SW Regional Preview Part 2

   Below is my analysis for 152-285 at the Class AA Southwest Regional in Johnstown this weekend. For the schedule and my look at 106-145, see last post in this blog.

Tournament Breakdown from 152-285

   152 - Burrell's Steven Edwards and Blairsville's Andrew Doak have the byes. Doak's half of the draw appears tougher on paper with Berlin's Taylor Cahill, South Fayette's Grant Fetchet, and South Park's Greg Bulsak all there. Cahill-Fetchet and Doak-Bulsak are likely quarterfinal matchups. Keep an eye on Penns Valley's Seth Decker.

   Predicted D5 wrestler to qualify for states: Cahill.

   160 - South Fayette's Jared Walker and Berlin's Bryce Fochtman got the byes at 160, and these two could very well see each other in another final. Cambria Heights' Levi Niebauer, the other district champ at this weight, is in Fochtman's half.

   Predicted D5 wrestler to qualify for states: Fochtman.

   170 - Penns Valley's Corey Hazel and Jefferson-Morgan's Bill Bowlen are the finals favorites here in my opinion. A highlight quarterfinal if it happens is Somerset's Landon Lohr against Richland's Nico Pecora. Pecora beat Lohr three times in a one-week stretch in January. I give Northern Bedford's Lucas Kolinchak, who is opposite Hazel in the top half, a decent shot to make it through to Hershey.

   Predicted D5 wrestlers to qualify for states: Lohr, Kolinchak.

   182 - Three very good wrestlers highlight the field here at 182 — Blairsville's Scott Thompson, Meyersdale's Gavin Berkley, and Valley's Terrell Fields. Thompson and Fields have the byes. Berkley and Fields are on a collision course for the semifinals. I don't know enough about West Greene's Dalton Wildman and West Shamokin's Brendon Glover, but it appears one or both could make noise. Chestnut Ridge's Conner Buttry could see Wildman in the quarterfinals.

   Predicted D5 wrestler to qualify for states: Berkley.

   195 - HOPE for Hyndman's Jake Bennett received a bye and is on the bottom half of the draw, while United's Tyler Oliver has it up top. Like last season, Bennett enters the regional tournament with only one loss. But he failed to get out last year. The other top wrestlers to watch here should be WPIAL mates Marcus Davenport of Valley and Brad Grinnen of Ellwood City. Berlin's Toby Cahill is in Oliver's half of the bracket.

   Predicted D5 wrestler to qualify for states: Bennett.

   220 - Avella's Jake Temple and West Branch's Reynold "Buzzy" Maines are both unbeaten and have the byes here. Those two appear like the championship final participants, though Kittanning's Jacob Robb could have something to say about it. He's on Maines' side of the bracket. Last month, Robb put a big win on his card by going to heavyweight and majoring Burrell's Allan Beattie, 13-1.

   Predicted D5 wrestlers to qualify for states: None.

   285 - In all my years of being involved with New Jersey and Pennsylvania wrestling in some capacity, I can say I'm looking forward to this heavyweight bracket as much if not more than any other I can remember. That said, next week in Hershey could and should be even better. Sure, we'll probably see the usual 2-1 no-action overtime rideout battle on at least one occasion, but do yourself a favor and hang around for the big boys. Beattie has the top bracket bye, while Chestnut Ridge's Austin Buttry does on the bottom half. In my mind, there will be three or four good 285ers going home this weekend. Also on the bottom are Cambria Heights' Aaron Gill, Southmoreland's Jake Beistel, and Jefferson-Morgan's Ian Wolfe. With Beattie on top are West Branch's Morgan Selepack and Mount Union's Nik Smith, as well as Everett's Devin Reed. Reed could get Smith in the quarters. Those two split a pair of bouts this season.

   Predicted D5 wrestler to qualify for states: Buttry.