Anthony M. Petrillo earned nine varsity letters, including four for wrestling, at G.A.R. Memorial Senior High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

After graduating high school, Petrillo was captain of the football team earned his bachelor's degree from Mansfield University and his master's degree in physics from Rutgers University.

Petrillo became the head football coach in Canistco, New York at 22 years old, and two years later became the head football coach at Pemberton Boro High School. He then accepted a position at Rancocas Valley Regional High School, where he taught physics and coached football for 25 years.

He also served as the head wrestling coach for more than 27 years and had a career record of 191-101-4 while competing against the most competitive schools in New Jersey. Petrillo had 17 consecutive winning seasons, including an undefeated season in 1970-71, during which Rancocas Valley won seven Burlington County league titles and five district titles. He coached 51 individual district champions, six regional champions and four state finalists.

Petrillo was named Burlington County Coach of the Year three times and he received the Harry E. Lake Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to New Jersey high school wrestling in 1981. He was inducted into the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1985 and into the Rancocas Valley Regional High School Hall of Fame in 1992. He is also a member of the South Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame.

He served on the executive committee for the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame, the South Jersey Coaches and Officials Association, the New Jersey State Wrestling Association, and the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

For exemplifying what a coach and teacher should be, the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame presents Anthony M. Petrillo with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award.