PIAA Wrestling 3A Championships

[RoverNation05]

Things are dead here, so I'm flexing my typing skills and will be posting 3A previews for states this weekend. Feel free to post on this thread through Hershey action. I will not be on the call for finals again (have to travel for work), so you'll have to enjoy Brock Hite and JD Rader if you're tuning in on Flo, which will have every match all weekend.

All rankings are from Jeff Upson at PaPowerWrestling, who is one of the best people in the sport. Should be a really fun tournament. Here are previews up to 152, should have 160-285 tonight.

 

[RoverNation05]

106

Regional Champs
NW: #4 Jacob Vane Dee, Erie Cathedral Prep (So. 37-3)
SW: #3 Mac Church, Waynesburg (Fr. 42-5)
SC: #6 Matt Repos, Central Dauphin (Fr. 40-4)
NE: #1 Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic (Fr. 16-0)
SE: #2 Keanu Manuel, Downingtown East (Jr. 37-1)

Freshmen
#3 Mac Church, Waynesburg Central (Fr. 42-5; JH1, JH1)
#6 Matt Repos, Central Dauphin (Fr. 40-4; JH8, JH7)
#12 Carson Wagner, Northampton (Fr. 34-14; JH2, JH3)
#1 Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic (Fr. 16-0; JH1, JH1)
#8 Ty Watters, West Allegheny (Fr. 18-1; JH2, JH3)
#7 Vincent Kilkeary, Greater Latrobe (Fr. 26-7; JH5)
#10 Hayden Cunningham, State College (Fr. 36-4; JH2)


Not This Year But Look Out: #12 Carson Wagner, Northampton (Fr. 34-14; JH2, JH3)

Wagner is a classic undersized freshman at 106 with oodles of skills. He’s taken a chunk of losses against a tough schedule, but also has impressed - medaling at Beast of the East and beating state #5 Zach Jacaruso last week in the bloodround of the NE Regional. He’s my 2021 favorite at 106.


Best Thursday Match: #8 Ty Watters, West Allegheny vs. #1 Tyler Kasak, Bethlehem Catholic

Things get kicked off with two of the best freshmen in the state meeting in the first round. Watters knocked off Mac Church in his sectional final, joining Kasak as the only in state wrestlers to beat the Waynesburg stud. Kasak missed the first three and a half months of the season with a broken ankle, but the two time PJW state champ from Doylestown has been electric since his return to the Golden Hawk lineup.


Toughest Quarter: #3 Mac Church, Waynesburg Central vs. #6 Matt Repos, Central Dauphin

Church spent most of the season ranked #1 in the state before dropping a match to Kasak in the state dual semifinals. He’s a polished, physical wrestler for a freshman and is one of the favorites to be wrestling Saturday night. Repos has really blossomed against a tough Central Dauphin schedule and has put together an impressive freshman season, starting at 113 and has gone undefeated since dropping to 106.


Semis: Mac Church over Jacob Van Dee/Tyler Kasak over Keanu Manuel

Van Dee and Church have met twice, with Church winning twice in overtime. It is hard to beat a good wrestler three times, but Church has more ways to win in his tookit. On the bottom half, Manuel is a junior who has been up as high as 120 this year before coming down to 106 for the postseason. He’s a match up problem for most, but Kasak is on fire and has the strength and counters for Manuel’s short offense that will put him in finals.


Finals: Mac Church over Tyler Kasak

Kasak won the first round after winning a crazy first period scramble and earning a penalty point that proved to be the difference. But Church was able to dictate position for a lot of the match and create scoring opportunities. I think he converts this time around and wins this round of what could be an awesome four year rivalry.

 

[RoverNation05]

113

Regional Champs

SW: #1 Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional (Jr. 37-2; Arizona State)

NW: #11 Derek Keen, Central Mountain (So. 29-7)

SE: #7 Julien Maldonado, Boyertown (Jr. 31-6)

NE: #5 Braxton Appello, Easton (So. 26-5)

SC: #2 Ben Monn, Cumberland Valley (Sr. 38-2)


Returning Champ

#1 Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional (Jr. 37-2; S1; Arizona State)


Returning Medalists

#2 Ben Monn, Cumberland Valley (Sr. 38-2; S6, S6)

#4 Aiden Lewis, Cedar Cliff (Jr. 28-7; S4)

#5 Braxton Appello, Easton (So. 26-5; S7)

#7 Julien Maldonado, Boyertown (Jr. 31-6; S8)

#10 Mason Prinkey, Connellsville (Jr. 32-7; S5)

Freshmen

#8 Nico Taddy, West Allegheny (34-6; JH2, JH3)

#22 Ryan Loraw, Downingtown East (31-10)


Not Ready This Year But Look Out: #8 Nico Taddy, West Allegheny (34-6; JH2, JH3)

Taddy is part of a loaded freshman class in the WPIAL. He’s battled tighted the margin against Carter Dibert each time they’ve wrestled, and he’s started to flip results against state level competition throughout the year.


Best Thursday Match: #6 Dante Frinzi, Bethlehem Catholic vs. #3 Mason Leiphart, Dover

Tough draw for a pair of really good sophomores who qualified for Hershey last season. Leiphart started the year on a 33 match winning streak before losing to Ben Monn in the SC Regional final last week. Frinzi, who is one of the tallest 113s in the state and presents real match up problems with his length, has held his own against a national caliber schedule and is as battle tested as anybody in the field.

Best Quarter: #3 Mason Leiphart, Dover vs. #1 Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional

If Leiphart survives Frinzi, he’s rewarded with returning state champion Carter Dibert. Dibert is a monster on top, with one of the best cross wrist tilt series in Pennsylvania. He’s a heavy favorite to win, but his path is not easy.


Semis: Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional over Aiden Lewis, Cedar Cliff/Braxton Appello, Easton over Ben Monn, Cumberland Valley

On the top half of the bracket, I like Dibert in a close one over the Leiphart-Frinzi winner and Lewis should cruise in the other quarter. Lewis is the runner up out of the awesome SC region in this weight class - he’s right there with the best guys in the state, but Dibert’s mat wrestling ability gives him the edge in my book. On the bottom half, Appello is quietly putting together quite the season. He has not lost to a PIAA wrestler all year, with his only losses to National Prep runner up Eric Roggie, national #1 Stevo Poulin, Illinois third place finisher Nick Gonzalez, and New Jersey runner-up Kelly Dunnigan. He’ll have a fun quarterfinals with freshman Nico Taddy, but has shown the savvy and versatility to win those matches that he lacked as a freshman. Ben Monn should cruise to the semi, and his match with Appello will be a war, but Braxton has wrestled so well down the stretch that I’m taking him in an upset.


Finals: Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional over Braxton Appello, Easton

Dibert is a big favorite in this weight for a reason. He’s a monster on top and has improved tremendously on his feet between his sophomore and junior seasons. I think this tournament is Appello’s coming out party, but he’s a year away from being on Dibert’s level, and the Franklin Regional junior should win his second state title.

