Easton pair upholds tradition ALL-STAR YOUTH WRESTLING. Future Red Rovers spark Pennsylvania squad past New Jersey. Wednesday, March 19, 2008 By KEITH GARY The Express-Times PALMER TWP. | It seems like only yesterday that Easton's Jordan Oliver and Kegan Handlovic were members of the Pennsylvania Youth squad that battled their rivals from New Jersey in the Lions Club All-Star Wrestling Classic. While Oliver and Handlovic were waiting to take the mat for the last time at the 25th Street Gymnasium on Tuesday night as part of the main event as high school seniors, a pair of soon-to-be Red Rovers were leading the Pennsylvania youth team to a 49-19 victory over New Jersey. Mitchell Minnotti and Robbie Rizzolino, a pair of standouts waiting in the wings from the Easton junior high program, both gave stellar performances as the Pennsylvania stars won all but two of the contested bouts. Minotti was named the outstanding wrestler as he quickly reversed Anthony Johnson of Phillipsburg to his back early in the second period to record a fall. "Every time you put on an Easton singlet you have to go out and wrestle your hardest," said Minotti, a two-time District 11 junior high champion. "There is always a target on your back because everyone wants to beat an Easton kid." The all-star event also provided some redemption for Rizzolino, a seventh-grader. He ended a two-match skid against Tyler Petchonka of Phillipsburg with an impressive 14-1 win. "I am not positive, but I think he beat me like 8-4 last time," Rizzolino said. "I have been working my hardest and I knew I could beat him." Northampton and Liberty each showed off a trio of promising youngsters from their tradition rich programs. Dan Moran, Luke Karam, and Brandon Sommer all recorded Pennsylvania wins while representing the K-Kids as did the Hurricanes' Devon Lotito, Grimaldi Gonzalez and Mike Harris. Jarred Papcsy of Nazareth, Adam Ziegler of Southern Lehigh, Mike Racciato of Pen Argyl and Michael Dahlstrom of Pleasant Valley were the other Pennsylvania winners. Sean Redington of Phillipsburg sparked New Jersey to a good start at 50 pounds with a 15-4 major decision over second-grader Mike Madara of Nazareth. Gary Dinmore of Flemington recorded a 6-4 overtime win over Bailey Roos of Pottsville four bouts later before the Pennsylvania squad ran off eight consecutive victories. Beau Vrancken of North Hunterdon and Brandon Hull of Phillipsburg were awarded forfeits in the final two weight classes. "There have been a lot of good kids wrestle in this youth match like Kegan (Handlovic), Jordan (Oliver), Jamarr (Billman) and Bryan Snyder," Dave Swick said after coaching the Pennsylvania squad for the 18th year. "Some of these kids are going to be right there. They wrestled tough." PENNSYLVANIA 49, NEW JERSEY 19 50 -- Sean Redington, Phillipsburg, md. Mike Madara, Nazareth, 15-4. 55 -- Dan Moran, Northampton, tf. Robert Spezza, Phillipsburg, 17-2, 3:05. 60 -- Jarred Papcsy, Nazareth, d. Jared Falk, Phillipsburg, 7-2. 65 -- Luke Karam, Northampton, d. Brandon Paetzell, Phillipsburg, 4-2 (OT). 70 -- Adam Ziegler, Southern Lehigh, d. Matt Ritchie, Blairstown, 4-2. 75 -- Gary Dinmore, Flemington, d. Bailey Roos, Pottsville, 6-4 (OT). 80 -- Brandon Sommer, Northampton, p. Jim Schuitema, Phillipsburg, 3:04. 85 -- Robbie Rizzolino, Easton, md. Tyler Petchonka, Phillipsburg, 14-1. 90 -- Devon Lotito, Liberty, p. Trevor Woolf, Phillipsburg, 1:30. 95 -- Grimaldi Gonzalez, Liberty, d. Joe Maso, Phillipsburg, 12-6. 100 -- Michael Dahlstrom, Pleasant Valley, d. Alex Rinaldi, Blairstown, 4-0. 108 -- Mike Racciato, Pen Argyl, md. Justin Lane, Phillipsburg, 12-2. 116 -- Mitchell Minotti, Easton, p. Anthony Johnson, Phillipsburg, 1:19. 125 -- Mike Harris, Liberty, d. Joey Moyer, Phillipsburg, 4-1. 