January 7, 2006 10:00am

EASTON 42 - WILSON 30

112 -- Jr. Weston Loxley (9-4), W, d. So. Kegan Handlovic (9-6), 3-0.
119 -- Sr. Russ Souders (19-2), E, forfeit.
125 -- Jr. Ju-Ju Drummond (14-4), E, md. Jr. Dan Pacchioli (11-8), 14-2.
130 -- Sr. Mike Biase (13-5), E, d. Sr. Kyle Garis (10-8), 2-1.
135 -- Sr. Cody Struening (14-5), W, p. Jr. Colin Hershey (0-2), 2:25.
140 -- Sr. Braylin Williams (17-2), E, forfeit.
145 -- So. Colin Dailey (16-7), E, p. Fr. Billy Connor (4-11), 1:16.
152 -- Jr. Jules Knighton (12-8), E, forfeit.
160 -- Jr. Steve Depew (14-5), W, p. Fr. Joe Piro (11-10), :49.
171 -- Jr. Maurice Williams (6-5), W, d. So. Keenan Walls (0-3), 6-2.
189 -- So. Cory Rutt (17-5), E, p. So. Josh Campisi (1-6), 3:04.
215 -- Sr. J.T. Shook (9-8), W, p. Fr. Chris Wilson (8-9), :28.
275 -- Jr. Chris Labatch (2-2), W, p. Jr. Mike Varju (5-9), 1:30.
103 -- So. Jordan Oliver (21-0), E, tf. Fr. D.J. Hartrum (12-7), 20-4, 4:26.

Red Rovers keep it up against able Warriors EASTON INVITATIONAL. Easton, led by Ju-Ju Drummond, wins third match in three days; Wilson tough in defeat. Saturday, January 07, 2006 By MIKE WEILAMANN The Express-Times PALMER TWP. | Easton Area High School's wrestling team was way ahead of the game -- even before the first whistle blew at the 25th Street Gym. The Red Rovers had at least two forfeit wins coming in and wound up with a third. However, Wilson got most of it back with four pins to make it interesting before eventually falling 42-30 to neighborhood rival Easton Friday. "You hate to give up pins," said veteran Red Rovers coach Steve Powell, whose team is in the midst of a five-match stretch in four days this week. "Wilson has a decent team. The kids have done a nice job having to hold their weight all week." Easton junior Ju-Ju Drummond had a big win early at 125 pounds as he majored Dan Pacchioli 14-2. Drummond (14-4), who is enjoying a good start after leaving the team early on last season, wasn't happy about giving up the opening takedown. It didn't take long before he took control on top with his devastating tight-waist tilt. "I shouldn't have gotten taken down," said Drummond, who turned Pacchioli three times for three points each and a 14-2 lead after two periods. "I got a takedown and I basically knew I had him once I got on top." Easton (10-1), ranked No. 2 in The Express-Times region, was fresh off a 45-15 win Thursday against Phillipsburg. The Rovers are back in action today hosting State College at 2 p.m. and Delaware power Caesar Rodney in the featured match of the two-day Invitational at 6. No. 8 Wilson (3-2) entered Friday's match short-handed with a lineup riddled with injuries. The Warriors are still without injured 145-pounder Adam Thomas (ankle) and freshman 119-pounder Mike Calantoni (finger), while senior 189-pounder Kevin Iobst has left the team. Still, the Warriors hung in behind pins from Cody Struening (135), Steve Depew (160), J.T. Shook (215) and Chris Labatch (275). "We don't wrestle scared," said coach Rick Krieger, who said his Warriors may not be at full strength for another month. "I can't tell you how proud I am of these guys. Today we gave up 18 points and I think we wrestled well." Easton went up 31-9 -- its largest lead of the night -- when Jules Knighton received the team's third forfeit at 152. That's when the tide turned. Depew (14-5) surrendered the opening takedown to Easton freshman Joe Piro at 160, before decking the Red Rover with a headlock in 49 seconds. Warrior Maurice Williams followed with a 6-2 win over Keenan Walls at 171 to make it 31-18, but Easton sophomore Cory Rutt sealed the match by decking Josh Campisi at 189. Back-to-back pins by Shook and Labatch made it 37-30 with one bout left. Shook, a PIAA Class AA state qualifier, manhandled freshman Chris Wilson for the fall in 28 seconds and Labatch needed only 1:30 to put away Mike Varju. Easton sophomore Jordan Oliver capped the match with a technical fall win at 103. Wilson grabbed its only lead early when junior Weston Loxley bested former teammate Kegan Handlovic 3-0 in the opening bout at 112. Russ Souders, another former Wilson wrestler, took a forfeit win at 125 to give Easton a 6-3 lead it would never relinquish. The forfeit to Souders (19-2), a three-time Class AA state medal winner, wasn't a popular one with both sets of fans. "I'm not here to please the crowd," Krieger said. "I have a lot of respect for (Souders). But (119-pounder) Alex Depew is only a freshman and I felt Pacchioli matched up better with Drummond." Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com