 

[RoverNation05]

120

Regional Champs
SW: #1 Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley (Jr. 45-4)
SE: #5 Nathan Lucier, Coatesville (Jr. 38-2)
NW: #10 Lane Aikey, Bellefonte (Jr. 21-4)
NE: #3 Andrew Smith, Nazareth (Sr. 19-3)
SC: #2 Will Betancourt, Manheim Central (Sr. 34-2; Lock Haven)

Returning Medalists
#1 Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley (Jr. 45-4; S2; Bucknell)
#2 Will Betancourt, Manheim Central (Sr. 24-2; S5, S7; Lock Haven)
#3 Andrew Smith, Nazareth (Sr. 19-3; S7, S6)
#4 Matt Mayer, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 25-7; S4, S4)
#6 Killian Delaney, WC Henderson (Sr. 40-6; S2, S8; Lock Haven)
#7 Kyle Hauserman, Council Rock North (Jr. 30-2; S3; Penn)

Freshmen
#12 Andrew Christie, New Oxford (Fr. 35-5)
#21 Jace Ross, Connellsville (Fr. 23-10)
#20 Carter Weaver, Williamsport (Fr. 24-4)

Not Ready Yet But Look Out: Dylan Coy, North Allegheny (So. 32-8)

Coy missed last postseason with an injury, but was 30-3 headed in the regular season. First trips to Hersehy are always a wild card, and he’s in a brutal quad with Will Betancourt and Killina Delaney, but he’s going to be on the medal stand, and pretty high, in his career.


Best Thursday Match: #3 Andrew Smith, Nazareth vs. #7 Kyle Hauserman, Council Rock North

Hauserman has spent most of the year ranked #1 in the state before dropping to #3 in the SE regional last weekend after a semifinal loss. His penalty for the defeat is a pigtail match, then a date with Andrew Smith. Smith broke his hand in the Cumberland Valley Kickoff the first week in December and didn’t return until just before team states. But his conditioning has rounded into form for the postseason and he really looked like himself as he stormed the field at NE regionals, including a convincing win over Matt Mayer. Both of these guys are title contenders, and one will be out by 6 PM on Thursday.


Toughest Quarter: #4 Matt Mayer, Bethlehem Catholic vs. #1 Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley

Mayer is a two-time medalist, finishing fourth in both trips to Hershey. He’s funky, with great leg defense and scrambling ability that can give guys that don’t see him regularly real problems. Chappell was the state runner up to Dibert at 106 last year, and has been solid all year at this weight. If he can finish clean, he gets past Mayer, but the winner of this quarter is the favorite to go to finals from the top half.


Semis: Andrew Smith, Nazareth over Will Betancourt, Manheim Central/Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley over Luis Vargas, Freedom

I like Betancourt to survive the other marquee quarterfinal with Killian Delaney. He’s incredibly tough to score on, but if Smith gets past Hauserman, I think he matches up well with Betancourt, who he defeated during his sophomore campaign on his way to his first state medal. In the top half, I like Vargas to come out of the bottom quarter where he’s an underdog in the first round by region (3rd place finisher behind Smith and Mayer in the NE), but not by state ranking (has been in the top 8 all year) against regional champ Lane Aikey. Vargas and Nathan Lucier in quarters will be a ton of fun, but I think Vargas is more battle tested with the D11 schedule. The run stops against either Chappell or Mayer (who has Vargas’s number this year).


Finals: Andrew Smith, Nazareth over Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley

The Blue Eagles do get a champ here, as Smith’s physicality and work on top, plus a sprinkle of Dave Crowell magic, will make the senior’s third state medal a gold one.

 

[RoverNation05]

126

Regional Champs

SW: #1 Kurt Phipps, Norwin (Sr. 36-1; Bucknell)

NE: #12 Dagen Condomitti, Northampton (Fr. 33-8)

SC: #7 Josh Miller, Central Dauphin (Jr. 39-5)

NW: #6 Jude Swisher, Bellefonte (So. 36-3)

SE: #3 Luke Lucerne, Council Rock North (Sr. 27-3; Navy)

Returning Medalists

#1 Kurt Phipps, Norwin (Sr. 36-1; S7, S2, S2; Bucknell)

#3 Luke Lucerne, Council Rock North (Sr. 27-3; S6, S4; Navy)

#4 Kyle Waterman, Council Rock South (Sr. 35-7; Appalachian State)

#8 Cole Wilson, Northeastern (Sr. 34-3; S4)

Freshmen

#15 Andrew Harmon, Bethlehem Catholic (Fr. 20-15; JH2)

#12 Dagen Condomitti, Northampton (Fr. 33-8; JH7, JH4)

#11 Dylan Evans, Chartiers Valley (Fr. 33-8; JH6, JH7)

#2 Rocco Welsh, Waynesburg (Fr. 37-7; JH1, JH1)


Not Ready Yet but Watch Out: #15 Andrew Harmon, Bethlehem Catholic (Fr. 20-15; JH2)

Harmon is a 113 pounder who has wrestled up a weight or two all season. He started at 113, but bumped to 120 when Frinzi moved down. Then, when Mayer came down to 120 for the postseason, Harmon bumped up to 126, which makes the state run all the more remarkable. He knocked off 4x District 2 champ JJ White last week to earn his bid, and has shown time and again that the skillset is there. When he gets a shot at his actual weight, he’s going to be a monster.


Best Thursday Match: #12 Dagen Condomitti, Northampton vs. #5 Sam McMonagle, WC Henderson

Condomitti has turned things on in the postseason after a solid freshman campaign. His reward for winning his first regional title (one more than his national top 5 brother Jagger, I might add) is a date with McMonagle, a three time state qualifier who owns wins over Luke Lucerne and Matt Mayer this season. Probably a little too much to bite off for the freshman, but makes for a very intriguing Thursday afternoon match up.


Toughest Quarter: #4 Kyle Waterman, Council Rock South vs. #1 Kurt Phipps, Norwin

Waterman is a two-time state medalist with 124 career wins, while Phipps has made back to back state finals and is looking for his fourth career medal to be gold. Because of the concentration of talent in the SE region - Waterman’s runner-up finishes drops him into a quarter with Phipps. Both have been in semis the last two seasons, and are completely battle tested seniors with Division I commitments.


Semis: #1 Kurt Phipps, Norwin over #7 Josh Miller, Central Dauphin/#2 Rocco Welsh, Waynesburg Central over #3 Luke Lucerne, Council Rock North

I like Phipps to come out of the quarterfinal with Waterman. Josh Miller put himself in great position by upsetting Cole Wilson in the SC regional final and has the “softest” of the quads in this bracket. Phipps should win fairly handily in this semi. The bottom half is where things get fun. Lucerne has been at or near the top of the state rankings all year and comes in after an excellent regional tournament. He should beat Cole Wilson in a sneaky good quarter. However, I expect him to run into super freshman Rocco Welsh. The two-time PJW champ won Surge and FloNationals titles as an 8th grader and is one of the best pound-for-pound freshmen in the country. I think he knocks off Lucerne to earn his first of four potential finals trips.


Finals: #2 Rocco Welsh, Waynesburg Central over #1 Kurt Phipps, Norwin

I know this one went the other way last week in the WPIAL finals, but rematches can be weird. But this has been a one takedown match both times they’ve wrestled, and I think the more times Welsh gets a feel for Phipps, the better his chances get. Phipps is more savvy, but Welsh is more talented, and I think that wins the third time around.

 

[RoverNation05]

132

Regional Champs
SW: #1 Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley (Jr. 39-3; Oklahoma)
SE: #9 Zac Martin, Neshaminy (Jr. 32-2)
NE: #3 Patrick Noonan, Stroudsburg (Sr. 31-5; Virginia)
SC: #6 Bryce Brennan, Red Land (Sr. 28-5)
NW: #5 Matt Sarbo, Altoona (Jr. 35-2)

Returning Champs
#1 Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley (Jr. 39-3; Oklahoma)
Returning Medalists
#2 Gabe Willochell, Greater Latrobe (Sr. 33-1; S6, S4; Edinboro)
#4 Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic (Sr. 39-4; S7, S4, S2; Harvard)
#5 Matt Sarbo, Altoona (Jr. 35-2; S7)
#6 Cole Homet, Waynesburg Central (So. 39-13; S7)
#8 Trenton Donahue, DuBois (Sr. 30-7; S6)

Bracket Buster: Cole Homet, Waynesburg Central (So. 39-13; S7)
Homet was a third place finisher in the WPIAL, so has an absolutely brutal draw, but after medaling as a freshman, he has the talent and Hershey experience to ruin some weekends.


