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When it comes to familiarity between opponents in the two District 2 Duals finals, the matchups could not be more different.

When Lake-Lehman and Hanover Area battle it out for the Class 2A championship, those teams will know each other very well. At the same 1:30 p.m. time at Pittston Area High School on an adjacent mat, Scranton and Tunkhannock will duke it out for the 3A title in a dual between opponents who might not know much about the other.

On the Class 2A mat, you have Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 foes squaring off for the second time this year. The familiarity goes further than that as members of those two squads have faced off in individual matches of tournaments more than a dozen times during the last two seasons.

“I think it’s a good thing for my kids and myself because you get to kinda see what their kids can do and what moves a team likes to do as a team,” Hanover Area coach Anthony Mercadante said. “But it’s the same advantage for their team.”

The Class 3A matchup between the Tigers and Knights pits two teams who have been on a roll all season, but haven’t wrestled in a dual or individual tournament together since last season’s Northeast Regional. They haven’t met in a dual meet in at least 10 seasons.

They are so unfamiliar with each other that individuals have only matched up three times combined over the last three seasons, and all three were in the individual district tournament.

“I like it that way, but we did see some of their kids in the offseason,” Tigers coach Bob Hegedty said. “I’d just rather it that way because if the kids see each other a lot they know each other’s style.”

While a lot may not be known entering the finals, what is known is that both finals should be close matches with jam-packed action that can go either way.

When the championship matches start they will wrap up a morning and afternoon of wrestling, which starts with the Class 2A consolation semifinal matches at 9 a.m. between Meyers and Valley View, and Western Wayne versus Montrose.

The district champions will advance to the first round of the PIAA Team Championships on Thursday and Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. The Class 2A winner faces the District 7 (WPIAL) champion in Thursday’s opening round, while the 3A titlist will square off with the District 11 champ on Thursday night.

Lake-Lehman vs. Hanover Area

How they got here: Lehman’s only divisional loss came via the eighth criteria to Meyers 15 days ago. The WVC Division 2 runner-up beat Valley View (45-21) and Western Wayne (35-27) to reach the final with the win over the Wildcats avenging a loss in last year’s district semis. …The Hawkeyes, who seem to have a flare for the dramatics this season with close losses to Meyers and Lake-Lehman in the regular season, pulled out a dramatic win over the Mohawks (33-31) in the semifinals when Noah Rakowski won by decision, 3-1 with all three points coming late in the third period. Hanover Area knocked off Scranton Prep, 51-27 in the quarters.

Looking for… The Black Knights are looking for their first duals title since beating Western Wayne for the crown in 2004. They are also trying to snap a skid of losing their last seven times in the finals. Hanover Area is attempting to win its second duals championship with the only other win coming in 1998 when the team defeated Lake-Lehman.

Previous meeting: Lake-Lehman won 34-30 when R.J. Driscoll broke a 30-all tie in the last match with a major decision giving the Black Knights the win.

Key weight: As many as five toss-up bouts can occur in this one, but with bumping around the only one that is known for sure will be at 220-pounds. That’s where Lehman’s Mike Slivinski has defeated Nick Hannon twice this season, but both times have been very close with the last one coming in overtime.

Quotable: “We wrestle 12 matches and we have to win seven out of 12 and get maybe two pins in there and a couple extra bonus points,” Hawkeyes coach Anthony Mercadante said. “Us getting bonus points is going to help us because it’s going to be close.”

Prediction: Lake-Lehman, 34-32. The Black Knights’ advantage is when the Hawkeyes have to forfeit two weights and Lehman might only give up one. Even though one fall could cancel out the forfeit, it’s still a favorable position for Lehman.

Scranton vs. Tunkhannock

How they got here: The Knights ended Delaware Valley’s seven-year run as Lackawanna League Division 1 champion to wrap up the top seed from that conference. They followed that with wins over West Scranton (52-21) and Hazleton Area (48-15) to secure a spot in the finals…Tunkhannock won its first-ever non-shared Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 title after being co-champion last year with Hazleton Area and Coughlin. The Tigers also had convincing wins in their tourney openers walloping Honesdale (69-3) before avenging a loss to Delaware Valley (47-23) from last year’s semifinals.

Looking for… After reaching the finals for the first time in school history last year, Scranton won the title and is looking to repeat as duals champs. The Tigers advanced to the finals for the first time in school history thanks to two wins on Wednesday.

Previous meeting: A long time ago. There is no record of these teams meeting in at least the 10 years, and they have never faced off in the previous 17 years of the District 2 Duals Tournament.

Key weight: It seems likely that a pair of freshmen will lock up at 126 with Tunkhannock’s Tommy Traver facing Jeremiah Oakes. Traver has a record of 27-4, while Oakes is 21-7. They both defeated Hazleton Area returning state qualifier Chris Lasecki; Traver by fall and Oakes by decision.

Quotable: “If we come out wrestling like we could it’s going to be real close. If not, they’re the type of team that can jump on you quick,” Tunkhannock coach Bob Hegedty said.

Prediction: Scranton, 32-31. These teams are extremely close and the score should indicate that. Scranton gets the edge due to the experience of being the defending duals champions.

By Dave Rosengrant

[email protected]

IF YOU GO

District 2 Duals Finals

(at Pittston Area H.S., 1:30 p.m.)

Class 2A: Lake-Lehman vs. Hanover Area

Class 3A: Tunkhannock vs. Scranton

At Stake: The winners advance to the first round of the PIAA Team Championships on Thursday and Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant