History of Easton Wrestling

Career Record: 55-7, 2x D11 Champ, 2x NE Regional Champ, State Medalist

Tournament Championships: 2x Easton Invitational

College:  Jamestown Community College (NJCAA Champion)/North Carlina State

1974 – 185 lbs.: District Champ, Regional Champ (22-2)

1973 – 185 lbs.: District Champ, Regional Champ, State Fourth (23-2)

1972 – 165 lbs.: District Runner-Up (10-3)

Powerful upper weight who put together one of the most dominant careers for some of the greatest Easton teams of all time. 

Broke into the lineup as a sophomore, getting a spot-start in a 7-0 win against Dexter Derr (Neshaminy), then announcing his presence with a 6-5 win over D11 champ and recent Easton Invitational winner Wayne Horton (Freedom).  After a two match losing streak, ran off an undefeated finish to the regular season with four falls in his last seven matches.  Stormed to the D11 finals before dropping a 5-2 decision to Fred Kugler (Saucon Valley). 

Guzzo came back dominant as a junior, blitzing through an undefeated regular season.  He won his first Easton Invitational championship with two falls and an 8-5 decision.  He pinned Horton in a highlight regular season win.  At the D11 tournament, Guzzo dominated, with three pins, then wins over Stine (Blue Mountain) and Emerson Carter (Pottsville) to win his first title and win Easton’s fifth crown of the tournament.  He followed up his D11 title with his first Northeast Regional championship by pinning Doug Wildonger (Elk Lake) and dominating Mel Sharp (Mifflinburg), 8-4 to help Easton go a perfect 5-5 in state qualifiers.  At the state tournament, Guzzo defeated Rich Edgar (Susquehanna Township), 10-6 in the quarterfinals before falling to state runner-up Dirk Grissinger (State College) in the semifinals, 12-2.  In the first year of a placement match, Guzzo faced Sharp again, who dropped the opposite semifinal.  This time, Sharp came out on top with a 9-6 and Guzzo finished fourth.

As a senior, Guzzo won his second Easton Invitational with a 12-3 decision and second period pin of Phil Gecsek (Saucon Valley).  He posted falls in six of his first eight matches, plus an impressive win over future Detriot Lions defensive tackle Dan Gray (Belvidere), pulling out a 7-5 victory after bumping up to heavyweight.  He finally dropped his first match of the year to state bronze medalist Steve Geise (Lock Haven), in the Easton-Lock Haven super dual to decide a state dual champion.  In the District 11 tournament, Guzzo pinned his way to the finals before beating Bob Bastian (Nazareth), 6-3 for his second title.  He pinned Bastian the following week in the Northeast Regional semifinals, one of two pins to make finals, where he beat Brad Young (Jersey Shore), 7-0 for his second regional title.  At the state tournament, Guzzo was one of the favorites at 185 and earned his way into quarterfinals with a 5-4 win over Dale Deliere (Canon McMillan), 5-4.  However, in the quarterfinals, Guzzo dropped a 13-4 major decision to eventual runner-up Bill Bailey (Clearfield) in a battle of one-loss regional champs.  Guzzo was headlocked to his back for five points in the first period for five points, then trailing 8-4 late, was put on his back again after a desperation shot in the final third seconds. Only semifinal losers wrestled for a medal, so the loss ended Guzzo’s season and career in the state quarterfinals. 

Guzzo initially went to Jamestown College, a junior college in Virginia.  At Jamestown, Guzzo was an undefeated NJCAA champion, the only junior college national champion in Jamestown history.  Following his JUCO career, he transferred to North Carolina State, to wrestle for his cousin Bob Guzzo, who took the Wolfpack head coaching job in 1976.  Guzzo was a two-year starter for the Wolfpack, though injuries limited his collegiate career.