Class AAA also features four nationally ranked teams: No. 9 Bethlehem Catholic, No. 10 Nazareth, No. 23 Kiski Area, and No. 48 Northampton. The championship will most likely come down to Bethlehem Catholic and Nazareth. The ninth-ranked Hawks, who were runner-up at the dual team event, bring ten wrestlers with them to Hershey after going 6-0 in the go-to-state round this past weekend. Dual team champs Nazareth qualified six, all of whom won their regional tournament; however, the Blue Eagles saw a pair of returning state qualifiers - Ryan O'Grady (120) and Tyler Tarsi (126) - lose go-to-state bouts. The extra scattering of wins that Bethlehem Catholic can pick up should make the difference, as both Lehigh Valley powers have similar strength at the top of their rosters.
Also qualifying six was Northampton, which features a pair of nationally ranked wrestlers. The Konkrete Kids just may be the favorites to finish in third place. Kiski Area qualified five wrestlers, but they are much more a dual meet team than one that is strong in power tournaments. The team that could derail Northampton for third is probably North Allegheny, which qualified five to state, including a pair ranked within the top three nationally.
In Class AA, No. 50 Reynolds dominated their way to the dual team title. Qualifying ten to state, including six regional champions, their journey to double state titles should be a cake walk.
An interesting change to note for the state tournament this year in the Keystone State is how the state tournament pairings are being completed. Instead of being 100% random with the exception if a pair of state champions win regional titles, this year the PIAA has implemented a ranking scheme for the regional champions (Class AAA has five regions, Class AA has four to feed into the 20-man brackets).
The ranking scheme is based on a combination of prior year state placement and current year record. Upon the ranking of the regional champions, the other qualifiers from each region are populated on the brackets as per previous protocol/formula.
The eleven weight classes featuring multiple ranked wrestlers are as follows.
Class 3A: 132 pounds
The Keystone state is known for robust state weight classes with extreme depth. Nowhere is that more the case than in this weight class that features FOUR nationally ranked wrestlers. No. 11 Cole Manley (Altoona), No. 17 K.J. Fenstermacher (Northampton), and No. 19 Zack Trampe (Council Rock south) are the top three ranked regional champions in the first year of the new state draw structure in Pennsylvania. Manley is in the upper half-bracket, while Fenstermacher and Trampe are in the lower half-bracket.
The fourth nationally ranked wrestler is No. 18 Jimmy Hoffman (Hazleton), who lost by fall in overtime against Fenstermacher in the regional final, which will place him in a round of 16 match against regional champion Caleb Morris (Waynesburg), who also was runner-up at the Powerade in late December. The winner would then likely face Wyatt Long (Cumberland Valley) in the quarterfinal, who upended 2015 state placer Andrew Wert (Central Dauphin) to win his regional title.
Wert will face two-time state placer Hunter Baxter (Pine Richland) in a round of 16 match, which feeds into the Fenstermacher quarter. Trampe is most likely to clear to the semi, though a round of 16 match against returning state placer Job Chishko (Penn Trafford) is notable. For Manley, his most likely obstacle before the semis would come from Jared Papcsy (Bethelehem Catholic) in the quarterfinal.
Class 3A: 220 pounds
There are three nationally ranked wrestlers in this weight class, however none is the highest ranked of the regional champions. That distinction goes to Evan Callahan (Bethlehem Freedom), who finished sixth at state last year. Two of the three nationally ranked wrestlers were regional champions, No. 11 Francis Duggan (Cedar Cliff) and No. 12 Brian Kennerly (Upper Darby); Duggan is second ranked on the bracket, as he placed seventh at 195, while Kennerly was only a qualifier at 195 and is ranked third.
