Pennsylvania Seniors Making Their Mark on History

Willie Saylor, Editor

The PIAA State Wrestling Championships will be staged this weekend in Hershey. Always a triumphant affair, this year will be increasingly special, as it will serve as a swansong for perhaps the greatest senior class, from any one particular state, in the history of high school wrestling.

Pennsylvania has long been known as a hotbed of wrestling; since about, well, forever.

It’s the reason there’s the Dapper Dan Classic, which pits a national team of all-stars against the Keystone State’s top seniors; the reason there’s twelve Division I wrestling programs in the commonwealth, and a plethora more in lower divisions; the reason the state ranks at or near the top annually of NCAA All-Americans produced; and the reason Cael, ostensibly, came east.

No matter how you slice it, the consensus is that PA is always among the top states in high school wrestling each year. So, it’s not surprising that they have an outstanding crop of seniors this year. What is surprising, even by Pennsylvania standards, is the breadth and depth of their accomplishments.

Pennsylvania seniors account for half of the country’s #1 ranked wrestlers. Three are ranked 2nd (and another one, Sam Sherlock is, out with a knee injury). One is 3rd.

But that’s just rankings, right?

Don’t take my word for it, look at their accomplishments. Eight individuals in this group have made twenty-seven Fargo finals appearances, winning 15 USAW championships. Last summer alone, nine were in the top 4 in Fargo, as PA smashed their way to the team title with 71pts. Only Minnesota (48) and Illinois (39) had half as many points.

In folkstyle, Pennsylvania seniors dominated at the Super32, the country’s preeminent preseason tournament, last October crowning half of the champions (7) with eight finalists. Overall, 16 of this year’s PA seniors placed top 4 there.

In the nation’s most prestigious post-season tournament, the NHSCA’s, this year’s seniors have won the class title each of its respective years. Most notably, when, as sophomores, Mark Hartenstine and Colin Shober posted back-to-back finals falls. Also of note is, during this span, Spencer Myers (215) making the finals of NHSCA’s all three years he’s been in high school.

Here, I’ll break down all 28 weight classes as we count down to what will be a tremendous weekend of wrestling at the PIAA State Tournament.

AA
103
TOM’s #1 ranked wrestler and defending state champion, Nicky Roberts (North Star) is in the top bracket and should cruise to the semifinals where there will be an anticipated matchup with #14 Zain Retherford (Line Mountain), who, at 36-1 has won the King of the Mountain and Escape the Rock Tournaments. His only loss was to #12 Austin Miller (Hempfield, AAA) in the semi’s of the New Oxford Tournament. Corey Bush (Ridgeway) and David Sheesley (Mifflinburg), 3rd and 4th ranked in PA, respectively are set to meet in quarters. The winner of that should face Brad Farley (Bermudian Springs.

TOM’s PICK 1. Nicky Roberts 2. Brad Farley 3. Zain Retherford

112
Randy Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic) has been on a tear lately, winning his last 15 matches and capturing his 2nd District and Regional titles. A matchup with Cody Wheeler (Towanda), who two weeks ago knocked off David White, looms in the quarters. The winner will then most likely face Shady Side Academy’s Phil Elias to get to the finals. White (Athens), is the top ranked kid here, and a two-time state placer. He’s a wrestler who isn’t afraid to put himself in trouble and then funk his way out of it. He should face challenges in the bottom bracket from Westmont-Hilltop’s Josh Polacek and Penn Cambria’s Evan Link.

TOM’s PICK 1. Josh Polacek 2. Randy Cruz 3. Evan Link

119
A loaded weight, especially for AA, 119 features three guys in TOM’s Top 20. Shady Side’s Geoff Alexander, a seventh place finisher at the Ironman, and TOM’s #10 ranked Mike Rhone of Benton are the prohibitive favorites to come out of the top bracket. The bottom bracket features two TOM-ranked guys as returning state champion, and our #12, Arty Walsh (Juniata) figures to meet #3 Mason Beckman (Reynolds), this year’s Ironman and Manheim Champion.

TOM’s PICK 1. Mason Beckman 2. Mike Rhone 3. Arty Walsh

125
What this weight lacks in top-end firepower, it makes up for in depth. It’s likely to make my predictions look silly. Up top, the contenders should prove to be Dylan D’Urso (Reynolds) and Tyler Small of Delone. North Star’s Joe Lascari could also be a player here. The bottom half has a good number of contenders and the quarters will be highly entertaining. Dave Makara (Burrell) could meet Laike Gardner (Biglerville) in the quarters with the winner of Coltin Fought (Benton) and Zac Beitz (Juniata) likely waiting in the semi’s.

