Saying Goodbye, for now

   I'm sure many of you have already heard the news that I will be leaving the Bedford Gazette in less than two weeks. I wrote a column about my departure in last Saturday's edition of the paper, and word travels fast in these parts.
   Frankly, I'm a little overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and well wishes I've already received from a number of people. Of course, I also got a couple of looks like "You know it's wrestling season, right?"
   Yes, I do, and it should be another strong one around here.
   I began this blog a few years ago not knowing really if it would take off at all, but it didn't take long for me to realize that it would, thanks to all of you. My mindset was to add more, and different, local content to what I was already being paid to do for the Gazette, while also trying to expand to statewide and even national wrestling matters, mostly on the high school level.
   Covering wrestling for the last 10 years here has been one unbelievable ride. And it's been an absolute honor to get to write about accomplishments such as Chestnut Ridge's first-ever state champion (Gary Pfahler), Bedford's first in 50+ years (Jonathan Gabriel), and Chestnut Ridge's trip to the state team finals in 2015. Obviously, there's so much more on the local level, as well as seeing so many high-level wrestlers around the state. From Zain Retherford and Jason Nolf to Spencer Lee and Gavin Teasdale, the list goes on and on and on.
   Like I said in Saturday's piece in print, there's no way I can thank all of the local sports community enough for their friendship and hospitality over the years.
   As for my next move, I'm departing out of journalism on a full-time basis. Priorities change as we get older sometimes. In reality, writing was never something I thought I'd be in anyway. After one high school season at the local newspaper near my hometown, I moved to Bedford County and enjoyed the last decade immensely.
   I'm proud of what I did here and to get what I did out of it for 11 years. I feel truly blessed to have been a part of such awesome moments, not just in wrestling but in all of local sports.
   So as the new wrestling season begins, I will still be around for the first week of it and plan on seeing a few matches. And if time and needs warrant, I might be at an event to help out.
   To the wrestling community and beyond, thank you.

———

   Here's a quick rundown of what I see this year.
   — Numbers, and enthusiasm surrounds many of the local schools as much as ever at places where wrestling has seen a recent downturn. That's good news overall for the sport.
   — Individual success should be very good this season when the state tournament rolls around. Chestnut Ridge has three state placewinners back in Justin McCoy, Jared McGill, and Morgan Deremer. Everett has three state qualifiers in Liam Flaherty, Garret Cornell, and Wes Graham. Cornell and Graham fell one win short of a state medal, as did Northern Bedford's Zach Clark.
   Look for some youngsters to make noise as well. A lot of eyes will be on Bedford native Kaden Cassidy, who is wrestling at Bishop McCort in its first year as a program. Cassidy won a Pennsylvania Junior title last season. Also keep an eye on Northern Bedford's Ian Sherlock, who has some high credentials coming into his freshman year.
 
   I also would like to give a hat tip to Eric Knopsnyder for creating a regional media day that was held this past weekend. While I would have liked to have been there, even though I had already accepted a new job, I chose to spend time home with my family as I have been putting in a lot of time at the Gazette. Eric's idea is so good for the sport, and he promotes wrestling as good as anyone in the state in my opinion.
 

Season Almost Here

   Yes, the new high school wrestling season is nearly here, as official practices in Pennsylvania begin on Friday. I had a little bit of time today to start looking at schedules and here are some new additions for my local teams.

Bedford 
@Bishop McCort, December 22
   Obviously, a lot of regional talk has centered around the new program that starts this winter at Bishop McCort. The Crimson Crushers are scheduled for a number of high profile tournaments, including the Beast of the East and Brookville's Ultimate Duals, but a dual meet circled on the calendar is likely an early-season date with Bedford. Bishop McCort will have a handful of very talented wrestlers in its lineup, and that should include Bedford native Kaden Cassidy, an incoming freshman who decided to head to the Johnstown school after a highly impressive youth career, which ended with a PJW state title last March.

Chestnut Ridge
@King of the Mountain Tournament, December 16-17
   Chestnut Ridge will be the third local school to ever compete in the King of the Mountain Tournament at Central Mountain. Claysburg-Kimmel went in the early years of the event, while Bedford attended for several seasons. This is another strong test for the Lions' core of top wrestlers, which will include returning state medalists Morgan Deremer, Jared McGill, and Justin McCoy.

Claysburg-Kimmel
@HOPE for Hyndman, January 10
   I'm not sure if Claysburg and Hyndman have ever wrestled in a dual, but they will this year just after 2017 rings in. Two good fan bases here should make for an entertaining night.

Everett
@Sheetz Holiday Classic, December 16-17
   Last season was a tremendous one for Everett, and the schedule is a little better this year with the addition of the Sheetz Holiday Classic at Mount Aloysius. Remember that the Warriors have three state qualifiers returning and some other talent.
   On another note, it appears that a home dual held at Southern Fulton (where Everett has a co-op) will not take place. I know that Everett athletic director Brian Koontz wanted to make this a reality, and hopefully something can be worked out for the 2017-18 season. Everett has some wrestlers from Southern, notably returning regional champion Liam Flaherty.

HOPE for Hyndman
   Hyndman has a number of new changes, including that dual with Claysburg mentioned above. The Hornets are also slated for the season-opening Conemaugh Township Tournament, as well as a return to the Winner's Choice Tournament in West Virginia, which they regularly attended in the past. Also on the card is a home dual with Ligonier Valley.

No changes appear for Northern Bedford or Tussey Mountain.
 

UPDATE: Class AA Southwest Regional to IUP? Wait and see, again.

   Update on SW Regional: I'm now being told that IUP's Kovalchick Center is the all-but-finalized site and the regional tournament will be held on February 24 and 25. No word on further details, will hope to have some soon.
   I was also told that Chestnut Ridge and Huntingdon had scheduled a match early in December, but now hearing that will only be a scrimmage.
   Below is my original post regarding the Southwest Regional.