Best Thursday Match: #7 Cole Homet, Waynesburg Central vs. #5 Matt Sarbo, Altoona

Homet’s first test is NW Regional champ Matt Sarbo. Sarbo blitzed the field last weekend and won a medal as a freshman before losing in the blood round last season. Homet’s length could give Sarbo some problems, and I’d expet a lot of offense in this one, regardless of the winner.


Toughest Quarterfinal: #5 Matt Sarbo, Altoona vs. #4 Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic

Things don’t get any easier for the Sarbo-Homet winner as they get national #3 but state #4 Kenny Herrmann. The Harvard commit is a leech on top and one of the best defensive wrestlers in the country, so it will be whiplash in styles from the first round match up for Sarbo (or Homet). I like Herrmann to prevail by a deceptively close score, which also means that he could be upset if a scramble or two don’t go his way.


Semis: #1 Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley over #3 Patrick Noonan, Stroudsburg/#4 Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic over #2 Gabe Willochell, Greater Latrobe

There is a chance for a District 11 or District 7 rematch, but I’ll split the difference with my picks. All four competitors are nationally ranked and all four have beaten each other at various points in the year. Herrera-Rondon and Noonan will be a constrast in styles, with AHR in control at all times and vicous on top, while Noonan is more comfortable in a higher pace match (though he showed he could win a slowdown in a 1-0 win over Hermann last weekend). I like Herrera-Rondon in a squeaker. On the other half, we have a rematch of last year’s 132 pound semifinal, won by Herrmann. He has taken his offense up another level this year, and I think the result holds, even though Willochell also has improved by light years.


Finals: Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic over Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca

Valley

We saw this one at state duals, with Herrmann controlling a 4-0 decision. These two have incredibly similar styles, just at this point in their careers Herrmann is a little bit better at it. AHR will have to settle for his first silver while Herrmann’s fourth medal is his first gold.

 

[RoverNation05]

138
Regional Champs
NE: #3 Dashawn Farber, Nazareth (Sr. 33-8; Lock Haven)
SC: #15 Dominic Frontino, Shippensburg (Fr. 32-8)
NW: #9 Riley Bower, Williamsport (So. 33-4)
SE: #5 Kibwe McNair, Methacton (Sr. 29-1)
SW: #1 Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg (Jr. 46-4; Iowa)

Returning Champs:
#1 Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg (Jr. 46-4; S5, MO1)
#2 Sammy Hillegas, North Hills (Sr. 35-2; S1, S1, S3; Virginia Tech)
#3 DeShawn Farber, Nazareth (Sr. 33-8; GA1, GA1, S2)

Freshmen
#15 Dominic Frontino, Shippensburg (Fr. 32-8; JH3)

Bracket Buster: #6 Steven Storm, Pocono Mountain East (Sr. 36-4; Lehigh)
Storm was knocked out of regionals by Jimmy Hoffman and Ryan Anderson in his first two seasons, then dropped matches to Ed Scott and Ty Linsenbigler last season in his first trip to states. So despite being one of the best kids in the state, he is still looking for his first medal. The Lehigh commit is a brutal hand fighter and trains with one of the best clubs in the country (Dark Knights), so don’t be fooled by the Pocono Mountain East that he hasn’t had a great training situation. He’ll also have two-time state champion Josh Haines from Northampton in his corner.

Best Thursday Match: #6 Steven Storm, Pocono Mountain East vs. #1 Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg Central

The fireworks start on Thursday with Storm and Wyatt Henson, son of world silver medalist Sammy Henson. Henson was fifth in Hershey as a freshman before relocating to Missouri when his dad joined the Missouri coaching staff. Henson is back living in Waynesburg full time and is an immediate contender.


Toughest Quarterfinal: #3 Dashawn Farber, Nazareth vs. #2 Sammy Hillegas, North Hills

Henson defeated Sammy Hillegas in the WPIAL final, just the fourth loss in Hillegas’s storied high school career. That drops Hillegas up into the top half of the bracket, where he’ll see returning state finalist and NE regional champion Dashawn Farber. Farber is a great athlete who can really close the gap from space and is comfortable in weird positions, but Hillegas is one of the nation’s best and should move on in this elite quarterfinal.


Semis: #2 Sam Hillegas, North Hills over #9 Riley Bower, Williamsport/#1 Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg Central over #4 Evan Gleason, Bethlehem Catholic

Hillegas should have an easier time in the semi with Bowser, who I like to come out of a wide open quad in the top half. On the bottom half, I like Gleason, a state qualifier for Easton as a freshman before sitting out last season due to the transfer rule, to knock of District 1 champion Kibwe McNair on his way to the semis. But we’ve seen Henson-Gleason at state duals, where Henson majored Gleason, and I’d expect more of the same this time around.


Finals: #1 Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg Central over #2 Sammy Hillegas, North Hills

It’s not every day that you pick against a two-time state champ and top ten wrestler in the county, but here we are. Henson is so good on his feet and is amongst the best hand fighters in the country - I think he creates enough offense so that Hillegas can’t turn this into a mat wrestling contest (which he would).

 

[RoverNation05]

145

Regional Champs
SW: #3 Ty Linsenbigler, Hempfield Area (Jr. 38-2)
SC: #7 Brooks Gable, Dallastown (Jr. 38-5)
SE: #5 Antonio Petrucelli, Owen J Roberts (Sr. 37-4)
NE: #1 Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic (Sr. 40-5)
NW: #4 Paniro Johnson, Erie Cathedral Prep (Jr. 36-2)

Returning Medalists
#1 Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic (Sr. 40-5; S6, S4; Cornell)
#2 Jagger Condomitti, Northampton (Jr. 36-3; S4; Nebraska)
#3 Ty Linsenbigler, Hempfield Area (Jr. 38-2; S4)
#4 Paniro Johnson, Erie Cathedral Prep (Jr. 36-2; S8, S5; Iowa State)
#5 Antonio Petrucelli, Owen J. Roberts (Sr. 37-4; S5; Pittsburgh)
#6 Cade Balestrini, Shikellamy (Sr. 32-4; S7)

Best Thursday Match: #2 Jagger Condomitti, Northampton vs. #6 Cade Balestrini, Shikellamy

In the good old days, we would have seen this match up at regionals, but since District 4 has been shipped to the northwest, it’s a first round of states match up. Condomitti is one of the best juniors in the country, and has been ranked 1st or 2nd in the state all year at this weight class. He dropped the NE regional final to Cole Handlovic after defeating the Becahi wrestler in the D11 final. He has to navigate a brutal path, which starts here - Balestrini is a four time qualifier who is committed to Bloomsburg. Condomitti should win, but it’s a tough out.


Toughest Quarter: #2 Jagger Condomitti vs. #3 Ty Linsenbigler
Things don’t get any easier for Condomitti on Friday, where he’ll likely see WPIAL champ Ty Linsenbigler. Linsenbigler’s lone in state loss came to Erik Gibson at PowerAde, and he’s rolled off an undefeated 2020 and looks to improve on his 4th place finish last season (which included a major over Condomitti’s former teammate, Devon Britton on the back side). Again, Condomitti just has so many ways to win, I think he pulls it out. But he’ll earn his ticket to semis.