TOM’s PICK 1. Tyler Small 2. Coltin Fought 3. Dylan D’Urso

130
Could this be the year that Joe Spisak (Boiling Springs) get it done? Or is it Frank Martellotti’s year to get back on top? Both wrestlers are going for their 4th state medal. Spisak hasn’t been able to capture a title. Martellotti (Shady Side), TOM’s #13, was champ as a freshman and has been 3rd the past two years.
Those two are in opposite brackets. Spisak, who is up top, figures to get a test from Ron Garbinsky (Tyrone), who’s undefeated this year, in semi’s. Martelloti is on the bottom side with Brandon Pesarchick (Shamokin) and the two freshman phenoms, Austin Matthews (Reynolds), a Manheim Champ, and Pen Argyl’s Mikey Racciato.

TOM’s PICK 1. Joe Spisak 2. Frank Martelloti 3. Ron Garbinsky

135
The state top two wrestlers are in the top bracket and will meet in semi’s. Both #4AJ Schopp (Tyrone) and #8Nick Hodgkins (Wyomissing) are TOM-ranked and two-time state finalists. Hodgkins is the defending state champ. His only loss this year is to fellow defending state champion, Colin Shober at 140lbs. Schopp is undefeated.
The bottom half has three legitimate contenders. Undefeated Luke Frey (Montoursville) and Ridgeway’s Garrett Pisani are both two-time state placers. Westmont-Hilltop’s Trevor Kushner has one state medal.

TOM’s PICK 1. AJ Schopp 2. Garrett Pisani 3. Nick Hodgkins

140
Colin Shober. Wait. I’m supposed to say more than that? Shober’s (Schuykill Valley) the #2 Ranked 140lber in the country and just set the state’s all-time win mark last week. I don’t expect him to be touched until at least the finals when he’ll see Phil Steinberg, last year’s state runner-up. However, beyond Steinberg, there’s not other past medal winners in this group.

TOM’s PICK 1. Colin Shober 2. Phil Steinberg 3. Cody Copeland

145
145 certainly doesn’t lack the medal count that 140 did. A whopping six state medalist return to this bracket.
Up top there are three solid contenders. Pen Argyl’s Phil Racciato will likely meet Luke Taylor (Reynolds) in the quarters before hitting undefeated Aaron Fry (Muncy), in the semi’s.
TOM #7, Jordan Moss (Sharon), who has been top 4 in Hershey in each of his high school years, looms on the bottom. Shawn Perich (Portage) or Elias Biddle (Warrior Run) will most likely be his semi’s opponent.

TOM’s PICK 1. Jordan Moss 2. Aaron Fry 3. Phil Racciato

152

The right to be a state finalist from the top bracket will most likely be determined in the quarterfinal between freshman sensation and TOM’s #19, Cody Weircioch (Charleroi) and Tyler Hain (Warrior Run). Weircioch won this year’s POWERade Tournament by taking out Ohio state champion, Pierce Harger. Hain has been the state runner-up the past two years, once to Shober, once to Moss. Jr. Zack Strickland (Muncy) has virtually come out of nowhere to become a serious state title threat. He hasn’t won a state medal yet, he has just one loss (to Hain) on the year, and last week avenged that loss to win the regional qualifier. With him on the bottom side is Travis McKillop (Burrell), who gave Weircioch his only loss this season. Bethlehem Catholic’s Kyle Dehaut could also factor in for the title.

TOM’s PICK 1. Tyler Hain 2. Kyle Dehaut 3. Cody Weircioch

160
There’s two state champions here and no one is touching them. #5 Eric Hess (Benton) and #7 Dirk Cowburn have 4 finalist appearances and 3 state titles (Dirk has two) between them. And this may not be the last time they wrestle; Hess signed on to wrestle at Lehigh, PSU nabbed Cowburn.

TOM’s PICK 1. Eric Hess 2. Dirk Cowburn 3. Wes Phipps

171
Despite a disappointing Ironman performance in which he finished 7th, Matt Cunningham is a very good wrestler who, after finishing as runner-up last year, is still searching for his first state title. And he is set up well to get to the finals. Of the top eight ranked kids at this weight, just two are in Cunningham’s bottom bracket: himself and Glenn Miller (Hamburg), who he wrestles in the first match. He gets by that and he’ll be wrestling Saturday afternoon. Which means the top side is a meat-grinder. It features six of the top eight in the state including Lewendo Teague (Sharon) who was 3rd last year, and Dakota DesLaurier (Burrell), the fab freshman. My pick to win the top bracket, and it will be a barnburner, I predict, with Teague, is #16Nate Brown (Lewisburg), who is undefeated and the only kid to hand Dirk Cowburn a loss this year.

