Weekly Review and Preview

    A new week of wrestling is upon us, but before that, let's review. I was out of town for most of last week as I attended a retirement party for my dad, so I didn't see much in person besides Everett's 29-minute domination of Bellwood on Tuesday.
    I missed Saturday's action, which included Chestnut Ridge's 63-6 win over Bedford. I didn't expect it to be close, though I didn't see one team with less than double digits either, as I had predicted 49-12 in my capsule preview. While I didn't get to see Jonathan Gabriel's 4-3 victory over Justin McCoy, it seemed like a good one from the accounts I read and heard. Often times, coaches may dodge a big matchup like that in dual meets, but I'm glad this one happened and it will only make both of them better down the line.
    Looking ahead, there are three matches locally tomorrow night, with a pair of intriguing matches — Claysburg at Bedford, and North Star at Northern Bedford. Chestnut Ridge will also compete again, as a heavy favorite at home against Philipsburg.
    Claysburg is 3-0 in dual meets so far, and while Bellwood, Juniata Valley, and Southern Huntingdon aren't mat powerhouses, it's still a good start to the season for the Bulldogs. Bedford will be looking to rebound from Saturday in a stretch of its schedule that has featured a lot of wrestling in just a few weeks of time.
   Northern Bedford appeared to fair well at Somerset despite a loss on Saturday. The Black Panthers split 12 bouts with the Golden Eagles, but also had to forfeit two weights which played a difference. That said, Northern looks to be getting much better after a tough opening loss at Central.
   Bedford makes its annual trip to Boiling Springs for tournament action on Saturday, while the Powerade and Southmoreland events take place next Monday and Tuesday. I should have more on them coming up later in the week.

Tuesday's Matches
   Claysburg at Bedford
   Philipsburg at Chestnut Ridge
   North Star at Northern Bedford

Around the Area
    Berlin dominated the WestPAC Tournament as its host this year by crowning nine champions. Eric Knopsnyder was there and you can see more about that on his blog (Knop's knotes).
    The January 6 match between Chestnut Ridge and Berlin at the home of the Mountaineers has generated much talk, as it did the previous two seasons when the Lions came away with convincing victories. This season's could be a highlight dual, though the status of Berlin's lineup is very much in the air, according to my sources. Notable there is Braden Fochtman, who is coming off a stellar football season. Certainly, Fochtman in the lineup makes the Mountaineers much more formidable. I won't divulge any information I have received on here, as nothing is in stone, but I'm sure we'll all know more as the season progresses.

Around the State
   The biggest news this past week came out of Class AAA, where Belle Vernon beat defending state champion Franklin Regional, 35-28, in a matchup of WPIAL powers. While it's a great win for Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional was without middleweight stud and Iowa recruit Michael Kemerer. At 145 and 152, Belle Vernon picked up 10 points from a pin and a major decision. BV is very strong there, especially with Jared Verkleeren at 145, but Kemerer's absence at either of those weights definitely made a difference.