Season is days away

   Are we there yet?
   Remember when you might have asked your parents that when you were going somewhere. Well, that question applies to me again here, when the wrestling season is within my vision of starting. I'm like a kid in a candy store this time of year.
   Locally, the season begins Saturday with one dual meet as Bedford hosts Claysburg. I'll be on hand to catch a first view of the Bisons and Bulldogs this year, before heading to Penn State on Sunday for the sold out match with Pitt at the Bryce Jordan Center.
   Next week's high school slate has a variety of matches and tournaments. To view a list of selected events, see http://springintosports.blogspot.com/2013/11/dates-to-remember-for-local-wrestling.html
   You can also access my preseason primer at http://springintosports.blogspot.com/2013/10/preseason-primer.html
   I do encourage everyone to get a copy of the Bedford Gazette's Winter Sports Preview, which comes out on Friday. In it, I have more of an in-depth look at each of the local teams. For now, here's a quick look at my early take on Districts 5 and 6 in Class AA this winter.

District 5
   Despite the last six years being dominated by Bedford and Chestnut Ridge, it's not a stretch at all to think the best team in District 5 may reside in Somerset County this season. But it very well could be as on paper, Berlin has to be considered a co-favorite going in, at the least. The Mountaineers already were going to be pretty good, with Joey Swank, Braden and Bryce Fochtman, and Stew Trulick leading them. Then came word that Taylor Cahill and younger brother Toby transferred in from Conemaugh Township. Taylor Cahill was one win from a state medal last season, while Toby Cahill finished second in the PJW Championships. The Fochtmans, Swank, and Trulick combined for 130 wins in a Berlin singlet.
   If Berlin is a co-favorite, the other is Chestnut Ridge, who lost seven seniors but has a strong nucleus of kids returning that should keep the Lions very formidable as they try to defend their district dual meet and tournament titles.
   And while Bedford may not be seen as one of the top squads overall, the Bisons have a handful of very good wrestlers, led by returning state finalist Ryan Easter.

District 6
   Based on who's coming back, it appears that the District 6-AA race is likely between Huntingdon, Mount Union, and West Branch. Huntingdon has nine wrestlers that won at least 20 bouts last season returning, and I know that Jacob Oliver is a promising newcomer for the Bearcats. Huntingdon is led by sophomore lightweight Collin Glorioso, a 39-bout winner and last year's third-place medalist at states. Mount Union's returning nucleus is senior-heavy with a lot of experience. West Branch welcomes back four 30-bout winners, including state medalist Morgan Selepack at heavyweight. I would also throw in Penns Valley as a darkhorse. The Rams have four or five solid kids, though they did lose Michael Rogers to Wyoming Seminary in the offseason.

   For a closer look at the returning wrestlers in both districts, Eric Knopsnyder did a nice job putting all of that together on his Knop's Knotes blog: http://knopsnyder.blogspot.com/2013/12/complete-guide-to-returning-wrestlers.html