Congrats Easton Wrestling!

[YanksRockMan]

Boy did they do our school proud, 2003 STATE CHAMPS!!!

WE GOT A THREE-PEAT!!

It's Easton, Easton, Easton!

Powerful Red Rovers remain No. 1 with third straight title


Sunday, February 09, 2003


By BRIAN FORTNER
The Express-Times

HERSHEY, Pa. -- Dominant.

It's the best description of performances by Easton Area High School wrestling teams over the last three seasons in the state dual meet championships.

Easton (20-4) rolled to a 43-12 victory Saturday over Kiski Area to nail down its third consecutive Class AAA title at the PIAA Team Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center.

"This has been a great run and winning this year when we weren't supposed to is extra special," Red Rovers coach Steve Powell said. "Human nature tells you that the underdog tends to work a little harder. Just getting here is a huge accomplishment and then to win three straight is remarkable."

Easton, ranked No. 2 in The Express-Times region and first among area big schools, beat its three opponents by a combined 157-32 and raised its overall record to 9-0 in state duals competition since the string of titles began in 2000.

"None of the wins here came as easily as they appeared," Powell said. "Our kids have worked extremely hard to get a shot at winning it again. I'm proud of this group of kids and how they handled the past couple of weeks."

As strange as it may sound, close losses to District 11 rival Northampton -- 31-29 on January 29 -- and to Absegami (N.J.) -- 29-28 last Monday at the University of Delaware -- might've been just what the Red Rovers needed to send them to another state championship.

Easton stormed back to avenge its defeat to Northampton last weekend at the District 11 Duals, steamrolling the field and the Konkrete Kids in the finals.

There was no rematch with nationally ranked Absegami, so the Rovers were forced to take out their frustrations on the Class AAA elite field this weekend.

"This team doesn't handle losing very well," senior 130-pounder Bryan Hart said. "Since losing to Northampton, the whole team has been super focused. We showed it again here, winning it all after losing to Absegami. Losing isn't a feeling we like having for very long."

Hart improved to 33-2 with a hard-fought 3-2 decision over Kiski's A.J. Milanak at 130 pounds.

Hart, who missed most of last season after undergoing knee surgery, became the Rovers' latest member of the century club. He won his 100th match Friday night when he pinned Clearfield Area's Kevin Pataky in Easton's 60-7 quarterfinal victory.

"This is so much better than watching from the bench," Hart said. "I said before that I really learned how much I loved the sport when I was recovering from my injury. To be able to contribute on the mat this way is a great feeling."

By the time Hart took the mat, Easton already had its state championship in the bag.

Falls by Sal Crivellaro (145) and Sean Richmond (152) and major decisions by defending state champion Mike Rogers (140), Seth Ciasulli (103), Alex Krom (112) and Joe Creazzo (125) set the wheels in motion.

Then Brad Gentzle, one of the heroes of Easton's victory over Northampton, put the match out of reach with a 4-3 decision over Tyler Overec at 119.

After Rogers defeated Kurt Lorenz 12-2 to open the match, Crivellaro excited the Red Rovers' vocal following by pinning the Cavaliers' Steve Sedrak in 1:50.

Before Crivellaro could reach the receiving line that formed at the Red Rovers' bench to congratulate him, Richmond was in the process of pinning Gerrett Lange at 152. Richmond was on the mat all of nine seconds -- and Easton had a 16-0 lead.

"Right before I went out, Coach Powell said Crivellaro's pin was huge," said Richmond, a junior who is one of five Red Rovers in the lineup for all three titles. "I looked at him and said, 'Wait until you see how huge this is.' "

Richmond made good on his words, using a cement job to flatten Lange and put Kiski Area in a hole from which it could never recover.

"The other two (titles) were great but this one is a lot sweeter," Richmond said. "Everyone counted us out against Northampton and we beat them. Out West, it was going to be Kiski and Pennsbury, but we've been here before and we know how to win here."

Easton cruised into the finals by pounding Cumberland Valley 44-13 in the morning semifinals. While the Red Rovers were coasting, Kiski Area had all it could handle before prevailing 32-28 over State College.

The Cavaliers (17-1) got as close as 19-9 by winning three straight from 171 to 215.

At 215, Easton junior Marcus Millen gave up a takedown with 12 seconds remaining and dropped a 3-2 decision to Scott McKillop. The bout was nearly a clone of the pair's meeting in the finals of the Manheim Holiday Tournament in December. In that bout, Millen led 1-0 when McKillop took him down with 17 seconds left to score a 2-1 victory.

