SW Regional Glance

   Here is a look at the SW Regional Brackets and some highlight matchups for Friday's action. The full brackets can be found here. And the time schedule for the weekend can be found here.

106 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinals
   Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford (30-2) vs. Austin Griffiths, Southmoreland (28-3) - Gabriel won District 5, while Griffiths was second in District 7. Griffiths was third in the state at this weight last year.

   Brendan Howard, Jefferson-Morgan (36-5) vs. Triston Law, Forest Hills (27-3) - Law won the District 6 title. Howard was third in the loaded D7 bracket.

Noted here is that the Gabriel/Griffiths and Howard/Law losers will likely meet in the third round consolations, with the loser there being done for the year.

113 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Josh Brown, Claysburg (25-5) vs. Zach Swarrow, Beth-Center (20-6) - Brown got a monkey off his back by winning the District 6 title. Swarrow third in District 7, but he seems to thrive late in the season with a pair of state medals in his pocket already. Brown beat Swarrow in overtime in the semifinals of the Thomas Subaru Tournament last month.

126 pounds
Highlight first-round bouts
   Vince Vahaly, Bentworth (29-5) vs. Collin Day, Meyersdale (35-8) - Vahaly was second in D7, with Day third in a strong District 5 group. Day was a state qualifier last year at 120, with Vahaly a win short of Hershey at 126 last year.

   Pat Dewitt, Valley (31-9) vs. Trent Crouse, Chestnut Ridge (34-6) - Dewitt fourth in District 7, Crouse second in District 5.

132 pounds
Highlight first-round bout
   Brennon Shields, Southern Huntingdon (25-1) vs. Shane Gentry, South Side Beaver (35-3) - Two pretty solid wrestlers here who didn't win district titles. Shields second in D6, and Gentry was fourth in the WPIAL.

145 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Tanner Sutton, Chartiers-Houston (38-6) vs. Drew Gartland, Northern Bedford (28-1) - Sutton, a returning state qualifier, was second in District 7. Gartland second in District 5.

182 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Gavin Berkley, Meyersdale (39-2) vs. Terrell Fields, Valley (33-5) - Berkley impressive all season and coming off a District 5 title. Fields second in District 7.

195 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Jacob Nickelson, Somerset (26-2) vs. James Stodart, Moshannon Valley (28-2) - Nickelson settled for third in District 5 after being surprisingly pinned in semifinals. Stodart is the District 6 champion.

220 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Reynold Maines, West Branch (33-4) vs. Jake Bennett, HOPE for Hyndman (35-1) - Maines fourth in District 6 but likely better than that when healthy. Ankle injury is a big question with him. Bennett continued a strong season by winning the D5 title.

285 pounds
Projected highlight quarterfinal
   Mitchell Hall, Tussey Mountain (27-2) vs. Jacob Beistel, Southmoreland (30-3) - Hall won District 5 title to become Tussey's first district gold medalist since Mark Brown in 2010. Just a freshman, Beistel was second in D7.