DuBois sophomore Matt Gallegos shocked the wrestling community Feb. 28 when he upset Norwin junior Landon Sidun in the PIAA Class 3A West Regional finals.
But Sidun was back to work trying to correct his mistakes.
“There are things I can do better,” Sidun said. “He wrestled a good match, but I have to do better.”
Sidun was a PIAA champion in 2024. He lost in the WPIAL finals and then stormed back to win the PIAA title.
Sidun said he should have allowed Gallegos escape for a point to tie the score but instead got caught on a roll and gave up a reversal.
The WPIAL had three wrestlers earn No. 1 seeds in Class 3A: Connellsville junior Kai Vielma (145 pounds), Kiski Area sophomore Mario Hutcherson (189) and Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown (215). Brown is a returning champion.
Canon-McMillan’s Marlee Solomon is the only WPIAL girls seeded No. 1.
PIAA Wrestling Championships
3A Boys, 2A Boys and Girls
Where: Giant Center, Hershey
When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Times:
• 3A Boys: Thursday, 4:30 p.m.: Preliminaries and first round; 8 p.m.: first round consolations; Friday, 2:15 p.m.: quarterfinals and second round consolations; 4:45 p.m.: third round consolations; 7 p.m.: semifinals; 9 p.m.: fourth round consolations; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: fifth round consolations; 11:30 a.m.: third, fifth and seventh place matches; 3:40 p.m., Parade of Champions; 4 p.m., finals.
• 2A Boys: Thursday, 9 a.m.: Preliminaries and first round; 12:30 p.m.: first round consolations; Friday, 8 a.m.: quarterfinals and second round consolations; 10:30 a.m.: third round consolations; 7 p.m.: semifinals; 9 p.m.: fourth round consolations; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: fifth round consolations; 11:30 a.m.: third, fifth and seventh place matches; 3:40 p.m., Parade of Champions; 4 p.m., finals.
• Girls: Thursday, 2 p.m.: first round; 3:30 p.m.: first round consolations; Friday, 11:45 a.m.: quarterfinals; 1:15 p.m.: second round consolations; 7 p.m.: semifinals; 9 p.m.: third round consolations; Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: fourth round consolations; 11:30 a.m.: third, fifth and seventh place matches; 3:40 p.m., Parade of Champions; 4 p.m., finals.
Returning champions:
• 3A Boys: Norwin junior Landon Sidun (114, 2024); Hatboro-Horsham junior Dominick Morrison (2024); Central Bucks sophomore Chase Williams (107), Bethlehem Catholic senior Keanu Dillard (127), Whitehall senior Wilmont Kai (114); Easton senior Nichoas Salamone (121); Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown (215); senior Owen J. Roberts Dean Bechtold (285).
• 2A Boys: Bishop McDevitt junior Braidan Lotier (107); Faith Christian sophomore Fred Bachmann (114); Chestnut Ridge senior Dom Deputy (121); Faith Christian senior Joey Bachmann (127); Montgomery senior Brandt Harer (139); Bishop McCort senior Bo Bassett (145); Bishop McCort junior Melvin Miller (160); Faith Christian junior Nick Singer (172); Faith Christian senior Adam Waters (189).
• Girls: Quakertown senior Ashley Stank (100); Conwell-Egan senior Julia Horger (106); Canon-McMillan junior Marlee Solomon (112); Garnet Valley sophomore Neve O’Byrne (124); Chestnut Ridge sophomore Juliet Alt (155); Chestnut Ridge junior Violette Lasure (148); Quakertown senior Caroline Hattala (190); Panther Valley senior Brenda Banks (285).
Storylines:
• 3A Boys: Will Belle Vernon senior Elijah Brown win a second PIAA title. … Will the Westmoreland County streak continue? Since 1996, the county has had a state champion. … How many WPIAL wrestlers will win PIAA titles, and how many will earn medals. … Will Norwin junior Landon Sidun rebound from a stunning loss in the PIAA West Regional final?
• 2A Boys: Will the WPIAL have any champions, and how many wrestlers will return home to medals. … How will the five Derry Area freshmen do in their first PIAA tournament? … Will Burrell senior Cam Baker find away to defeat Chestnut Ridge senior Dom Deputy? … Who will win the possible showdown between returning PIAA champions: Bishop McCort’s Bo Basset and Montgomery’s Brandt Harer?
• Girls: Will the WPIAL have school besides Canon-Millan produce a state champion? Valarie Solorio won in 2024 and Marlee Solomon won in 2025. Solomon looks for a second title. … Plum senior Alaina Claassen (190) and Southmoreland senior Zoey Murphy (285) finished second. … Watch out for Moon Area junior Haley Smarsh is a two-time placewinner. … Kiski Area senior Ava Golding and Plum senior Saphia Davis are also two-time placewiners.