There are numerous key section wrestling matches scheduled for Wednesday that will determine section titles and seeding for the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.
One of the biggest matches has No. 1-ranked Franklin Regional (13-0, 3-0) hosting No. 2 Norwin (9-1, 3-0).
The Panthers are the returning WPIAL Class 3A champions and are at full strength with the return of sophomore Beau Fennick to the lineup.
“There are going to be a lot of high-level matches,” Franklin Regional coach Matt Lebe said. “This match is also important to the postseason.
“This match can go either way. Matchups will be key. Norwin has a very good team. Getting Beau back definitely helps us.”
The Knights finished third in the WPIAL last year and fell to the Panthers in the PIAA tournament. They did not have junior Landon Sidun for that match.
Sidun injured his hand in the WPIAL third-place match against Thomas Jefferson.
“Winning the Westmoreland County tournament should help our confidence,” Norwin coach Kyle Martin said. “We still must believe we belong with all the top teams. We need to wrestle extremely well to beat Franklin Regional. It has a chance to be a very tight match.”
The other key matches: Canon-McMillan (7-3, 3-0) at Trinity (10-1, 3-0) for the Section 2-3A title; Connellsville (11-2, 2-0) at Latrobe (6-2, 2-0) for the Section 8-2A title; McGuffey (13-1, 2-0) at Chartiers-Houston (8-2, 2-0) for the Section 1-2A title; Central Valley (6-5, 2-0) at Freedom (5-5, 2-0) for the Section 5-2A title; and Burrell (12-2, 3-0) at Highlands (8-3, 3-0) for Section 9-2A.
The WPIAL regular season for teams ends Wednesday with 40 teams qualifying for the playoffs, which begin Jan. 26 with preliminary-round matches.
The WPIAL wrestling committee, chaired by Canon-McMillan athletic director Frank Vulcano Jr., will set up the tournament pairings Thursday.
Franklin Regional is the returning Class 3A champion, and Burrell is the 2A champion.
The big question is how will the committee seed both classifications?
In Class 3A, Franklin Regional and Norwin are ranked No. 1 and 2. Trinity is ranked No. 3, and Connellsville is No. 4.
It is assumed the winner of Wednesday match between Franklin Regional and Norwin will get the top seed. But does the loser drop out of the top four?
Connellsville lost an early-season match to Canon-McMillan, which faces Trinity in the season finale. But the Big Macs have lost to Norwin, North Allegheny and Kiski Area.
Do they get a top-four spot if they defeat Trinity? Kiski Area, which was hot early in the season, was recently beaten by Altoona and Connellsville. The Cavaliers have wins over Canon-McMillan and North Allegheny.
Where should North Allegheny be seeded?
The consensus among coaches is that any of the top seven teams could end up winning the WPIAL title; it all depends on matchups.
In Class 2A, the top seeds are probably Derry (9-0) and Burrell (12-2). McGuffey is a solid third choice, whereas the fourth spot comes down to Laurel, Jefferson-Morgan and Burgettstown.
The WPIAL finals are slated for Jan. 31 at Peters Township.
The top three 3A teams and the top four 2A teams qualify for the PIAA tournament, which begins Feb. 3.
WPIAL clinched
These are the teams that have clinched playoff berths and key matches that will determine section champions:
Class 3A
Section 1: Moon at West Allegheny for section title
Section 2: Canon-McMillan at Trinity for title
Section 3: Baldwin clinched
Section 4: North Allegheny clinched
Section 5: Kiski Area clinched
Section 6: North Hills clinched
Section 7: Thomas Jefferson clinched
Section 8: Connellsville at Latrobe for title
Section 9: Norwin at Franklin Regional for title
Class 2A
Section 1: McGuffey at Chartiers-Houston for title
Section 2: Burgettstown clinched
Section 3: Jefferson-Morgan clinched
Section 4: Laurel clinched
Section 5: Central Valley at Freedom for title
Section 6: Keystone Oaks clinched
Section 7: Elizabeth Forward and Southmoreland
Section 8: Derry clinched
Section 9: Burrell at Highlands for title
Other key matches
These are the key matches that will decide playoff qualifiers.
Section 3-3A: The winner between Mt. Lebanon (2-1) and Peters Township (2-1) qualifies for playoffs.
Section 4-3A: The winner of Mars (2-1) and Seneca Valley (2-1) clinches a playoff berth.
Section 5-3A: Armstrong (2-1) clinches with a win at Hampton (1-2). If Hampton (1-2) wins, a three-way tie with Indiana (2-2) occurs and a tiebreaker determines second, third and fourth.
Section 6-3A: If Shaler (1-1) defeats Penn Hills and Central Catholic (1-1) defeats North Hills, a three-way tie occurs for first. Tiebreaker to determine second.
Section 7-3A: Winner of Belle Vernon (2-1) at Ringgold (2-1) clinches a playoff berth.
Section 2-2A: If Hopewell (1-1) defeats Burgettstown (2-0) and Avella (1-1) defeats South Side Beaver (0-2), it would create a three-way tie.
Section 3-2A: The winner of Beth-Center (2-1) at Bentworth (2-1) clinches second.
Section 4-2A: If Ellwood City (2-1) defeats Laurel (3-0) and Knoch (2-1) downs Summit Academy (1-2), a three-way tie will occur.
Section 6-2A: If Quaker Valley (1-1) defeats Keystone Oaks (2-0) and Avonworth (1-1) defeats Carlynton (0-2), a three-way tie will occur.
Section 7-2A: If South Park (2-1) defeats Elizabeth Forward (3-0), a three-way tie would occur with Southmoreland (3-1).
Section 8-2A: The winner of Greensburg Salem (1-1) at Ligonier Valley (1-1) clinches second place.