TOM’s PICK 1. Nate Brown 2. Matt Cunningham 3. Lewendo Teague

189
There’s not much state experience at this weight, this year. Just 6 of the 16 have ever been on the Giant Center floor, and only three have ever placed. Towanda’s Travis Chesla is the state’s top ranked 89er. He’s in the bottom bracket opposite PA’s #2 ranked Stephan Ceremuga (Perry). However Saucon Valley’s Ian Gimbar and Tamaqua’s Garth Lakitsky have been battling it out for the past two weeks in qualifiers. I think we see that match-up again.

TOM’s PICK 1. Garth Lakitsky 2. Ian Gimbar 3. Travis Chesla

215
Brian Beatty (Burrell) lost twice at Ironman to place 4th. He’s only lost twice the rest of the season. He’s on the bottom side with former state placer Nick Dawson (Mountoursville), who should be Beattie’s only real threat. Up top are several guys who could make a run. Brian Hooks (Perry), Eric Laytos (Lackawanna Trail), and Jamel Fortson (Mt. Union) will all vie for a spot in the finals.

TOM’s PICK 1. Brain Beattie 2. Brian Hooks 3. Eric Laytos

HWT
If I wasn’t aware of the knee injury TOM #6 Ty Demott (Benton) has had, I’d pick him in a heartbeat. But it’s been lingering for a while and could be cause for concern. Complicating matters here is that all the top guys have beaten each other at various times this year. From a fan’s perspective, it’s exciting that anyone could step up and win it.
Demott would have a tough road to go through. His first round match-up with Dan Fultz (Juniata) could spell trouble. Fultz has beaten several of the top guys in both AA and AAA this season. In his bottom bracket is undefeated Joe Chittester (Ridgeway), who Demott would meet in the quarters, and a potential match-up with Bethlehem-Center’s Jeff Tarley, who has just one loss, in the semi’s. The top figures to be a battle in the semi’s between Wes Tillet (Shamokin) and Williams Valley’s Ben Ancheff, although Dillon Sarcinella (Greenville), who would meet Tillet in the quarters, might have something to say about that. Aww, heck. In the end, I still gotta go with DeMott.

TOM’s PICK 1. Ty Demott 2. Wes Tillet 3. Joe Chittester

AAA
103
When a nationally ranked, and Fargo All-American wrestler (Tyson Dippery) can’t make it out of his qualifier, you know there’s a deep weight. The SouthCentral qualifier was insane, and those guys figure to be major players in the state title race at Hershey. Chris Vasser (Cedar Cliff) was the third place finisher in that qualifier (and the man to knock off Dippery). He’s in the top bracket with a potential barnburner set up in the quarters with Liberty’s Anthony Cabrera. The winner of that should see #12 Austin Miller (Hempfield) in the semi’s if he can get past Ethan Kenney (Connelsville) in the quarters. Kenney recently knocked off POWERade Champ, Conner Schram, in the SouthWestern regional finals
I like Evan DiSora (Easton) to reach the semi’s from the top 4 of the bottom bracket. Half of his eight losses this season were to Cabrera. Facing him should be the winner of Connor Schram (Canon-Mac), and #5 Jordan Conaway (New Oxford). Conaway’s only loss this year came to Miller, who he’s also beaten twice.

TOM’s PICK 1. Austin Miller 2. Jordan Conaway 3. Connor Schram

112
TOM #8Corey Keener (Blue Mountain) is the pick to win the top bracket. The sophomore is a Fargo All-American and Ironman placer. His main competition to get to the finals will likely come in the semi’s from Hempfield’s Paul Bewak, last year’s state runner-up to Jimmy Gulibon. #2 Gulibon (Derry) sits in the bottom bracket and shouldn’t face any immediate threats to his talents. Top contenders will likely be Devon Litito (Liberty), who was NorthEast regional runner-up to Keener, and Dereck Enders (Big Spring), who is making his second trip to Hershey.

