By Todd Irwin

sports@altoonamirror.com

Rematches from the championship finals of the District 6 Class 2A Tournament are a strong possibility in the Southwest Regional Tournament this weekend at the Altoona Fieldhouse.

Tyrone’s Braden Ewing and Glendale’s Daniel Williams could tangle again at 285 and go to another tiebreaker.

Penn Cambria’s Trent Hoover and Bishop McCort’s Melvin Miller could meet up again at 152, as could Tyrone’s Kyle Scott and McCort’s Owen McMullen at 172 and Huntingdon/Williamsburg’s Andrew McMonagle and Bald Eagle Area’s Caleb Close at 189.

Hoover (37-4) is a two-time Southwest Regional champion, but two of his four losses this season have been to Miller (49-3), a freshman who beat him 3-2 in the District 6 Tournament a little less than two weeks ago.

The Panther senior might have to get through Penns Valley’s Ty Watson (31-4) in the semifinals if Watson beats Burgettstown’s top-seeded Rudy Brown (43-4) in the quarterfinals. Hoover has beaten Watson twice in overtime, including in the district semifinals.

“Hopefully we get through those first two,” Penn Cambria coach Todd Niebauer said. “Rudy Brown is the top seed, but I’d love to see the matchup again in the semifinals with Watson. Hopefully we get a shot at making it to the finals, and I imagine Miller will make it from the bottom (bracket).

“I see it as an opportunity, and I think Trent does too. It’s an opportunity to get better. You’ve seen kids who have come into the postseason who maybe haven’t been battle-tested. We’ve had four losses this year, but the losses are to kids who are going to make us better. There’s the old saying steel sharpens steel.”

The tournament begins at 4 p.m. Friday with the pigtail round. A preliminary round will follow. The quarterfinals are scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday with the first consolation round. Another consolation round will follow before the 12:30 p.m. semifinals. The championship finals, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place bouts are set for 5:15.

The top six at every weight will advance to next week’s PIAA Championships in Hershey. There are 22 wrestlers from the Mirror coverage area who are looking to make that trip to Hershey next week.

The top six at every weight from District 6 are being joined by the top eight from District 7 and the top three from District 5.

Northern Bedford, which won the District 5 title and snapped Chestnut Ridge’s 12-year streak, has six of those wrestlers. The Black Panthers have champions in Wyatt Clouse at 121 and Eion Snider at 189, runners-up in Rece Dibert (215) and Brock Beach (285) and third-replacers in Aiden Replogle (107) and Tyler Paris (172).

“Last week was wonderful,” Northern Bedford coach Brian Dutchcot said. “I think our wrestlers have a sense of we belong just like anybody else. We have just as much of a shot as anyone else to punch our ticket to states.”

Penn Cambria third-placers Andrew Mardula (160) and Nick Summerville (215) and fifth-placer Layton Munyon (121) are joining Hoover at the tournament

Ewing and Scott are being joined by teammates Andrew Weaver (fourth, 189) and Remington Fleck (sixth, 139).

Cambria Heights has two regional qualifiers in Hunter Jones (fourth, 114) and Marshall Eckenrode (sixth, 160). Glendale’s George Campbell (172) placed fifth and earned his 100th career win in his fifth-place bout.

Central’s Thaide Mickel (fifth 133) and Central Cambria’s Jake Wilson (fifth, 139) will also be wrestling.

Ewing (37-2) earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Williams in yet another tiebreaker in the finals. Ewing is the second seed for the tournament, while Williams (32-3) will likely have to go through Central Valley’s returning state runner-up Brennan Morgan (35-0) in the semifinals.

“I know there’s going to be really good competition,” Ewing said. “There’s a 215-pounder from Central Valley who bumped up to heavyweight. He’s a good wrestler, and I’m excited. Hopefully I’ll get him in the finals.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Williams said after the District 6 Tournament. “I feel like if I can go into it with a confident head I should be able to make a little bit of noise there.”

Scott (35-4) has lost two close bouts to McMullen, 4-3 at the Laurel Highlands Tournament and 3-1 in overtime of the District 6 finals when he attempted an arm throw. Scott would have to most likely beat Belle Vernon’s top-seeded Elijah Brown (39-3) in the semifinals to reach the finals. McMullen (42-9) is the second seed.

“I thought I should have had that first one (against McMullen),” Scott said. “I probably could have had the second one if I would have wrestled a little smarter. It’s definitely motivating. There are tougher guys in the WPIAL. I’ll have to face those guys. Elijah Brown is a tough guy to beat.”

Close and McMonagle are ranked first and second, respectively, in the PA Power Wrestling rankings. McMonagle beat Close, 6-3, at the Laurel Highlands Tournament, but Close avenged that loss with a 5-2 win in the district tournament finals.

Close (37-2) is the top seed, while Snider (36-6) is the second seed. McMonagle (40-2) could have to go through Derry Area’s third-seeded Brady Brown (33-2) and Snider to get to Close.

“Andrew is very excited for this weekend,” Huntingdon coach Jon Mykut said. “He loves to compete. We had a good two weeks of practices and were able to work on some things in the practice room.

“As far as a rematch, nothing is given in wrestling. And although he knows who’s in bracket, Andrew’s going to focus on the guy in front of him each match, and let it fly.”

“It’s a tough weight bracket,” Dutchcot said. “Whoever comes out of that bracket in the Southwest Regional should be well represented at states. A two seed says a lot about Eion. Mentally he’s ready to go. He was right there in the blood round last year and ended up finishing seventh. I think that has motivation for him this weekend.”