Duggan and Kennerly occupy the regional champion positions in the bottom half of the bracket. Duggan is looking at a likely quarterfinal against Billy Korber (Belle Vernon Area), while the undefeated Kennerly is most likely to see Powerade placer Nathan Feyrer (Parkland) in that quarterfinal round. The other nationally ranked wrestler in this class is No. 13 Joe Doyle (Council Rock South), fourth last year at the state tournament in the 195 class, but fell by a 3-2 score to Kennerly in the regional final. Doyle finds himself looking at a quarterfinal date with Callahan, where the winner is likely to clear to the final.
There is an additional returning placer in this weight class, Jesse Enck (Daniel Boone) who was seventh at state in this weight last year. His lone loss on the season came in the regional final to Duggan, and is now looking at a round of 16 match against regional champion Ian Edenfield (Laurel Highlands); that winner advancing to the other quarter of the Callahan/Doyle half, most likely against regional champion Pete Haffner (State College).
Class 3A: 120 pounds
No. 2 Julian Chlebove (Northampton) and No. 9 Matt Parker (Pennridge). They are also the top two ranked regional champions on the bracket. The third ranked regional champion is returning state placer Vincent DiStefanis (Hempfield Area). The other two regional winners are Zurich Storm (New Oxford) and Tyler Dilley (St. Mary's), both in the Chlebove half.
Super 32 placer Logan Macri (Canon-McMillan) is looking at a quarterfinal match with Chlebove after losing to DiStefanis in the regional final; 2015 state placer Aidan Burke (Council Rock North) draws Dilley in the round of 16; two-time state placer Luke Werner (Bethlehem Liberty) is likely to face DiStefanis in a quarterfinal; while two-time state placer Chris Wright (Central Dauphin) is looking at a quarterfinal against Parker after losing the regional final to Storm.
Class 3A: 126 pounds
No. 1 Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) and No. 4 Austin DeSanto (Exeter Township). They are also the top two ranked regional champions on the bracket. Lee is seeking to cap off an undefeated career with four state titles, while two-time state placer DeSanto is on a "vision quest" after finishing runner-up to Lee last year. The third ranked regional champion is two-time state placer Jakob Campbell (Boyertown), who is on the DeSanto half; while Super 32 placer Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic) and Garrett Rigg (Bald Eagle Area) are the champ/champ quarter in the Lee half.
Three-time state placer Chandler Olson (Shippensburg) draws into a round of 16 match against Anderson after losing by major decision to DeSanto in the regional final; assuming a preliminary round win, returning state placer Patrick Gould (East Stroudsburg South) would face Campbell in the round of 16, the winner of which likely faces returning state placer Noah Levett (Kiski Area) in the quarterfinal; DeSanto could face returning state placer Noah Myers (Mifflin County) in the quarterfinal.
Class 3A: 138 pounds
No. 2 Sammy Sasso (Nazareth) and No. 15 Colin Cronin (Upper Darby) are the first and third ranked regional champions. The junior phenom Sasso has two state tournament losses in his career, in the final to Lee as a freshman and a one-point match in last year's champ/champ quarterfinal against Luke Pletcher, which catalyzed the changed bracket structure. Super 32 placer Cronin placed fourth at state last year in this weight class, while the second ranked regional champion is Luke Kemerer (Hempfield Area), who was third at 132.
The one roadblock to a Cronin vs. Kemerer semifinal would come in the form of a likely quarterfinal for Cronin against three-time state placer Dan Moran (Northampton), who was a regional runner-up to Sasso. While there is no true challenger to Sasso in the upper half of the draw, the weight class's other returning state placer is Seth Koleno (Bald Eagle Area), and he could meet Sasso in the semifinal.
Class 2A: 138 pounds
No. 5 Max Murin (Central Cambria) and No. 11 Cole Matthews (Reynolds) are the top two ranked regional champions on the bracket. Each won a state title in 2015, but fell victim to Brian Courtney's reign of terror at last year's state tournament. Murin is undefeated on the season, while Powerade champion Matthews lost in the Ironman final. 2014 state placer Sammy Hepler (Tri-Valley), a NHSCA Juniors runner-up last year, is the other regional champion in the half-bracket with Matthews.
