Easton 44 - Phillipsburg 16 Saturday January 27, 2007 Phillipsburg High School Start time: 7:05pm End time: 9:01 Referees: NJ Ref: Chip Castner Easton wins toss takes odd bouts 130 - Sr. JuJu Drummond 25-6 (E) dec 9-3 Jr. Luke Grassi 16-6 (P) 1st - P td-2; E esc-1; E td-2 2nd - P down; E +3 bp; 3rd - E down; E esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1 135 - Jr. Tevin Gibson 14-12 (E) dec 4-3 Fr. Oliver Brukardt 13-8 (P) 1st - E td-2; P esc-1; 2nd - P def; E neu; E td-2; P esc-1; 3rd - P down; P esc-1; 140 - So. Nick Pare 17-5 (P) md 12-3 So. Eric Burgey 14-12 (E) 1st - P td-2; E esc-1; 2nd - E def, p down; P esc-1; P td-2; E rev-2; P esc-1; 3rd - E down; P +3bp; P +3bp 145 - Jr. Colin Dailey 25-5 (E) dec 4-0 Sr. Jerry Robbins 15-5 (P) 1st - nada 2nd - P def, E down; E rev-2; 3rd - P neu; E td-2; 152 - Jr. Jeremy Snyder 14-14 (E) WBF 2:46 Jr. Dan Marino 12-7 (P) 1st - P td-2; E rev-2; P esc-1; 2nd - E def, P down; P esc-1; fall 2:46 160 - Sr. Jules Knighton 6-5 (E) md 12-2 Jr. Brad Dailey 4-6 (P) 1st - E td-2; +3bp 2nd - P def, E down; E esc-1; E td-2; 3rd - P top; E esc-1; P td-2; E esc-1; E td-2; 171 - So. Matt Santini 17-5 (P) WBF 0:45 Jr. Deven Amin 0-0 (E) 1st - P td-2; fall 0:45 189 - Jr. Cory Rutt 20-4 (E) md 13-4 Jr. Jeff Hager 7-11 (P) 1st - E td-2; 2nd - P def, E down; E esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; 3rd - P down; E alt st, P esc-1; P stall,E-1; E td-2; E alt st, P esc-1; P stall,E-1; E td-2 215 - So. Chris Wilson 17-10 (E) dec 5-4 (4OT) Jr. Brian Gruhler 6-8 (P) 1st - E td-2; P rev-2 2nd - E def, P down; P esc; P blood time; P blood time; 3rd - E down; E esc-1; P blood time; P blood time; 4th - P blood time; 5th - P down; P esc-1; P blood time; 6th - E down; E esc-1; 7th (sd) - E down; E esc-1 285 - So. Jared Crouse 10-10 (P) WBF 5:13 Sr. Nick Williams 14-12 (E) 1st - P td-2; 2nd - P def, E down; E esc-1; P td-2; E rev-2; 3rd - P down, P esc-1; P td-2; P fall 5:13 103 - Sr. Desmond Moore 26-2 (E) WBF 2:51 Fr. Brett Emery 5-13 (P) 1st - E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1;E td-2; 2nd -E down; E esc-1; E td-2+3bp.....fall 2:51 112 - Jr. Kegan Handlovic 26-3 (E) md 18-5 So. Charlie McGuinness 10-1 (P) 1st - E td-2+2bp 2nd - P def; E down; E esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; 3rd - P down, E altst, P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2+2bp; 119 - Fr. Mark Hartenstine 18-10 (E) dec 4-0 Fr. Jon Horak 14-7 (P) 1st - nada 2nd - E neu; E td-2; P stall; 3rd - P down; P stall-1; P stall-1; 125 - Jr. Jordan Oliver 27-1 (E) WBTF 24-9 4:56 Jr. Kyle Huff 8-7 (P) 1st - E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E inj time; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; P esc-1; 2nd - P def; E down; E rev-2; p esc-1; E td-2; 3rd - E neu; E td-2; P esc-1; E td-2; Tech fall

Brad Weaver Award: Kegan Handlovic, Easton Easton Lions Most Aggressive Wrestler Award: Kegan Handlovic, Easton