   There's been some movement on the Class AA Southwest Regional front, but we are still awaiting word on where the tournament may be held.
   I've been in contact with a number of people/sources over the past week who have all stated that progress is ongoing.
   One thing that does appear to be a definitive change is that the tournament will likely be held on February 24 and 25, 2017, which would be a week earlier than normal, and two weeks prior to the state tournament in Hershey.
   There are three districts involved in the Southwest Regional. Currently, District 5 and District 6 hold their district tournaments two weeks before the regional event. District 5 did last year, and has officially approved doing so again for this upcoming season, with the D5 Tournament set to be held at UPJ's Sports Center on February 18.
   That same weekend, the District 6-AA Tournament takes place in Altoona. Where that leads us to is District 7 (WPIAL), which normally holds three sectional tournaments at various sites the weekend before its district tournament.
   However, talk emerged of the WPIAL potentially altering its postseason to allow for such a change at the regional.
   WPIAL wrestling chairman and Canon-McMillan athletic director Frank Vulcano confirmed to me that the sectional tournaments will be held on February 17 and the district tournament will be on the next day, the 18th. The three sectionals are all to be held at Canon-Mac as well, instead of three different locations. Vulcano didn't elaborate on tournament details (still be looked at), though I think some changes (five match limit in a day, etc.) would have to be looked at in a one-day district tournament for the size of D7.
   That opens the door for the regional tournament to be held a week earlier than usual.
   Now, back to where to hold it.
   Two years ago, it appeared as if IUP's Kovalchick Center was the destination, only to be changed to Canon-McMillan later when the season was ongoing. According to those I've spoken to, IUP is the frontrunner as the February 24-25 weekend is available, as an away doubleheader for the Crimson Hawks' basketball teams are on the schedule.
   Certainly, a site more centralized to the whole regional would be ideal. Ask schools like Juniata and Penns Valley about the travel to the southwestern corner of the state?
   That said, my opinion is that Vulcano and his staff at Canon-Mac did a very nice job with the Southwest Regional the past two years. Especially with the mat changes (3 in main gym, 2 in back gym) last year, the tournament ran very smoothly.
   Two years ago, one drawback to IUP was the Thursday-Friday format, which does not appear to be an issue if a contract can be worked out. Cost is another hurdle, as rumors had it very high if the tournament was going to be held there in 2015.
   Other potential locations include Mount Aloysius, which has a spacious newer facility. The Cambria County War Memorial will not be available this coming season, even on the final weekend of February as the Johnstown Tomahawks are playing on that Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon.
   One person "in the know" told me that if all else fails, Canon-McMillan would likely be the location for a third straight year. Canon-Mac is set to hold the WPIAL Class AAA Tournament, but that will be held March 3-4, with the PIAA Tournaments going March 9-11.

District 5 Tournament going back to UPJ

   Just back from vacation so not sure this is any breaking news, but I have confirmed that the 2017 District 5 Tournament will again be held at UPJ's Sports Center. The date will be Saturday, February 18.
   By most accounts that I either heard at the time or since, everyone seemed pleased with the venue change, which was necessary as renovations were taking place at Windber Area High School. The one-day tournament will also again take place two weeks before the Class AA Southwest Regional.

Lions headed to KoM in 2016

   Chestnut Ridge's 2016-17 wrestling schedule includes many of the usual opponents and tournaments from recent seasons, but the Lions have added the King of the Mountain Tournament for this upcoming year.
   The KoM, hosted by Central Mountain, will be held on December 16 and 17. In adding this event, Chestnut Ridge will not appear at the Athens Tournament this winter. Greg Lazor's squad will again be at Powerade and the Brookville Ultimate Duals.
   Below is the list of teams expected to attend the King of the Mountain. Notable others from Class AA include Bishop McCort, Boiling Springs, Burrell, Huntingdon, Fort LeBoeuf, and Wyalusing.

2016 King of the Mountain Team Field
Bellefonte
Bethel Park
Big Spring
Bishop McCort
Bishop McDevitt (D3)
Boiling Springs
Boyertown
Burrell
Central Mountain
Chestnut Ridge
Council Rock South
Erie McDowell
Exeter Township
Fort LeBoeuf
General McLane
Greater Latrobe
Hazleton
Hempfield (D7)
Huntingdon
Jersey Shore
Mifflin County
Moshannon Valley
Northern
Northern Lebanon
Owen J. Roberts
Penn Trafford
Saegertown
Seneca Valley
South Western
Spring Grove
Upper Darby
West Chester Henderson
Williamsport
Wyalusing

Chestnut Ridge Wrestling Camp

   Chestnut Ridge will again hold wrestling camps for three different age groups later this month. Given the recent success of the Lions and the coaching staff that Greg Lazor has built, these camps should be very beneficial to all wrestlers.
   All camps are held at Chestnut Ridge High School under the direction of Lazor, Lion wrestlers, and any other coach who wishes to participate. Also as a special camp instructor for the varsity camp is Nick Roberts, who won three PIAA titles at North Star and just won a NCAA Division II national championship at UPJ.
   Any wrestler from any school is eligible to attend, and the best part about it is they are all free.
   Camp Dates
   Elementary: June 20 and 21, 9-11 a.m.
   Advanced Elementary/Junior High: June 20, 21, and 22, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
   Advanced Junior High/Varsity: June 22, 23, and 24, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Powell says goodbye to Easton Wrestling

   Age and time catch up with all of us eventually, but it's still surprising to me when some coaching legends hit that 'end of the road' point.
   When I read the news that Steve Powell is retiring as head wrestling coach at Easton, it hit me with a shock kind of moment. Powell was set to make the announcement at the team's wrestling banquet tonight, according to local media reports.
   Powell, who also taught physical education at Easton, came to the District 11 school and stayed for 40 years, the last 32 as the head coach. Health reasons seem to be part of his decision.
   He won 534 dual meets and ranks tied for seventh all-time in Pennsylvania in that category. He coached 19 state champions for a program that boasts 35 total, which is second in the state all-time. He also led Easton to four state dual meet championships. He was twice named national coach of the year and is a member of Pennsylvania's chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, having been inducted three years ago.
   My high school, Phillipsburg, NJ, is Easton's chief rival. The towns border the Delaware River which splits New Jersey from Pennsylvania. The Thanksgiving Day football game between the two is held at Lafayette College in Easton, and for a long time, the annual wrestling dual was at Lafayette as well due to attendance being too large to hold in either high school gymnasium.
   The rivalry runs as deep as any I've seen or been a part of in all sports, and I either sat on the other team's bench or in the opposing stands on several occasions (admittedly) while Powell's squads got the better of us Stateliners.
   That said, I certainly have the utmost respect for Steve and his accomplishments. There is no doubt that his teams made anyone they faced better in the long run.
   I would expect a lot of interest in the now-vacant position at Easton. One would think current top assistant Sean Richmond will get a hard look, though I'll be interested to see if names such as Jordan Oliver or Bryan Snyder appear on the interview list. Oliver was a three-time state champion for Powell at Easton and went on to win a pair of NCAA titles at Oklahoma State. He's currently an assistant to Zeke Jones at Arizona State. Snyder, also a former state champ under Powell, has been an assistant at Nebraska for the past few years, where he was a two-time national finalist.

