WRESTLING: Pennsville hires Ralph Ross Jr.

• Ralph Ross Jr. resigned from Deptford in early June after he admitted to a rule violation
• He takes over an Eagles club that went 18-5 last season
• Pennsville marks Ross' fifth coaching job on South Jersey wrestling mats
• He takes over for Kenny Emmons, who stepped down in May

Eighty-seven days after his career as a wrestling coach seemed in doubt, Ralph Ross Jr. landed on his feet yet again.

Ross learned he'd be the boss of Pennsville High School’s team Tuesday night after the board of education approved his appointment Monday evening.

His last run, a one-year stint at Deptford, ended unceremoniously in early June. Ross resigned due to admission he’d broken an NJSIAA rule – he let an eighth-grade student practice with the Spartans.

SPARTAN NO MORE: Ross Jr. resigns after rule vio

Despite the violation, the 46-year-old didn’t believe a return to the mat would be far-fetched.

“There’s a lot of good young coaches, but a lot of great assistants are staying where they’re at because they want to keep teaching jobs,” Ross explained. “The (Pennsville) administration said that they would take me for the person I am and the coach I am.

“I put it all on the table. I’m not hiding who I am. Everyone knows what they’re getting when they hire me. I’ve left everywhere I’ve been better than I found it. If I had references, I would put every single kid who wrestled for me as my references.”

The union of the Eagles and the former state-championship coach started to take form about a month ago.

Pennsville needed to fill the position left by Kenny Emmons, who stepped down in May.

Emmons tendered his resignation after a citation for possession of an open alcoholic beverage in a car with teenagers May 9 in Pennsville.

In Ross, the Eagles get a coach who won a state title in 2000 with West Deptford. He also led Washington Township to a sectional championship in 2010.

“This is the first time in my coaching career where I’m taking a team over that had a winning record,” he said of Pennsville, 18-5 finishers last season. “It’s different, but I’m excited.”

Ross, who wrestled for the Minutemen until his graduation in 1988, started his head coaching career at Williamstown in 1994.

He led the Braves for four years. In 1998, West Deptford hired the son of legendary Highland High coach Ralph Ross Sr.

Like his father, the younger Ross frequently entertained fans and earned a reputation as a lightning rod, especially among opponents and their fans.

His whirlwind time with the Eagles, which included that state crown and also a lengthy suspension for an incident in the stands at the District 29 tournament in 2000, came to an end in 2003. Three years later, Ross landed at his alma mater.

He left Washington Township in 2010.

His five-year absence from the sport came to a close last fall at Deptford, a program that went 2-18 in 2014-15. The Spartans went 15-9 under his guidance.

Ross’ staff will consist of longtime assistant Jason Giambuzzi and former Pennsville coach Dan LaMont. Brett Fetty, who assisted Ross in past stops, will also have a role.

LaMont ran the Eagles’ program from 2002 to 2014.

“I’ve coached against him for almost 20 years and he just has an intensity and a magnetism,” LaMont said. “I think he kind of knows there’s another level we can go to.

“I hope that he can do that. There is a good support system here … This is kind of what Pennsville’s looking for. I’d just like to see it go to another level and he’s been there before.”

That next step is what enticed Ross.

“Obviously, Paulsboro is the pinnacle (in South Jersey Group 1) and they’re loaded,” he said. “Our goal is to be competitive with Buena and Paulsboro.

“To come in and say you’re going to compete with Paulsboro is foolish. We won’t go down without swinging, but we’re looking to the future. We want to be a top-5 team in South Jersey in three years, even though we’re a Group 1 school.”

Reasons for Ross’ optimism include steady youth and middle school programs.

“We’ve had some great people in the youth program that give us great kids and we’re able to work off that. It plays a big part,” LaMont, who’s been involved with the school’s wrestling program since the early 1990’s, said. “Though the years if you see our wrestlers, they’re not the most technically sound, but they’re tough.

“They work, they’ll do anything for you.”

Ross is an assistant principal at Bankbridge Regional School in Deptford, where he’s been employed since 1998.

Mark Trible; (856) 486-2424; mtrible@gannettnj.com