Service Industry
Boyertown’s Reck ready to follow in family footsteps in the Marine Corps
It’s been contended the physicality and intensity of Boyertown’s training regimen is good preparation for anyone seeking to enter military service.
Zak Reck believes that is the case. And he will be finding out for himself when he embarks on the next phase of his life.
Reck will be enlisting in the United States Marine Corps following his graduation from Boyertown this spring. His future plan was announced during the team’s Senior/Parent Recognition Night ceremonies in January, and it’s fully supported by family members who preceeded him on that career path.
“It’s kind of been in the family,” Reck said prior to a team practice session last week. “I grew up around Marines. My grandfather (John Mansfield) was in the Marines during Vietnam, and I have an uncle who was in about 20 years ago.
“It was probably last year I got serious about it,” he added. “It’s a big decision. I decided to pull the trigger on it this year.”
Reck will be doing his basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island (S.C.) for 13 weeks. He will then undergo combat training at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (N.C.), toward the goal of getting an occupation specialty in the intelligence field.
“I’ll see where my career path leads,” he said.
Reck is having a solid senior year with the Bears’ wrestling team, returning after being away from it his junior year.
He currently sports a 32-7 record with 17 pins, and he goes to the District 1-3A Central Tournament as the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s 220-pound champion. Zak scored two pins on the day, accounting for his furthest advancement in three postseason runs.
“I didn’t have high expectations. They were pretty much low key,” he said. “I took a year off from wrestling, and it refreshed me mentally. Getting 25 wins was my goal.
“I go into the room with the mindset of getting better. It’s helped me grow as a person.”
As one of four seniors on the Bears’ roster, Reck has also been at the forefront as a leader. He credits several recent graduates with that development.
“I came in at a fine time, when we had leaders like Jordan Wood and Gregg Harvey,” he said. “They showed us what it was like to be a captain ... on the mat, and in the locker room.”
That experience figures to benefit Reck if he considers going in for Marine officer training.
“That’s something I might look into,” he said. “I don’t want to stop my education.”
Reck is following the course set by another former teammate, Brody O’Connell, following his graduation from Boyertown two years ago. O’Connell enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard; and following his training courses, he was assigned to a unit in Kutztown opposite Kutztown University, where he’s enrolled and is a member of the wrestling team.
“When he came back, I asked him what the worst part of training was. He said the gas chamber,” Reck recalled.
That was part of the “homework” Zak did in getting information about the military, and prior to him making his decision.
“I talked with as many exMarines as possible,” he said. “They helped me get a better field of view. It’s not going to be fun, but it will be rewarding.”
He’s also convinced his training on the mats will put him in good stead for the physical training he expects to see in the Marines. He got started in wrestling with three years of club participation in the Upper Perkiomen community, and two years at Boyertown Junior High-West Center.
“There’s not another sport that prepares you for that,” Zak said. “The coaches are always pushing you to improve as a person.”
*** Spring-Ford wrestling fans will have a lot to cheer for Saturday.
Their hometown team will again be serving as host for the District 1-3A Central Tournament — the tourney formerly designated District 1-3A West. And the Rams will be well-represented in the field, advancing 13 wrestlers through the PAC tournament held last weekend at Boyertown.
“It’s nice to host districts at our place,” head coach Tim Seislove said. “It’s a lot of work, but we enjoy it. I’m hoping we wrestle well.”
Three champions head an SF contingent that finished as the PAC’s team champion.
Brandon Meredith (351), two years removed from being the PAC’s 106-pound champion, won the 120-pound weight class by scoring two pins and a technical fall. Joey Milano, a freshman sporting a 19-2 record, won at 160 while Chase Smith headed the 182-pound field for his first PAC title.
“It’s going to be a premier tournament,” Meredith said. “It’s fun to be able to wrestle in your home gym.”
The Rams’ team-championship finish was bolstered by Ben D’Arcangelo’s silvermedal showing at 152, Shane Reynolds (106) and Jack McGill (126) placing third. Quinn Tobin (113), Zach Needles (138), Michael Gradwell (170) and Tyler LaRocca (220) all scoring fourth.
Louis Carbajal (195) was fifth. and Dirk Nugent (132) and Ed Calloway (285) placed sixth to fill out Spring-Ford’s district-qualifying contingent.
“The whole team came together,” Milano said. “We wanted to win the PAc and make it to the next step.”
Boyertown is second to the Rams with 11 medalists, headed by champions Elijah Jones (195) and Zak Reck (220). Julien Maldonado (106), Noah Fisher (120) and Chase Smith (182) all placed second for the Bears, who got fourths from Brett Breidor (145), Evan Mortimer (160) and Jacob Miller (182), a fifth from Preston Fox (152) and sixths from Chase Stehman (113) and Jimmy Sinclair (170).
Owen J. Roberts had another nine district qualifiers, with champions Connor Quinn (126), Antonio Petrucelli (138), Daniel Mancini (152) and Jason Zollers (170). The Wildcats, who were second to Spring-Ford in the PAC’s team standings, had a silver medalist in Ricky McCutchen (160), thirdplace finishers in David Forrest (113) and Cole Meredith (145), and fourths from Jacob Dunleavy (120) and Tyler McCutchen (132).
Pope John Paul II has a pair of PAC champions — Matt Vulakh (106), Ryan Vulakh (145) — in the district field. They became the Golden Panthers’ first-ever conference titlists last weekend, and two of a programfirst three league finalists.
Additionally, Ryan distinguished himself by being named the PAC tourney’s Outstanding Wrestler.
Other PAC champions in the district field are Upper Perkiomen’s Jared Kuhns (113), Methacton’s Kibwe McNair (132) and Pottstown’s Tom Doyle (285).
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NATIONAL PREPS
The Hill School will have at least four wrestlers going for gold during the National Prep Tournament this weekend at Lehigh University’s Stabler Arena.
Cody Craig (113), Ted Kennedy (120), Austin Vincent (126) and Kyle Gorant (132) are set in their brackets. A fifth Blues grappler, Wyatt Hare, is a first alternate at 145; he will be entered if anybody in his weight class withdraws.
Gorant (38-4) and Craig (28-6), seeded a respective third and fifth in their division, are coming off silvermedal outings at last weekend’s PAISAA Tournament. Vincent (32-7), ranked fifth, was third at the state preps, Kennedy sixth and Hare seventh.
Another area wrestler, Michael Beard (Pottstown), was the 195-pound champion at states. The senior from Malvern Prep brings a gaudy 42-0 record to Lehigh.
Tournament action starts 9 a.m. Friday with Rounds of 32 and consolations. The day’s schedule will run through quarterfinals and four sessions of consolations.
The competition continues 8:30 a.m. Saturday with semifinals and more consis. Finals will take place at approximately 12:30 p.m.