Class AA States: A look at Thursday's action

   The state tournament is here, as wrestlers were getting prepared on the mats of the Giant Center during today's open workout. Action begins at 9 a.m. tomorrow, and here's a look at some of the first round bouts to watch:

132 pounds - Jared McGill, Chestnut Ridge vs. Todd Lane, Southern Columbia
   Any first round bout at 132 is key as the winners I believe will have a much better chance of getting a medal. In my opinion, the overall bracket may be deeper than any other, including 126 where there are three returning state champions and a runner-up. There's not many places to hide here at 132.
   McGill took third in the Southwest Regional while Lane was second in the Northeast. If you don't remember Lane, the Southern Columbia junior was a state finalist as a freshman, before an injury cut his season short last year. McGill is one of the state's top freshmen, with his highlight win of the year over Bedford state champ Jonathan Gabriel.

138 pounds - Cole Aaron, Brookville vs. Carnell Andrews, Westmont-Hilltop
   Another regional 2nd against regional 3rd place here, and this should be a good one. Aaron and Andrews were both state qualifiers last season. Aaron pushed Gabriel to overtime in the opening round at 126 a year ago, while Andrews fell one win short of the medal stand in the 120-pound class. Despite the presence of unbeaten Zack Lebarron and returning placewinner Matt Schmall in this quarter of the bracket, it would not surprise me to see the Aaron/Andrews winner in Friday night's semifinals.

145 pounds - Keith Batkowski, Montoursville vs. Seth Baney, Huntingdon
   This is also a matchup where I believe the winner could reach the semifinals. Batkowski earned a sixth place medal at 138 a year ago. Baney was a breakout performer in last year's postseason and has continued that for most of this season.

220 pounds - Toby Cahill, Berlin vs. Cole Rickert, Reynolds
   In my view, Cahill is Berlin's best opportunity at a high medal this weekend. His tournament begins with a bout against Rickert, who cannot be overlooked despite having 15 losses. Rickert seems to have been up and down this season, but remember that he was a state placewinner a year ago, seventh at this same weight.

SW Regional Semifinal Eyecatchers

   We're down to four days left in the high school season, which means its Day 2 of the Southwest Regional. While many of the semifinals are worth a look, here's a few matchups that catch my eye:

106 - Garret Cornell, Everett vs. Josh Boozel, Mount Union
   Everett freshman Cornell has had a strong season so far, though he's been a little under the radar because Chestnut Ridge's Aaron Burkett gets most of the county and D5 attention, and rightly so. But Cornell is making a name for himself, and that continued on Friday with a pair of wins to earn a trip to the state tournament next week. Today, he'll take on Boozel in a rematch from an early-season dual meet. Boozel won that one, 4-3, though there were a couple of good scrambles in the bout where Cornell had opportunities to score.

126 - Max Murin, Central Cambria vs. Tyler Alberts, Ellwood City
Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford vs. Jihad Ratliff, Valley
   I'm not expecting either of these semifinals to be that close, but I highlight them here because Murin and Gabriel obviously need to avoid any hiccups in this round to set up the much anticipated state champion vs. state champion battle in the finals tonight. There's not much more to say about that championship bout we should see, so sit back and enjoy.

132 - Collin Glorioso, Huntingdon vs. Ian Ostrowski, Central Cambria
   This will be a rematch of the District 6 semifinals two weeks ago, where Glorioso pulled out a 1-0 decision. Some of that could be Glorioso dealing with a broken nose and having to wear a mask. But Ostrowski has had a fine season and I would not be surprised to see this one be close again.

138 - Justin McCoy, Chestnut Ridge vs. Tyler Scott, Huntingdon
   In the tournament's deepest weight, where 8 previous state qualifiers are battling for six spots, both McCoy and Scott ensured their state tournament trips last night. This semifinal could be one of the better ones. McCoy was impressive in his quarterfinal win over South Park's Dallas Bulsak, while Scott got past Southmoreland's Evan Myers. I think the edge here belongs to McCoy, but Scott has wrestled very well and earned some big wins over the last month.

160 - Braden Fochtman, Berlin vs. Dominic Fundy, Beth-Center
   After a year away from wrestling, Fochtman was one of four Berlin wrestlers to advance to the semifinals in Friday's action. He'll see Beth-Center freshman Fundy, who is perhaps the story of the tournament so far. Fundy's overtime takedown on Moshannon Valley's Larry Brown gave him a big upset and a trip to Hershey. Can he continue his run?

Southwest Regional Bracket Analysis

   It's back to wrestling this week as the Class AA Southwest Regional hits the mats at Canon-McMillan this weekend. Action begins with the opening round at 3 p.m. on Friday, followed by quarterfinals and the first round of consolations. The top six placewinners in each weight class advance to the state tournament next week in Hershey.
   I have provided a link to the brackets below as well as my analysis of each weight. My picks for the state qualifiers will appear in Friday's edition of the Bedford Gazette.

2016 SW Regional Brackets - http://live.pa-wrestling.com/2015-2016/region-south-west-aa/

Analysis
   106 Pounds - Chestnut Ridge senior Aaron Burkett is a strong favorite to capture his first regional championship, as he has been ranked #1 in the state all season by both Off the Mat and PA Power Rankings. The Lehigh recruit has a bye in the first round and will meet the winner between Chartiers-Houston's Ty Mazutis and Westmont's Derrick Christie. The other district champions here are Mount Union's Josh Boozel and Freedom's Zach Ward. Burkett pinned Boozel in a first round bout last year. Those two could meet in the finals.

   113 - Certainly a big edge here goes to Jefferson-Morgan sophomore Gavin Teasdale, who is still unbeaten in his high school career and is ranked #1 in the nation by several outlets. Last year's 106-pound state champion looks primed to get title number two next weekend. Chestnut Ridge district champion Dylan Williams is in the bottom half of the draw along with Penns Valley's Darren Yearick, the D6 champion. Williams was within 15-20 seconds of a spot at states last year here before losing that quarterfinal in overtime, then another one in the consolation bouts.

   120 - The bottom half of this bracket is pretty tough to call. Northern Bedford's Zach Clark owns a pair of District 5 titles now and will look to get to the state tournament for the first time. Also on the bottom is West Branch's Joey Couteret, the District 6 champ. Also on the bottom is an interesting first round rematch from last year between Huntingdon's Izac Benson and McGuffey's Gage Nicolella. Benson pinned Nicolella in what was one of the surprises of last year's first day. Everett's Liam Flaherty is in the top of the bracket, along with Southmoreland's Tyler Griffiths, who won D7 and gets the bye at this weight.

