2013 PIAA State Dual Team Bracket Predictions
Attached to this post are PA Power Wrestling’s predicted brackets for both Class AA & AAA PIAA State Dual Team Championships that begin Monday February 4th with preliminary round action. These predictions are opinion only, based on team match-ups, and the most recent performance of qualifying teams.
In Class AAA I feel the Central Dauphin Rams are in the best position to capture their fifth State Dual Team Championship in the last 6 seasons. Central Dauphin’s line-up has solidified as the season progressed and from top to bottom is an impressive group of wrestlers. Returning State qualifier Zach Elvin has settled back into the 106 lbs. weight class and senior Terrence Parsons is picking up where he left of from last season, in which he had 38 wins, wrestling well at 182/195 lbs. The Ram’s will be even better equipped if senior Nick Varndell returns to the line-up next week. Central Dauphin and head coach Jeff Sweigard will in all likely hood have to prepare to face District 7 third place finishers North Allegheny in the first round and District 11 runner-up Parkland in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final round Central Dauphin could face either WPIAL runner-up Franklin Regional or District 1 Champion Owen J. Roberts.
Returning State Dual Team Champions Canon-McMillan has a difficult road ahead of them if they plan on returning to the State finals. The Big Macs will likely face a tough Spring Grove Area in the first round on Thursday and will most likely have to get through District 10 Champions Erie McDowell in the quarter-finals, a rematch of last seasons Class AAA State Dual Team finals, before having to face District 11 Champion Easton Area in the semi-finals. On paper Easton Area matches up well with Canon-McMillan and if the Red Rovers can avoid giving up bonus points I predict an upset over Canon-McMillan. Big Mac head coach Chris Mary has been without one of the State’s top wrestlers as Solomon Chishko has been sidelined all season from an injury suffered in the pre-season. It is unclear if Chishko will return to the line-up for the State Dual Team Championships but, if he does, Canon Mac would be in a much better position to defend their Class AAA Dual Team Title.
Overall, Canon-McMillan, Central Dauphin, and Easton Area all have realistic shots of capturing the Class AAA State Dual Team Championship with Parkland, Franklin Regional, and Erie McDowell all having outside chances.
In Class AA, returning 2x PIAA State Dual Team Champions Bethlehem Catholic are the favorites to capture their third straight title. In my opinion the Class AA State Dual Team bracket is much more difficult to predict but other than Bethlehem Catholic, District 3’s Boiling Spring and Bermudian Springs, along with District 10’s Reynolds and Fort LeBoeuf should all compete for a top 4 finish. Other teams that will challenge the top teams are District 4’s Champion Central Columbia, District 6 Champion West Branch, District 5 Champion Chestnut Ridge, and District 9 Champion Redbank Valley. District 7 Champion Burrell has a tough draw as they will face with winner of District 3’s runner-up Bermudian Springs and District 6’s runner-up Mount Union Area, which Bermudian Springs is favored. Of the first-round matches already set, Redbank Valley vs. Western Wayne is n intriguing match-up along with Chestnut Ridge vs. Benton Area.
Overall, Bethlehem Catholic is the clear favorite with a multitude of teams equally matched that could all leave Hershey with hardware. Below are the predicted brackets and the complete PIAA State Dual Team schedule.
PIAA State Dual Team Championship Schedule