No Sense in 20-man bracket

   The PIAA has made a number of changes in both team and individual wrestling over the past few years, and I've been quite outspoken against them.
   Yet again, I find myself on the other side of the fence as it appears another change, negative in my opinion, is forthcoming.
   This week, the steering committee moved to expand the individual brackets in Hershey from 16 to 20 in each weight class, both Class AA and Class AAA. It was approved by unanimous decision, and the PIAA Board of Directors will vote on the matter in May. If passed, the change goes into effect for next season. What it means specifically is that each region will get one additional state qualifier. So in Class AA, the Southeast and Southwest Regionals will each get six representatives, while the Northeast and Northwest Regionals will each get four.
   According to Executive Director Bob Lombardi, who was quoted by Pennlive's Jeremy Elliott, the board will likely pass the motion without much opposition.
   Bad move.
   Lombardi goes on to say that the field is pretty deep and the addition of four wrestlers won't hurt the tournament's integrity or timing.
   He also mention's the state championship won by Bethlehem Catholic's Jake Riegel at 106 pounds in Class AA. Riegel was a fifth place finisher in the Southeast Regional the week before.
   Riegel had a fantastic tournament, and he got hot at the right time. Bravo, let's tip our cap to him, not use it as a basis to say a sixth place regional placer deserves more.
   I haven't had the time to research how many fourth or fifth place regional finishers have won state titles (maybe this will be my summer project), but Riegel's accomplishment is by far the exception rather than the rule.
   It makes absolutely no sense in my mind to make this change just for a few rare examples.
   Regarding the timing, and I'm assuming Lombardi means the state tournament schedule, remember that the PIAA made changes three years ago to the format. Main reason there: Oh yeah, timing. There was very little time between Class AA and Class AAA sessions, especially on the Saturday of the event.
   While no mention of a new schedule has been proposed should the bracket change take effect, are we to assume that the days will be longer. Probably. Are we looking at an 8 a.m. start on Thursday and Friday, or even 7 a.m., which means like 6 a.m. weigh-ins? Or is a Wednesday night start or a Sunday finish under consideration?
  My other real problem: This doesn't just affect the state tournament. It means the place bouts at regional tournaments become watered down. Now, instead of go-or-go home situations in fifth place bouts at the Southeast and Southwest Regionals, and third place bouts in the Northeast and Northwest, all those wrestlers involved that deep in the tournament have already punched their ticket to Hershey.
   Those bouts are among the most exciting ones all season long.
   I really like the quote of Boiling Springs head coach Rod Wright in Elliott's piece, which you can see at http://highschoolsports.pennlive.com/news/article/8742167079604109515/wrestling-coaches-proposal-to-go-to-20-man-state-bracket-screams-mediocrity-and-dilutes-the-sport/
   Wright says: "How about working harder? How about wrestling harder? How about training harder?"
   My thoughts exactly.
   Unfortunately. we live in a society that, it seems at least in athletics, is becoming more of a "Let's give everyone a medal for participation" mentality, rather than rewarding more for hard work and values that make our youth better people through sports in whatever they choose to do later in life.
   My main message to the PIAA: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!