Semis: #2 Jagger Condomitti, Northampton over Jared Keslar, Connellsville/#1 Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic over #4 Paniro Johnson, Erie Cathedral Prep
Condomitti and Keslar wrestled a wild match at Escape the Rock, and I’d love to see it repetaed here. Keslar finished fourth at WPIALs, so he has to come out of a pigtail, but he’s already pinned Antonio Petrucci once this year, and that would be his quarterfinal match up, and I like the Connellsville sophomore’s game a lot. But Condomitti is just a little bit better and more polished at this point. On the bottom half is a match up of Division I commits, with Cornell bound Handlovic and Iowa State bound Johnson. Handlovic controlled a 6-2 decision at state duals and I’d expect a similar result, though Johnson is the only person in the bracket Handlovic can’t muscle around.


Finals: #1 Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic over #4 Jagger Condomitti, Northampton
Handlovic is #5 nationally and one of the best wrestlers in the country without a state title (sure, Condomitti at #4 in the country, can make the same argument). He’s won two of three over Condomitti since dropping down to 145 in January, and the biggest advantage he has is size. Handlovic was a good sized 152 and is a mosnter at 145, while Condomitti relies on technique and mat sense more than brute strength. Handlovic is one of the few guys in the nation who are as good at wrestling as Condomitti, and the horsepower advantage gives him an edge.

 

[RoverNation05]

152

Regional Champs
NW: #1 Ed Scott, DuBois (Sr. 36-0; NC State)
NE: #6 Matt Lackman, Bethlehem Catholic (Sr. 25-5; Clarion)
SW: #3 Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland (Jr. 38-0; Penn)
SC: #13 Luke Sainato, Gettysburg (Sr. 35-11)
SE: #2 Cameron Robinson, Council Rock North (Sr. 40-2; Iowa State)

Returning Champs
#1 Ed Scott, DuBois (Sr. 36-0; S3, S1; NC State)

Returning Medalists
#2 Cameron Robinson (Sr. 40-2; S5, S2; Iowa State)
#3 Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland (Jr. 38-0; S8; Penn)
#5 AJ Tamburrino, Hatboro-Horsham (Sr. 35-3; S3; Navy)
#7 Nate Stefanik, Nazareth (Sr. 34-5; S6, S8; Princeton)
Freshmen
#12 Grant Mackay, North Allegheny (Fr. 38-10; JH1, JH1)


Not Ready Yet But Just Wait: #12 Grant Mackay, North Allegheny (Fr. 38-10; JH1, JH1)
Freshmen qualifiers at 152 are usually special and Mackay is no exception. Considered one of the best in a highly decorated group of WPIAL freshman, he’s held up his end of the bargain in his rookie year. I don’t think he is going to medal, but that is probably the last time we can say that about Mackay.

Best Thursday Match: #6 Matt Lackman vs. #3 AJ Tamburrino, Hatboro-Horsham
Matt Lackman’s reward for his triumphant pin in the NE regional finals is a date with returning third place finisher and nationally ranked AJ Tamburrino. Lackman, who had injuries end his season as a sophomore and a junior, is one of the best wrestlers making his first trip to Hershey. He’s long and funky, but Tamburrino is a defensive stalwart who maintains position and control as well as anybody in the weight class. Lackman can pin him, but I’m not sure he can beat him.

Toughest Quarter #3 AJ Tamburrino, Hatboro-Horsham vs. #4 Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland
If Tamburrino beats Lackman, his reward is WPIAL champion and undefeated Cole Spencer. Spencer, known more for his All State exploits at quarterback, is a threat in this bracket and is an excellent athlete on his feet. If he can open up Tamburrino, he can beat him, but he’ll have to wrestle flawlessly in his attacks, which I’m not sure is going to happen.

Semis: #1 Ed Scott, DuBois over #3 AJ Tamburrino, Hatboro-Horsham/#2 Cameron Robinson, Council Rock North over #11 Chase Kranitz, Norwin
This is Ed Scott’s world and everybody is living in it. The defending champion and NC State commit is ranked 3rd in the country and should waltz through his quad, where I presume he’ll knock of Mackay and Spring-Ford’s Jack McGill. That sets up a match with the Tamburrino-Spencer winner, and either way, Scott has too much offense for either opponent. On the bottom half, unbalanced regions mean we have three tough quads and one wide open one (McGill/Robinson/Tamburrino all out of the SE and Lackman/Stefanik out of the NE). Robinson and Nazareth’s #7 Nate Stefanik will hit in quarters, and I like the 6’3 Robinson in a match between the two-time meadlists. The top quad in the bottom bracket is WIDE open, and I’m flipping a coin and taking Kranitz, whose tight win over Mackay in the WPIAL 3rd and 4th match sets him up with great bracket placement. But come semis, Robinson should cruise.

Finals: #1 Ed Scott, DuBois over #2 Cameron Robinson, Council Rock North
Scott is a monster, and somebody I’ve been high on for his entire career (including picking him to win as a sophomore, when he had a bizarre 0-2). Robinson is a brutal match up, he’s the tallest 152 I’ve ever seen and presents all kinds of finishing problems when you attack his legs, but Scott has so many tools in his toolkit, he’ll finish out his excellent career with his third top 3 medal and his second state championship.

 

[16th&Georgetown]

Great info Rover, much appreciated. Besides Catka and maybe Robinson, who else in District One has a legitimate shot at gold.

 

[RoverNation05]

Great info Rover, much appreciated. Besides Catka and maybe Robinson, who else in District One has a legitimate shot at gold.

In a regular bracket, I’d say both Joey Milano and Max Hale would have a shot, but national #2 Gerrit Nijenhuis is at 182 and is just a level better. Milano-Nijenhuis is the state final in that bracket even though it will happen in a quarter. Hale probably has to go through 2/3rds of the D11 contingent (Drew Clearie in quarters then Caden Wright in semis), which he’s a slight favorite against both, but he’ll hit 9house in finals.

Don’t sleep on AJ Tamburrino, I think Scott is just a level above at 152, but both Tamburrino and Robinson are state champ caliber talents, just in another years 152 pound bracket.

If Manuel made a run at 106, I wouldn’t be shocked, but I also wouldn’t pick him. Hauserman has a chance at 120, that weight has a lot of good guys, but nothing approaching a favorite. I guess the same could be said about Delaney and Lucier. Lucerne is a darkhorse at 126, Welsh is a year away from being untouchable, and Phipps is solid but not overwhelming. Beyond that, looking slim.

Catka has my most points in my confidence pool, for what that’s worth.

 

[RoverNation05]

160
Regional Champs
SC: #1 Clayton Ulrey, Lower Dauphin (Sr. 34-2; S5, S2; Virginia Tech)
SW: #3 Luca Augustine, Waynesburg Central (Jr. 41-7; Pittsburgh)
SE: #7 Connor Quinn, Owen J. Roberts (Sr. 30-3)
NE: #5 Connor Herceg, Nazareth (Sr. 40-4; S8; Lehigh)
NW: #6 Ethan Richner, Bellefonte (Jr. 32-2; S6)

Returning Medalists
#1 Clayton Ulrey (Sr. 34-2; S5, S2; Virginia Tech)
#2 Luke Nichter, Chambersburg (Sr. 40-5; S6, S2, S4; Drexel)
#4 Jack Blumer, Kiski Area (Sr. 36-2; S3; West Virginia)
#5 Connor Herceg, Nazareth (Sr. 40-4; S8; Lehigh)
#6 Ethan Richner, Bellefonte (Jr. 32-2; S6)
#15 Colton Zimmerman, Carlisle (Jr. 27-6; S5)

Not Ready Yet But Just Wait: #13 Matt Colajezzi, Council Rock South (So. 34-9)
On track to be a four time state qualifier as a middleweight, Colajezzi has a brutal draw after finishing fifth in his region. He gets a pigtail, then Connor Herceg, then would see the Luke Nichter-Dillon Sheehy loser (see the next entry). He’s going to be a handful - particularly with the way Brad Silimperi develops his guys - but its going to take him an extra year.