It would be the last bout Kiski Area would win as Easton swept the last seven bouts and put its stamp on another state championship.

In another rematch from the Manheim Tournament, heavyweight Jason Groller avenged his loss to Brandon Rupert with a 7-1 decision to put the Rovers up 22-12. Rupert pinned Groller for fifth place at Manheim.

"You can't beat the experience of having been here before," Powell said. "We began the season with our sights set on this weekend. Everything you put into it all season is geared to winning states as a team and individually, as well. And having the experience of knowing what to expect, how to prepare, is irreplaceable."

(Championship)EASTON 43, KISKI AREA 12
140 -- Jr. Mike Rogers (27-0), E, md. Sr. Kurt Lorenz (17-11) 12-2.
145 -- So. Sal Crivellaro (16-17), E, p. Sr. Steve Stedrak (23-7) 1:50.
152 -- Jr. Sean Richmond (34-2), E, p. Jr. Garrett Lange (20-11) :09.
160 -- Sr. Matt Lear (16-4), E, d. Sr. Mike Wood (9-7) 7-2.
171 -- Sr. Mike Corcetti (27-1), K, p. Jr. Kyle Dailey (6-23) 5:49.
189 -- Jr. Andrew Joseph (21-10), K, d. So. Zach Pizarro (22-11) 10-5.
215 -- Jr. Scott McKillop (27-0), K, d. Jr. Marcus Millen (26-7) 3-2.
275 -- Jr. Jason Groller (26-9), E, d. Sr. Brandon Rupert (24-5) 7-1.
103 -- So. Seth Ciasulli (32-1), E, md. Jr. Shawn Loughlin (17-11) 14-0
112 -- So. Alex Krom (28-3), E, md. Fr. Zach McKendree (20-12) 9-1.
119 -- So. Brad Gentzle (16-11), E, d. Fr. Tyler Overec (24-8) 4-3.
125 -- Sr. Joe Creazzo (21-9), E, md. So. Eric Jeffries (5-3) 15-1.
130 -- Sr. Bryan Hart (33-2) d. So. A. J. Milanak (26-5) 3-2.
135 -- Sr. Anthony Innarella (16-16), E, d. Sr. Angelo Manifest (27-6) 10-4.
Records: Easton 20-4; Kiski Area 17-1.
Referees: Brian Meckley and Chris Ott.

(Semifinal)
EASTON 44, CUMBERLAND VALLEY 13
140 -- Jr. Mike Rogers (26-0), E, md. So. Erik Goodling (24-11) 13-0.
145 -- Jr. Brian Scott (28-10), CV, md. So. Sal Crivellaro (15-17) 12-4.
152 -- Jr. Sean Richmond (33-2), E, md. Jr. Tim Cramer (24-12) 14-5.
160 -- Jr. Neil Bretz (33-0), CV, d. Sr. Matt Lear (15-4) 2-0.
171 -- Sr. Thomas Dixon (29-10), CV, d. Jr. Kyle Dailey (6-22) 4-2.
189 -- So. Zach Pizarro (23-10), E, p. Jr. John George (10-5) 5:59.
215 -- Jr. Marcus Millen (27-6), E, p. So. Tom Beeman (3-16) :57.
275 -- Jr. Zach Scheaffer (28-4), CV, d. Jr. Jason Groller (25-10) 5-1.
103 -- So. Seth Ciasulli (31-1), E, d. Jr. Morgan Baublitz (30-3) 4-2.
112 -- So. Alex Krom (27-3), E, d. So. Ryan Williams (32-6) 4-0.
119 -- So. Brad Gentzle (15-11), E, tf. Fr. Mike Silva (11-12) 21-6, 4:44.
125 -- Sr. Joe Creazzo (20-9), E, p. So. Raymond Schreffler (13-9) 2:29.
130 -- Sr. Bryan Hart (32-2), E, md. Jr. Ron Tressler (13-7) 14-1.
135 -- Sr. Anthony Innarella (15-16), E, d. Bryan Chittester (23-9) 11-6.

Records: Easton 19-4; Cumberland Valley 18-4.

[YanksRockMan]

so amazing...rogers still wrestled in the last two matches with a slight concussion and won!

[#1PaFan]

Congrats to the Rovers.