Class AA Quarterfinal breakdown

   Here's a look at a few of the top quarterfinal round matchups of the PIAA Class AA Tournament on Friday morning. Updated brackets can be found at this link - PIAA Brackets

106 Pounds
Kevan Gentile, Jim Thorpe vs. Aaron Burkett, Chestnut Ridge
   The Skinny: On paper, Burkett probably has the best chance of any of the four Chestnut Ridge quarterfinalists to eventually reach the finals. But the Lion junior, a sixth place medalist last year, will first have to get past the unbeaten Gentile. The Jim Thorpe wrestler won the Southeast Regional and had a second period pin to open the state tournament earlier today, while Burkett rung up a major decision.

113 Pounds
Joe Lobeck, Lancaster Catholic vs. Nolan Link, Penn Cambria
   The Skinny: These two met last year in the first round at 106, when Lobeck earned a 2-1 win. In today's opening matchups, Lobeck won by fall and Link picked up a 5-0 decision.

120 Pounds
Cole Matthews, Reynolds vs. Collin Glorioso, Huntingdon
   The Skinny: Each of these wrestlers had a harder than believed to be first round bout on Thursday. Matthews pulled out a 6-4 win, while Glorioso survived a 9-7 decision. Matthews is one of the top freshmen in the state, while Glorioso has placed here twice.

126 Pounds
Sammy Hepler, Tri-Valley vs. Jonathan Gabriel, Bedford
   The Skinny: This will be a rematch of the Thomas Subaru Tournament final, where Gabriel claimed a 7-5 decision to win his third title in his home event. On Thursday, Gabriel was pushed by Brookville's Cole Aaron, as the bout was decided on a reversal and two-point nearfall, both for the Bison junior during the 30-second pair of tiebreaker periods.

160 Pounds
John Vaughn, Boiling Springs vs. Cody Mulligan, Saegertown
   The Skinny: A senior against a freshman here. In my picks for the Bedford Gazette, I went with the impressive Mulligan. Vaughn was tested by another freshman, Westmont's Anthony Walters, in a 3-2 decision in the opener, while Mulligan rolled to a technical fall victory.