Class of 2013
Larry Wyles
Larry Wyles is a 1961 graduate of Tussey Mountain High School. Larry’s distinguished athletic career began at Saxton Liberty High School, which later became part of the Tussey Mountain School District. Larry was Tussey Mountain’s first 1,000-point scorer in basketball and totaled 1,248 points, which stood as a school record for over 20 years.
During Larry’s outstanding career in basketball, he averaged 15 points as a sophomore, 20 points as a junior, and 25 points as a senior. During those three years, his teams were 50-10 as they won three straight Bedford County League titles. During Larry’s senior year, his team went undefeated in the regular season, and Larry scored 513 points and averaged 12.2 rebounds per game. He scored 39 points in one contest.
He was a tough, outstanding defender and was always given the assignment to guard the other team’s best offensive player. Larry was a Bedford County League All-Star in all three seasons, and he was the only unanimous choice as a junior and senior as he led the league in scoring both seasons.
He was named to the Huntingdon Daily News All-Star Team all three seasons and was honored as the area’s Most Outstanding Player during his senior year by Mailand McElroy of the Daily News and was also the area’s leading scorer. Larry was named an Honorable Mention selection on the All-State team his senior year.
Legendary basketball coach Max Shoenfelt was quoted in the Daily News as describing Larry as “the best high school shooter that I ever saw or coached.”
Following high school, Larry was awarded a basketball scholarship to Elizabethtown College, where he played for four years. During his junior year, Larry played a big part in Elizabethtown’s first Middle Atlantic Conference Championship team. He scored 23 points in a pivotal game against Susquehanna University to keep Elizabethtown on its winning ways toward the playoffs. At the conference championship, the Lancaster Intel Newspaper called Larry “the spark that turned the tide in favor of Elizabethtown to win the championship.”
Larry was an excellent rebounder and an outstanding defensive player. His senior year, he averaged 14 points and eight rebounds a game as Elizabethtown went on to a 19-1 regular season. He also led the team in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
In his last game against Juniata College his senior year, Larry was the top scorer in the game with 23 points in an Elizabethtown victory. Juniata College coach Wayne Hardin told the Daily News “Wyles’ clutch shooting killed us.”
Larry continued to play basketball in the Industrial League in the Harrisburg area until the age of 47. In the league, he once scored 57 points, and averaged 32 points a game that season.
In high school, he also had an outstanding baseball career as he started every game at either shortstop or pitcher all four years while playing for legendary coach G. Allen Hoover. According to Hoover, Larry was an outstanding hitter from the left side and was a super defensive shortstop with a great arm. The baseball teams had excellent records all four years Larry played. He also played Teener League baseball during the summers, and he was named to the All-County Teener Team, where he played with the outstanding players of that era.
For 36 years, Larry distinguished himself as a school guidance counselor, and he coached and refereed high school basketball. For many years, Larry played on softball teams in the Gettysburg and Lebanon areas. He also spent years coaching youth girls softball and basketball teams, and he was the past president of the Fredericksburg Youth Athletic Association in Lebanon County.
Larry currently owns and operates his own alternative and rare pets farm in Lebanon along with his wife Phyllis, who is a retired school teacher. Larry continues to visit his roots in Tussey Mountain, where he and his family still own the old family farm. Larry is the proud father of two grown daughters: Michelle and Trinelle. Michelle is a counselor at Hamburg High School, while Trinelle is a project manager at Quandel in Harrisburg.
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Larry Wyles is a 1961 graduate of Tussey Mountain High School. Larry’s distinguished athletic career began at Saxton Liberty High School, which later became part of the Tussey Mountain School District. Larry was Tussey Mountain’s first 1,000-point scorer in basketball and totaled 1,248 points, which stood as a school record for over 20 years.
During Larry’s outstanding career in basketball, he averaged 15 points as a sophomore, 20 points as a junior, and 25 points as a senior. During those three years, his teams were 50-10 as they won three straight Bedford County League titles. During Larry’s senior year, his team went undefeated in the regular season, and Larry scored 513 points and averaged 12.2 rebounds per game. He scored 39 points in one contest.
He was a tough, outstanding defender and was always given the assignment to guard the other team’s best offensive player. Larry was a Bedford County League All-Star in all three seasons, and he was the only unanimous choice as a junior and senior as he led the league in scoring both seasons.
He was named to the Huntingdon Daily News All-Star Team all three seasons and was honored as the area’s Most Outstanding Player during his senior year by Mailand McElroy of the Daily News and was also the area’s leading scorer. Larry was named an Honorable Mention selection on the All-State team his senior year.
Legendary basketball coach Max Shoenfelt was quoted in the Daily News as describing Larry as “the best high school shooter that I ever saw or coached.”
Following high school, Larry was awarded a basketball scholarship to Elizabethtown College, where he played for four years. During his junior year, Larry played a big part in Elizabethtown’s first Middle Atlantic Conference Championship team. He scored 23 points in a pivotal game against Susquehanna University to keep Elizabethtown on its winning ways toward the playoffs. At the conference championship, the Lancaster Intel Newspaper called Larry “the spark that turned the tide in favor of Elizabethtown to win the championship.”
Larry was an excellent rebounder and an outstanding defensive player. His senior year, he averaged 14 points and eight rebounds a game as Elizabethtown went on to a 19-1 regular season. He also led the team in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
In his last game against Juniata College his senior year, Larry was the top scorer in the game with 23 points in an Elizabethtown victory. Juniata College coach Wayne Hardin told the Daily News “Wyles’ clutch shooting killed us.”
Larry continued to play basketball in the Industrial League in the Harrisburg area until the age of 47. In the league, he once scored 57 points, and averaged 32 points a game that season.
In high school, he also had an outstanding baseball career as he started every game at either shortstop or pitcher all four years while playing for legendary coach G. Allen Hoover. According to Hoover, Larry was an outstanding hitter from the left side and was a super defensive shortstop with a great arm. The baseball teams had excellent records all four years Larry played. He also played Teener League baseball during the summers, and he was named to the All-County Teener Team, where he played with the outstanding players of that era.
For 36 years, Larry distinguished himself as a school guidance counselor, and he coached and refereed high school basketball. For many years, Larry played on softball teams in the Gettysburg and Lebanon areas. He also spent years coaching youth girls softball and basketball teams, and he was the past president of the Fredericksburg Youth Athletic Association in Lebanon County.
Larry currently owns and operates his own alternative and rare pets farm in Lebanon along with his wife Phyllis, who is a retired school teacher. Larry continues to visit his roots in Tussey Mountain, where he and his family still own the old family farm. Larry is the proud father of two grown daughters: Michelle and Trinelle. Michelle is a counselor at Hamburg High School, while Trinelle is a project manager at Quandel in Harrisburg.
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Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania