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Rematch: Easton-Caesar Rodney
Easton Invitational wrestling.
Alex Meade, who once hoped to wrestle for Easton, returns to Valley.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
By MIKE WEILAMANN
The Express-Times
Good wrestling programs know the drill.
If you think you're good, set a course for the Lehigh Valley. It's a route Caesar Rodney of Delaware knows well.
The Riders make several trips here a season in their quest for top-flight competition.
"They're not going to drive all the way to the Lehigh Valley to hunt us down if they didn't have a lot of
talent," Easton coach Steve Powell said.
Caesar Rodney invades the 25th Street Gym to take on Powell's Red Rovers at 8 tonight in the marquee matchup of
the Easton Invitational. The Rovers face Pleasant Valley in a warm-up for the main event at 2 p.m.
Also at 2, Warren Hills takes on Liberty in a match between Express-Times area teams.
"It's a pretty tough Easton team," said Riders coach Dicky Howell, a former Lock Haven University wrestler.
"We're looking for a good match. That's why we're going up there."
Easton (3-0), ranked No. 2 in The Express-Times region, is coming off an impressive 36-19 thrashing of No. 3 Northampton
on Wednesday. Howell said he sent one of assistants to that match and the reports were glowing.
"They looked pretty good," Howell said of the Rovers. "I was impressed with Northampton at the Beast
(of the East). (Easton) puts the best lineup on the mat that we've seen all year."
Caesar Rodney (3-0), making its third trip to Easton, beat the Red Rovers 35-31 in last year's event. That one
came amid controversy when state champ Alex Meade left the Riders for Easton days before the match.
Meade (20-0), a junior ranked No. 1 in the nation at 145 pounds, did not wrestle that night and actually never
suited up for Easton after being ruled ineligible by District 11. He's back with the Riders this season and will
make his return to the Valley tonight.
"He still has a lot of friends up there," Howell said of his star 145-pounder. "He's known these
guys for years. He likes wrestling in big matches -- the bigger the better."
"He's one of the top kids in the country," Powell said of Meade, who was the outstanding wrestler at
the Beast. "That should draw people alone. He's really talented athletically."
Meade hasn't wrestled in the Lehigh Valley since a 4-2 overtime victory over Easton's Brad Gentzle in 2005. The
Rovers won 36-28 that night in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
Senior 135-pounder Chris Diaz (20-3) and senior 152-pounder Brian Ribolla (13-5) also are outstanding wrestlers
for the Riders.
Powell said that Caesar Rodney being ranked ahead of the Rovers nationally -- the Riders are 13th and the Red Rovers
15th -- combined with last year's loss, should provide plenty of motivation for his team.
"That should make common sense," Powell said. "Our kids have improved each time they've stepped
on the mat. Hopefully, we can keep it going."
Easton was bolstered this week by the return of senior 160-pounder Jules Knighton, who capped Wednesday's victory
with an 8-4 decision in his season debut.
Senior Desmond Moore (16-2 at 103) and juniors Kegan Handlovic (17-2) and Jordan Oliver (17-1) make the Red Rovers
formidable down low.
Handlovic, a runner-up at Reno, could face Caesar Rodney state champion Chris Keech (15-8) in what would be a featured
bout at 112. Last season, Handlovic was pinned by Luis Burgos -- who could face Oliver at 119.
"I think Keech-Handlovic is the key match of the night," Howell said. "Knighton being back really
tightens it up."
Potential rematches could occur at 171 and 189. At 171, Easton's Joe Piro could see Matt Kelley, while Cory Rutt
may face Herold Peace at 189. Easton won both last year -- Piro 4-3 and Rutt 7-3.
"It should be a pretty even match," Howell said. "I'm hoping we can stay with them like last year.
We'll have to wrestle very well to beat them."
Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com.
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Red Rovers get revenge on Delaware power
EASTON 37, CAESAR RODNEY 25.
Wins by Dailey, Wilson are critical in victory at 25th Street Gym.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
By MIKE WEILAMANN
The Express-Times
PALMER TWP. | Easton Area High School's wrestling team had several heroes on Saturday.
Motivated by last year's loss, junior Colin Dailey and sophomore Chris Wilson turned in two of the night's biggest
performances as the Red Rovers stormed past Caesar Rodney of Delaware 37-25 before a throng of approving fans at
the 25th Street Gym.
The match was the marquee event in this year's Easton Invitational. The host Rovers (6-0) avenged last year's 35-31
loss to the Riders by winning eight bouts -- including Dailey's 13-4 major at 152 pounds and Wilson's pin at 215.
"We expected that type of tough matchup," said veteran Easton coach Steve Powell, now 2-1 against Caesar
Rodney in this brief series that started in 2005. "You have to give them credit for coming to our gym the
last three years."
Wilson (15-5) had a little extra motivation when he took the mat against the Riders' Josh Ferris. Last year, Wilson
was pinned by Craig Koch in the final bout with the outcome hanging in the balance.
This time, Wilson caught Ferris at the edge of the mat for the fall in 1:37.
"I really wanted to pin (Ferris) because of last year," said Wilson, who gave Easton a 30-21 lead with
three bouts left. "I was mad about last year. I felt like I let the team down."
Caesar Rodney (3-1) pulled within 30-25 on Adrien Tucker's major at 285. That's as close as they'd get as Easton's
Desmond Moore clinched it with a 16-4 win at 103 before Kegan Handlovic capped things with a 4-2 decision over
Delaware state champ Chris Keech at 112.
Dailey got the ball rolling for Easton as he rallied past highly-touted Brian Ribolla. Dailey (20-3), who placed
eighth in the state as a sophomore, trailed 4-1 after one period as Ribolla converted two takedowns.
Making a critical mistake, Ribolla took bottom to start the second period and was turned for three back points.
Dailey also picked up a stalling point for a 5-4 lead after two.
The Rover turned Ribolla three more times with legs in the third -- the last for two points with two seconds left
and the major as the Easton faithful roared with approval.
"Dailey pretty much showed you what the 25th Street Gym can do for you," Powell said. "The crowd
and everybody got into it. Dailey looked like he was out-horsed at the start but his patience and toughness really
came through for us."
Riders coach Dicky Howell said that was a big turning point in the match and admitted putting his wrestler in a
bad position.
"I take responsibility for that. We knew Dailey was tough on top and I put (Ribolla) on bottom after two takedowns
in the first period," Howell said. "Sometimes kids don't wrestle so good and sometimes coaches don't
coach so good."
Senior Jules Knighton followed with a pin at 160 to stretch Easton's lead to 20-15. The Riders got back in the
match temporarily after Matt Kelley stuck Joe Piro at 171. Kelley, who lost 4-3 to Piro last year, caught the Rover
attempting a flying cement job.
Junior Cory Rutt's 11-0 major at 189 and Wilson's pin ended any thoughts of a comeback.
In the previous session, Pleasant Valley lost on criterion to Wilson 35-34. It was the second time in as many nights
for the Bears, who coincidentally lost by the same score on criterion No. 7 (nearfall points) to Warren Hills on
Friday.
Wilson (2-2), which was pasted 58-13 by Easton on Friday, trailed 22-11 after eight bouts. Warriors Adam Thomas
(160) and Steve Depew (171) started the comeback with a pin and technical fall, respectively, to tie it at 22.
Pleasant Valley (1-3) went back in front temporarily with a pin at 189 before Dennis Rhyder (215) and Chris Labatch
(285) got back-to-back pins to give Wilson a 34-28 lead with one bout left. PV took a forfeit at 103 to tie things
at 34 and both coaches and referees headed to the scorer's table to sort through the list of criteria.
Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com.
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