TOM’s PICK 1. Jimmy Gulibon 2. Corey Keener 3. Paul Bewak

119
This weight is an absolute meat-grinder with a ton on talented kids who all are Hershey veterans.
The top bracket is particularly loaded. Right off the bat, two senior state placers will meet in Anthony Marino (Liberty) who’s been on an absolute tear recently, and Alex Dunaway (McGuffey). If Marino, who lost in state semi’s last year to Megaludis, should get by Dunaway, he would most likely get Matt Malfaro (Boyertown), a two-time state qualifier who is currently ranked third in the state. (This is just to settle the quarters. Are you getting my drift?) The favorite to win the second quarterfinal is Meadville’s Shelton Mack, another two-time qualifier to Hershey. The bottom bracket features defending state champion and Fargo finalist, Nico Megaludis (Franklin), TOM’s #2 ranked wrestler in the country. Although he is a safe bet to get to the finals, competition will come in the form of Matt Harkins (Hatboro) and Dylan Nguyen (Red Lion).

TOM’s PICK 1. Nico Megaludis 2. Anthony Marino 3. Matt Malfaro

125
Every year there seems to be one wrestler to get hot and put a stop to #8 Zach Horan’s title run. Horan, still just a junior, lost in state finals as a freshman to then-senior Mark Rappo, and last year to Megaludis. Horan sits in the top bracket with Cam Throckmorton (Southwestern HS), a two-time state placer ranked 3rd in the state, and Matt Rappo (Council Rock South), the SouthEast regional champ. The kid that’s hot? Mitchell Port (Bellefonte) has been on a tear this year. Last spring he won NHSCA Junior National’s and hasn’t looked back. He’s rocketed up the rankings and now sits as the #2 man in the country after defeating Devin Carter of Virginia in the POWERade semifinals. Carter, ironically, is the only wrestler to beat Horan this year (in Beast of the East finals).

TOM’s PICK 1. Zach Horan 2. Mitchell Port 3. Cameron Throckmorton

130
With Sam Sherlock out, a new champion will be crowned among a contingent that has a cashe of state medals already.
Right out of the gates, #5 Steve Spearman (Erie McDowell) will face last year’s state runner-up, Tyler Rauenzahn (Blue Mountain). Another stellar first round match-up will be Jordan Toledo (Pleasant Valley), who is making his fourth appearance in Hershey, and Greater Latrobe’s Ty Lydic. There is a star to be born in the bottom bracket. Whoever should emerge from this talented group will certainly make a name for themselves. The top contenders are Mitch Minotti (Easton), who made his TOM ranking debut this week at #19. He’s looking at a tough quarterfinal match-up with LaSalle’s Matt Cimato or Erik Galloway of State College. The last semifinalist should be determined between the always dangerous Tyler Buckman (Central Dauphin) and Soph. Tyler Zymroz of Pittsburgh Central Catholic, coached by former Penn State National Champion, Sanshiro Abe.

TOM’s PICK 1. Steve Spearman 2. Mitch Minotti 3. Tyler Buckman

135
The top bracket is a lot like 119’s; not a lot of national names, but a minefield of good wrestlers. Alex Pelliciotti, a two-time state placer who last week wrestled #1 Josh Dziewa to a 1-0 score, should have a quarters match up with Travis Shaffer (Derry), who placed at the Super32 last October and who also has two state medals. The other quarterfinals should be determined by Cumberland Valley’s Shawn Greevy and Crestwood’s Hunter McGraw, who knocked off Joey Rizzolino (Easton) last weekend. Rizzolino will have to contend with #1Josh Dziewa in the quarters. Dziewa, who had to sit out last year after transferring schools, is still looking for his first state title despite winning national events such as the Super32 (twice) and Fargo. A potential clash of stars could occur in the semi’s as Dziewa’s opponent will most likely be #5 Jordan Rich (Central Mountain), already a three-time state medalist.

TOM’s PICK 1. Josh Dziewa 2. Alex Pelliciotti 3. Jordan Rich

140
Two years ago, the only thing between Josh Kindig and a sweep of district, regional, and state titles was a returning state champion from Easton by the name of Jordan Oliver, who beat him in the finals of those tournaments on three consecutive weekends. Next year, #1Kindig and Oliver will be teammates at Oklahoma State. And on the final weekend of his high school season, he’s looking to repay the favor to the Red Rovers as Kindig, defending his state title from last year, has beaten #3 Mark Hartenstine in districts and regionals the last two weeks; Hartenstine’s only two losses of the year. Kindig’s likely semifinal opponent should be Central Mountain’s Brian Brill, a Fargo National Runner-Up.
Hartenstine will probably have to contend with Pittsburgh CC’s Lorenzo Thomas, who earlier this year knocked off nationally ranked Joel Smith (GA) in the POWERade tournament.