'Liners in usual role vs. Easton Old wrestling rivals. P'burg again heavy underdog tonight. Saturday, January 27, 2007 By MIKE WEILAMANN The Express-Times The grass was much greener on the other side for Jason Magditch. The former Easton Area High School assistant wrestling coach used to watch the Red Rovers routinely whip the rival Phillipsburg Stateliners. Now in his first season as Phillipsburg's head coach, Magditch takes his turn in the hot seat at 7 tonight, when the Stateliners host Easton at The Pit. "It's definitely weird," Magditch said of being on the opposite side of this longtime rivalry. "When I was sitting across (from P'burg) they never seemed to have a chance." Not much is different this year. Tonight's 70th meeting figures to be another lopsided affair -- potentially the most one-sided yet. "We are the heavy, heavy underdog," Magditch said. "There is no question this year we are by far the biggest underdog any P'burg team has ever been that I can remember." Easton (11-2), ranked No. 2 in The Express-Times region, is coming off a tough 30-28 loss Wednesday to No. 1 Nazareth. The Rovers would love nothing more than to take out their frustration on P'burg. "It's still a big match and a huge rivalry," said Colin Dailey, Easton's junior 145-pounder whose cousins, Brad Dailey and Luke Grassi, wrestle for the Stateliners. "We're still taking it serious, and it's still one of our toughest matches." Easton leads 56-13 in the all-time series dating to 1947. The Red Rovers have won eight straight -- the last seven by an average margin of 34 points. Last year's victory was 45-15 at the 25th Street Gym. Phillipsburg (11-2) hasn't won in the series since a pulling a 25-19 upset at Lafayette in 1998. The rivalry moved off College Hill and back to the schools in 2004 after 15 years, mainly because the larger facility wasn't necessary. Non-competitive matches resulted in a decreased demand for tickets. "We always used to say how can it be a rivalry if it's that lopsided each year?" Magditch said. Easton won 39-18 in its last trip to The Pit in 2005, but P'burg managed a few upset wins that night to make it closer than expected. "The Pit is a hard place to wrestle," Colin Dailey said. "I enjoy it when the fans get into it, but I don't like The Pit because it feels like I'm wrestling in the stands." The problem staring at the young Stateliners again is Easton's talent -- up and down the lineup. The Red Rovers feature state champion Jordan Oliver (27-1 at 119) and state medal-winners Ju-Ju Drummond (25-6 at 130) and Dailey (25-5). Junior Cory Rutt (20-4 at 189) was a round away from placing in the PIAA Class AAA states last year. Sophomore 112-pounder Charlie McGuinness (10-1) and Grassi (16-6), a junior 125-pounder, are the only Stateliners advancing to New Jersey states. "Easton has a lot of talent coming into (the program)," Magditch said. "Depending on matchups, they have the potential to do a lot of damage. It's going to be a tough match, but you can't lay down against them. You've got to go in there and mix it up with them." Magditch has the 'Liners headed in the right direction. His team has won seven straight, including a 33-29 upset win at Kittatinny on Jan. 13. "I think the kids are coming along," said Magditch, who has only one senior in the lineup -- 145-pounder Jerry Robbins. "We're 11-2 right now and we could easily be a 7-6 team. It's a learning experience for them and myself." It shapes up as another one this evening. Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com.

Red Rovers maintain their hold on Stateliners Easton 44, Phillipsburg 16. Claim 11 bouts to run their winning streak to nine straight in series. Sunday, January 28, 2007 By MIKE WEILAMANN The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Kegan Handlovic tried his best to juggle his awards while thanking his well-wishers. But Handlovic was in total control on the mat. The junior 112-pounder's impressive victory was among the highlights Saturday night in Easton's 44-16 independent victory over rival Phillipsburg before a crowd of over 1,000 at The Pit. Easton (12-2), 57-13 all-time against the Stateliners, rolled to its ninth straight win in the series by capturing 11 of 14 bouts in the 70th meeting since 1947. "Phillipsburg always comes to wrestle," said Easton coach Steve Powell, now 21-2 against P'burg. "I think some of our kids thought P'burg was going to lie down in spots. That didn't happen. Our kids worked for what they got." "Before we came out I told the kids that we were outmanned here tonight," said first-year Phillipsburg coach and former Easton assistant Jason Magditch. "They went out there and did their best and that's really all you can ask against an experienced team like Easton." Handlovic majored New Jersey state qualifier Charlie McGuinness -- 18-5 to seal the Rovers' victory with two bouts left -- and earned the Brad Weaver Award, sponsored by The Express-Times and presented to the meet's outstanding wrestler. "I really didn't think about (the award), I just went out there looking for the pin," said Handlovic, who also picked up the Easton Lions most aggressive award. "It'll feel good to see my name with (former Easton state champs) Jack Cuvo and Bobby Weaver." Things didn't start off well for Phillipsburg (11-3), which fell into an early 6-0 hole -- thanks largely to Ju-Ju Drummond's 9-3 win over 'Liner Luke Grassi in a battle of state qualifiers to open things at 130. Drummond (26-6) surrendered an early takedown, but got one back at the first-period buzzer to go up 3-2. Grassi (14-7) made the tactical mistake of taking bottom to start the second period and Drummond made him pay by tilting him for three back points to go up 6-2 after two periods. "We were ready to wrestle," Drummond said. "We knew what they had and we knew we could beat them." "That was a real nice win for Ju-Ju," Powell said. "Grassi is one of their better, if not their best kids." Tevin Gibson followed with a tight 4-3 win over P'burg freshman Oliver Brukardt, who made the Rover fight off a deep single-leg attempt in the final 20 seconds. Sophomore Nick Pare got the 'Liners on the board at 140 with an impressive 12-3 major of Eric Burgey. Easton won the next three -- including Jeremy Snyder's pin at 152 in a close bout -- to go up 19-4. Matt Santini ended the run with 45-second pin of Easton reserve Deven Amin at 171. Easton starting 171-pounder Joe Piro (21-8) missed the match due to illness. "I thought we had a chance at 135," Magditch said. "I started with Grassi to hopefully get things rolling. We lost some close matches. I thought maybe we could get on a run and get (Easton) rattled." Easton stretched its lead to 26-10 with Cory Rutt's major at 189 and Chris Wilson's 5-4 marathon win in four overtimes at 215. Jared Crouse gave the Stateliner faithful one last thing to cheer about. Crouse cradled up Nick Williams for a pin at 285 and cut the deficit to 26-16 with four bouts left. Desmond Moore's pin at 103 set the stage for Handlovic to clinch it. Handlovic was on the attack from the onset -- converting six takedowns and turning McGuinness twice to his back in the victory. "I went out there and tried to control the tempo," Handlovic said. "He did a good job of slowing me down. I just kept moving and tried to be aggressive." Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com.