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PIAA girls championship picks

100 POUNDS: Finalists: Valarie Solorio, Canon-McMillan vs. Grace Nesbitt, Neshaminy. Champion: Solorio. Comment: Bellwood-Antis’ Juliette Cuevas could face Solorio in the semifinals. 106 POUNDS: Finalists: Julia Horger, Conwell-Egan, vs. Isabelle Wilkes, Hamburg. Champion: Wilkes. Comment: Northern Bedford’s Kaylee Ebersole will have big tests early on Horger’s side. 112 POUNDS: Finalists: Lillian Rumsey, Williamsport vs. Kylee Trostle, ELCO. Champion: Rumsey. Comment: Bishop McCort’s Lane Fordyce could make a run to the finals to force a regional rematch with Rumsey. 118 ...

Hoover still searches for gold

By Todd Irwin sports@altoonamirror.com Penn Cambria’s Trent Hoover won Southwest Regional Class 2A titles as a sophomore and junior, but earning a medal at the PIAA Championships has been just beyond his grasp. Hoover opened with a 16-3 win last season, but he suffered a broken hand in the win and lost twice on the second day. “It obviously sucked,” Hoover said after collecting his regional silver medal at the Altoona Fieldhouse. “There was a lot of build-up to that. I won a district and regional title. I was feeling really good going down to that tournament. “I hurt ...

PIAA Championships: Todd Irwin’s. 3A PICKS

107 POUNDS: Finalists: Max Tancini, Perkiomen Valley vs. Dominick Morrison, Hatboro-Horsham. Champion: Morrison. Comment: I was tempted to pick Central Dauphin’s Thunder Beard. 114 POUNDS: Finalists: Colby Martinelli, Pennridge vs. Santino Sloboda, Butler. Champion: Sloboda. Comment: Altoona’s Braiden Weaver will have a big quarterfinal against Manheim Township’s former state champ and three-time placer Kaedyn Williams. 121 POUNDS: Finalists: Mason Ziegler, Quakertown vs. Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic. Champion: Dillard. Comment: Dillard will have a big semifinal against ...

PIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: Todd Irwin’s 2A PICKS

107 POUNDS: Finalists: Dominic Deputy, Chestnut Ridge vs. Joey Bachman, Faith Christian Academy. Champion: Bachman. Comment: I’m giving the edge to top-ranked Bachman in this battle of unbeatens. Bachman could have his hands full with Bald Eagle Area’s Tanner Guenot in the quarterfinals. 114 POUNDS: Finalists: Ayden Smith, Notre Dame-Green Pond vs. Dalton Wenner, Cranberry. Champion: Smith. Comment: Smith eked out a 5-4 win over West Branch’s Landon Bainey to win a state title last year. 121 POUNDS: Finalists: Aaron Seidel, Northern Lebanon vs. Louie Gill, Reynolds. Champion: ...

Lions counting on experience

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, ...

Hoover, McMonagle earn silver

By Todd Irwin sports@altoonamirror.com Penn Cambria’s Trent Hoover and Huntingdon/Williamsburg’s Andrew McMonagle earned championship rematches with the opponents who beat them in their respective District 6 title bouts. But again they lost frustratingly close bouts in the finals of ...