   126 - This is probably the most talked about weight in Class AA as we get set for regionals. How often do you get two returning state champions in one bracket at a regional tournament? But that's what we do have here with Bedford's Jonathan Gabriel and Central Cambria's Max Murin, who happen to be good friends as well. Murin, the 113-pound PIAA champ a year ago, got the bye here. Gabriel, who won it all at this same class in 2015, is in the bottom of the draw. It would be a shocker to not see this as a final. One first round bout of interest should be Portage freshman Cole Sossong against Ellwood City's Tyler Alberts. I haven't seen much of Sossong in person, but he's been highly talked about among freshmen, while Alberts was a state qualifier last season.

   132 - Huntingdon senior Collin Glorioso, a two-time state placewinner, is in the top of the bracket with the bye at this weight. Nursing a broken nose in which he is wearing a protective mask, Glorioso won the D6 title that included a narrow 1-0 semifinal win over Central Cambria's Ian Ostrowski. Those two could meet in the regional semifinals as well. Down below, I'm looking forward to seeing Chestnut Ridge freshman Jared McGill without his mask, which was the result of a broken nose as well during the middle of January. McGill has been wrestling with it since but is now cleared to go without it. His high junior wrestling credentials coupled with a 10-8 win over Bedford's Gabriel in December made him the talk of the area for awhile. He'll probably see Mount Union's Jake Boozel in Friday's quarterfinals, in what could be a barnburner. McGill is ranked fifth in the state by Off the Mat and sixth by PA Power, while Boozel is eighth and 10th, respectively.

   138 - The top half of this bracket appears stronger on paper, though it is easily led by Derry senior George Phillippi, who is a two-time state champion. He has the bye. Others on top who should make noise include Westmont's Carnell Andrews, Penns Valley's Curtis Decker, and Berlin's Joey Swank. Swank drew South Fayette's Shane Ging in an opening round bout and that will be a rematch of a bout last year where Swank was called for a slam and disqualified, while Ging came back from the injury and advanced to the state tournament. Down below, Chestnut Ridge sophomore Justin McCoy has been wrestling as well as anybody locally for a while in my mind. That said, Huntingdon's Tyler Scott and Ligonier Valley's Dalton Clark could provide threats to McCoy's shot at the finals. Scott has wrestled well of late, including an impressive performance in the D6 tourney a week after beating Reynolds' Seth Hogue in the state duals. Clark was a state qualifier last year.

   145 - South Fayette's Mike Carr continues his quest for a second state championship and has the bye here. The likeliest biggest opposition in the top of the draw would be Central Cambria's Tommy Opdenhoff, though Carr has had Opdenhoff's number in several recent meetings. Down below, Somerset's Austin Hemminger, Huntingdon's Seth Baney, Freedom's Kody Komara, and Bentworth's Hunter Neely look like probable quarterfinalists. Hemminger won a D5 title last year and then went out rather quietly at Canon-Mac. We'll see what happens the second time around for the Somerset junior.

   152 - A really good weight here. Ligonier Valley's Robby Patrick has the bye. The sophomore made it all the way to the state finals last season. Others to watch in the top would include Jeannette's GioVonne Sanders, South Fayette's Ben Previte, and North Star's Gus Strasiser. The bottom half of the draw is tough, with Chestnut Ridge's Morgan Deremer, Huntingdon's Jon Wagner, and Burrell's Damon Greenwald. Deremer and Wagner in a quarterfinal should be a good one. Deremer and Greenwald, should they meet in the semifinals, have split two bouts this season.

   160 - South Park's Jake Wentzel, the state champion at 152 last year, is the favorite here though there are some names to know. They include Moshannon Valley's Larry Brown and Berlin's Braden Fochtman, the D6 and D5 champions, respectively. Others are Penn Cambria's Austin Farabaugh, South Allegheny's Cody Jenkins, Cambria Heights' Austin Gill, and Bellwood's Nate Claar.

   170 - There's quite a bit of top quality in this weight. It includes the top three in the state by both ranking services, in Westmont's Anthony Walters, Huntingdon's Jacob Oliver, and Beth-Center's Anthony Welsh. Walters beat Oliver in the District 6 finals, while Welsh is unbeaten and has the bye as the D7 champion. Oliver is in the top bracket with him. Berlin's Storm McDonald, the D5 champ who is ranked sixth by Off the Mat and eighth by PA Power, is in the bottom half along with Walters. Northern Bedford's Lucas Kolinchak and Burrell's Anthony Marra also have state rankings tied to their names.

   182 - Another defending state champion here with South Park's Greg Bulsak, who won it at 170 a year ago. He has the bye. The other district champions are Everett's Wes Graham (D5) and Penn Cambria's Jacob Driskel (D6). In my opinion, Graham along with Everett teammates Garret Cornell (106) and Liam Flaherty (120) received favorable draws for a potential state berth.

   195 - Chestnut Ridge senior Conner Buttry is on a roll, having pinned 18 consecutive opponents. That streak could be put to the test this weekend at regionals, but the D5 champion and West Virginia bound Buttry will surely be satisfied with a title at Canon-Mac no matter how it's done. It's possible he'll see Burrell's Robert Scherer in the semifinals. Buttry has owned Scherer over the past couple of years, including wins over him in the regional and state tournaments last season and a pin for the Thomas Tournament title last month. In the bottom half are Jefferson-Morgan's Bill Bowlen and West Branch's Clayton Green of note. Bowlen interestingly moved up to 195 for the postseason, and that looked good for him last week in his decision over Scherer for the D7 crown.

   220 - Two straight District 5 champs with the bye as it goes to Berlin's Toby Cahill at the 220-pound slot. Westmont's Josiah Jones is in the bottom half along with Burrell's Alex Moses. Jones won D6 and Moses took the D7 title. Others to watch could include South Fayette's Rasaun Culberson, West Branch's Vince McDowell, and Mount Union's D.J. Bookwalter.

   285 - Southmoreland's Jake Beistel has his sights set on a state championship now that previous nemesis Allan Beattie has graduated. Beistel, ranked #1 in the state and a defending PIAA runner-up, has the bye and is the prohibitive favorite in a bracket that includes Mount Pleasant's Josh Lind, Berlin's Anthony Collins, and Southern Huntingdon's Nick Winfield. Lind, Collins, and Winfield, who are the next three highest ranked 285-pounders in the field, are all in the bottom half of the draw.

