Former Trinity wrestling coach Dubelle dies
Dr. Stanley Dubelle, who took over as head wrestling coach at Trinity High School in 1957 and turned the team into a powerhouse, died Tuesday in Harrisburg. He was 91.
The 1950 graduate of Washington High School, who completed his degree at Franklin & Marshall College in 1954, was 108-26-1 during his run with the Hillers that culminated in 1966 with a WPIAL team championship as Trinity completed its season at 14-0.
Dubelle coached seven individuals to state titles and 17 to WPIAL championships. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010, and is also a member of the Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, class of 1987.
“He (Dubelle) was one of the last coaches of the old regime of great coaches from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s,” said Jerry Chambers, who came on at Trinity as junior high coach in Dubelle’s last season with the Hillers in 1966. “He left to become an administrator.”
Dubelle was known for being a tough coach, but he also wanted to instill values into his wrestlers that they would use for the rest of their lives.
“I tried to have a program that was more than just winning and losing,” Dubelle was quoted in a 2014 story published in the Observer-Reporter. “I guess all coaches tend to say that. But ours was a program that tried to teach life lessons.”
Two of Dubelle’s wrestlers went on to win national titles in Jerry Lattimore and Frank Mosier.
Lattimore, who won state championships in 1961 and 1963, was a two-time National Junior College champion in 1965 and 1966.
Mosier won NAIA championships in 1964 and 1967 at Morehead State. He was a state finalist in 1962.
Dubelle guided Don Hopkins (103) to state gold in 1958. He followed in 1959 with Bill Bonus (138). George Reese followed at 138 in 1960 and Ricky Kelvington won a state title in 1961 at 112 pounds. Lattimore’s first gold was at 95 and his second at 127. John Abakace won the last individual state title for Dubelle in 1965 at 103.
Dubelle said in another 2014 article in the Observer-Reporter that his biggest disappointment came at the individual state tournament in 1966.
“In 1966, we sent a lot of good kids to state. Trinity alone had three good wrestlers: John Abajace, Ronnie Junko and Champ Long. Add to the mix the big kid from Avella, Ralph Cindrich. No one won.”
Dubelle was a retired superintendent for the Wilson School District. He also served in the US Army and taught in the Trinity School District while he was coaching.