Best Thursday Match: #8 Dillon Sheehy, Council Rock North vs. #2 Luke Nichter, Chambersburg
Nichter, state finalist as a sophomore before a 4th place finish up at 170 last year, is gunning for his fourth state medal and first state title. To do so, he’ll have to navigate a minefield that starts with Army commit Dillon Sheehy in the first round. This is Sheehy’s third trip to Hershey, but he is in search of his first medal. Sheehy is dangerous - he owns a pin over Luca Augustine - but will have to hit something big to beat the always solid Nichter.

Toughest Quarter: #5 Connor Herceg, Nazareth vs. #2 Luke Nichter, Chambersburg
Things don’t get any easier for Nichter, as he hits Lehigh commit Connor Herceg in quarters. Herceg is a two-time D11 and NE Regional champ, and is a steady, crisp wrestling from his feet. Nichter has an advantage on the mat, always key in Hershey, and if this one ends up in OT, Nichter has the slight advantage. I think the winner of this one ends up wrestling Saturday night.

Semis: #1 Clayton Ulrey over #3 Luca Augustine/#2 Lucke Nichter, Chambersburg over #4 Jack Blumer, Kiski Area
Ulrey was the runner up at this weight last season, losing an action packed final to Trey Kibe. He stormed through the summer, earning a spot on the Cade World team and winning a pair of matches at World Championships. He paired that with a third place finish at Super 32 up at 170 where he avenged his loss to Kibe. He’s dynamic on his feet and has all of the tools to win his first state title. Augustine is a bear, and has jumped levels into the national conversation this year, but Ulrey has too much offense. On the bottom half, Nichter continues to navigate landminds, hitting #9 nationally Jack Blumer in semis. Blumer, a West Virginia commit, has gone back and forth with Augustine this season, and will present a real challenge to the Nichter/Herceg winner. I like Nichter in a coin toss. Any combination of the top 5 in the finals would not surprise me here.

Finals: #1 Clayton Ulrey, Lower Dauphin over #2 Luke Nichter, Chambersburg
Nichter beat Ulrey at sectionals, Ulrey returned the favorite at regionals, so let’s get a rubber match in Hershey. This one is razor thin, with Nichter winning a one takedown match and Ulrey winning in sudden victory. A higher pace favors Ulrey, as he has more in his toolkit to score, whereas if things slow down and mat wrestling becomes important, Nichter has the edge. I like Ulrey to dictate a little bit more, and come away with a title.

 

[RoverNation05]

Regional Champs
NW: #1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County (Jr. 35-2; S1; Penn State)
SE: #15 Matt Romanelli, Downingtown East (Jr. 35-3)
SW: #3 Mac Stout, Mount Lebanon (So. 39-2)
SC: #4 Dylan Reinert, Gettysburg (Sr. 46-2; S7; NC State)
NE: #2 Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg (Jr. 40-3; S3; Nebraska)

Returning Champ
#1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County (Jr. 35-2; S1; Penn State)

Returning Medalists:
#2 Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg (Jr. 40-3; S3; Nebraska)
#4 Dylan Reinert, Gettysburg (Sr. 46-2; S7; NC State)
#5 Angel Garcia, Mariana Bracetti (Sr. 29-4; S6; Rider)
#6 Dominic Falcone, Easton (Jr. 27-6; S8; Army)
#9 Nick Delp, Kiski Area (Sr. 32-5; S8; Bucknell)

Not Ready Yet But Just Wait: #3 Mac Stout, Mount Lebanon (So. 39-2)
It is insane to put the #8 guy in the country in this slot, yet here we are. Stout, the youngest of Bryan Stout’s (four time All American at Clarion) three sons, would be a favorite at this weight in the vast majority of years. Instead, he’s one of five nationally ranked wrestlers who will lace it up in the toughest state bracket in the country. It’s his first trip to Hershey, and he’s the only sophomore in the field. Stout is probably going to be a national #1 at some point in his high school career, but this year might be too soon, particularly given the field.

Best Thursday Match: #9 Nick Delp, Kiski Area vs. #1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County
We warm up with a returning state medalist and Division I commit hitting defending champ and #2 in the country Trey Kibe in the first round. Kibe is a monster, and has some of the best leg defense in the country, but he’ll have his hands full with Delp. The Kiski senior is a pinner, but that might be what he has to do to beat Kibe.

Toughest Quarter: #1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County vs. # 5 Angel Garcia, Mariana Bracetti
For his next trick, Kibe takes on Fargo Greco Champion and Freestyle All American Angel Garcia. Garcia is a wild, wide open wrestler who attacks upper body from weird positions and can pin anybody in America. We saw that in his NE region semi, where he was trailing Easton’s Dom Falcone deep into the second period, then hit a crazy back-trip mat return that put Falcone on his back and end the match. He’s going to throw everything at Kibe, who is going to have that elite defense tested for the full six minutes. Garcia has beaten plenty of national caliber guys in his career, but Kibe would become the biggest skin on his wall.

Other Toughest Quarter: #6 Dom Falcone, Easton vs. #3 Mac Stout, Mount Lebanon
Falcone medaled up at 182 as a sophomore and is down at 170, closer to what will eventually be his college weight when he wrestles for West Point. Stout is a hammer and elite nationally, but Falcone is battle tested - he was right there with Lenny Pinto in a 3-2 D11 final and was in a one takedown match with Virginia state champ and #11 nationally Jaden Bullock deep into the third period at Escape the Rock. He’s built like a fire hydrant (5’6 and a solid 170) and an explosive athlete, but doesn’t quite have the polish of Stout, who should advance to meet Kibe.

Semis: #1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County over #3 Mac Stout, Mount Lebanon/#2 Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg over #4 Dylan Reinert, Gettysburg
Kibe’s brutal weekend continues by hitting Stout in semifinals. Both wrestlers have losses to Tyler Stolzfus (St. Joseph’s Catholic - AA) at PowerAde, but missed each other when Kibe had to default out with injury. Both own wins over Jaden Bullock, and New Jersey state champ Connor O’Neil. This is a big time match up. Kibe has avenged that loss to Stolzfus and has decked nearly everybody else on his schedule. I think the difference here is how well Kibe can sit the corner on his leg defense, meaning Stout needs to be perfect on every attack. That is how Kibe got Ulrey in last year’s state final, and I see this one playing out in similar fashion.

The bottom half feature the other set of nationally ranked guys at the weight, Dylan Reinert and Lenny Pinto. Reinert should handle Lance Urbas in his quarter and continue a dynamic senior season into Saturday morning. Reinert owns wins over Angel Garcia and Jaden Bullock on his way to a third place finish at Beast of the East. Reinert leads the state with 29 falls and is a bulldog on top. I expect him to see Nebraska commit and Fargo Freestyle champion Lenny Pinto. Pinto finished third at this weight as a sophomore, taking 2x state champ Edmond Ruth to the wire in the semifinals before taking apart Luke Nichter for third. He then shut out the field in Fargo this summer, and put himself on the radar as one of the best guys in the country. He has the most wide open style of anybody in the weight outside of Garcia, and takes some losses due to the risk taking (see, his insane 90 second match with Brandon Green that started with him throwing Green on his back for five and ended with Green reversing him to his back for a fall). I think Pinto is the most talented guy in the bracket, and he’s been in more big matches than Reinert.