135 -- Beau Vrancken, North Hunterdon, forfeit. Hwt -- Brandon Hull, Phillipsburg, forfeit. Garden State calls on pride EASTON LIONS CLUB WRESTLING. Phillipsburg's Brian Norrell and Luke Grassi shine in victory. Wednesday, March 19, 2008 By MICHAEL BLOUSE The Express-Times PALMER TWP. | Call it an N.J. pride thing. The New Jersey team gathered in the locker room before Tuesday night's 28th annual Easton Lions Club All-Star Wrestling Classic. There they decided their evening's mission. "I think it was Patrick Hunter of St. Benedict's," Phillipsburg's Brian Norrell said, "who told everyone, 'dude, we ain't losing to Pennsylvania. Everybody in New Jersey hates Pennsylvania, so we might as well do this.' " The Garden State -- thanks in part to Hunter's win over Kegan Handlovic of Easton in the final bout -- went out and edged the Keystone State, 27-19, at Easton Area High School's 25th Street Gymnasium. The Express-Times-sponsored event matches the top wrestlers from Pennsylvania's District 11 against New Jersey's elite. Norrell, who went 35-5 for the Stateliners as a senior, played his part in the victory with a 2-0 decision over Notre Dame's Dan Wilke at 185 pounds. The P'burg football/wrestling standout scored the only points on a second-period reversal. "When I was younger I used to always come to this match," Norrell said, "but as a midget I was never good enough to compete. This is the last match I'll probably ever wrestle and I'm glad it was here. After losing in regionals on a defensive pin, it's nice to end my career with a win instead of a loss." Luke Grassi, Norrell's teammate at Phillipsburg, pinned Zak Andrews of Emmaus in 2:26 to put the New Jersey All-Stars ahead 21-13 with three bouts remaining. Grassi, the Stateliners' career wins leader with 120, was named the event's outstanding wrestler. "It's a great way to go out in my last match for Phillipsburg," Grassi said. "Brian Norrell reminded me while I was warming up to give it everything I had. "I was on bottom in the second period when I reversed him to his back. I wanted the fall. It felt real good to hear the referee's hand slap the mat." St. Benedict's tag team of Bargna Tovuujav and Hunter locked up the win for New Jersey with decisions in the night's final two bouts. Three Pennsylvania state champions suffered rare defeats. Bethlehem Catholic's Ziad Haddad, the Class AA gold medalist at 285 pounds, dropped a 10-4 decision to Howell's Harry Turner; Handlovic, a two-time Class AAA champ, lost 8-7 to Hunter at 119; and Class AA 171-pound titlist Ben Clymer of Northwestern lost 9-4 to Tovuujav. Jordan Oliver of Easton, a three-time PIAA Class AAA champ, gave the Red Rover fans one final glimpse of his wrestling greatness with a pin in 81 seconds of Blair Academy's Joe Stanzione. Oliver acknowledged the appreciative crowd of about 1,000 by raising his hands and saluting. Pennsylvania leads the series, which started in 1981, 18-10. The Keystone State prevailed 22-21 last year and had won four meetings in a row. This time, though, New Jersey led 15-0 before Northampton's Braden Turner beat Dan Clarke of Ramsay 4-2 at 145. Pleasant Valley's Buddy Gouger at 160 pounds and Northern Lehigh's Casey Hedash at 195 both followed with victories. Hedash prevailed in a 7-6 thriller over Belvidere's Tyler Smith, who was visibly bothered by an ailing right knee. Colin Dailey of Easton then brought the Pennsylvania team within 15-13 after the 152-pound bout with a win over Owen Vernon of Hackettstown. "There definitely were some matches we lost that I thought we were going to win," said Dailey, who won 110 matches in his Easton career. "I really didn't go out in my bout thinking about the team score ... I just tried to do my part. "It's a fun match. To get out there one last time and say goodbye after four years, it was a great moment." NEW JERSEY 27, PENNSYLVANIA 19 112 Joey Langel, Howell, N.J., d. Taylor Brown, Emmaus, Pa., 7-2. 285 Harry Turner, Howell, N.J., d. Ziad Haddad, Bethlehem Catholic, Pa., 10-4. 185 Brian Norrell, Phillipsburg, N.J., d. Dan Wilke, Notre Dame, Pa., 2-0. 125 Jimmy Kirchner, Somerville, N.J., d. Jose Arzuaga, Dieruff, Pa., 11-4. 140 Nick LaFevre, Delaware Valley, N.J., d. Jake Finocchio, Freedom, Pa., 2-1 2OT. 145 Braden Turner, Northampton, Pa., d. Dan Clarke, Ramsay, N.J., 4-2. 160 Buddy Gouger, Pleasant Valley, Pa., d. Wayne Hampton, Bridgewater, N.J., 4-3 3OT. 195 Casey Hedash, Northern Lehigh, Pa., d. Tyler Smith, Belvidere, N.J., 7-6. 152 Colin Dailey, Easton, Pa., md. Owen Vernon, Hackettstown, N.J., 9-0. 135 Luke Grassi, Phillipsburg, N.J., p. Zak Andrews, Emmaus, Pa., 2:26. 130 Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa., p. Joe Stanizone, Blair Academy, N.J., 1:21. 171 Bagna Tovuujav, St. Benedict's, N.J., d. Ben Clymer, Northwestern, Pa., 9-4. 119 Patrick Hunter, St. Benedict's, N.J., d. Kegan Handlovic, Easton, Pa., 8-7. Outstanding Wrestler Award Luke Grassi, Phillipsburg. Referees Bob Kern, Barry Rutt, Joe McIntyre. Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mblouse@express-times.com.