Dan Fire

Inducted into the North Tonawanda Wall of Fame in 2016

NTHS Varsity Wrestling Coach 1990-96 & 2010-2016; – NT Wrestling Team Captain 1966-1967; Coach of 1995 Section 6 Championship Team; – 8 Class Individual Wrestling Champions – 3 Individual New York State Place Finishers; – 6 Time Coach of the Year; Honors Include: – 1994 Niagara Frontier League Coach of the Year; – 1995 Western NY Coaches Association “Coach of the Year”; – 2016 NFL Officials Association “Coach of the Year”; – 2016 Niagara Frontier League “Coach of the Year”; – 2016 – Section 6 Wrestling Coaches Association “Coach of the Year”; – Coached Section 6 North All-Star Team Champions; – 4 time Scholar Athlete Team Award. Served in the United States Air Force and is a Vietnam Veteran Purple Heart Recipient. 15 Year as North Tonawanda Coach; Achieved 111 over-all NTHS Varsity Wrestling Career Wins.

Al Costanzo

First North Tonawanda Inter-Sectional Champion in 1964; – First North Tonawanda wrestler to complete at New York State Wrestling Championships; – Sectional Championship; – Member of 1962-63 Sectional Championship team, serving as Team Captain

Allan Duquette

Graduation Class of 1963 – Wrestled at North Tonawanda 1962 & 1963;- Former President of New York Super Six Wrestling (1991-2006);- Empire State Games Wrestling Coach (1992- 2004); – Empire State Games Wrestling Open Division Director; – Member of USA Navy Board of Directors; (Section 6) – NYSPHSAA Certified Wrestling weight assessor (1998-present); – President and Director for NYSS International Wrestling Program, Responsible for taking Western NY wrestlers over-seas to compete in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Estonia and Canada; – Directed USA Wrestling Section 6 qualifying events; Is a proud US Navy Veteran!

Coach Ray Korzelius

North Tonawanda Wrestling Head Coach for 10 Years: 1964-1969 & 1981-1986; – Coached Multiple Class and Sectional Champions; – Instrumental in early development of North Tonawanda Wrestling Program; – Wrestled at the University at Buffalo 1957; – North Tonawanda English Teacher for 32 Years from 1963 -1995; – Is a Proud U.S. Navy and Korean Veteran!

Coach Sal Montesanti

Graduated from North Tonawanda High School Class of 1979; – Wrestled at North Tonawanda from 7th -12th Grade; – 4 Years on Varsity Wrestling Team; – 3 Time State Wrestling Qualifier; – 2 Time Varsity Team Captain; – 90 Varsity Wins; – Wrestled at Niagara County Community College for 2 seasons; – Junior Varsity Wrestling Coach at North Tonawanda from 1980 – 1982; – Coached multiple Section 6 Wrestling Champions, State “Place” Finishers and State “Champions” – Over 25 years of Coaching Wrestling within Section 6; – North Tonawanda Football Hall of Fame Member inducted in 2004!

Dan Poulsen

Dan was the New York State PHSAA Heavyweight State Champion in 1995. – He was Captain of the 1995 Section 6 Championship Team. – Sectional Tournament Champion 1995. – Class Tournament Champion 1995. – Niagara Frontier League Champion in 1995. – NCCC Tournament Champion. – Empire State Games Bronze Medalist. – University at Buffalo NCAA Division 1 Football Academic All-American and Team Captain. Received his PhD from Texas Tech University. Dan Wrestled (& played Football) from 1992-1995; Was inducted into Wall of Fame on 2/12/2000. While Wrestling he was New York State Champion in the 280 LB bracket in 1995. He won Empire State Games Gold Medal in 1994. Was on NT Wrestling team that won Section VI Class A championship in 1995. Longtime NT Wrestling coach Dan Fire described him as a “boy in a man’s body with the brains to his advantage.” But before he became one of the greatest wrestlers in school history, Poulsen almost quit. But Fire was not going to let that happen because he immediately saw the youngster’s potential and called Poulsen’s house for an entire week. Poulsen returned and had one of the best careers in program history, most notably his senior year in 1995. “He faced his foe like a cougar on a hunt and never stopped attacking until he dominated his opponent,” Fire said. In his senior year, Poulsen was the NFL champion, the Class A Champion, the Section VI Champion, and the only Lumberjack to win the state title in Albany, all in the 250-pound bracket. “It was all done with sportsmanship mixed with determination and a killer instinct to defeat whoever crossed his path,” added Fire, who inducted Poulsen into the NT Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014. Football Honors include 1st Team All-State Class A in 1994; All-WNY 1st Team in 1994. Dan won the “Jim Burt Award” (Outstanding Defensive Player Award) in 1994; also the WNY “Defensive Player of Year” in 1994. Poulsen was a four-year letterman for NT. Poulsen continued his football career at the University at Buffalo and was a three-year letterman for the Bulls. After receiving his PhD @ Texas Tech University, Poulsen became a professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University. In February of 2000, Poulsen was also inducted into the NT Athletic Wall of Fame.

