State Rankings Updated As Individual Post-Season Begins
The 2016 PIAA Individual Post-Season has officially started with many Sectional and District Tournaments getting underway this weekend. The post-season landscape is starting to take shape as many of Pennsylvania’s top wrestlers are shifting weights.
In class AAA two 2015 PIAA State Medalists dropped to 106 lbs. with Central Mountain junior Geo Barzona and Seneca Valley sophomore Louis Newell. Barzona, who was a State semifinalist and fifth place medalist at 106 lbs., moves into the top spot. Likewise Louis Newell, who finished third in the WPIAL but eighth in the State, dropped back down to 106 lbs. and is ranked #3 in the State.
Undefeated PIAA State Champion #1 Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan) returned back down to 113 lbs. for the first time since he won the 2015 POWERade Championship. The sophomore will be in search of his second straight PIAA State Championship.
Garnet Valley junior Matt Marino dropped down to 120 lbs. where he is now ranked #8 in the State after qualifying for Hershey as a sophomore. One of the biggest moves of the week was Downingtown East senior Wade Cummings who dropped to 126 lbs. a week after taking out the top ranked 132 lbs. wrestler #1 Zack Trampe (Council Rock South). Cummings, who placed fourth last season at the PIAA State Tournament, is now ranked #4 in the State at 126 lbs. Yet another District 1 wrestler to drop was Owen J. Roberts junior Ryan Resnick who moves to 132 lbs. and is looking for his second straight trip to Hershey. He now occupies the #12 spot at 132 lbs.
Not every wrestler has moved down a weight and several are moving up. 3x PIAA State Qualifier and PIAA State Medalist Dylan Chatterton (Central York) made move back up to 145 lbs. where he improved his ranking to #6 in the State. The biggest news to come out following Belle Vernon Area’s third place finish at the 2016 PIAA State Dual Team Tournament was UWW Freestyle World Champion and PIAA State Medalist Jarod Verkleeren having to move up to 152 lbs. for the post-season. Because Verkleeren weighed in at 160 lbs. on the final day of the PIAA State Dual Team Tournament the lowest he will be eligible to compete by Sectionals is 152 lbs.
Take a listen to this week’s podcast “The Mat Report”
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/247936809″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]