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Simply the best
PIAA AAA WRESTLING.
Red Rover workout partners are gold medal twins in Hershey.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
By MICHAEL BLOUSE
The Express-Times
HERSHEY, Pa. | In 10, 20 or 50 years, it'll be difficult for fans of the Easton Area High School wrestling program
to remember Jordan Oliver without also thinking of Kegan Handlovic.
Oliver, who won his third PIAA Class AAA title during Saturday night's PIAA Wrestling Championships in front of
a crowd of 8,769 at the Giant Center, will likely be remembered as the best ever from Easton Area High School.
Handlovic, who captured his second state crown, will undoubtedly be recalled as one of the Red Rovers' all-time
greats.
"Two incredible wrestlers, incredible talents and incredible workers who deserve it," Easton coach Steve
Powell said.
Oliver beat Blue Mountain's Josh Kindig 4-2 in the 130-pound final.
Handlovic defeated Matt Snyder of Lewistown 9-4 for the 119-pound title.
Nazareth freshman Zach Horan, The Express-Times area's other Class AAA finalist, lost a 6-1 decision to Council
Rock South senior Mark Rappo at 103 pounds.
Oliver was disappointed with only a two-point decision over Kindig, his friend and rival, (he hoped to put on a
memorable farewell display) but he was excited to join the exclusive three-timer club (he put the finishing touches
on his scholastic career).
The Oklahoma State-bound senior joins Bobby Weaver, Jack Cuvo and Matt Ciasulli as Easton's three-time champions.
"I was pissed off," Oliver said of his look of disgust after the final buzzer. "If you're in the
state finals, don't run. Wrestle. It's real hard to do anything when you take 30 shots to his three. Basically,
I had to chase him the whole match. It became nerve-wracking."
Oliver eventually relented a bit on Kindig, a sophomore who he had beaten 11-3 in the District 11 finals and 8-4
in the Northeast Regional finals.
"Josh is a good wrestler and he's still my friend," said Oliver, who ends his high school career 175-5
and senior season 40-0. "I still respect him. I just really didn't like the way he wrestled. But this is my
third title and I'm excited."
Oliver actually trailed (for the first time all season) 1-0 after Kindig escaped early in the second period. District
11's all-time wins leader then scored the decisive takedown with 10 seconds left in the period.
Powell could sense Oliver's frustration but knew a slow-down style could be coming.
"You knew Kindig would pull out all the stops," the veteran coach said. "Jordan's an awesome talent
and a lot of his opponents try to keep it close as long as they can by slowing down the action. It's like Princeton
playing UCLA in basketball. But he did what he's done four years to get here. Jordan's a winner."
Another winner is Handlovic, who was thrilled with his performance and second straight state title.
Handlovic registered the opening takedown in the first 15 seconds and never trailed in beating Snyder, who entered
the final with a 40-1 record. His takedown at the buzzer capped the victory and led to a quick fist-pump.
"This one feels the same as the last one," said Handlovic, a senior who finishes his career 125-29 and
the season 39-1. "I wanted to earn a new one. Jamarr Billman, who's a two-time state champ (and Easton assistant
coach), pulled me aside after I won last year and told me to focus on winning a new title this year and don't think
of defending the old one from last year."
Handlovic paid his respects to Oliver, who has served a workout partner since he transferred from Wilson to Easton
before his sophomore year.
"Jordan's my best friend and he really deserves a lot of the credit for bringing me along," said Handlovic,
who also requested a shout-out for his friend Chris Kelly, a 1997 state champ from Easton. "I never drill
with anyone other than Jordan in the wrestling room."
Powell credited Handlovic for benefiting from Oliver rather than complaining about sometimes being in the background.
"I can't help but feel good for Kegan," Powell said. "He's a two-timer but he's kind of been in
the shadow of Jordan. But Kegan's got to be put right up there with some of our best."
The Red Rovers were the only team in the state to crown two champions.
Horan had high hopes of winning a crown in his freshman year but he couldn't overcome the more experienced Rappo.
Rappo, who finished the season 50-0, used takedowns in the first and second periods to establish control. Horan
escaped near the end of the first two minutes but failed to close the gap in the final four minutes.