Dave Fire

Dave is also inducted in the Tonawanda Wrestling Hall of Fame; – Co-Founder of the North Tonawanda Wrestling Club in 1991; – Junior Varsity / Assistant Varsity Coach 1991 to 1996; – 138 Junior Varsity Wins; – 16 – 0 Junior Varsity Season 1995; – Niagara Frontier League Coach of the Year in 1995; – Assistant Varsity Coach to NT State Wrestling Champion Dan Poulsen in 1995; – Varsity Coach 1996 – 1997 “Super 8 Team” Placing at Every Tournament Entered!

Guy Fire

Guy was Captain of the 1962-63 Sectional Championship Team; He was a 2 Time Varsity Team Captain 1962-63 & 1963-64; – 1963 Sectional Champion and an Undefeated Season; – Guy is a Proud United States Marine Corps & Vietnam Veteran; – He was the Tonawanda Modified Wrestling Coach. Guy is the older brother of former NT Wrestling coach Dan. Fire made his Lumberjack debut in the fall of 1962 and was a part of NT’s last undefeated team until 2002. Fire was a part of the T-NT Classic that year when the Lumberjacks won over the Warriors, 13-7, in almost two feet of snow. Also an NT Football Hall of Famer, Fire was named to 1st-Team in 1963. Fire was also a pioneer of NT Wrestling as he was captain of NT’s 1962-63 championship team and became a sectional champion himself in 1963. “Guy was fearless, coupled with talent and the desire to win against all odds,” said Dan. “He attacked sports with one goal: to win.”

Joe Rountundo

Very First Wrestling Coach at NTHS from 1960-1965; First North Tonawanda Kids Wrestling Club Coach; – North Tonawanda Jr. High School Teacher from 1960-1969; – Joe has completed 40 Years of Wrestling Coaching in WNY! Coaching Accomplishments: – Coach of Section VI Championship Team 1962-1963; – Two Time NFL League Champions 1961-62, 1962-63; – Coached North Tonawanda’s First Intersectional Champion; – Coached 9 individual Sectional Champions as Coach

Matt Caron

“Matt Graduated in 1998 and had 122 Varsity Career Match Wins

Was a 4 Year Varsity Letterman & Team Captain 1997-1998

1998 Season @ 160 lbs
-1st Place – Niagara Frontier League (NFL) and Sectional Championship Team at Newfane Tournament
– 2nd at Lancers Invitational
– 3rd at Niagara Frontier Tournament
– 2nd at Section VI Class AAAA
– 6th at Sectional VI Championships

1997 Season @ 152lbs
– 1st at Lockport Invitational
– 1st at Lancers Invitational
– 4th at Niagara Frontier Tournament
– 4th at Section VI Class AAAA
– 1997 NFL Champion
– Member of the 1995 Section 6 Championship Team!
– Graduate of Fredonia University (Summa Cum Laude) “

Norman Keller

Norm was Captain of the 1961-62 Niagara Frontier League (NFL) Championship Team; – Wrestled Four Years at the University at Buffalo; – Was a North Tonawanda Middle School Teacher; – Graduate of North Tonawanda Class of 1962; – Passing on the opportunity to attend graduate school Norm Keller voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was tragically killed in combat action while treating wounded members of his unit. He was awarded as a Bronze Star Recipient and a Two Time Purple Heart Recipient. He was a true North Tonawanda Lumberjack Hero…

Tim Fike

Graduated from North Tonawanda High School in 1992; – 4 Year Varsity Letterman from 1989 to 1992; – 2 Time Team Captain; – Niagara Frontier League (NFL) Champion 1991; – 1992 – North All Star Meet Champion; – 1993 to 1995 Niagara County Community College Wrestler; – Achieved Collegiate All American in 1995 while at Niagara County Community College (NCCC); – High School Wrestling Official; – North Tonawanda Youth Wrestling Coach