Verkleeren denied a wrestleoff

   Word late this afternoon out of District 7 is that Belle Vernon star Jarod Verkleeren has been denied a chance to wrestleoff for a spot in the lineup for the postseason, which begins in the WPIAL this week with the sectional tournaments.
   This has obviously been a hot topic in the WPIAL and across the state. Joe Tuscano of the Observer-Reporter has been on top of it and posted a story about the ruling here: http://www.observer-reporter.com/20160225/judge_denies_verkleeren_request_for_wrestleoff.
   Verkleeren had filed an injunction in Westmoreland County seeking the wrestleoff within the Belle Vernon practice room, but the motion was turned down by Judge Alfred Bell. With that ruling, Verkleeren sees his season end with a record of 35-5.
   The issue dates back to the PIAA Team Championships, where Verkleeren weighed in up from his normal class of 145 pounds. His older brother, Derek, was suffering from an injury, and Jarod Verkleeren weighed in up for the Leopards' Class AAA third-place match with Nazareth. He competed at 160 that day, losing to Nazareth's Travis Stefanik.
   According to what Verkleeren has said, he was told by the Belle Vernon staff that weighing up for that match would not affect his status at 145 for the postseason. The Belle Vernon coaches and administration have not commented publicly on the matter as of yet.
   Through some form of misinformation, what he was told was not correct. What Verkleeren, a state placewinner in March and Cadet World Champion last summer, weighed would not allow him to get back down to the 149.1 via his weight loss plan, which only allows wrestlers to lose a small percentage of their weight each week. He needed to be at that 149.1 to qualify for 145.
   Verkleeren was then reportedly denied the opportunity to challenge at 152 or 160 for either of those spots, as he would have been permitted to compete at one of those. His brother is at 152, and Mitch Hartman is at 160. They are both seniors, while Jarod is a junior. His family went to court seeking the wrestleoff with Hartman at 160.
   So what happens going forward?
   I think the first obvious question is whether we will see Jarod Verkleeren wrestling for Belle Vernon as a senior. While I am not very close to the situation, it's hard to imagine he would be at this point. One would have to believe there's some animosity between Verkleeren and the coaches, etc.
   Do those potential feelings smooth over? Sure, it's possible, but I'd honestly be surprised to see Verkleeren in Belle Vernon's lineup next season.
   If he's not there, where does he go? It's highly unlikely that you would see him at another public school, certainly another one inside the WPIAL, because it would be nearly impossible for Verkleeren to argue that it's not for athletic intent.
   Will we see Verkleeren at a prep school like Kiski or Wyoming Seminary? With his high wrestling credentials already, he'd surely fit in at such a place.
   Hopefully, we can be done talking about all this stuff off the mat and turn our attention to what should be a great couple of weeks of wrestling.
 
 

Early Postseason Thoughts

   I haven't had a post on here since late last week when Chestnut Ridge was at the state team duals in Hershey. I kept busy while I was there covering the Lions, and received sad news over the weekend that someone close to me and my immediate family had passed away unexpectedly, so that and my normal job duties have taken up my time.
   With the district and/or sectional tournaments taking place this weekend (D6-AA in Altoona already underway despite a delay with reported bracketing issues), here's a couple of tidbits.
   Hopefully you've checked out my preview of tomorrow's District 5 Tournament, which was in today's Bedford Gazette. The tournament is a one-day only event at UPJ, beginning at 9 a.m. with the preliminary bouts.
   In looking at sectional brackets around the state, a couple of things caught my eye. Jefferson-Morgan's Bill Bowlen has moved up to 195 pounds for the individual postseason. Bowlen, a state placewinner at 182 last season, had begun the year back there and finished second to Greenville's Blake Reynolds at the Thomas Tournament. There are two defending state champions at the weight, Franklin's Dakota Geer and South Park's Greg Bulsak.
   One that I thought was a bit surprising is Reynolds' Seth Hogue deciding to go at 145. The state runner-up to Bedford's Jonathan Gabriel last year at 126 has wrestled at 145 a good bit during the team season, but I would have guessed he would be at 138 or even at 132 come mid-February. Hogue competed at 132 in the Powerade Tournament in late December.
   I've been talking about 126 all season in Class AA and it's going to be be fun. Why, you ask? Because we have three, yes three, returning state champions at this weight for the postseason. Gabriel won 126 a year ago, while Central Cambria's Max Murin took the 113-pound crown, and Reynolds' Cole Matthews won it at 120.
   I know there have been years where two state champions are at one weight class when we get back to Hershey, but has there ever been this loaded of a field with three of them? Besides those studs, we need to throw in Athens' Brian Courtney, the state runner-up to Matthews, and Lancaster Catholic's Joe Lobeck, the state runner-up to Murin. Wow!
   We saw a mini-preview at the Thomas Tournament, with Gabriel beating Courtney 6-5 for the title while Courtney edged Murin by the same score in the semifinals.
   It will be interesting to see this how this state bracket looks in three weeks. While the brackets are pre-drawn and randomly chosen, the state will separate state champions if there are two in a certain class. How will it look with three? Well, we can probably bet that Gabriel and Murin will wrestle in the Southwest Regional finals. Regional finalists are also placed in opposite halves of the state bracket. Let's say the regional champions will be either Gabriel or Murin in the Southwest, Matthews in the Northwest, Courtney in the Northeast, and Lobeck in the Southeast. That would leave the Gabriel-Murin loser hitting another of these standouts in the quarterfinals. As a fan, you don't want to miss this weight class.

Thursday Thoughts from Hershey

   As Chestnut Ridge gets ready for consolation action, here's a couple thoughts on the loss to Boiling Springs in Thursday's first round:

   The coin toss was huge. This meant a great deal in this matchup, and Boiling Springs winning it meant the Lions were going to have to beat the Bubblers without dictating key matchups. Ridge coach Greg Lazor was hoping to get Morgan Deremer on A.J. Kostyak and Josh McGill against Nick Kostyak. That said, McGill wrestled well in a 10-7 loss to A.J., who is a returning state qualifier. Not having the flip hurt at the end as well, as the Lions would rather have put Justin McCoy on Cole Wetzel and Levi Hobson on Zach Martin. If Chestnut Ridge wins the toss, the Kollin Myers victory over Aaron Burkett might not have meant as much.

   I thought even in not having the matchups, Chestnut Ridge fared well up top, down 18-14 when the lineup flipped over. I agree with Lazor sending Cody Brown at 106. Brown was someone you thought could get bonus and he did with a quick pin. Burkett had a good first period against Myers, but it was all Myers in the second and third, as he scored two sets of back points. I thought Boiling Springs was slightly favored at 126, and Tristan Hanshaw got a major there that put the Lions up against it with three to go.

