Jerry Wise
Jerry Wise was one of the top all-around athletes ever produced at Grove City High School, starring in football and track and field from 1957-60. He was a three-year letterman in both sports and one of only two freshmen to dress for varsity football.
He was a member of the county championship football teams under coach Dick Bestwick in 1959 and 1960 and part of the "Fireball 5" with Bob Wise, Bill Purvis, Dave Braine and Fran Hassel that led the county in scoring. He played in the Mercer County-Lawrence County All-Star game on both defense and offense in 1960.
n track, he was a member of the school-record producing 880 relay team that went unbeaten from 1958-60 and won the New Castle Invitational and Mercer County Relays in 1960.
He was a three-year letterman in football at Slippery Rock College and played on three division championship teams. He played running back as well as linebacker and defensive back on the 1962 Rock squad that won western conference and state titles in 1962. He was the only sophomore starter on the team.
He played in the All-Sports Bowl in 1963 in Oklahoma City. He won NAIA honorable mention (1963) and second team (1964) honors at defensive back.
Jerry served as defensive coordinator for the Reynolds High football team from 1965-91, when the teams compiled a record of 156-53. In his tenure, the Raiders were District 10 finalists five times.
He also served as defensive backs coach at Thiel College in 1978 and coached track and field at Reynolds. He was a coach and officer of the Mercer County Track Club for 8 years and was a coach for Grove City midget football.