Thirteen Blair County Class 3A boys wrestlers — eight from Altoona and five from Hollidaysburg — will be trying to secure spots in the PIAA Championships while competing in Canonsburg this weekend.

The 13, led by two-time regional champ Braiden Weaver of Altoona, will be participating in the PIAA Class 3A West Regional at Canon-McMillan High School Friday and Saturday.

The event begins at 5 p.m. Friday with the preliminary round, followed by the quarterfinals and the first consolation round. On Saturday, the second-round consolations begin at 9 a.m. with the semifinals and third-round consolations starting at 10:30 a.m. The fourth-round consolations are set for 12:15 p.m. Saturday with the finals, third-place matches and fifth-place matches scheduled for 3 p.m.

The top five wrestlers at each weight class will advance to the PIAA Championships in Hershey on March 5-7.

Weaver (32-5) will open the tournament against District 7 seventh seed Parker Joseph, a Mars freshman, at 133 pounds. Weaver is not only a two-time regional champ but also the District 6 3A outstanding wrestler and a two-time state medalist who will wrestle at Penn State University.

Altoona finished third in the team race at last year’s regionals, and Mountain Lion coach Joel Gilbert, the District 6 3A coach of the year, was feeling optimistic after last weekend’s district tournament.

“There’s a lot more improvement that needs to be done, but I think we’ll be ready for regionals coming up and then the state tournament,” Gilbert said. “I think we’ll do amazing at regionals and states.”

The other Altoona and Hollidaysburg wrestlers and their first-round opponents are as follows:

n At 107, District 6 champion Dominic Picciotti (29-9), a freshman from Altoona, will open against District 7 sixth seed Salvatore Colangelo of Franklin Regional. Hollidaysburg sophomore Connor Sidney (24-13), the District 6 runner-up, meets Cranberry’s Brent Hurrelbrink, the third seed from District 9-10.

n At 114, District 6 second seed Landon Krupka (31-9), a Hollidaysburg junior, faces Connellsville’s Zachary Franks, the eighth seed from District 7.

n At 121, Hollidaysburg senior Brayden Sidney (21-9), the District 6 runner-up, opens against District 9-10 third seed Tanner Stuart of Warren.

n At 127, Altoona sophomore Deklan Barr (29-5), the District 6 champ, will face Hempfield Area’s Nate Caracciolo, the sixth seed from District 7, in the first round. Barr placed fourth at regionals last year.

n At 145, Altoona junior Reese Hite (19-10), the District 6 third seed, gets District 9-10 second seed Jacoby Thompson of Meadville.

n At 152, District 6 third seed Phillip Sarbo (27-12), an Altoona senior, opens against District 8 second seed Josh Gainer of Westinghouse.

n At 160, Altoona junior Gavin Ciampoli (30-6), the District 6 champ, starts against District 7 seventh seed Mason Calgaro of Canon-McMillan. Ciampoli was a seventh-place state medalist last year after placing fourth at regionals.

n At 189, Hollidaysburg freshman Keegan Hewitt (22-10), the District 6 third seed, will take on Brashear’s Angel Perez, the District 8 second seed.

n At 215, District 6 third seed Michael Colyer (19-11), an Altoona junior, gets District 9-10 second seed Brady Wassell of Harbor Creek.

n At 285, District 6 champ Scott Payne (21-12), a Hollidaysburg sophomore, faces Trinity’s Edrick Williams, the District 7 fourth seed. Altoona senior Khamden Thompkins (8-18), the District 6 third seed, will meet North Allegheny’s Bradyn McConneha, the second seed from District 7.