UNDEFEATED BOYS SWIM TEAM 1976
Bux-Mont League Champion, District One Champion
PIAA STATE CHAMPION
Head Coach Rick Carroll
Administrative Assistant Kathy Acuff Captains: John Madill and Richard Schlecht
Team Members in picture:
Front row lt / rt: Rob Graham, Bernie Nagle, Matt Dupree, Jim Lasher, Ray Hemingway, Eric Reinert, R.J. Schlecht, Ed Madge, Bill Bartle
2ndrowLt/Rt: CoachCarroll,TonyGadaleta,RayDouglas,TonyEhinger,DaveErnst,John Madill, Bill Muller, Andy Fonda, Joel Gaskin, Rick Schlecht, Tom Ball, Kevin Mahan, Eric Langstaff (mgr.)
Not in picture: Admin. asst Kathy Acuff; Team Members: Don Waldspurger, Kevin Lasher, Ron Hanisco, Greg Kintner, Dean Knauss, Mike Mahan, David Rolfe, Phil Weber, Paul, Brabson, Alex Feher,Trey Knol, Andy Metz, Mark Muller, David Nagle, Craig Rife, Trish Petzold (mgr)
All-Americans: Richard Schlecht, Bill Muller, R.J. Schlecht, Bill Bartle All-American Consideration: Joel Gaskin
PIAA All State: Richard Schlecht, Joel Gaskin, Bill Muller, R.J. Schlecht, Bill Bartle
District One Championship:
Richard Schlecht: 1st 4x100 Free Relay, 3rd 200Free, 3rd 100 Butterfly Bill Muller: 1st 4x100 Free Relay, 2nd 50 Free, 2nd 100 Free
Joel Gaskin: 2nd One Meter Diving
R. J. Schlecht: 1st 4x100 Free Relay, 4th 200 IM, 2nd 500 Free
Bill Bartle: 1st 200 IM, 1st 4x100 Free Relay, 3rd 500 Free,
Eric Reinert: 3rd Medley Relay, 11th 200 IM, 3rd 100 Backstroke
Kevin Mahan: 8th 200 Free
John Madill: 9th 200 Free
Mark Muller: 10th 200 IM, 9th 100 Free
Dave Ernst: 3rd Medley Relay, 9th 50 Free, 11th 100 Backstroke
Ray Hemmingway: 3rd Medley Relay, 8th 100 Butterfly
Don Waldsburger: 3rd Medley Relay, 7th 100 Breaststroke
PIAA State Championship:
Richard Schlecht: 1st 4x100 FREE RELAY*, 10th 200 Free,
Bill Muller: 1st 50 FREESTYLE, 1st 4x100 FREE RELAY*, 2nd 100 Free R.J. Schlecht: 1st 4x100 FREE RELAY*, 7th 200 IM, 6th 500 Free
Bill Bartle: 1st 4x100 FREE RELAY*, 2nd 200 IM, 9th 500 Free,
Joel Gaskin: 3rd One Meter Diving
Inducted NPAAA Hall of Fame – 2016
The 1976 Swimming and Diving Team was undefeated in 14 dual meets raising the undefeated streak to 40 consecutive wins. This team won the Bux-Mont League for the 4th consecutive year, the District 1 Championship for the 3rd consecutive year and was recognized by the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association as the Pennsylvania State Swim Team Champions. Their domination included winning every event in the Central Bucks and Wilson Relays and winning the York Suburban Xmas Invitational Dual Meet Tournament.
The 1976 Swim Team will be remembered not only because they won back to back state champi- onships, but also because of the traumatic and dramatic way that they went about accomplishing that feat. The traumatic part began in the District 1 Championship Meet, during the final event, the 4x100 freestyle relay. North Penn had already secured the District 1 title, and the relay team was very cautious on their take-offs to avoid a false start leading to a team disqualification. Richard Schlecht led off the relay and touched with a slight lead. Brother R. J. was second and was increasing the lead as he approached the final turn. Unknown to anyone, he swallowed a mouthful of water. Being an experienced swimmer, he attempted to expel the water as he executed the turn. Trouble mounted as he came out of the turn. R. J. stopped; doggie paddled, coughed and choked then took a few strokes with his head up high and struggling as all the other swimmers passed him. Drowning was a possibility, but his inner determination and knowledge that his team was depending on him, gave him incentive to finish. He also knew if he didn’t finish his older brother would have killed him. R. J. was literally pulled out of the pool by his brother and Bill Muller, the anchor swimmer. Bill Bartle, swimmer number 3 took off, now in last place, as the paramedics began resuscitating R. J. Knowing that only the top 2 finishers would qualify for the state meet, Bill Bartle and Bill Muller pulled off absolutely the most dramatic comeback possible. Stroke by stroke they swam back into contention and by some miracle touched first, OFF TO PENN STATE FOR THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MEET
At the state meet Bill Muller won the 50 Freestyle in a huge upset and placed 2nd in the 100 Freestyle . Bill Bartle placed 2nd in the Individual Medley and 9th in the 500 freestyle while Joel Gaskin was 3rd in the Diving. Richard Schlecht placed 10th in the 200 Freestyle and R. J. Schlecht placed 7th in the Individual Medley and 6th in the 500 Freestyle. It all came down to the final event. Needing a first place finish the 4x100 FREESTYLE RELAY TEAM of Captain RICHARD SCHLECHT, R. J. SCHLECHT, BILL BARTLE AND BILL MULLER not only won the Gold Medal but set a STATE RECORD
A DRAMATIC ENDING TO A PERFECT SEASON