TOM’s PICK 1. Josh Kindig 2. Mark Hartenstine 3. Lorenzo Thomas

145
#1Andrew Alton. The senior who has won just about every national event you can think of will look for another title. The only question about this weight will be who he meets in the finals. The three best wrestlers: Alton, Bo Candelaria (Middletown) and Ryan Krecker (Nazareth) are all in the top bracket. Candelaria and Krecker will meet in quarters with the winner facing Alton. The bottom bracket is kind of fuzzy as Mike Ottinger (Parkland), would be the favorite, but is being reported as out with a sever injury. Look for Jake Kondrlik of Corry, who Alton beat in regional finals, to be opposite Andrew on Saturday night.

TOM’s PICK 1. Andrew Alton 2. Jake Kondrlik 3. Ryan Krecker

152
#1Dylan Alton. What was written above about Andrew holds true here, including the part about the top wrestlers being in his bracket. Outside of Dylan, the best two wrestlers at this weight are in the top bracket with him. In the quarters, Dylan will likely have Fargo an Super32 placer, Jayshon Wilson (Carlisle). Northampton’s Austin Sommer should make the semi’s. Again, like his brother’s bracket, his finals match-up might be a replay of the NorthWest regional finals. To get their from the bottom bracket, Zach Towers (Meadville) will have a potential semi’s with Kiski’s Zack Shannon.

TOM’s PICK 1. Dylan Alton 2. Zack Shannon 3. Autsin Sommers

160
Despite the all-world #1Marshall Peppelman being the odds-on favorite here, there’s plenty to be interested in. This weight is absolutely loaded. Probably the deepest in the tournament between both divisions. Peppelman is in the bottom bracket and will face the winner of Nick Bonnacorsi (Bethel Park), a former state medalist, and Colton Spade (Lewistown), whose only loss this season came to Mark Havers last weekend. The bottom four also have three distinct standouts. If John Bolich (Upper Moreland) gets by Big Spring’s Luke Etter, he’ll face Hazleton’s Pat LaBuz, who was this year’s Bethlehem Holiday Tournament Champion, and whose only loss on the year was to AA state champion Eric Hess. Whew! That was just the bottom bracket. The top bracket is equally as deep and without the clear-cut favorite that the bottom has in Peppelman. Let’s try to make some sense of it. Troy Reaghard( West Allegheny) is up at the top. A two-time state qualifier still looking for his first state medal, Reagard’s had a phenomenal year, losing just twice (both at the POWERade tournament at 171) to Kenny Courts and National Prep Runner-Up, Bobby Bowman. Reaghard will meet John Staudenmayer (Plymouth-Whitemarsh) in the quarters. Staudenmayer also has just two losses on the year: one to Peppelman, the other up at 171 to Tristan Warner. The other quarterfinals will feature #17Mark Havers (Bradford) who was last year’s runner-up to Peppelman, and whose only loss this year is to #7Dirk Cowburn (5-3). His opponent is likely to be Parkland’s Wade Rivera, who has lost to just three people this season: LaBuz (twice), Peppelman, and Wyoming Seminary’s National Prep Champ, Chris Moon. This is a complete crapshoot. Pay attention to this weight even in the early rounds. After Peppelman, your guess is as good as mine.

TOM’s PICK 1. Marshall Peppelman 2. Mark Havers 3. John Staudemayer

171
It seems ages ago that Kenny Courts(Central Dauphin) burst onto the scene, winning King of the Mountain and Beast of the East titles and OWs as his freshman year began, and just before an injury would end cut his spectacular season short. In reality it was just two years ago. Now a junior and ranked #4 by TOM, Courts is still looking for his first state title. Last year he lost in the finals to Jake Kemerer (Hempfield) who is now at Penn State. Courts is undefeated with Beast and POWERade titles, but he has had a couple close matches, so while still a heavy favorite, it’s not a foregone conclusion. Competion will come from Clint Morrison (Cedar Cliff), himself a state runner-up last year, who Courts could meet in the semi’s. Courts has already beaten Morrison multiple times this season. Also of note in the top bracket are Jermaine Easter (Erie Prep) and Robbie Fitzgerald of Downingtown East. There isn’t a slouch in the group in the bottom bracket. Even early-round match-ups will be dynamite. Central Mountain’s Dylan Caprio, an Escape the Rock Champ, has a first round match with Stroudsburg’s Matt Transue. Undefeated Ty Wilps (Chartiers Valley) will face Bobby Lavelle (CR South). These four will vie to to occupy one semi’s slot. Another killer opening match will be James Nicholson (Upper Moreland) vs. Tristan Warner (Cumberland Valley), a Super32 Champ. The winner will most likely have Jared Kay of Hazelton, in the quarters.

