Bald Eagle Area wrestler Noah Foltz makes college decision
Bald Eagle Area wrestler Noah Foltz took a different approach to his senior season when it came to deciding on his next steps after he graduates.
Foltz said that he and his dad came up with a plan to visit some colleges before the wrestling season began this year. Then, once the season got underway it was all about staying focused on the mat.
On Tuesday, the PIAA qualifier made up his mind. He’ll be staying close to home and taking a trip up Interstate 80 to Lock Haven.
“Originally, I just planned on going to Penn State and going to school,” said Foltz, who had an opportunity to try out for the Nittany Lions. “Coach (Scott) Moore gave me a call, and said they were really interested in me, and if I wanted to come out for a visit. The price was a big deal. I wanted a school that I could afford, and not be in a lot of debt throughout the years. I also liked the smaller schools, and Lock Haven has a smaller campus. As soon as they told me that, I was all over that.”
Foltz was considering other smaller schools in King’s College, Lycoming and Waynesburg.
The District 6 champion feels he’ll be competing at either 184 or 197 pounds for the Bald Eagles. He said he feels like he’ll be right at home in the room as he already knows a couple of current wrestlers on Lock Haven’s roster.
“I think I’ll fit in really well. I know there is a couple of guys that went to M2 (Training Center), like Ethan Rossman,” Foltz said. “He and I got along really well. Actually, their 141 pounder, Nick Stonecheck, when I was younger we’d go down to Atlanta to wrestle. I ran into him, and we were wrestling partners for a couple of days at a club in Georgia, so I know him from a while back.”
With the commitment, Foltz becomes the sixth Division I athlete who has been under the wing of coach Ron Guenot. The others are current teammate Grace Stem (Lock Haven), and former Eagles in Garrett Rigg (Lock Haven), Seth Koleno (Clarion), Dylan Bisel (Clarion) and Gage McClenahan (Cornell).
“The ultimate goal is to build a love for the sport. I think that is what we try to do with all of the kids,” Guenot said, “whether they decide to wrestle in college or not. It’s tough. It’s not always fun, but at the end of the day, I think a lot of kids not knowing until they are out of high school that this sport really sticks with you. I’m definitely proud of the fact that kids continue to want to wrestle, and get better at the sport. The passion of the sport is what really makes you feel like you did something right.”
Guenot had nothing but high praise for his soon to be former wrestler. He and Foltz agreed that Foltz has improved the most on his feet with his wrestling.
Guenot said that one thing that comes to mind with Foltz is just how consistent he was. He knew that whenever Foltz went on the mat, bonus points were coming or he was going to come through for the team when they needed it.
Foltz felt it wasn’t until the Trojan Wars tournament at the end of December that he could continue wrestling at the college level. However, Guenot had other ideas.
“I think I always thought he could be a Division 1 athlete. He came up with us as a freshman,” the coach explained, “and he was immature (body-wise) at that time. In his sophomore season, he started to mature, and you could see the ability that he had. Now, he is definitely mature, and got a good size frame to him. He’s athletic. I just think those athletic (1)84/(1)97 pounders are hard to come by.”
Foltz said he was “stoked” and “couldn’t stop bouncing around” when he got that phone call from Moore. He said that phone call was also like the light bulb moment that all the work he had put in was coming to fruition.
So what’s he looking forward to the most when he gets on campus?
“Definitely getting better. I know that is a high caliber room,” Foltz said. “I’m going to learn a lot quick. I think I’m going to get a lot better really quick.”
