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Oliver earns an early invite
to Dapper Dan
Easton senior picked. Two-time state champ is 11th Red Rover selected to the prestigious event.
Friday, January 18, 2008
By MICHAEL BLOUSE
The Express-Times
Jordan Oliver's senior year as an Easton Red Rover student-athlete has been a lot like Jarred Holley's: very busy
and highly successful.
Oliver, the No. 1-ranked 130-pound wrestler in the nation, was selected Wednesday to the 34th annual Dapper Dan
Wrestling Classic set for Saturday, March 15 at the University of Pittsburgh's Fitzgerald Field House.
Holley announced his intentions to play football for the Pittsburgh Panthers during a Wednesday news conference
at Easton, the same day Oliver received his good news.
"It's pretty exciting," said Oliver, who owns a 155-5 career record and a 20-0 mark this season. "I
wanted to wrestle the Dapper Dan this year, but then I totally forgot about it so it was a surprise when I got
the call. It's an honor."
The call also came as a surprise, according to Easton Area High School coach Steve Powell, because Dapper Dan officials
typically wait until after the season to announce Pennsylvania's All-Star roster.
Oliver will compete on the Keystone State's team that wrestles the USA All-Stars.
"Basically, the position at each weight class goes to the highest-placing senior in the state in Double-A
or Triple-A," Powell said. "I guess they went out on a limb with Jordan. It's an awesome event and quite
an honor."
The Oklahoma State-bound Oliver is the 11th Red Rover to earn a spot in the Dapper Dan event, according to the
tournament's Web site. Easton wrestlers own a 7-3 all-time record in Pittsburgh, with Henry Calle earning the program's
first win in 1976 at 98 pounds.
Oliver is only eight wins away from becoming Easton's career wins leader. Alex Krom is currently in first place
with 162 victories.
"Hopefully I can keep our winning ways going at the Dapper Dan," the 17-year-old said. "I know we've
had some real good success."
Ranked No. 1 by the Amateur Wrestling News, Oliver has his sights set on three possible opponents: Tyler Graff
of Loveland (Colo.), ranked second at 130; Nate Moore of Iowa City West (Iowa), No. 1 at 125; and Brian Owen of
Spokane (Wash.), No. 3 at 125.
"Those are the three that I have in mind," Oliver said. "It's basically the Super Bowl of high school
wrestling. It's the two best wrestlers in the nation going at it. That's pretty exciting."
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mblouse@express-times.com.
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Oliver edges four-time state
champ
DAPPER DAN CLASSIC.
Easton's three-timer beats Colorado's best; Handlovic, Haddad both lose.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
By KEN WUNDEREY
Special to The Express-Times
PITTSBURGH | The Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic selection committee saved the best for last.
And Jordan Oliver didn't disappoint the capacity crowd who attended the 34th annual event Saturday night at the
University of Pittsburgh's Fitzgerald Field House.
Oliver (175-5), a three-time PIAA Class AAA champion from Easton who is ranked No. 1 in the country at 130 pounds,
faced Tyler Graff, a four-time Colorado champion from Loveland High School who is ranked No. 2. The committee saved
Oliver's bout with Graff until the end of the event.
"It was pretty awesome," said Oliver, after recording a 3-1 overtime victory over Graff. "I've watched
tapes of (the Classic) over the years and always wished I could compete in it. It was an incredible experience."
The two traded escapes in the second and third periods, but neither scored a takedown until the overtime. Oliver
scored the winning two-pointer with 28 seconds left in the overtime on a single-leg takedown.
"I just had to keep pushing him," said Oliver, when asked of his thoughts leading into overtime. "I
knew if I stayed focused and patient that I would get the shot I needed to win."
However, Oliver was one of only four members of the Pennsylvania All-Star Team who posted a victory, as the United
States All-Stars claimed their seventh consecutive victory with a convincing 28-12 decision.
"This is a first-class event that features the best wrestlers in the country," Easton coach Steve Powell
said. "It's a great honor to have even one kid chosen, and an even bigger honor to have two."
Oliver was joined by teammate Kegan Handlovic, who was also taken to overtime in his bout at 119 pounds. Handlovic
(125-29), a two-time PIAA Class AAA champion, dropped a 2-1 decision to Thomas Williams (179-17), a California
state champion from South Hills High School.
"It's an honor to be here and wrestle in The Rose Bowl of scholastic wrestling," Handlovic said. "It's
one of those events that everybody looks forward to their whole life."
Like in Oliver's match, Handlovic and Williams traded escapes in regulation. The bout eventually went to the tiebreaker,
and Williams escaped, then rode out Handlovic.
"I have an 83-4 record over the last two years and two of my losses were to Williams," Handlovic said.
"We met in the finals of the Reno Tournament twice and he beat me both times."
But it's not the first time Easton has had more than one wrestler entered in The Classic.
"We actually had three kids here in 1997," Powell said. "Chris Kelly, Jamarr Billman and Bryan Snyder
were on the Pennsylvania team that year."
Bethlehem Catholic's Ziad Haddad was also a member of the Pennsylvania All-Star Team. Haddad, a two-time PIAA Class
AA finalist and one-time champion, dropped a 6-2 decision to Eric Thompson, a two-time Iowa champion from Waverly-Shell
Rock, in the 285-pound bout.
"It's a great honor to be here," Haddad said. "I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity
to wrestle as such a prestigious event. He was a tough kid. We battled and he was the better wrestler today. To
be here is something special. To win would have made it even more special."
Graff was one of five four-time state champions in the United States lineup. The others were: Mark Weber, Romero
Cotton, Jason Chamberlain and Tony Jameson.
Weber (224-7), a four-time Michigan champion from Goodrich, posted a 5-3 win over Canon-McMillan's Colin Johnston
(163-10), a three-time PIAA Class AAA placewinner and two-time finalist, at 135 pounds.
Cotton (137-11), a four-time Kansas champion from Hutchinson High, recorded a 6-3 win against Joe Kennedy (152-24),
a PIAA Class AAA champion from Delaware Valley who committed to Lehigh, at 189 pounds.
Chamberlain (191-2), a four-time Utah champion from Springville, posted an 11-4 win against Central Dauphin's Walter
Peppelman (172-13), a three-time PIAA Class AAA finalist and one-time champion, at 140.
Jameson (168-5), a four-time Ohio champion from Austintown Fitch, was defeated 3-2 in the 145-pound bout by Canton's
Brock Parker (146-14), a PIAA Class AA champion.
Dapper Dan 2008
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