Taylor Brown of Emmaus lost an 8-3 decision to Penn Trafford's unbeaten Shane Young at 112 pounds.
Northampton led the Lehigh Valley with five placewinners, led by junior 152-pounder Jimmy Sheptock's third-place
finish.
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601, or by e-mail at mblouse@express-times.com.
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Oliver completes his three-peat
AAA 130 FINAL. Easton All-American handles Blue Mountain's Josh Kindig for third straight time.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
By MICHAEL BLOUSE
The Express-Times
HERSHEY, Pa. | Jordan Oliver won the 175th and final match of his high school career unlike the way he won most
of the others.
For the third time this season and the third time in three weeks the fourth-ever three-time state champion from
Easton totally controlled the second-best 130-pounder in Pennsylvania.
But this time, Oliver's margin of victory over Blue Mountain's Josh Kindig was 4-2 and this time it came in the
finals of Saturday night's PIAA Wrestling Championships to cap a 40-0 season.
Oliver beat Kindig 11-3 in the District 11 final and 8-4 in the Northeast Region final.
Kindig's three losses this season all came against Oliver.
"That was my closest match all season," the Red Rovers star said. "I was really going for OW (outstanding
wrestler)."
Oliver's other three wins in the state tournament came by technical fall.
Kindig escaped early in the second period and mostly circled the mat as Oliver often took shots at a takedown.
He finally got one with 10 seconds left in the period and added one with 57 seconds remaining in the bout.
"You get that through the dual meet season," Easton coach Steve Powell said of opponents trying to keep
the score close and win at the end. "But rarely do you see it in tournaments. It's usually more wide open.
But (Kindig's) only hope against a kid like Oliver was to slow it down and get the one-in-600 takedown at the end."
Powell was referring to the number of takedowns Oliver's recorded since he gave up his last takedown during the
first dual meet of his sophomore season.
Oliver, as a junior, beat Indian Valley's Nic Bedelyon 4-1 in last year's 119-pound state final.
He defeated Nico Cortese of Greensburg Central Catholic 6-2 at 103 pounds in 2006 to capture his first PIAA title
and cap a 48-0 sophomore season.
Oliver lost 5-0 to Clearfield's Matt Kyler in the 2005 state final as a freshman 103-pounder.
Calming hands help Handlovic
AAA 119 FINAL. Time-tested assistants allow Easton senior to focus on second straight title.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
By NICK FIERRO
The Express-Times
HERSHEY, Pa. | Many winners of multiple state wrestling championships will claim the second is harder than the
first.
Easton Area High School senior Kegan Handlovic had that thought in the back of his mind as he made the trip to
the Giant Center in quest of his second PIAA Class AAA state title.
"But at the same time, I had (assistant coach and former two-time state champion) JaMarr (Billman) and (three-time
state champ and teammate) Jordan (Oliver) to calm me down," he said.
So before Handlovic came out to meet Lewistown's Matt Snyder in the 119-pound championship match Saturday night,
he kept reminding himself he hadn't won anything yet.
"I just kept telling myself it's my first one and nothing last year is brought into this year," Handlovic
said. "This is all fresh and brand new and I had to earn it this year again."
Handlovic's mindset seemed to work in perfect unison with his body as he wrestled an aggressive and technically
sound match to win his second title with a 9-4 decision.
Handlovic took Snyder down four times and was careful not to fall victim on bottom to Snyder's devastating cradle.
"I wrestled him in the summer and I beat him in overtime," Handlovic said. "I knew he was going
to pick top (to start the second period). That's what he did before. He's just real good with cradles.
"So I knew what was coming. I just tried to keep hand control and get that escape."
Although Handlovic escaped with 30 seconds remaining in the second period, he gave up a takedown 10 seconds later
but Snyder didn't have time to set up any kind of tilt.
Handlovic actually was much more nervous before beating Middletown's Chris Kochinsky in Saturday morning's semifinals.
"The semis are always the most nerve-racking matches," he said. "By the finals, I know it's my time
to shine and open up and I've got nothing to lose. I wasn't looking at this as I was defending a state title. I
had nothing to lose and I wound up with another one."