Class 3A: 160 pounds
No. 2 Eric Hong (North Allegheny) and No. 7 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County). The undefeated Hidlay is a two-time Super 32 placer and was a state runner-up last year, so he's the top ranked regional champion in this weight. Returning state placers Josh Stillings (Pennridge) and Jonah Barley (Penn Manor) are the second and third ranked regional champions respectively, so they occupy the bottom half of the draw. Lacking any "prestige" criteria, since he came over from National Preps, the undefeated Hong is stuck in the same half-bracket as Hidlay.
Furthermore, that will drag two-time state placer Zach Hartman (Belle Vernon), runner-up to Hong at the regional meet, into a likely quarterfinal against Stillings; the winner of which should face Barley in the semi. Hong is most likely looking at a quarterfinal against returning state qualifier Quentin Milliken (Cumberland Valley), who should beat regional champion Cade Wilson (Nazareth) in the round of 16; Hidlay is clear to the semi basically.
Class 3A: 182 pounds
No. 2 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park) and No. 4 Travis Stefanik (Nazareth) are the top two ranked regional champions. Returning runner-up Bonaccorsi is undefeated on the season, while returning third Stefanik lost in the Ironman and Beast finals. The third ranked regional champion is returning state placer Drew Peck (Chambersburg), also a Super 32 placer, which puts him in Stefanik's half.
Returning state placer Kevin Edwards (Avon Grove) is a likely quarterfinal opponent for Stefanik after losing in the regional final to Elijah Jones (Boyertown), who is one of the two regional champions in the other quarter of the Bonaccorsi half. Undefeated sophomore Cole Urbas (State College) is that other wrestler, and he has a win over Peck on the season.
Class 2A: 195 pounds
No. 6 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville) and No. 20 Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort) are the top two ranked regional champions, Hoffman won state last year in this weight class with Walters a runner-up two weights below. Each is a junior and a two-time state placer. It would be a major shock if these two wrestlers did not meet in the Saturday afternoon championship bout.
Class 2A: 220 pounds
No. 14 Josiah Jones (Bishop McCort) and No. 15 Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt) are the nationally ranked wrestlers. As the defending state champion, Nye is the top ranked regional champion. Two-time state placer Blake Reynolds (Greenville), fourth last year at 195, is the second ranked of the regional champions; however, he did not compete during the season prior to the state series. Third ranked of the regional champions, which puts him in the Reynolds half, is returning state runner-up Jones; Jones is 25-3 with all three losses coming to nationally ranked opposition. Returning state placer Devin Fontanez (Saucon Valley), regional runner-up to Nye, is a likely quarterfinal opponent for Jones; while returning state qualifier Tyler Cook (Brookville), regional runner-up to Reynolds, is probably the closes thing to a threat in the Nye half.
Class 3A: 285 pounds
No. 11 Niko Camacho (Bethlehem Catholic) and No. 18 Brendan Furman (Canon-McMillan). Returning state placer Camacho is the top ranked regional champion, while the next two in the bracket rankings are returning state placer Kawaun Deboe (Cathedral Prep) and the undefeated Michael Wolfgram (Central York). As a result, Super 32 champion Furman finds himself in the champ/champ quarter in the half-bracket with Camacho; luckily it would emerge as a shock if those two did not meet in the Saturday morning semifinal. Returning state placer Isaac Reid (Kiski Area), sixth last year and runner-up to Furman at the regional meet, is likely to face returning state eighth Deboe in the quarters.
Other nationally ranked wrestlers across the two tournaments are as follows.
Class 3A: 106 pounds: No. 8 Andrew Cerniglia (Nazareth) is the fifth ranked regional champion due to being a freshman with five losses, though most of his season was up at 113 pounds. He is in the same half as top ranked regional champion Doug Zapf (Downington West), a returning state qualifier.
