Round by Round predictions
Championship Round of 16
Benton over Faith Christian
Burgettstown over Brookville
Notre Dame GP over Corry
Burrell over Bishop McDevitt
Saucon Valley over Quaker Valley
Forest Hills over Boiling Springs
Chestnut Ridge over Lackawanna Trail
West Perry over Hickory
Consolation Round 1
Brookville over Faith Christian
Bishop McDevitt over Corry
Quaker Valley over Boiling Springs
Hickory over Lackawanna Trail
Championship Quarterfinals
Benton over Burgettstown
Notre Dame GP over Bishop McDevitt
Saucon Valley over Forest Hills
Chestnut Ridge over West Perry
Consolation Round 2
Brookville over West Perry
Forest Hills over Bishop McDevitt
Quaker Valley over Burrell
Burgettstown over Hickory
Championship Semi-Finals
Notre Dame GP over Benton
Saucon Valley over Chestnut Ridge
Consolation Round 3
Brookville over Forest Hills
Quaker Valley over Burgettstown
Consolation Round 4
Benton over Brookville
Chestnut Ridge over Quaker Valley
3rd Place Dual
Chestnut Ridge over Benton
1st Place Dual
Notre Dame GP over Saucon Valley
My Thoughts
I think everyone knows that the favorites to get to the finals are Notre Dame GP and Saucon Valley. Those two schools have, arguably, the best rosters in the state in AA. So I look now at the other aspects of this tournament and try to find ways schools can put themselves in the best possible opportunity to wrestle for 3rd.
Burgettstown has a great opportunity here to make a run at the Semi-Finals. They take on Brookville to start off on Thursday and I see this team being able to get past them. Then it is on to most likely Benton baring an upset. This I feel either way will be a great dual and will come down to the last couple of matches. Right now, I lean towards Benton mainly because it is the safest bet as of now, but I would not be shocked at all to see Burgettstown win that one.
Chestnut Ridge is a team I am really high on. They just have so much talent on that roster and it is hard to pick against a team that has been to the team state championships as much as they have. I think they cruise to the Semi-Finals where they run into Saucon Valley and eventually lose.
So, Quaker Valley gets the unfortunate pleasure to have to face off against Saucon Valley in their first matchup. As much as you hate to see it, that’s wrestling baby. I have them in another not as tough, but still difficult match against Boiling Springs which I think they will win. Then, they could end up with a District 7 Finals rematch in the second round of consolations. If they get through that then they would have either Benton or Burgettstown next. Yeah, not a fun path.
Below is how I see the bracket playing out, maybe it will happen this way. I doubt it but I think this will be close to what happens.