Handlovic & Oliver in semis
PIAA AAA Wrestling.
Defending state champs are joined by Nazareth's Zach Horan.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
By MICHAEL BLOUSE
The Express-Times
HERSHEY, Pa. | The Easton Red Rovers' talented tag-team of seniors Kegan Handlovic and Jordan Oliver have developed
a close friendship on and off the wrestling mat over their years together.
They hope to end their illustrious careers at Easton Area High School tonight clutching state gold medals.
Handlovic and Oliver rolled in Friday afternoon's quarterfinal-round matches and advanced to today's 8 a.m.
semifinal round of the PIAA Wrestling Class AAA Championships at the Giant Center.
Easton's tag-team accounts for two of the five Class AAA wrestlers from The Express-Times region alive for state
gold. Nazareth's Zach Horan, a freshman 103-pounder, Taylor Brown of Emmaus at 112 and Ben Rento of Parkland at
140 were Friday's other winners from the Lehigh Valley.
Only five of the Valley's 22 qualifiers reached today's "Final Four" and just 12 will return home with
medals.
The semifinal survivors move on to tonight's 8 p.m. championship round.
Handlovic and Oliver agree a little extra motivation is always a bonus on this intense, grueling weekend.
"If I lose, Jordan gets pissed and he wrestles mad," said Handlovic, who won the state's 112-pound title
last year. "And if I win, Jordan gets pumped up and feeds off of that."
"It's sort of a give-and-take situation," said Oliver, who, at 119 pounds, won his second PIAA crown
last year. "We motivate each other."
Handlovic needed a little extra motivation midway through his 119-pound quarterfinal match.
The Easton wrestler was locked in a 5-5 bout late in the second period with Reading's David Calambas when Handlovic
scored a takedown. He used a quick takedown and back points in the third period to roll to an 11-5 victory.
"He was a tough kid with a good style and quick on his feet," said Handlovic, who won the 123rd match
of his career. "I never watched him before and I'd never heard of him so I didn't know what to expect.
"I wouldn't say I was ever nervous I might lose but I let up in the second period and it was a good reminder
you never let up at this tournament."
Oliver refused to let up and picked up his specialty a technical fall, 20-5 in 3:25 over Boyertown's Alex Pellicciotti
at 130 pounds.
The victory was Oliver's 38th this season and the 173rd of his brilliant Red Rovers career. He tied Pius X's Tony
Comunale, who broke the previous mark last season. Oliver is 173-5 overall.
"I've been through this before," he said of the 8 a.m. semifinal and possible 8 p.m. final. "It's
always an exciting day. You wrestle one match real early, then you don't wrestle again all day. I'll probably rest
and maybe go to the (Hershey) outlets and have some fun. It's exciting but it's also a little nerve-wracking."
Josh Kindig of Blue Mountain is competing in the other semifinal and a third championship showdown possibly awaits.
Oliver beat Kindig 11-3 in the District 11 final and 8-4 in the Northeast Regional final.
"I always pull for Josh," Oliver said. "He's one of my good friends. I was hoping he won and I had
a feeling he would."
Easton's third quarterfinalist, 145-pound junior Eric Burgey, was pinned in 58 seconds by defending state champion
Walter Peppelman of Central Dauphin. Burgey bounced back to win his consolation match and guarantee himself of
a top-eight finish and state medal.
Horan will represent Nazareth in the semifinals. He pinned James Bak of Harry S. Truman in 1:23.
Brown, who lost to Handlovic in last year's state final, defeated Bellefonte's Mitchell Port 6-1 to reach the semis.
Rento continued his postseason run with a 6-0 win over Unionville's Nick Fischer.
Nazareth's Bobby Ward dropped a quarterfinal-round bout at 140 pounds, 5-3, to Central Mountain's unbeaten Andrew
Alton. Liberty's Daryl Klotz allowed a late takedown in a 3-1 defeat to Governor Mifflin's 43-2 Chris Carabello
at 215.
Greg Rinker of Northampton lost at 103 pounds in the championship bracket and Konkrete Kids teammate Braden Turner
fell at 145.
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601, or by e-mail at mblouse@express-times.com.
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