ALTOONA — The eight regional qualifiers from the Clearfield Bison wrestling team have learned their opponents for the 2017 PIAA-AAA Northwest Regional Tournament, which is once again being held at the Altoona Area High School Field House Friday night and Saturday.
Preliminary Bouts:
106 – Peyton Smay (12-15) D-4/9, 3rd vs. Kevin Sampson (5-5), Obama Academy, D-8, 2nd
113 – Cole Smay (10-16), D-4/9, 4th vs. Aleck Nyman (23-10), BEA, D-6, 2nd
120 – Matt Ryan (25-13), D-4/9, 3rd vs. Keenan Sheffield (19-7), Perry, D-8, 2nd
152 – Hunter Wright (24-12), D-4/9, 2nd vs. Asher Corl (24-12), Central Mountain, D-6, 3rd
160 – Thayne Morgan (15-14), D-4/9, 2nd vs. John Carrier (16-14), General McLane, D-10, 3rd
170 – Luke McGonigal (29-1), D-4/9, 1st vs. Dylan Bisel (14-19), BEA, D-6, 3rd
182 – Steven Sawyer (14-13), D-4/9, 3rd vs. Caleb Turner (29-8), Central Mountain, D-6, 2nd
285 – Trae Kitko (15-3), D-4/9, 1st will receive a BYE into the quarterfinals
The top-3 finishers at each weight class will qualify for the PIAA State Championships in Hershey starting Thursday March 2.
McGonigal is the only returning Bison placewinner, as he has garnered a third place finish each of the past two seasons.
Seven returning wrestlers have regional titles already.
Altoona’s Cole Manley has two titles, while Mifflin County’s Trent Hidlay won as a freshman in 2015, but was defeated by eventual state champion Kaleb Young of Punxsutawney in last year’s final.
Other returning champs are Geo Barzona of Central Mountain, Noah Myers of Mifflin County, Brock Port of Bellefonte, Dlaton Woodrow of DuBois, and Carter Starocci of Erie Cathedral Prep.
Action begins Friday at 5 with the preliminary bouts, followed by the quarterfinals and the first round of consolations.
Complete brackets courtesy PA-Wrestling.com can be found here.