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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
The Altoona 1-2 punch of sophomore Braiden Weaver and junior Luke Sipes have made a habit of collecting not only regular season gold medals but also postseason gold medals.
The Sinking Valley neighbors and lifelong friends will be looking to add to their growing medals collection in the Northwest Regional Class 3A Tournament this weekend at the Altoona Fieldhouse.
Sipes, who was voted the Outstanding Wrestler of the District 6 Tournament after winning his third title, will be vying for his third Northwest Regional Tournament title at 152. After breezing to his second district title, the 114-pound Weaver will vie for his second regional title.
"I'm super excited," Sipes said after stepping down from the medals stand. "This is what I train for -- districts, regionals and states. I'm ready to lay it all out there next week and two weeks after that."
"I think it will be tougher," Weaver said of the regional tournament, "but I'm just going to wrestle. It's just another tournament."
Sipes (30-5), who is listed third by the PA Power Wrestling rankings, appears to have gotten the less stressful side of the weight.
District 6 runner-up and fourth-ranked Griffin Walizer (32-8) of Central Mountain is on the other side, as is Mifflin County rival and third-placer Parker Kearns (31-6). Kearns will likely wrestle Bradford's District 4-9 champion Jordan Thompson (30-4) in the quarterfinals.
If Sipes wins a third title, he'll climb higher in program history, joining only four-time regional champ Matt Sarbo and three-time champ Cole Manley.
"I think Luke is trying to separate himself from some of the other Altoona grads who have done well in the postseason," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "He's going to maybe get one of those guys he had to wrestle this past weekend in the districts in the finals. But first you've got to take it one match at a time."
The fourth-ranked Weaver (31-4) could face Meadville returning state qualifier Ben Fuller (27-9) in the semifinals. Hickory District 10 champ Elijah Scriven (36-6) is at the bottom of the bracket. Weaver beat Scriven, 6-3, in the Ultimate Warrior semifinals.
"Weaver has a few good kids in his weight class also," Gilbert said. "But he's going for his second title and he's a seasoned veteran right now. He understands what he has to do. Hopefully he keeps it moving out there, and I think he'll be tough to beat."
The tournament begins at 4:30 p.m. on Friday at the Altoona Fieldhouse with the first round. The quarterfinals and the first round of consolations will follow.
The tournament resumes at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the second round of consolations. The semifinals and the consolation quarterfinals are set for 12:30 p.m. The consolation finals and championship finals are scheduled for 5:15 p.m.
The top three wrestlers at every weight qualify for the PIAA Championships in less than two weeks at Hershey's Giant Center.
Altoona freshman Gavin Ciampoli (19-6), a third seed with a 19-6 record, will be looking to build on his District 6 title. He could have an early challenge against Hickory's District 10 runner-up Brady Slicker (28-7).
"It will be a good test for him to see where he's at," Gilbert said. "I think if Ciampoli gets moving, I think he can beat just about anybody out there."
This week in 14-man weight classes, the top three District 6 wrestlers at every weight, are being joined by the top five from District 4/9, the top three from District 10 and the top three from District 8.
District 8 didn't have enough qualifiers at some weights, so the number of participants for Altoona and Hollidaysburg has increased since the District 6 Tournament ended.
Altoona now has eight wrestlers in the tournament, including district runner-up Evan Boose (215) and third-placers Wyatt Young (139) and Hayden Speece (285). District 6 fourth-placer Tykear Davis (172) and fifth-placer Dominic Nardozza (107) have been added to the field.
"I believe our guys are really looking forward to it," Gilbert said. "We have a lot of guys in the tournament this year. I think a lot of our guys are looking for an opportunity to get to the state tournament. Some of us are looking to get that experience. Of course, some of us are seniors looking for that last hurrah. Maybe we can get in the top three and get out."
Hollidaysburg's contingent has grown to six, including runners-up Mitchell Baronner (172) and Wyatt Maines (285) and third-placers Landon Krupka (114), Jacob Brua (133) and Tyson Bridenbaugh (189). Fourth-placer Brayden Sidney (107) has been added to the tournament.
"It's a tough tournament," Hollidaysburg coach Christian Harr said. "You've got some high-caliber kids and being in the top three is pretty difficult to get done. So, it's just a matter of those guys putting something together here and getting on a run.
You wrestle tough tournaments and tough competition all year to prepare yourself for this moment. Our kids are just going out there with some confidence and letting it all hang out."
Besides Weaver and Sipes, Baronner is the only other area wrestler who has wrestled in the regional tournament, going 2-2 in last year's tournament.
"I feel really good about him," Harr said. "I think Mitchell's got a really good spot in the bracket. I think he's going to be in the semifinal round looking for a spot to get to the state tournament. It's up to him to decide if he wants to go or not."