Three in area will take gold
If everything falls in place at the Giant Center, there could be a lot of area Class AA wrestlers looking for gold in the finals of the PIAA Championships. In fact, by my calculations, there should be seven area wrestlers in the finals. That’s if everything falls into place. And when does everything fall into place in the state tournament? I’ve picked three champions in Tyrone’s A.J. Schopp (119) and Ronnie Garbinsky (125) and Bedford’s Josh Krupa (285). Schopp has been proving locally all season that he’s a force to reckon with, and he made a statewide statement in the Southwest Regionals finals when he beat Keystone Oaks’ returning state champion Anthony Zanetta. I think he’ll face Zanetta again in the finals, and he’ll find a way to beat him again. Garbinsky will have a tougher challenge at a very deep 125-pound class. It says here he’ll beat Northwestern Lehigh’s returning 119-pound runner-up Evan Yenolevich in the final.
» Full StoryPredicting state wrestling winners no day at the beach
The hard thing about predicting finalists for the PIAA Class AAA Championships is many of the wrestlers haven’t wrestled each other and don’t have many common opponents.
» Full StoryBarlett, Myers experience far different outcomes
The pressures of postseason wrestling are high enough, but when kids have to win that fifth-place bout at the Southwest Regional Class AA Tournament to get to Hershey, the pressure doubles.
» Full StoryAltoona’s Walters living up to high expectations
Sometimes when a wrestler wins a Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling title, he can’t raise his level at the high school level. Sometimes he can’t live up to the high expectations.
Altoona’s K.J.
Garbinsky-Myers district title bout rates as classic
There are some bouts between high profile wrestlers that you expect to be good ones, but they turn out to be cautious snorefests that end up with very few points being scored.
» Full StoryFeeling good about eight local grapplers
With so much balance at every weight, picking the finalists and the champion for the District 6 Class AA Tournament is always a tough but fun job.
Again, I’m attempting to do that with my postseason picks.
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