Coach Wiser To Be Inducted Into The Centre County Sports Hall Of Fame

on 15 September, 2023 at 18:29

Former Clarion Area Bobcat and Central Clarion Wildcat football coach, and Clarion Area wrestling coach Larry Wiser is receiving another fine honor, as he has been selected to the 2023 Centre County Sports Hall of Fame Class.

The induction ceremonies will be held at the 6th Annual Honors Banquet scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 22nd at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center 215 Innovation Boulevard in State College, with the Social beginning at Noon.

For Tickets:

https://centrecountyhof.ticketleap.com/centre-county-sports-hall-of-fame-6th-annual-honors-banquet/

With forty-eight members so far, the eleven members of the Class of 2023 will bring the Hall of Fame’s total membership to fifty-nine.

This year’s Class will join the other members on Centre County Hall of Fame board which is displayed on the first base side at Medlar Field (home of the State College Spikes and host to the PIAA Baseball Championships).

**Courtesy of Centre County Hall of Fame**

Coach Wiser has been selected in both Football and Wrestling.

Some of Coach Wiser’s career highlights:

Coach Wiser, a member of both the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) and the Central Pennsylvania Football Coaches (CPFCA) Halls of Fame, had 233 wins with the Bobcats and another five with the Wildcats. He also had a number of years as an assistant coach, as well as teaching, coaching as an assistant and head wrestling coach, being an athletic director and more. He is currently North Clarion’s athletic director.

Coach Wiser began teaching history and coaching at Clarion Area in 1973. Some of his other positions during his tenure include, assistant and then head wrestling coach, Athletic Director and drivers’ ed instructor. He was a main figure in bringing about the Central Clarion Wildcats and coached them in their inaugural season, in 2020. Coach Wiser had 217 wins as a head coach with the Bobcats, while they were in the Little 7-12/KSAC, most of any coach in that conference’s history, which began in 1951. His 233 wins with the Bobcats program, which dates back to 1927, are the most in school history. Coach Wiser’s 238 total career wins are number two all-time in District Nine.

The former Clarion Area Football Field was named “Wiser Field” in coach Wiser’s honor, in a pregame ceremony, before the Wildcats’ 2023 home opener with Port Allegany on Friday, September 1st.

Photo by Bri Kirkland-Kirkland Photography – Above: Coach Wiser, former players, assistants and folks from throughout the area who were involved in the Bobcat program throughout the years at the Ceremony for Wiser Field

Coach Wiser played football and wrestled at Bald Eagle High School and wrestled at Clarion State College.

Along with Coach Wiser, the Class of 2023 includes: Gawen Stoker (deceased) – Football, Coach Wiser’s Bald Eagle Area Coach, Founder of the Lezzer Lumber Classic, and his good friend; Anne Lambert Infield (deceased) – Legend, who taught and coached at State College High School for years; she was originally from St. Marys; Jon Condo – Football, Wrestling and Baseball (NFL Player); Dave Breon – Softball; Eric Brugel – Wrestling; Josh Hall – Football and Baseball; Kelly Kephart Rees – Golf and Volleyball; Doug Taylor – Wrestling; Kenny Walker – Wrestling and Football and Ron Pavlechko (deceased) – Football.

In addition to Coach Stoker, there are others near and dear to Coach Wiser’s heart in the Centre County Hall of Fame: his brother Steve Wiser a legendary assistant coach at Lycoming College; their cousin Jerry Spackman; Coach Wiser’s football and wrestling teammate John Wetzler; and his High School Wrestling Coach at Bald Eagle Area, the late Joe Humphrey.

Coach Wiser shared these fine words, “I grew up in a small town in Centre County. In Port Matilda my brother and I played Little League, teener ball, and American Legion. We were very successful and were very lucky to have our Dad coach us. He was not only a great coach but also played baseball at Penn State.

“To date, five athletes have come out of Port Matilda to become members of the HOF. The three older members were people who we watched play ball and we got to play with them in pick up baseball and football.

“I feel it is a great honor to be selected to this group. I want to thank the voting members of the Centre County Sports Hall off Fame for selecting me. I want to also thank the many many people who helped me get this honor.”

Congratulations to Coach Wiser, Annie and the whole Wiser Family on this Great Honor!!!!

(Thank you to Bri Nellis for her photo and to CCSHF for their photos!!)