Five things to watch at the WPIAL Class AAA tournament

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 | 8:12 PM

There are storylines galore that will unfoled Friday and Saturday at the WPIAL/Southwest Regional Class AAA tournament at Canon-McMillan.

Albert Gallatin senior Tim Wallace and Waynesburg senior Caleb Morris will look to become three-time champions, while Laurel Highlands senior Ian Edenfield, Hempfield senior Luke Kemerer, Norwin sophomore Kurtis Phipps, North Hills sophomore Sam Hillegas, Seneca Valley senior Louis Newell and Belle Vernon Zach Hartman are going after their second titles.

Two three-time placewinners — Kiski Area senior Noah Levett and Canon-McMillan senior Logan Macri — are aiming for their first titles. Both are seeded No. 1 in their weight classes.

• Levett (36-4) has placed three times, but the obstacle in his way has been Franklin Regional's Spencer Lee. With Lee off to Iowa, who is in his way in 2018? He's seeded No. 1 at 138 pounds, but he's lost twice to No. 3 seed Waynesburg senior Jackson Henson (33-4). Henson probably would have been seeded No. 1 but lost to No. 2 seed Tim Hritsko (36-11) of Canon-McMillan in the Section 4 final.

• Norwin sophomore Kurtis Phipps is one of three Class AAA wrestlers with unbeaten marks at 32-0. Phipps, who is the returning 106-pound champion, defeated Shaler junior Ryan Sullivan in finals. Sullivan is the No. 1 seed at 113 pounds. He finished second in the PIAA tournament and Phipps was seventh. The other unbeatens are West Allegheny senior Rocky McGeary (32-0) at 220 and Kiski Area senior heavyweight Isaac Reid (15-0).

• Keep an eye on the 152-pound weight class. There at least six wrestlers who can walk away with the title. Heading the list is Kemerer (33-1), the returning 138-pound champion who is seeded No. 1. Belle Vernon senior Brock Godzin (28-4), who is a returning PIAA qualifier at 152, is seeded fifth behind West Allegheny junior Ty McGeary (32-5), Waynesburg junior Trey Howard (32-8) and Kiski Area sophomore Jack Blumer (34-7). Pine-Richland freshman Cole Spencer (26-2) also could contend.

• Another freshman to watch is Hampton's Justin Hart (34-2) at 182 pounds. He is seeded third behind Wallace (31-2) of Albert Gallatin and Butler senior Christian Sequete (29-3). Hart won the Allegheny County Tournament with a win over No. 4 seed Max Shaw (18-2), a Thomas Jefferson junior.

• Macri (31-2) finished fourth at 106 in 2015, and second at 113 in 2016 and at 120 at 2017. He's seeded No. 1 at 120 pounds, ahead of Seneca Valley senior Louis Newell (35-3), Waynesburg freshman Wyatt Henson (35-9) and Kiski Area junior Darren Miller (33-7). Newell was a champion at 106 in 2016.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Butler, Canon-McMillan, Hampton, Kiski School, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler, Waynesburg, Waynesburg Central, West Allegheny