   Chestnut Ridge should not have much trouble with Lake Lehman this morning. Lake Lehman is expected to have two forfeits as well. After that, the Lions draw the Huntingdon-Reynolds loser. Reports say Huntingdon's Collin Glorioso may have an injury. You have to figure the Bearcats go all in, with Glorioso and/or Jacob Oliver taking the mat against the Raiders. I think that's the only way Huntingdon can get to the semifinals. If Huntingdon doesn't win, do they sit either or both in a consolation match against Chestnut Ridge, a match that won't mean as much given the individual district tournament is just a week away.

State Duals - What to Look For

   In about 24 hours, Chestnut Ridge will begin its quest for a third state team medal in the last four years. The Lions take on Boiling Springs in the first round of the tournament tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m., in the second wave of Class AA action for the opening day.
   I posted some other things and my breakdown of the match with Boiling Springs yesterday, so scroll down on the blog to find that information. Here are some overall thoughts on the tournament:

— Is this Chestnut Ridge's year?
    It very well could be, but I think this Class AA field is fairly deep and in my mind, there's not a clear cut favorite going in. I do think the #3 ranked Lions will finally get past Boiling Springs, who they've lost to in each of the last three years, including the state final last February, 36-21. That in itself should be serving as extra motivation for Greg Lazor's crew, given that the Bubblers are the first opponent tomorrow. I've said before that I think Chestnut Ridge has as much top level talent as anyone in the state, and it will be up to them to provide the needed wins and bonus points to lead the way.

— How good is Saucon Valley?
   The District 11 champions are undefeated at 23-0. Their signature win was 36-33 over District 6 champ Huntingdon at the Juniata Duals. Other than that, the Panthers haven't really been tested in a dual meet. That bottom part of the bracket may be the toughest in the tournament, as #4 ranked Saucon would face either #5 Wyalusing Valley or #6 Fort LeBoeuf in the quarterfinals. This will be the fourth straight year for Saucon Valley in the state duals, so experience is there for the Panthers.

— Any darkhorse candidates?
   If I were to pick one, it would be Fort LeBoeuf, though Northern Lebanon falls into that category as well. Of the top six or eight ranked teams, #6 LeBoeuf might be the least talked about team statewide to date. The Bison had an early lead on Reynolds before losing the District 10 final, 33-29. Fort LeBoeuf always tends to wrestle well in Hershey, and while I have them losing in the first round tomorrow to Wyalusing, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bison make some noise in the consolation matches.

— Spring's Class AA Predictions
   My completed bracket is below, and you can click this link to Jeff Upson's predictions for PA Power Wrestling.

PIAA Class AA Duals - Chestnut Ridge vs. Boiling Springs

    Chestnut Ridge's first match at this year's State Duals is a very familiar opponent in Boiling Springs, who beat the Lions for last season's Class AA championship. Boiling Springs also defeated Chestnut Ridge in the quarterfinals in 2013 and 2014.

Class AA Team Duals - First Round
Chestnut Ridge (D5 Champion) vs. Boiling Springs (D3 Runner-up)
Thursday, 4 p.m. at Giant Center, Hershey
(Chestnut Ridge wrestlers listed first)
106 - Aaron Burkett, 28-1 or Cody Brown, 5-5 vs. Josiah Haulman, 5-12
113 - Burkett or Dylan Williams, 16-4 vs. Kollin Myers, 28-5
120 - Williams or Seth Harbaugh, 14-10 vs. Jalin Hankerson, 10-3
126 - Scotty Miller, 18-12 or Jared Pfaunmiller, 2-4 vs. Tristan Hanshaw, 18-10 or Caleb Holley, 1-2
132 - Jared McGill, 18-4 vs. Hanshaw, Holley or Lucas Shoop, 5-5
138 - Justin McCoy, 27-2 vs. Cole Wetzel, 18-6 or Cameron Palmer, 6-3
145 - Levi Hobson, 19-13 vs. A.J. Kostyak, 25-5
152 - Morgan Deremer, 25-4 vs. Kaiden Karper, 6-1 or Nick Kostyak, 10-13
160 - Josh McGill, 14-15 vs. Travis Wickard, 23-8 or Karper
170 - Brandyn Beaver, 15-7 vs. Cory Calaman, 7-14 or Wickard
182 - Austin Crouse, 13-13 or Kyle Nichols, 1-3 vs. Austin Taylor, 23-7
195 - Conner Buttry, 28-4 vs. Sam Geiling, 1-6 or Taylor
220 - Joel Evans, 10-11 or Brandon Clark, 5-18 vs. Rickie Ott, 15-12
285 - Landon Kensinger, 2-5 or Evans vs. Nick Trent, 3-4 or Ott

   Analysis: Straight up, this could be a split in bouts, though I don't think it will be wrestled that way depending on the starting weight and/or the coin flip. I could see Chestnut Ridge using Brown at 106 and bumping top ranked 106-pounder Burkett up to take on Myers, who is ranked sixth at 113. Interestingly, Wetzel didn't even weigh in for Boiling Springs in the play-in match at Mount Union last night. He also missed time in the early rounds of the District 3 Duals, so his status bears watching. For what it's worth if they meet, McCoy defeated Wetzel 7-5 in the preseason Super 32 Tournament. I have Karper listed at 152 for the Bubblers, but he has only wrestled one of his seven bouts that low, so look for Holley or Palmer to be inserted down below. I give Boiling Springs a small overall edge in the upperweights.
   Prediction: Chestnut Ridge, 32-24.

A Look at State Duals

   Here's a closer look at this week's Class AA State Duals. Preliminary Round winners on Monday night were Boiling Springs, Fort LeBoeuf, Greenville, and Southern Columbia.

Thursday's First Round Matches (Link to Class AA Brackets), 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Northern Lebanon vs. Greenville

Brookville vs. Montoursville

Huntingdon vs. New Hope-Solebury

Reynolds vs. Southern Columbia

Chestnut Ridge vs. Boiling Springs

Burrell vs. Lake Lehman

Saucon Valley vs. Bishop McDevitt

Wyalusing vs. Fort LeBoeuf

   The Favorite: Reynolds

   The Contenders: Brookville, Chestnut Ridge, Saucon Valley, Wyalusing

   Early Analysis: Yes, I know the first thing you see here is that I chose Reynolds as the favorite despite a 16-point loss to Brookville in the Ultimate Duals. I just have a hunch that Reynolds will win the rematch if it should take place in the semifinals on Friday night. The other three contenders I mention are all in the bottom half of the bracket. The key for Chestnut Ridge, and it's no secret, is to win the first match against Boiling Springs, which interestingly is a rematch of last year's state final. Boiling Springs has beaten Chestnut Ridge in each of the last three state team tournaments, though I think the Lions have the advantage going in this time. I'll break down the matchup in detail later this week in another blog post. Boiling Springs defeated Mount Union on Monday, 39-33, and that was without 138-pounder Cole Wetzel, who I was told didn't even weigh in for the match. Wetzel also missed early round action in District 3 last week, so his status bears watching. A Chestnut Ridge win means a likely quarterfinal with Burrell, and remember, the Lions defeated the Bucs at the Ultimate Duals by 18 points without regular starters Jared McGill and Brandyn Beaver. Beat Boiling Springs, and Chestnut Ridge should be in the semifinals.

