Sharpsville High School officials share recollections of fallen Marine

SHARPSVILLE, Pa. — Before David W. Wallace III was a Marine Corps sergeant, he was a skinny kid with a hefty determination to succeed at football.

He worked hard, remembered his teachers and football coaches, building himself up in the weight room and landing positions as offensive and defensive lineman.

He was courageous and a team player, said Kirk Scurpa, Sharpsville High School principal who taught Wallace health and physical education in middle school.

“He didn’t get much playing time,” said head football coach Paul Piccirilli. “But he worked his butt off in the weight room, and when it came time to play, he was relentless.”

Wallace worked hard and gave 100 percent, said John Napotnik, who was his defensive line coach and taught him psychology in his senior year.

Off the field, Wallace impressed people with his quiet friendliness.

“I really liked the kid. He was a great kid,” Napotnick said.

“When we got the news Tuesday, it hurt,” Piccirilli added.

Wallace, 25, a 2002 graduate of Sharpsville High, was killed Tuesday in an explosion while he was sweeping a road for mines in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com