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By Todd Irwin
tirwin@altoonamirror.com
Altoona junior Luke Sipes (152) and sophomore Braiden Weaver (114) have wrestled and placed in the PIAA Class 3A Championships before.
They know the emotions they'll be experiencing at Hershey's Giant Center. They know the talent they'll be going up against.
When the tournament starts for the Class 3A wrestlers at 4 p.m. on Thursday, they'll be using that experience to draw on in their wrestling.
Sipes has earned two medals at 152 in Hershey, placing seventh last season after questionable calls by officials and fifth as a freshman, when he reached the semifinals. Weaver finished fifth as a freshman 107-pounder last season.
"I'm super excited," Sipes after winning his third Northwest Regional title less than two weeks ago. "State champ 2024 has been on my mirror since last year. The hay's in the barn. The work has been put in. So it's time to reap the benefits."
While Weaver and Sipes are looking to tack on more medals to their respective wrestling resumes, Altoona freshman Gavin Ciampoli (127) and Hollidaysburg juniors Mitchell Baronner (172) and Wyatt Maines (285) will be getting their feet wet in their first appearances.
"I'm very much looking forward to wrestling down in Hershey," Hollidaysburg coach Christian Harr said. "I know it's been two or three years since we were down there, but it's a big deal to these guys.
"They've worked their tails off to get to this point, so it's just a matter of putting some things together and getting it done."
The fourth-seeded Sipes (33-5) will open against the preliminary winner of Pottsville's Parrish McFarland (40-7) and Plum's Antonio Walker (38-5).
Two wins by Sipes, who has been ranked third by PA Power Wrestling most of the year, will put him in the semifinals against most likely Bethlehem Catholic's returning state champ and two-time placer Kollin Rath (41-1).
"I think in his first two matches he has some pretty good draws," Altoona coach Joel Gilbert said. "Then he has an opportunity to run into the returning state champion and the guy who was the outstanding wrestler. If he gets by that one, he'll get another state champion (Quakertown's Collin Gaj).
"Ideally, I look at this as an opportunity for Luke to even have a chance to be the outstanding wrestler at the state tournament if he puts it together. He just has to get out there and do what he does best, let it all fly and see what happens."
Those who win in the first round are done for the day. If they lose, they'll be wrestling again in the first round of consolations at approximately 7:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Weaver (33-5), a regional runner-up, has a brutal bracket at 114. He opens with Bethlehem Catholic's Reef Dillard (33-12). If Weaver wins that, he'll likely face Manheim Township's former state champ and three-time placer Kaedyn Williams (34-0). Butler's 36-0 Santino Sloboda is the third seed.
"(Weaver and Dillard) have wrestled at The Surge in the fall and Dillard beat him, but Braiden has been down there before," Gilbert said. "He knows what it takes to place. There are some really, really tough kids in that weight class."
Ciampoli (24-7), a regional third-placer, opens with a preliminary bout against Boiling Springs' Luke Magnani (32-14). The winner of that bout gets Council Rock North's Eren Sement (39-7).
"We're hoping he goes down and lets the jitters go a little bit," Gilbert said. "Ciampoli is a dangerous wrestler, and he can really do some damage down at the state tournament, open up some eyes and get some college looks."
Regional third-placer Baronner (27-13) faces Pennridge's Talan Hogan (36-10) in the preliminary round. The winner gets Abington Heights' Brian Heard (43-3) in the first round.
Maines, a regional runner-up with an 11-10 record, faces Quakertown's Calvin Lachman (44-4) in the first round. The winner will likely wrestle Nazareth's two-time state champ Sean Kinney (35-1).
"I think confidence is going to be crucial for these guys," Harr said. "I think the confidence levels for both Mitchell and Wyatt are at all-time highs from an athletic standpoint. Having the confidence that they have going into the tournament is going to be a big deal for them."