   Also down below are Saucon Valley and Wyalusing, and that could be a dandy of a quarterfinal to see who may get Chestnut Ridge in the final four. We're looking way ahead here, but if Chestnut Ridge were to reach a second straight championship match, keep in mind that its two losses are to Reynolds (47-18) and Brookville (37-30). Of course as stated before, McGill and Beaver were out of the lineup and that was certainly a big factor. 

District 5 Semifinals, Championship

 2016 District 5 Duals

Semifinals

No. 1 CHESTNUT RIDGE 48, No. 5 SOMERSET 24

220 – James Rios, S, pinned Joel Evans, 3:05.

285 – Jack Hause, S, pinned Brandon Clark, 3:09.

106 – Aaron Burkett, CR, pinned Derek Talley, S, 3:40.

113 – Dylan Williams, CR, won by forfeit.

120 – Seth Harbaugh, CR, pinned Andrew Findley, 4:21.

126 – Quinn Cole, S, dec. Scotty Miller, 6-1.

132 – Jared Pfaunmiller, CR, won by forfeit.

138 – Jared McGill, CR, pinned Jansen Hemminger, 1:59.

145 – Justin McCoy, CR, dec. Austin Hemminger, 5-3.

152 – Tyler Krause, S, dec. Levi Hobson, 14-12.

160 – Morgan Deremer, CR, pinned Morgan Bell, 5:02.

170 – Brandyn Beaver, CR, dec. Daniel Balog, 4-1.

182 – Chase Marple, S, pinned Kyle Nichols, 3:58.

195 – Conner Buttry, CR, pinned Zach Yoder, 0:38.

No. 3 BERLIN 38, No. 2 BEDFORD 24

220 – Toby Cahill, BB, won by forfeit.

285 – Anthony Collins, BB, dec. Jorge Canales, 1-0.

106 – Logan Karns, B, won by forfeit.

113 – Brody Pugh, BB, dec. Noah Baughman, 4-2.

120 – Grant Browell, B, dec. Bryce Belcher, 4-2 OT.

126 – Jonathan Gabriel, B, won by forfeit.

132 – Austin Lee, BB, pinned Davey Hartman, 5:32.

138 – Joe Swank, BB, pinned Chance Dull, 1:44.

145 – Will Hartman, B, pinned Taylor Sager, 3:26.

152 – Josh Grimes, B, dec. Nick Brown, 3-0.

160 – Braden Fochtman, BB, maj. dec. Devon Karns, 15-4.

170 – Storm McDonald, BB, maj. dec. Daniel Brett, 17-8.

182 – Brody Moore, BB, dec. Ryan Wertz, 9-3.

195 – Jarred Reeves, BB, dec. Vinny Fernandez, 10-6.

Championship

No. 1 CHESTNUT RIDGE 47 , No. 3 BERLIN 24

285 – Collins, BB, maj. dec. Landon Kensinger, 9-0.

106 – Cody Brown, CR, pinned Pugh, 3:41.

113 – Burkett, CR, won by forfeit.

120 – Williams, CR, dec. Belcher, 10-4.

126 – Miller, CR, pinned Lee, 1:45.

132 – McGill, CR, inj. def. Jacob Fisher, 0:01.

138 – McCoy, CR, pinned Kyle Boyce, 1:50.

145 – Swank, BB, dec. Hobson, 6-0.

152 – Deremer, CR, tech. fall Brown, 18-1, 3:36.

160 – Fochtman, BB, tech. fall Josh McGill, 16-1, 5:01.

170 – McDonald, BB, pinned Logan Melius, 1:42.

182 – Beaver, CR, dec. Moore, 3-1 OT.

195 – Buttry, CR, pinned Reeves, 3:20.

220 – Cahill, BB, pinned Clark, 1:41.

District 5 Duals Saturday

District 5 Duals at Chestnut Ridge
Semifinals, 11 a.m.
Championship, 2 p.m.

Semifinal Matches
(1) Chestnut Ridge vs. (5) Somerset
(2) Bedford vs. (3) Berlin

Outlook
    Top seed and three-time defending champion Chestnut Ridge is a prohibitive favorite to claim its fourth straight title tomorrow. That said, you never know. The Lions didn't get a chance to face Somerset this season as the scheduled regular season dual was scrapped by the snowstorm two weeks ago. The Golden Eagles wrestled well in Thursday's 43-30 first round win at Everett, but with all due respect, Chestnut Ridge is a completely different animal. Hard not to see the Lions winning big in this one.
   On the other side, this is a match that could go either way based on individual matchups. Bedford has a lot of advantages down low and through the middle and that's where the Bisons will need some bonus points. Berlin will be relying on its upperweights to get the job done. I'm not sure how Berlin's two lowerweights that quit before Thursday fit into the Bedford matchup, but it doesn't help for sure. If the Mountaineers were to meet the Lions for the title in the afternoon, I could see Chestnut Ridge coach Greg Lazor using Cody Brown at 106 and bumping Aaron Burkett and Dylan Williams up to try and maximize wins and/or bonus points. In the regular season dual, Ridge had pins from Burkett and Williams at 106 and 113 as part of of its 42-30 victory. The 120-pound bout between Seth Harbaugh and Bryce Belcher was 2-1 in favor of the Lion wrestler.
   The Pick: Chestnut Ridge.

Looking Ahead
   Obviously, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but the upcoming state duals will be intriguing, as I'm not sure there's a clear cut favorite in Class AA. The bracket is the same as last year, meaning the District 5 champion will face the winner of Monday's prelim between the District 3 and District 6 runner-ups on Thursday afternoon at Hershey's Giant Center.
   In District 6, I think Huntingdon and Mount Union will be the two finalists, and while I'm still leaning toward the Bearcats to get the automatic bid to Thursday, it's pretty slight. They only beat the Trojans by five points during the regular season and I am hearing that Huntingdon would only use Jacob Oliver in an "if needed" situation. Oliver suffered an injury in January's Escape the Rock finals and has been out of the lineup since.
   In District 3, it should be a barnburner final between Boiling Springs and Northern Lebanon. Last year, the Bubblers dominated the Vikings on their way to the state championship. But Boiling Springs lost a boatload of top talent while Northern Lebanon has a lot back and might be the slight favorite. This will be a final I'll be paying attention to.
   There's still a ways to go until Thursday, but I think Chestnut Ridge would relish another shot at Boiling Springs if given the opportunity should they be 5-1 and 3-2 on Thursday. The Bubblers have been a thorn in the side of Bedford County for the last four years, beating Bedford in the 2012 state semifinals before defeating Chestnut Ridge in the 2013 and 2014 quarterfinals and of course last season's championship match.

