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Last year at this time there was a buzz all over the Giant Center that changes were coming to the PIAA Championships.
About two months later, it was made official at the PIAA meeting that the state’s wrestling tournament was going to increase to 20-wrestler brackets in all 28 weight classes (14 in each classification).
The event’s new look starts this season with one more round consisting of four bouts per weight, but according to the PIAA website, there is no change in Thursday’s start time. The start time is still 9 a.m. with the Class 2A tournament beginning.
The only change is that the break in between the conclusion of the first round of consolations in the 2A event and the start of the 3A tournament, which is slated to start at 4 p.m.
It actually turns out to be just 56 extra matches, and when using six mats, the extra round shouldn’t take much more than an hour.
“They did a lot of research with everything and the extra wrestling and they think it will work though so we’ll see,” said state rules interpreter John Hossage. “You never know when there’s a change, but they think it will be OK.”
Friday’s and Saturday’s schedule remains the same as it was the last three years with the finals, third, fifth and seventh-place matches all taking place at the same time in the respective classifications.
Defending their title
A total of 11 wrestlers begin their quest for multiple state golds this season with only two of them in Class 2A and both in the same bracket. Boiling Springs’ Korbin Myers and Derry Area’s George Phillippi are both slotted in the 132-pound weight. Myers won last year, while Phillippi won gold in 2013.
In Class 3A, Franklin Regional’s Devin Brown (113) and Greater Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher (132) are shooting for state title No. 3. A pair of Bethlehem Catholic wrestlers, Jake Reigel (120) and Luke Karam (126) are trying to accomplish the feat in 3A a year after winning in Class 2A.
In Reigel’s weight is Brown’s teammate Spencer Lee, who won last year. Rounding out the returning state champs are Penn Trafford’s Cameron Coy and Hempfield’s Sam Krivus, both at 138 with Krivus winning in 2013, Central Catholic’s Vincenzo Joseph (152) and Governor Mifflin’s Jan Johnson at 195.
Going for perfection
The number of undefeated wrestlers entering the PIAA Championships is 26, with 13 in each classification. The most wins by any of them is Dylan Reynolds from Saegertown, who enters the 195-pound 2A bracket with a 46-0 mark.
Also unbeaten in the 2A bracket is Wyoming Area’s Charlie Johnson, who is 34-0 and wrestling at 126.
In Class 3A, Franklin Regional’s Spencer Lee, also a defending state champion, has the most wins of those with no losses with 44.
Thor sets record
Scranton Prep’s Thor Balavage, an Avoca resident, made school history last weekend at the Class 2A Northeast Regional.
When the 220-pounder qualified for the state tournament, he became the first in school history to do so.
Rangers roaring
Benton qualified five wrestlers for this week’s Class 2A PIAA Championships with all five of them being students at Northwest as part of the co-operational agreement.
Alan Diltz (106), Mike Stuart (126), Anthony Vitale (132), Dominic Vitale (152) and Logan Womelsdorf (195) all qualified for the state tournament at last weekend’s regional event for the Tigers.
Diltz was the lone champ of the five, while Dominic Vitale and Womelsdorf were regional runner-up.
Stuart and Anthony Vitale both finished third at their weight.
Nine place at PJWs
The Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling Junior High State Tournament was held last weekend with nine wrestlers representing schools in the Wyoming Valley Conference grabbing medals.
Wyoming Area’s Lincoln Heck was the highest medalist finishing second in the 82-pound weight class.
Dallas was the team with the most medalists as Michael Doggett took fourth at 147 and Steven Newell placed sixth at 140.
Also at 82 pounds, Wyoming Valley West’s JJ White placed fourth and Nanticoke’s Dillon Kruczek was sixth.
At 92 pounds, Valley West’s David Krokowski was eighth, while Tunkhannock’s Tommy Traver placed fifth at 117. Lake-Lehman’s Jacob Stefanowicz took eighth in the 132-pound weight bracket and Crestwood’s Paul Ashton rounded out the medalists taking eighth at 212.