TOM’s PICK 1. Kenny Courts 2. Ty Wilps 3. Clint Morrison

189
What this weight lacks in depth, it makes up for in absolute studs. There are three TOM-ranked wrestlers here, two of which are Super32 Champs and another that was an NHSCA finalist. At last year’s state tournament, #Jamie Callendar (CR North) and #16Andre Petroski (Springfield-Delco) both lost to eventual state champion, Tony Dallago; Callendar in finals, Petroski in semi’s. Callendar, who won Super32’s last October at 215, is in the bottom bracket that doesn’t figure to offer him much trouble. Look for Crestwood’s Mike Mirra to give him his stiffest competition in semi’s. It’s the top bracket that’s loaded. Petroski has a tough first round match up with Parkland’s Tarik Haddad. His next match, the quarters, he will have to face the Super32 Champ at 189 from this year, #8Antonio Giorgio (Warwick). The winner of that clash will face a potential match-up with Corry’s Michael Pollard, a three-time state qualifier whose only loss of the season came in POWERade finals to Callendar (9-4).

TOM’s PICK 1. Antonio Giorgio 2. Jamie Callendar 3. Andre Petroski

215
This weight returns both of last year’s state finalists. Thankfully, they’re on opposite sides of the bracket. While they’re obviously the favorites, nothing is carved in stone, and everything behind them is a dogfight. While PA is not historically deep across the state in the upperweights, this year, they’re loaded. #10Nate Gaffney, the returning state champ out of Connelsville, is in the top bracket. He’ll get the winner of undefeated Zach Nye (East Pennsboro) and Central Mountain’s Brook Gosch, who was 5th at the Ironman and 6th at the POWERade, where Gaffney won the title.
The second group of four features a great first-round match-up between Bald Eagle’s Jon Gingrich who was 4th in the state last year, and Whitehall’s Taray Carey, who suffered his first and only loss of the season last week to Spencer Myers in the NorthEast regional finals. The winner of this match gets Souderton’s Joe Stolfi who has just one loss on the year; to #2 189lber, Andrew Campolattano, recently crowned a NJ state champion for the third time. #2 Spencer Myers (Selingsgrove) is in the bottom bracket. He had last year’s state title seemingly wrapped up before suffering a serious ankle injury. Gaffney came back to win, 5-4. Since then, Myers went on to become a Fargo All-American in freestyle, make a finals appearance at the NHSCA’s, and anchor his team to win a state title in football. Myers will face Nick Ruggear (Oxford), whose only losses were to nationally ranked wrestlers this season, in the quarters. *(Note, Ruggear’s first round opponent, Cody Dolan of Central Mountain, is reported out with an injury.) The final semifinalist will come from a group featuring Sean Sadosky (St. Mary’s), Travis Friend (Cumberland Valley) and Scott Syrek (Owen J. Roberts). Sadosky, who is undefeated, and Syrek, the Escape the Rock overtime Runner-Up to NJ State Champion, #12Zach Greenwald, will meet in the first round. Both of these wrestlers are state medal winners from last year.

TOM’s PICK 1. Spencer Myers 2. Nate Gaffney 3. Sean Sadosky

HWT
The surprising depth in the upperweights across PA found it’s way into the heavyweight division as well. With a good mix of old veterans and talented newcomers, this class will be entertaining. Last year’s state champion #4Evan Craig (Abington Heights) returns. But he’ll face tests throughout. His toughest competition might be his potential  quarterfinal opponent, Adam Lazenga (Bethel Park) will meet him in quarters. Lazenga was a state medalist at 215 last year. His only loss on the season is to #6 Ty Demott in POWERade semi’s. The other quarter is a group of four off-the-radar type guys who all have talent. The Caleb Baker (General McLane) vs. Cole Dillman (Conestoga Valley) will be a particularly good first round match-up. On the bottom side, I like Zach Corl (Central Mountain), an 8th place finisher last year, to make the semi’s, where he’ll meet talented sophomore, Averee Robinson of Susquehanna Township.

TOM’s PICK 1. Evan Craig 2. Zach Corl 3. Adam Lazenga