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.
It's like trying to choose between supermodels Marisa Miller and Megan Fox as to who's prettier. My pick would be Miller, by the way.
Anyway, returning state champions Dylan Alton of Central Mountain and Joey Napoli of Cumberland Valley haven't wrestled this season, but they're at the same weight.
They might have wrestled in an offseason tournament, but there's a big difference between offseason tournaments and the state tournament.
The wrestlers might say they've competed in bigger tournaments or in bigger arenas with a lot more mats, but if you lose in those events, it really doesn't matter. Those tournaments are just preparing guys like Alton and Napoli for this time of the year.
While Napoli is first in the PA Power Rankings and Alton is second, I'm giving the nod to Alton. I think he'll have that little bit extra to win the weight and be named the Outstanding Wrestler.
If Napoli wins, it will be the second year in a row he's knocked off a returning champion in the finals. Last year, he beat Central Dauphin's Walter Peppelman, 7-6.
I didn't pick any of the three area wrestlers to make the finals. Altoona's Nik Zimmerman and K.J. Walters and Philipsburg-Osceola's Nick Gurol all have brutal brackets they have to get through. But, they have chances to place in the top eight.
As far as other District 6 wrestlers are concerned, I think Andrew Alton has a better shot at winning than his brother. Andrew will beat Carlisle's Jayshon Wilson at 140.
I'm picking Bellefonte's Mitchell Port to reach the finals and face Penn Trafford's two-time state champion Shane Young for the third time this season. Port beat Young, 6-2, at King of the Mountain, but Young avenged that loss, 4-2, at the Power Ade Tournament.
If you made your own picks, you know how hard they were to make. Here's the rest of mine.
103 POUNDS: Finalists: Jimmy Gulibon, Derry Area vs. James Bak, Harry S. Truman. Champion: Gulibon. Comment: Gulibon won title at Powerade Tournament.
112 POUNDS: Finalists: Nico Megaludis, Franklin Regional vs. Zach Horan, Nazareth. Champion: Megaludis. Comment: Both lost by two points or less to Mark Rappo last year.
119 POUNDS: Finalists: Mitchell Port, Bellefonte vs. Shane Young, Penn Trafford. Champion: Young. Comment: Port will have battle immediately against Cameron Throckmorton.
125 POUNDS: Finalists: Tyler Buckman, Central Dauphin vs. Sam Sherlock, West Mifflin. Champion: Sherlock. Comment: Look out for Steve Spearman and Jordan Rich in regional rematch.
130 POUNDS: Finalists: Josh Yurasits, Northampton vs. Cortland Choate, Blue Mountain. Champion: Choate. Comment: Yurasits handed Choate one of his losses this season.
135 POUNDS: Finalists: Josh Kindig, Blue Mountain vs. Kyle Bove, Kennett. Champion: Kindig. Comment: Kindig lost 4-2 to Jordan Oliver in last year's finals.
140 POUNDS: Finalists: Jayshon Wilson, Carlisle vs. Andrew Alton, Central Mountain. Champion: Alton. Comment: Wilson will have to get by Jack Bachman in quarterfinals.
145 POUNDS: Finalists: Dylan Alton, Central Mountain vs. Joey Napoli, Cumberland Valley. Champion: Alton. Comment: This one could go either way.
152 POUNDS: Finalists: Bryce Busler, Cumberland Valley vs. Marshall Peppelman, Central Dauphin. Champion: Peppelman. Comment: Busler will be tested by Mark Havers in quarters.
160 POUNDS: Finalists: Jake Kemerer, Hempfield vs. Kenny Courts, Central Dauphin. Champion: Kemerer. Comment: James Fleming provides Courts stiff test in semis.
171 POUNDS: Finalists: Nick Milano, Cathedral Prep vs. Matthew Transue, Stroudsburg. Champion: Milano. Comment: One of Milano's losses was to Mike Evans, 3-1.
189 POUNDS: Finalists: Tony Dallago, Central Dauphin vs. Jamie Callender, Council Rock North. Champion: Dallago. Comment: Dallago beat Roman San Doval, 11-2, this year.
215 POUNDS: Finalists: Antonio Giorgio vs. Nate Gaffney, Connellsville. Champion: Giorgio. Comment: Giorgio has big test against Carl Buchholz in quarters.
285 POUNDS: Finalists: Sam Brownlee, Canon McMillan vs. Sean Owen, Clearfield. Champion: Owen. Comment: In semis, Owen will face Evan Craig in 2008 finals rematch.
OUTSTANDING WRESTLER: Dylan Alton, Central Mountain.
TEAM CHAMPION: Central Dauphin. Comment: Central Mountain, Cumberland Valley and Northampton will push CD.
CLASS AAA POSTSEASON PICKS RECORD: 36 of 59 situations correct (20 of 29 last week).
