Murschell steps down as Eastern wrestling coach

Wayne Murschell, the Eastern wrestling coaching who lost his teaching position as a result of budget cuts, said he has resigned from the coaching job as well.

Murschell, who headed the program for about a year, said he informed Eastern athletic director Phil Smart on Aug. 26 that he was resigning.

Murschell and other teachers at Eastern received letters in June from the Eastern Camden County Regional School District terminating their positions because of budget woes, he said.

"As soon as I found out that I was approved to teach at the Franklin Middle School in Somerset County, I let Phil [Smart] know that I would not be coaching at Eastern," Murschell said.

"I'm also the middle school wrestling coach. I was fortunate to get the interview and the job in this economy."

Murschell said that he would not have resigned from the coaching job at Eastern if he could have found a teaching position closer to his home in Haddonfield.

"I had a great time at Eastern," Murschell said. "The kids were good, the teachers were fantastic, it was a terrific experience for me coaching on that [Group 4] level. And hopefully I and my coaching staff brought something to the team."

Eastern finished the season 14-7, winning the District 26 title and bowing to Absegami in the second round of the South Jersey Group 4 tournament.

Wrestlers Hank Stinson, Preston Keiffer and Rob Deutsch made The Inquirer's All-South Jersey first team. Stinson and Deutsch won state titles, while Keiffer came in second.

Stinson's record was 36-3 at 140 pounds; Keiffer was 37-2 at 160, and Deutsch was 37-3 at 119. Stinson and Keiffer graduated, and Deutsch is scheduled to return.