PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. — Ethan Krazer stood in the back hallway underneath the home bleachers at rival Phillipsburg’s gym on Saturday night.
The Easton junior talked about his pivotal performance in the 144-pound bout against Phillipsburg’s Massimo Gonzalez like he was discussing what he had for supper or what he learned last week in class.
There was a calmness about him that was not there two years ago, the last time the Red Rovers crossed the bridge to face the Stateliners.
“I went into my match like I do every other match,” Krazer said. “I try to stay in position, feel out my opponent and get a plan going and execute it. It wasn’t as I planned, but …”
This was not any match. It also was in a relatively new gym that Easton had never won in previously. And, most Easton-Phillipsburg matches don’t go as planned.
But it was Krazer’s experience and improvements from last year that made a difference in 5-2 decision that earned him the Brad Weaver Award as the match’s most outstanding wrestler.
Teammates Justin Cosover, Alonzo Parker and Kurtis Crossman also wrestled with a quiet confidence to rally Easton from a seven-point deficit to win 38-30.
It was the Red Rovers’ second win in a row in the series after losing the previous five. They lead the overall series 66-22.
“We knew we had to stay with our fundamentals,” Cosover said after getting a cradle in 4 minutes, 33 seconds at 190 pounds to start Easton’s strong finish. “Coach [Corey] Keener talked about that. Nothing really changed [because of the situation]. We knew it was going to come down to the end.”
Parker followed with another pin at 215 to give the Red Rovers a 35-30 lead. Crossman took the lead 10 seconds into the 285-pound finale and was never threatened in an 8-1 decision to lock up Keener’s first win in the series in his first try.
“I try not to build matches up more than they need to be,” said Keener, who was an assistant prior to this season. “It’s cool and exciting to be able to compete in these types of environments, but at the end of the day it’s another wrestling match.
“And if you treat it like that, you don’t get caught up in the emotional hype of it.”
Easton won the one toss-up match in Keener’s eyes early on when senior Brayden Abrams picked up a 15-6 major decision at 113.
Freshman Jack Famularo gave the Red Rovers their first lead with a first-period pin at 126.
Nick Salamone and Noah Fenner followed with technical falls before Krazer finished off his gritty decision with a third-period rideout at 144 for a 23-9 Easton lead.
“I practice with Nick and Noah every day,” Krazer said, “so not a lot of kids can ride me out. I’ve been really improving on top and bottom. I think that’s what I had been lacking, but now it’s coming together, staying in position.
“Riding [Gonzalez] out, I think, really meant something, really showed something.”
Phillipsburg rallied to win the next four bouts, three by pin, to grab a 30-23 advantage with three left
But Cosover’s cradle on the very edge of the mat in front of the Easton bench started Easton’s decisive comeback.
“We’ve been working on positioning, getting the leg posted and getting the cradle,” he said. “It was a little sketchy on the edge, but I had to try to get the pin, and I’m glad I did.”
Parker followed with a 59-second pin at 215, but the Stateliners were still mathematically alive by trailing by five entering 285.
Crossman, however, used his skill set and confidence to make sure there were no dramatic finishes.
“I knew how to wrestle [Phillipsburg’s Ben Ellis],” the senior said. “I went out there, relaxed, did what I needed to do and got the win.
“Coach Keener said before that no matter what happens in the match before you, go out there level-headed and have fun. Don’t worry about the result, just go out and wrestle like you do, wrestle how Easton does.”
Easton 38, Phillipsburg 30
106: Zack Swingle (P) pinned Michael Rambone, 1:11
113: Brayden Abrams (E) maj. dec. Jack Flynn, 15-6
120: Anthony Pettinelli (P) dec. Tanner Milburn, 4-2
126: Jack Famularo (E) pinned Lorenzo Ricci, 1:28
132: Nick Salamone (E) tech. fall Noah Regemann, 20-4, 2:59
138: Noah Fenner (E) tech. fall Matthew Velez, 17-0, 3:41
144: Ethan Krazer (E) dec. Massimo Gonzalez, 5-1
150: Mason Hawk (P) pinned Wyatt Snyder, 3:33
157: Owen Garriques (P) pinned Zach Pastula, 1:12
165: Brad Kisselbach (P) dec. Tyler Cruise, 8-4
175: Gavin Geleta (P) pinned Dan Vargas, 2:17
190: Justin Cosover (E) pinned Kevin Buonocore, 4:33
215: Alonzo Parker (E) pinned Ian Jankowski, 0:59
285: Kurtis Crossman (E) dec. Ben Ellis, 8-1
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
https://www.mcall.com/2026/01/24/calm-experienced-easton-wrestling-rallies-past-phillipsburg/
