won district titles last year, and Kimport believes that Giglia will be in the mix this season for a championship.
”We would be pretty dominant if we had all the guys healthy,” Bliss said. “All the guys hurt are doing all they can to get back as fast as they can.”
With so little experience in the past couple of years, Bliss is leaning on his teammates to help him prepare for the schedule ahead. They have told him what to expect down the road.
”The only sense I have is what my teammates tell me,” he said. “They’ve been helping me out a lot, teaching me moves in practice and helping me work on things I need to work on.”
Progress has come quicker than expected to shore up an already potent AHS lineup. The Redbirds were happy to welcome his talent.
”Allentown had a very good year in football, and his football coach and I got together and said let’s get him to wrestle in the offseason,” Kimport said. “He’s a very surprising heavyweight. He hasn’t wrestled since middle school, but he gets better every single match.”
Anthony Bliss is hoping that progress continues, all the way to the end of the season and the new outlook he has on a season that began with no expectations.
”I think I came up with a goal,” Bliss said. “I’m going for Atlantic City.”

