Locals at Class AA States

  A breakdown of each of the local wrestlers and what lies ahead this week, in order by weight class. For the full brackets, go to the page here.

113 pounds
Josh Brown, Claysburg (27-7) - Brown is a senior and a two-time state qualifier. He won the District 6-AA title and finished fourth in the Southwest Regional. His first-round opponent is Troy's Ethan Calkins, the Northeast Regional champion. The two other wrestlers in Brown's quarter of the draw are Northwest second placer Cody Blankenship of Kane, and Wyomissing's Alec Torres, the third place finisher in the Southeast Regional. At first glance at this bracket, there are some very good wrestlers in the bottom half, including Boiling Springs' Korbin Myers, Redbank Valley's Willie Gruver, and Ligonier Valley's Justin Patrick. Also there are Derry's George Phillippi, who beat Brown for third place on Saturday, and Tri-Valley's Caleb Bordner.

120 pounds
Ryan Easter, Bedford (33-2) - Easter is a junior who finished fifth in the state two years ago at 103, and sixth last year at 113. He won his third District 5 championship and finished second for the third time at the regional. A top eight this coming weekend would make him just the third Bedford wrestler to capture three state medals. Thursday's opener has Easter against Saucon Valley's Bryan Israel. Easter beat Israel in the state tournament consolations two years ago. The winner would likely see Saegertown's Tyler Vath, the Northwest champion. Also in the bottom half of this draw are Pen Argyl's Matt Williams, who Easter beat in overtime in last year's first round, and Benton's Matt Welliver, who defeated Easter in overtime last year in the consolation semifinals. Last year's 106-pound champion, Darian Cruz of Bethlehem Catholic, is at the top of the bracket. Ligonier Valley's Josh Patrick, the Southwest champion and still unbeaten, is on Cruz's side of the rundown.

152 pounds
Tanner Williams, Bedford (34-5) - Williams is a senior who won the District 5 championship and placed third in the Southwest Regional. He is making the trip to the individual state tournament for the first time. Williams is making the most of his final high school postseason after missing last year's district tournament and possibly beyond because of a broken hand suffered in the state duals. His first round opponent on Thursday is Halifax's Robbie Moretz, 39-1 and second in the Southeast Regional. Milton's Ryan Preisch and Bethlehem Catholic's Mark Maloney are the other wrestlers in this quarter of the bracket. Reynolds' stud Austin Matthews is also in the bottom half here.

170 pounds
Tyler Dibert, Chestnut Ridge (38-5) - A senior, Dibert became the 12th District 5 wrestler in history to win four titles, before he placed third in the Southwest Regional this weekend. He has been to the last two state tournaments, but hasn't had much success. His final chance at a medal begins with a first-round bout against South Williamport's Justin Knee, the Northeast runner-up. Union City's Tim Vargo and Biglerville's Josh Asper are in that quarter of the draw.

Caleb Grimes, Bedford (26-12) - Grimes is a senior. He finished second in District 5 and fourth in the Southwest Regional, losing to Dibert in both place bouts. Grimes wasn't picked by many to reach the state tournament, but he first made the decision to jump from 160 to 170 for the postseason, then has been wrestling well enough to advance. Slotted at the bottom of the bracket, Grimes will see Northeast champ Ben Minnich of North Penn first on Thursday. Tristan Sponseller of Bermudian Springs, a state placewinner last year, is the highlight wrestler in his quarter of things.

195 pounds
Dan Albright, Chestnut Ridge (36-6) - Albright is a senior who won his second straight district title two weeks ago, and he finished fourth at regionals. Having wrestled only in high school, Albright has come a long way and finds himself in his first state tournament. His first round opponent is Corry's Ryan Morris, the Northwest Regional champion. Win or lose, he could see Kittanning's Zac Croyle, who he lost to, 5-3, in the regional semifinals. Milton's Ryan Solomon is also in the top half of the draw, while Chartiers-Houston's Garrett Vulcano and Trinity's Adam Geiger are down below.

285 pounds
Mitchell Hall, Tussey Mountain (31-3) - Hall is a senior who won a District 5 title and finished third in the Southwest Regional, beating Chestnut Ridge's Austin Buttry in both of those placement bouts plus the finals of January's Thomas Subaru Tournament. More on Buttry below. Hall gets Union City's Jeff Burger in the first round.

Austin Buttry, Chestnut Ridge (37-6) - Buttry is a junior. His fourth place finish at the Southwest Regional means a first-rounder with Southeast champion Brent Sterner of Susquenita. Buttry and Hall are both in the same quarter of the bracket, which could mean either a quarterfinal bout or a first round consolation between the local foes.