Finals: #2 Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg over #1 Trey Kibe, Mifflin County
Kibe is the safer pick, but Pinto is way more fun. We’ve seen Pinto take apart some of the best kids in the country, which is what he would need to do to beat Kibe. He’s one of the few guys with the combination of conventional attacks and scrambling ability to keep pace with Kibe. Both guys are going to wrestle, so it could be a high scoring final, which in the end I think favors the guy who initiates a little more offense. And selfishly, it would give former Easton great and all around great guy Sean Richmond his first state champion as the head coach of the Mounties.

 

[RoverNation05]

182

Regional Champs
SW: #1 Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan (Sr. 43-0; S3, S3, S1; Purdue)
NE: #4 Isaiah Reinert, Easton (Jr. 29-8)
SC: #12 Nick Backer, Penn Manor (Sr. 37-1)
NW: #9 Ethan Rossman, Bellefonte (Jr. 33-2)
SE: #2 Maximus Hale, Downingtown West(Sr. 34-8; S6, S5; Penn)

Returning Champs
#1 Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan (Sr. 43-0; S3, S3, S1; Purdue)

Returning Medalists
#2 Max Hale, Downingtown West (Sr. 34-8; S6, S5; Penn)
#3 Joey Milano, Spring-Ford (Jr. 43-1; S4)
#5 Drew Clearie, Nazareth (Jr. 36-8; S6)

Bracket Buster: #7 Donovan McMillon, Peters Township (Jr. 38-3)
McMillon’s only losses on the year are to Nijenhuis and Wyoming Seminary’s Cole Rees. Peters Township doesn’t wrestle a particularly tough schedule, but McMillon is the best pure athlete in the weight class and could cause chaos in the bottom half. He is a three star safety whose recruiting stock is shooting up with offers from Penn State, Texas A&M, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma. He is not the polished wrestler that a lot of the guys in this bracket are, but if he gets on a roll he’s a problem.


Best Thursday Match: #13 Timmy Smith, Central Dauphin vs. #5 Drew Clearie, Nazareth
Smith was an All State pick and the leading rusher for Central Dauphin’s trip to the 6A state finals in football this fall. It’s an interesting contrast as a wrestler because he has the explosive athletic ability of an FBS football recruit, but the patient, slow it down plus a devastating 2-on-1 tilt style that has been a Central Dauphin staple under Jeff Sweigard. Clearie was a state medalist last season - at 138 pounds! He’s five inches taller and fifty pounds heavier for his junior season, but has maintained the quickness and polish of a lightweight as he’s bulked up. He was the D11 champ and lost a tight NE regional final, but can make a run if he gets past Smith here.

Toughest Quarter: #1 Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan vs. #3 Joey Milano, Spring-Ford
Nijenhuis (pronounced NINE-house) is the defending state champion and one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the country. The Purdue recruit has the chance to finish with an elite career line of 3-3-1-1 and is a heavy favorite to do so. Until last Saturday, the expectation is that he would see fellow nationally ranked and undefeated 182 pounder Joey Milano in the final. But Milano was pinned in a scramble by Max Hale in the final of last week’s Southeast Regional, dropping the talented Spring-Ford junior into a brutal quarter with Nijenhuis. For all intent and purposes, this is the state final, but Nijenhuis remains a heavy favorite to win it.

Semis: #1 Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan over #4 Isaiah Reinert, Easton/#2 Max Hale, Downingtown West over #5 Caden Wright, Emmaus

Reinert finds himself in a great spot in the bracket to get to semis after beating Clearie in the NE Regional final last week on a late reversal. Reinert has been ranked in the 4-6 range in the state all year, as he’s part of the D11 trio (#4 Reinert, #5 Clearie, #6 Wright) who have all split matches this season. He was a surprise state qualifier last year, and has blossomed into a Division I prospect and contender for a deep Hershey run this year. But he’s been pinned by Milano, majored by Hale, and I’d expect a similar fate against Nijenhuis. He’s a year away from being a finals caliber guy.

On the bottom, Caden Wright is a three time qualifier looking for his first medal. The Lehigh commit and Fargo All American will have to go through #9 Ethan Rossman in his first round match and McMillon in his quarter. The McMillon match is a tough one, however, Wright is a monster on top, particularly with legs, which can neutralize McMillon’s athleticism. Drew Clearie and Max Hale is a state finals level match in other years. Clearie has struggled with Reinert this year (1-2), but has given Milano and Nijenhuis their best matches of anybody in PA (Milano took him down with 2 seconds left to win the Bethlehem Hurricane Classic 4-3 and Nijenhuis won 3-2 match, one of just three decisions on the year at Virginia Duals). But it feels a little homer-ish to put all three D11 guys in semis, particularly when the District One pair has been so good. All of Hale’s losses have either been to contenders up at 195 or to Milano. He’s a brute and a solid athlete and probably has a little more power than Clearie at this weight.

Finals: Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan over Max Hale, Downingtown West
Nijenhuis might be the best wrestler in Pennsylvania, so while this is a solid bracket, it feels like a coronation. He was the OW last year after beating 2x champ Edmond Ruth to win his first title. I don’t think he’ll duplicate that feat, given the depth in some of the other weight classes. But he will cap and all-time career for one of the state’s best programs by becoming their eight two-time champion.

 

[RoverNation05]

195

Regional Champs
SW: #1 Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon (Sr. 38-0; S4, S2; Princeton)
NW: #18 Nikolas Miller, Central Mountain (Jr. 24-10)
SE: #7 Ryan Catka, Sun Valley (Jr. 36-2)
NE: #8 Jason Henderson: Delaware Valley (Jr. 39-6)
SC: #3 Jake Lucas, Cumberland Valley (Jr. 39-1)

Returning Medalists
#1 Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon (Sr. 38-0; S4, S2; Princeton)
#2 Luke Montgomery, Bethel Park (Sr. 28-5; S7; Brown)

Bracket Buster: #4 Brayden Roscosky, Kiski Area (Jr. 35-5)
This weight was completely unbalanced, with at one point seven of the top 13 wrestlers in the state in District 7. Some moved up to 220, but those that stayed had a meatgrinder, and that is why #4 in the state is also #3 out of his region and is wrestling in a pigtail on Thursday. Roscosky is knocking on the door of being elite, he was a PJW champ before coming a match away from states as a sophomore. He’ll ruin somebody’s weekend, even if he doesn’t make a deep run on the front side.

Best Thursday Match: #1 Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon vs. #5 Logan Harmon, Armstrong
The only thing worse than Roscosky being a third place finisher is Logan Harmon taking fourth at the WPIAL tournament. That means he has a first round date with returning runner up, #4 nationally, and Fargo Champ Luke Stout. Stout beat Harmon 5-2 in the WPIAL semifinals, and I’d expect a similar result here.

Best Thursday Match Part II: #3 Jacob Lucas, Cumberland Valley vs. #4 Brayden Roscosky, Kiski Area
Roscosky lands a first round match with Jacob Lucas, the 39-1 SC Regional champion. Lucas is a finals contender and has really broken out after a promising first two years. Still, this at worst should be a semi, but instead we’re seeing it in the first round. I think Lucas is a little more athletic and can pull it off.

