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The wrestling season is less than three months old. Because of COVID-19 protocols, some teams, Glendale for one, just started the dual meet season this month.
On Tuesday, though, the postseason starts for 26 District 6 Class 2A teams with four sectional tournaments in Huntingdon, Central Cambria, Bald Eagle Area and Forest Hills. Nine of the 12 teams in the Mirror coverage area make up the field.
Impending bad weather could lead to postponement of the tournaments.
The sectional tournament hasn't been used in many years, but is in use in 2021 because tournaments can only be wrestled in one day with eight-man weight classes.
Usually, by the time the postseason begins, many District 6 Class 2A wrestlers have at least 25 to 30 bouts wrestled. In 2021, though, many only have eight to 12 bouts wrestled.
Is that enough mat time to be ready for the postseason?
"I guess we don't have a choice," Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer said. "With this young team, I would have loved to have them a lot longer, but we'll take what we're getting. We'll just move forward and pray the inexperience doesn't come out at all.
"I was just putting in our lineup a couple seconds ago, and my kids have eight matches. It's definitely weird. Two months ago, when there was a question of whether we were going to have a season, I would have been happy to take the eight matches. At this point, I think we need to be thrilled with where we're going."
"Just looking at some of the dual meets, I think that we got just as much competition in as the other schools," Tyrone coach Terry Tate said, "and a little bit more than some of them. I think we've gotten some good mat time. We had 11 matches in a month. That's a pretty good chunk of matches in a small span. I would say for what we were given, we made the most of our time."
Only the top two placers at every weight class qualify for the District 6 Tournament, which is set for Saturday at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
A true second format is being used at sectionals and districts. If the runner-up and the third-place finisher at a weight haven't wrestled in the tournament, they'll wrestle for a true second place.
Tyrone is in the Section 1 Tournament at Huntingdon with the host team, Bellwood-Antis, Juniata Valley, Mount Union and Southern Huntingdon. It starts at 4:30 p.m.
The Section 2 Tournament, which starts at 5 p.m. at BEA, is comprised of the host team, Moshannon Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola, Penns Valley, St. Joseph's Catholic Academy and West Branch.
The Section 3 Tournament, which starts at 4 p.m. at Central Cambria, is comprised of CC, Cambria Heights, Central, Claysburg-Kimmel, Glendale, Penn Cambria and Portage.
Forest Hills is joined by Blairsville, Bishop McCort, Marion Center, Richland, United and Westmont Hilltop in the Section 4 Tournament, which starts at 5.
No fans will be permitted to attend the tournaments.
The seeding meetings for all of the sectionals were held on Sunday afternoon. The pairings can be seen on Flo Sports/Arena.
Tate and first-year Glendale coach Brian Storm have set lofty goals for their respective tournaments. Two-time state champion Brock McMillen (8-0 at 138) is one of three undefeated Vikings. Returning state sixth-placer Hunter Walk (10-1 at 120) leads the Golden Eagles into the postseason.
"A realistic goal for us this year would be to win the section," Tate said. "I'm not saying we're a favorite or anything like that, but I think all of our guys are wrestling well enough. A couple guys may squeak through that aren't seeded that way, and it might help us in the team race."
"We talk about getting every weight qualified for districts," Storm said. "I don't know how realistic that is, but it's something to shoot for. It seems like everyone is willing to accept the challenge."
The Vikings didn't start the season until Feb. 3. They finished the regular season with an 8-0 record.
"I think our attention span is getting better every day," Storm said. "The guys seem like they're more into it every day. That's a benefit of the short season. We don't have to look at a long season."
District 6 Class 2A wrestlers have a longer postseason road this season with the section and super regionals added. The start of the postseason though is an exciting time, particularly in 2021.
"I'm looking forward to it a lot," Tate said. "I know the kids really are. I know it was something they were worried they weren't going to have. I think the PIAA has done an awesome job. I think our school has done a great job. I think Luke (Rhoades) as an athletic director has really done a fantastic job to make sure we've gotten a season in to be able to do a postseason."
District 6 Class 2A sectionals
TUESDAY
Top 2 at every weight advance to Saturday's District 6 Tournament in Altoona. True second format will be used.
Section 1 at Huntingdon, 4:30 p.m.
Teams: Bellwood-Antis, Huntingdon, Juniata Valley, Mount Union, Southern Huntingdon and Tyrone
Section 2 at Bald Eagle Area, 5 p.m.
Teams: Bald Eagle Area, Moshannon Valley, Philipsburg-Osceola, Penns Valley, St. Joseph's Catholic Academy and West Branch
Section 3 at Central Cambria, 4 p.m.
Teams: Cambria Heights, Central, Central Cambria, Claysburg-Kimmel, Glendale, Penn Cambria and Portage
Section 4 at Forest Hills, 5 p.m.
Teams: Blairsville, Bishop McCort, Forest Hills, Marion Center, Richland, United and Westmont Hilltop