District Duals Across the State

   Here is a look at where things stand around the state in Class AA as many of the district duals tournaments are already underway. Locally, District 5 begins tonight with the semifinals and final on Saturday at Chestnut Ridge. I have also indicated state rankings by PA Power Wrestling, as of last week, where applicable.

District 1 Semi, Final (champion advances to states)
Bristol vs. Pope John Paul II, winner to face New Hope-Solebury

District 2 Final (champion advances)
Hanover vs. Lake Lehman

District 3 Final (champion and runner-up advance)
Boiling Springs (PA Power #11) vs. Northern Lebanon (PA Power #7)

District 4 Quarterfinals (top three advance)
Montoursville (PA Power #8) vs. Warrior Run
Southern Columbia (PA Power #15) vs. Athens
Line Mountain (PA Power #18) vs. Lewisburg
Wyalusing (PA Power #5) vs. Towanda

District 5 First Round (champion advances)
Everett vs. Somerset, winner vs. Chestnut Ridge (PA Power #3)
Berlin vs. North Star, winner vs. Bedford (PA Power #22)

District 6 Semifinals (champion and runner-up advance)
Huntingdon (PA Power #10) vs. Penn Cambria
Mount Union (PA Power #19) vs. Central

District 7 Semifinals (top three advance)
Burrell (PA Power #12) vs. South Fayette
Derry (PA Power #25) vs. Freedom

District 9 Semifinals (champion advances)
Brookville (PA Power #1) vs. Brockway/Clarion winner
Redbank Valley vs. Coudersport

District 10 Quarterfinals (top three advance)
Reynolds (PA Power #2) vs. Cambridge Springs
Saegertown (PA Power #20) vs. Franklin (PA Power #13)
Fort LeBoeuf (PA Power #6) vs. Conneaut
Greenville (PA Power #9) vs. Harbor Creek

District 11 Quarterfinals (champion and runner-up advance)
Saucon Valley (PA Power #4) vs. North Schuylkill/Schuylkill Haven winner
Northwestern Lehigh vs. Northern Lehigh/Pine Grove winner
Lehighton vs. Palisades/Notre Dame Green Pond winner
Pen Argyl vs. Panther Valley/Williams Valley winner

State Team Tournament
Monday's Play-In Matchups
7-2 vs. 10-3
11-2 vs. 4-3
3-2 vs. 6-2
10-2 vs. 7-3

Review and Preview: Feb. 2

   The team postseason gets underway this week, which means things are heating up in wrestling. Of course, this past weekend's Thomas Chevrolet Tournament was a great appetizer for what's left this season.
    Locally, the highlights were Jonathan Gabriel's fourth Thomas championship, and Chestnut Ridge's second straight team title and third in four years at the event. Today's Bedford Gazette sports pages had my "Cheap Tilts" column featuring more on both of those achievements, and included a photo feature of Gabriel's weekend. Certainly, many people were buzzing about what the Bedford stud accomplished in his home gym on Friday and Saturday.
   I had one person tell me that the finals match against Athens' standout Brian Courtney was the best bout that they've ever seen Gabriel wrestle, and that came from somebody that has seen him in person at previous state and regional tournaments among most other events.
   It turned into another fantastic Thomas Tournament in more ways than one, but we're on to the next thing, as the District Duals take place across the state beginning tonight in some cases.
   For District 5, it appears as if seven teams could be in the bracket which gets underway with quarterfinals on Thursday. Chestnut Ridge should be the top seed and host for Saturday's semifinals and championship match.
   Bedford, Berlin, Everett, North Star, Somerset, and Meyersdale are the other teams. Somerset and Meyersdale wrestle tonight, and that could have some implications on who are the #6 and #7 seeds. Below this post are the latest District 5 rankings, according to the district website.
   Looking around the state, two areas to keep an eye on are District 3 and District 6, as the District 5 champion will face Monday's state play-in winner between the D3 and D6 runner-ups in the first round in Hershey next Thursday.
   In District 3, defending state team champion Boiling Springs is the top seed, but the Bubblers just got past rival Bermudian Springs on Saturday, 34-31. They did so without 138-pounder Cole Wetzel, as the transfer and former two-time Maryland state finalist was out of the lineup.
   The way the bracket fell, Bermudian is the fifth seed, and if the Eagles defeat #4 Newport in the first round tomorrow at 6 p.m, they would get a nightcap rematch with Boiling Springs in the semifinals.
   On the other side of the draw, Northern Lebanon is the second seed and the trendy pick by many to finally end Boiling Springs' run on D3 titles. The Vikings were the runner-up last year and faced Chestnut Ridge in the state's first round after beating D6 champ Huntingdon in the play-in.
   In District 6, things get started tonight with top seed Huntingdon and fourth seed Marion Center hosting three-team pods. Huntingdon gets the winner of Ligonier Valley and Cambria Heights, while Marion Center will see either Penn Cambria or Juniata. Tomorrow, second seed Mount Union will face either Moshannon Valley or Central Cambria, and third seed West Branch meets the survivor of Westmont-Hilltop and Central.
   I would say Huntingdon is the favorite, but it is slight, given that the Bearcats only edged Mount Union in a dual meet, 33-28, and they could be without 170-pound stud Jacob Oliver. Oliver has missed the last couple of weeks of action, and there is no definite answer on whether he will be back.

	DISTRICT FIVE "AA" WRESTLING RATINGS
RANK	TEAM	WON	LOST	POINTS	RATING
1	CHESTNUT RIDGE	7	0	43	6.143
2	BEDFORD	11	1	66	5.500
3	BERLIN	7	1	42	5.250
4	EVERETT	9	3	54	4.500
5	NORTH STAR	7	3	42	4.200
6	SOMERSET	6	4	36	3.600
7	MEYERSDALE	5	4	30	3.333
8	NORTHERN BEDFORD	5	9	30	2.143
9	TUSSEY MOUNTAIN	3	7	18	1.800
10	CONEMAUGH TWP.	1	6	6	0.857
11	HOPE FOR HYNDMAN	1	7	6	0.750
12	SHADE	0	10	0	0.000
	AS OF 2/1/2016