Semis: #1 Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon over #7 Ryan Catka, Sun Valley/#3 Jacob Lucas, Cumberland Valley over #2 Luke Montgomery, Bethel Park
Going out on a limb a little on paper with Catka, but because the WPIAL’s depth skewed this bracket so much, his quad is one of the softest in the tournament. He obviously has great bloodlines, but so too does Stout, whose dad was a 4x NCAA All American, and older brother Kellan won a title in 2015 (and younger brother Mac is poised to do so soon, see 170). He’s a buzzsaw and should waltz to the final. On the bottom half, Montgomrey has been #2 all year, but all five losses have to come to Stout. Lucas is a little bit of an unknown, and the only real challenger at this weight not from D7. But I think the lack of familiarty helps, as does that weird, tough on top central PA style. I like him to make his first final.

Finals: #1 Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon vs. #3 Jacob Lucas, Cumberland Valley
Stout has not lost since dropping last season’s state final to Penn State’s Carter Starocci at 182. I don’t expect that streak to break this weekend, as this bracket seems like more a coronation than a tournament. He’s one of the best guys in America, and clearly one of the best guys in the country. I think a lot of the depth at 220 is due to Stout’s presence here. He wins in a rout.

 

[RoverNation05]

220

Regional Champs
NW: #1 Dorian Crosby, Erie Catheral Prep (Sr. 43-1; Bucknell)
SW: #6 Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon (So. 29-1)
NE: #3 Stephen Schott, Nazareth (Sr. 40-6; Pittsburgh)
SE: #5 Chase Mielnik, Downingtown West (Sr. 34-5; VMI)
SC: #4 Marques Holton, Central Dauphin (Sr. 35-4)

Returning Champ:
#2 Nate Schon, Selinsgrove (Jr. 34-1; S8, S1)

Returning Medalists:
#1 Dorian Crosby, Erie Catheral Prep (Sr. 43-1; S5, S4; Bucknell)

Probably Not Ready Yet But Watch Out: #6 Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon (So. 29-1)
Weightman bumped up out of the WPIAL logjam at 195, where he was a top 5 wrestler in the state for most of the season. He owns wins over Max Hale, Jacob Lucas, and his only defeat is a 3-1 decision to national #3 and Michigan recruit Gaige Garcia at 195 (Garcia’s only decision of the year). He missed most of his freshman season with a broken foot, but has exploded onto the scene as a sophomore. He’s not a full sized 220 pounder yet, so he may run into problems with the elite, national caliber guys in the bracket. But he’s about to be one of the best guys in the country.

I’d also be remiss not to mention the other sophomore in the bracket, Easton’s Matt Cruise (So. 25-9). Cruise owns a win over 2A #1 Kolby Flank and Ohio state runner-up Max Fausnaugh. He’s brutal on top and can handfight with a lot of the bracket, and is a potential finalist in 2021.

Best Thursday Match: #6 Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon vs. #11 TJ Moore, Cedar Crest
Weightman right away gets tested with Lehigh commit TJ Moore. Moore was upset in the SC semis by Marques Holtan, which drops him into the early test. We think Weightman passes this one in his first match in Hershey.

Toughest Quarter: #4 Cole Weightman, Belle Vernon vs. #3 Stephen Schott, Nazareth
This is one of the best upper weight matches in the tournament. Both of these guys move like lightweights and are incredible finishers at mat wrestlers. Schott has been more battle tested, and the Pitt commit takes advantage of that experience and the Nazareth schedule to pull out a squeaker.

Semis: #1 Dorian Crosby, Erie Cathedral Prep vs. #3 Stephen Schott, Nazareth/#2 Nate Schon, Selinsgrove vs. #7 John Meyers, Greensburg-Salem
Crosby, son of former state champ and JUCO National Champ Melvin Crosby (who gave Bruce Baumgartner great matches on the freestyle circuit), is the top dog after beating Nate Schon in overtime last week in the Northwest Regional finals. Crosby turned heads last year by beating Hunter Catka in quarters, seemingly setting his path to finals, but was was tossed and pinned in semis and settled for fourth. This year, he’s been on fire, with his only loss coming to Braxton Amos, the favorite for National Wrestler of the Year and the #1 guy at 220. He’s a heavy favorite to get to semis, where he’ll hit the winner of Schott and Weightman. As much as I like Schott’s game, Crosby has been on a different level this year. On the bottom, Nate Schon is a returning state champ and has been one of the top ranked guys in the country all year. While Crosby spoiled his undefeated season, he’s still elite and should walk through his first two matches. Meyers has a tricky first match with Matt Cruise of Easton, but then should handle his quarterfinal opponent, either Marques Holton of Central Dauphin or Adam Young of Shikellamy. Whoever comes out, they’ll likely be cannon fodder for Schon.

Finals: #2 Nate Schon, Selingsrove over #1 Dorian Crosby, Erie Cathedral Prep
It was a razor tight, tiebreaker win for Crosby last weekend. It’s really tough to beat an opponent like Schon in back-to-back weekends, and I don’t think he’ll replicate the feat. Crosby is bigger, but Schon is a little better of an athlete, despite the short, stocky build, which can give Crosby some problems if they wrestle in a phone booth. I like Schon to win his second state title.

 

[Relayer]

Thank you Rover! I appreciate your knowledge and expertise. I'm hoping for a few CR medals, we'll see. Do you know this dude on the PSU board.? He is on top of things like you are.

https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/pa-states-brackets-and-worthless-predictions.261520/

 

[RoverNation05]

285

Regional Champs
SE: #1 Hunter Catka, Sun Valley (Sr. 38-0; Virginia Tech)
NE: #8 Karam Chakif, Dieruff (Sr. 31-2; Lehigh)
SC: #3 Robert Unruh, Exeter Township (Sr. 43-2)
NW: #9 Thomas Pollard, Meadville (Sr. 34-0)
SW: #2 Isaiah Vance, Hempfield Area (Jr. 38-1; S4; Lock Haven)

Returning Champs
#1 Hunter Catka, Sun Valley (Sr. 38-0; S1, S3; Virginia Tech)

Returning Medalists:
#2 Isaiah Vance, Hempfield Area (Jr. 38-1; S4; Lock Haven)

Not Ready Yet But Watch Out: #4 Billy McChesney, Greensburg-Salem (So. 28-4)
All of McChesney’s losses this year are to Vance, including 1-0 in the last two meetings. He’s a PJW champ who was a regional qualifier as a freshman heavyweight and is now in the mix for a medal. Like Weightman at 220, he’s going to find himself on the podium this year, but we’re looking at one of the best upper weights in the country going forward.


Best Thursday Match: #8 Karam Chakif, Dieruff vs. #5 Ben Grafton, North Allegheny

Chakif is one of the best stories in the tournament, a Syrian refugee who is the valedictorian in his class at Dieruff and has committed to Lehigh. He trains with Jon Trenge at LVWC and has blossomed into an athletic, exciting heavyweight as a senior. Grafton is huge, and has either pinned guys or won 1-0 by riding them out. Chakif will have to use motion on his feet, avoid getting stuck under on leg attacks, and wear out Grafton’s gas tank to win this one. All things he’s very capable of doing.

Toughest Quarter: #1 Hunter Catka, Sun Valley vs. #4 Billy McChesney, Greensburg-Salem
McChesney should knock off fellow sophomore Oliver Billotte in the first round, but this is where the magic ends. Catka is built like Ivan Drago and is going to crush the field, McChesney included. He was the big favorite at 220 last year, then was shocked in quarterfinals by Dorian Crosby. Part of that is probably due to the devastating knee injury he suffered in Fargo and not being fully back, but it was one of the bigger upsets I've seen in Hershey. This year, he's been a man on a mission and has looked the part as the best heavyweight in the country.

