Barry Snyder

Barry Snyder ’69

Career Record: 52-5, 2x D11 Champ, 2x Regional Champ, 2x Medalist, State Finalist

Tournament Championships: Easton Invitational

College: Penn State (NCAA Qualifier)

1969 (Sr.): 21-1; District Champ, Regional Champ, State Runner-Up

1968 (Jr.): 21-2; District Champ, Regional Champ, State Semifinals

1967 (So.): 10-2; District Runner-Up

Few people have as strong an argument for “Mr. Easton Sports” as Barry Snyder. Snyder was a star quarterback and wrestler who led the Rovers to the undefeated 1968 campaign and mythical football title, then was a state finalist for the mythical team wrestling champs that winter. He came back to Easton to coach football and wrestling for decades, and cornered his son, Bryan, who won a state championship for the Rovers.

Snyder burst into the lineup halfway through his sophomore season, fittingly making his varsity debut against Phillipsburg with a 3-1 win over 1969 state champion Don Jessamine. He only lost one regular season match, then dropped to 127 pounds for the D11 tournament. He rolled to the finals before dropping a 9-5 decision to Ron Bowers (Nazareth).

Snyder anchored the lineup as a junior, going undefeated in dual meets and only dropping the Easton Invitational final to Dave Van Asseit (Manheim Township). Snyder won his first D11 title by outsourcing the field 25-6, capped by a 3-2 win over Art Metz (Stroudsburg) in the final. Snyder dominated the Northeast Regional the following week, with a 5-3 win over Thomas Morris (Wyoming Valley West) and a 9-0 shutout in the finals over Larry Erb (Lewisburg). In his first trip to states, he dropped a 9-7 decision to Steve Wiser (Bald Eagle Area) in the semifinals.

As a senior, Snyder only gave up points in three regular season matches, dominated his way to an Easton Invitational title, knocked off rival and New Jersey bronze medalist Sam Farina (Phillipsburg) for the second straight season, and earned the top seed in the D11 tournament. He won his second straight title, outscoring the opposition 28-7, capped by a 5-2 win over Willie Brickhouse (Dieruff) in the final. He followed up his Northeast Regional title the next week, with 7-2 and 6-0 wins to punch his second ticket to Rec Hall. At states, he defeated Don Rockey (State College), 7-6 to earn a berth in state finals and his 21st straight win of the year. However, he fell in the state final, 4-3, to Kevin Love (Carnegie).

After Easton, Snyder went to Penn State, where he was an EIWA champion, captain, NCAA qualifier, and lost in the Round of 8 as a senior at the NCAA tournament. After coaching stints at Syracuse and Lafayette, Snyder became Steve Powell’s top assistant and Easton’s freshman football coach, where he would spend most of his career.