Class 3A: 113 pounds: No. 2 Sam Hillegas (North Hills) is the third ranked regional champion as an undefeated freshman. In his half-bracket are regional champion J.J. Wilson (Cedar Cliff), a returning state qualifier along with returning state placers in Brandon Meredith (Spring-Ford) and Geo Barzona (Central Mountain); those three wrestlers populate the opposite quarter. The top ranked regional champion is returning state qualifier Matt Wilde (Boyertown), who is in the same half as returning state runner-up Lewis Newell (Seneca Valley), regional runner-up to Hillegas. Among those in the other quarter of Wilde's half is returning state placer Dalton Rohrbaugh (Spring Grove), regional runner-up to Wilson.
Class 2A: 113 pounds: No. 20 Jaret Lane (Southern Columbia) seeks a repeat state title and is the top ranked regional champion. There are three other returning state placers in this weight class, though none is a true threat to the undefeated Lane.
Class 2A: 126 pounds: No. 2 Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) is extremely favored to remain undefeated for his career through a third state title in this his junior season. Last year's runner-up to Teasadale, Kollin Meyers (Boiling Springs) is stuck in the same half bracket, opposite quarter of Teasdale, after losing at the regional meet; he draws returning state placer Joseph Klock (Benton) in the round of 16. The opposite half is anchored by returning state placer Brian Earlston (Lime Mountain).
Class 2A: 132 pounds: No. 7 Brian Courtney (Athens) is an extreme favorite to repeat as state champion. There is a quarterfinal against returning state placer Tanner McHugh (Tamaqua). The undefeated Gabe Miller (Penns Valley) anchors the lower half.
Class 3A: 145 pounds: No. 1 Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area) is the fourth ranked regional champion since he did not wrestle in last year's state tournament series due to a weight management issue. Verkleeren's lone loss this season came up a weight class in a dual meet against Cameron Coy, and he was a Super 32 champion before the season started. His likely semifinal is against returning state runner-up Brock Wilson (Nazareth). The lower bracket features likely quarterfinal matches as follows: 2014 state placer Riley Palmer (Council Rock South), a regional champion, against two-time state placer Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny); undefeated two-time state placer Brock Port (Bellefonte) against Super 32 placer and returning state placer Joey Blumer (Kiski Area); Hinkson and Blumer finished third and second respectively to Verkleeren at the regional.
Class 3A: 152 pounds: No. 2 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford) seeks a third state title in four years, and is the top ranked regional champion. Returning state placers Chase Stephens (Coatesville) and Carter Starocci (Erie Cathedral Prep) are the regional champions in the bottom half, while freshmen phenom Gerrit Nijenhius (Canon-McMillan) looms as a quarterfinal opponent for Starocci.
Class 3A: 170 pounds: No. 2 Michael Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic) is undefeated and prohibitively favored to repeat as state champion. The weight class features no other returning state placers.
Class 2A: 170 pounds: No. 7 Jacob Oliver (Huntingdon) is favored to repeat as state champion. No other returning placer is in his half, though freshman talent Gaige Garcia (Southern Columbia) looks as a probable semifinal opponent. Returning state placer Dalton Group (Susquenita) and Ironman placer Jared Leise (Reynolds) are the regional champions in the other half-bracket, while returning state placer Justin McCoy (Chestnut Ridge) is a likely quarterfinal match for Leise.
Class 3A: 195 pounds: No. 3 Jacob Woodley (North Allegheny) has been most excellent this season, and is favored to repeat as state champion. His half bracket features zero returning state placers. The only other state placer in the weight is two-time state eighth Eli Grape (Upper St. Clair), who was regional runner-up to Woodley. Grape has a likely quarterfinal against Junior double All-American Miles Lee (South Philadelphia), while the other semifinalist down low will most likely come from a round of 16 match between Ethan Laird (General McLane) and Colin McCracken (Waynesburg).
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