Semis: #1 Hunter Catka over #8 Karam Chakif/#2 Isaiah Vance, Hempfield Area over #9 Thomas Pollard, Meadville
Catka is the top ranked heavyweight in the nation and is the heaviest favorite of any guy in this tournament. I think Chakif makes a run, a potential quarterfinal with Robbie Unruh of Exter would be two heavyweights in the 240-250 range who can really move and put up points. I’ll take the Dieruff guy, but stop short of the Huskies getting their first finalist since 1993 (with reinforcements coming in PJW state champ Ayden Smith taking over at 106 next year for head coach Jordan Glykas - good things happening in Allentown!) On the bottom half, Pollard is slight favorite in a wide open top quad. The SC Regional champ then hits the returning 4th place finisher in Isaiah Vance, who has been on a tear this season, with his lone loss coming to National Prep champ Colt Deery. Vance is a clear #2 in this weight and will show the sepration here.

Finals: #1 Hunter Catka, Sun Valley over #2 Isaiah Vance, Hempfield Area
Catka is the best guy in America and is going to win a state title. He has the most points in my confidence pool and it’s the closet thing to a guarantee in the tournament. Vance is really good, and will probably be a heavy favorite in 2021, but it’s Catka’s time and I like him to win his second state title.

 

[RoverNation05]

Thank you Rover! I appreciate your knowledge and expertise. I'm hoping for a few CR medals, we'll see. Do you know this dude on the PSU board.? He is on top of things like you are.

https://bwi.forums.rivals.com/threads/pa-states-brackets-and-worthless-predictions.261520/

I might? I've seen his stuff on BWI (I lurk but don't post there) and I like his stuff. Through Flo, I know a lot of people in wrestling, so it wouldn't shock me if we've crossed paths. The only BWI guy I know that I know is Willie Saylor, a fellow Easton guy who I've known forever.

Here are our picks compared

106
Me: Church of Kasak
BWI: Kasak over Church

113
Me; Dibert over Appello
BWI: Dibert over Monn

120
Me: Smith over Chappell
BWI: Chappell over Smith

126
Me: Welsh over Phipps
BWI: Phipps over Lucerne

138
Me: Henson over Hillegas
BWI: Hillegas over Henson

170:
Me: Pinto over Kibe
BWI: Kibe over Pinto

195
Me: Stout over Lucas
BWI: Stout over Montgomery

We're the same at all the other weights. Since I'm competitive, I'll track it!

 

[RoverNation05]

Awesome Churella ride from Andrew Smith in the 3rd to best Hauserman.

Kasak over Waters and Frinzi killed Leiphart in my other key first round matches so far.

 

[RoverNation05]

McMonagle Over Condomitti in sudden victory at 126

 

[sammyk]

Great stuff rover

 

[RoverNation05]

Semifinalists:
106: 1 of 4
113: 2 of 4
120: 3 of 4
126: 4 of 4
132: 4 of 4
138: 3 of 4
145: 4 of 4
152: 2 of 4
160: 4 of 4
170: 4 of 4
182: 2 of 4
195: 4 of 4
220: 3 of 4
285: 3 of 4
Total: 43 of 56

Finalists
106: 0 of 2
113: 0 of 2
120: 1 of 2
126: 2 of 2
132: 1 of 2
138: 2 of 2
145: 2 of 2
152: 2 of 2
160: 2 of 2
170: 1 of 2
182: 1 of 2
195: 1 of 2
220: 2 of 2
285: 2 of 2
Total: 17 of 28

Champs
132: Kenny Herrmann, Bethlehem Catholic
138: Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg Central
145: Cole Handlovic, Bethlehem Catholic
152: Ed Scott, DuBois
170: Lenny Pinto, Stroudsburg
182: Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon McMillan
195: Luke Stout, Mount Lebanon
285: Hunter Catka, Sun Valley
Total: 8 of 14

 

[RoverNation05]

Recaps
106
One of the most unpredictable brackets that I can remember. It started on Friday afternoon, when Matt Repos beat Mac Church on a caution in ultimate tiebreaker (where video shows it looks like it was Repos, not Church, who jumped the whistle). That seemed to clear the path for Tyler Kasak, who not only was ranked in the top 10 in the country, but had his toughest competition in Church knocked out in the other half of the bracket, and Keanu Manuel was upset in overtime by Vinny Kilkeary to set up a Kasak-Kilkeary semifinal. Kasak led Kilkeary 8-3 in the final minute, which is where things went completely off the rails. Kilkeary put Kasak on his back and nearly pinned him to tie the score at 8, but a Kasak reversal put the nationally ranked Golden Hawk back up 10-8. Naturally, Kilkeary escaped, then threw Kasak to his back AGAIN for a 14-10 win. Repos was dropped by ECP's Jacob Van Dee in the other semifinal. In the final, Van Dee and Kilkeary traded escapes for the only scoring in regularion, though Van Dee chin-whipped Kilkeary just after the buzzer. In OT, Kilkeary hit a vicious left handed headlock to put Van Dee on his back and pin him in sudden victory for the wildly improbable state title.

On the back side, Church pinned Kasak in a consy semi (rather than the state final we all predicted) while Kasak was up 3-2 (so the #8 wrestler in the country got put on his back three times, including a fall, in about 90 minutes of real time. Only in Pennsylvania). Church beat Repos for 3rd, while Kasak took 5th.

My bracket "buster" was Carson Wagner, who lost to Repos on Thursday, but then went on a tear on the backside, beating Manuel and Nic Allison and placing 6th. If he's back at this weight again next year, I think he's the favorite.

 

[RoverNation05]

113
Another wildly unpredictable weight with a champ virtually nobody picked beforehand. Things started with a bang when Ethan Berginc upset regional champ and 2x state medalist Ben Monn in the first round. Things got really crazy in quarters, when Dante Frinzi upset returning champ Carter Dibert in a 4-1 match. Frinzi scored a weird takedown in the first period to take a lead, then rode the tar out of Dibert the rest of the way - he even took top in the 3rd period and rode the match out to win. The risk with Dibert is, it's tough when your main offense is from top and you fall behind. Frinzi is about 5'10, so he's a huge 113 with all arms and legs, and Dibert absolutely could not get away.

Aiden Lewis and Braxton Appello were the two regional champs who survived to semis, with Lewis holding on for a 1-0 win over Julien Maldonado and Appello using a mat return til for 3 backpoints to come from behind against Nico Taddy. As an Easton partisan, I was pretty pumped for the possibility of an Appello state title, particularly with Monn and Dibert both knocked out. What I failed to account for was Ethan Berginc catching absolute fire, and beating Appello 5-2 in semis - Braxton had a great chance to score in an initial flurry, but Berginc was able to get out of bounds, then the Hempfield wrestler scored right at the end of the period, then added a 2nd period reversal and a penalty point for a 5-2 win. On the top half, Lewis ended Frinzi's hot streak with a 5-3 win.

In the final, Berginc had the lone offensive points, a second period takedown, which held up for a 3-2 win. Lewis was in deep on a shot at the end of the match, but two was never awarded as Berginc held on for the out of nowhere title. Lewis actually thought he was awarded the takedown, and came up confused after the buzzer when the referee had not awarded two. I think he had a right to be upset, though he also held on without improving for a solid 6 seconds (where I think he thought he had been given teh points, but had not).

On the backside, Dibert wrestled back for 3rd, beating Monn in the popular predicted final during the first placement round (Monn finished in 7th), while beating Appello in my predicted final in the consolations semis, 6-4. Frinzi beat Appello in a crazy, scramble filled 7-6 match with a late reversal for 5th, to break Appello's five match winning streak in their series (it's now 5-3 all time, with two more years to go).