PIAA Class 2A team wrestling tournament
When: Thursday-Saturday
Where: Giant Center, Hershey
Area teams involved: Saucon Valley (23-0; District 11 2A champion)
Defending champion: Brookville (defeated Saucon Valley 33-24 in the final)
Brackets: here
Schedule
Thursday
First round, 2 (including Saucon Valley v. Bishop McDevitt, District 12) and 4 p.m.
Friday
First round consolations, 8 a.m.
Quarterfinals, noon
Second round consolations, 4 p.m.
Semifinals, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Third round consolations, 9 a.m.
Fourth round consolations, 11 a.m.
Championship, 1 p.m.
What’s at stake: PIAA 2A championship. Medals/trophies will be awarded for second, third and fourth places.
Admission: Thursday, $6 adults/$3 senior citizens and students; Friday and Saturday, $8 adults/$4 senior citizens and students. Pre-K children are admitted free.
Brad Wilson’s analysis: The real championship will be Friday night’s semifinal when Saucon Valley meets District 10 champion and consensus state #1 2A team Reynolds. District 9 champion Brookville, in the other side of the bracket, is a formidable foe, and should be able to vanquish District 4 champion Southern Columbia in a don’t-miss Friday quarterfinal. But we suspect Brookville will fall to the winner of the other semifinal. So, if Saucon Valley can beat Reynolds, the Panthers will be in a strong position to win their first state duals title (they were state 3A team tournament champion in 1976). The Panthers will demolish their opening foe, District 12 champion Bishop McDevitt, the team they beat 84-0 in last season’s first round, and should handle District 7 champion Burrell in the quarterfinal. Then comes Reynolds, a pure pedigree team with three state 2A duals titles (but none since 2009) and seven 2A individual championships. What can make Reynolds so frustrating to wrestle is their brilliantly-executed cautious, slow-down style that takes cunning, patience and technique to break down. Reynolds’ leg defense is as good as any in the state and the Raiders hand-fight pretty well too. Saucon Valley may have an edge in overall strength; strength of schedule is pretty even but Reynolds does go to the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and PowerAde. Reynolds has seven wrestlers ranked in state 2A by Off the Mat, none lower than ninth, and with two No. 1’s in Beau Bayless at 106 and Gavin Wilkerson at 160. Saucon Valley has four ranked wrestlers, highest being Devin Fontanez at #2 at 220. The Panthers have a shot, especially if they can pile up bonus up top, but Reynolds may be too deep. If so, pencil Saucon in for third.
Brad Wilson’s prediction: Champion: Reynolds. Runner-up: Brookville.
Brad Wilson may be reached at bwilson@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradwsports. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook.
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