What to watch for in WPIAL sports on Jan. 29, 2025: Road teams face tall task in wrestling playoffs

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 | 12:03 AM

Wednesday is a busy night of WPIAL boys team wrestling postseason action with first-round and quarterfinal matches at four sites in each classification.

So how important is home-mat advantage when it comes to the first two rounds of the district team wrestling playoffs?

In this decade, it has meant a golden ticket to the final four.

The WPIAL awards the top four seeds home matches in the first round, and if they advance later that same evening, in the quarterfinals.

In the Class 3A postseason this decade, not including the 2021 playoffs which were condensed in size due to the pandemic, teams that have earned home-mat advantage in the first round and quarterfinals are 15-1 in advancing to the district semifinals.

The only school that hosted and did not advance past the quarterfinals in Class 3A was Butler, which lost in the second round at home to Hempfield in 2023, 32-31.

The fearsome foursome hosting in 3A on Wednesday are defending champion Connellsville, Bethel Park, Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Regional.

Here is the slate of matches for the Class 3A first round at 6 p.m. and the possible quarterfinals matches that follow at 7:15 p.m.

• At Connellsville: Shaler at Connellsville and Latrobe vs. Kiski Area with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At Bethel Park: Canon-McMillan vs. Norwin and Butler at Bethel Park with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At Thomas Jefferson: North Hills at Thomas Jefferson and West Allegheny vs. Trinity with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At Franklin Regional: Fox Chapel vs. North Allegheny and Moon at Franklin Regional with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

The semifinals and championship matches are Saturday afternoon at Peters Township.

2A mat lineup

While it has been a near lock for schools that host the first two rounds of the team wrestling playoffs this decade in 3A, Class 2A teams haven’t been as dominant.

The 16 teams that have hosted in 2A are a combined 13-3 in moving on to the WPIAL semifinals.

The visiting teams that been road warriors in 2A this decade were Mt. Pleasant defeating host Beth-Center in 2022, 37-28, Frazier knocking off host Highlands in 2023, 45-30, and visiting Mt. Pleasant again defeating Derry in 2024, 37-31.

The fab four that will be home in the first two rounds Wednesday in 2A are defending champion Burrell, Quaker Valley, McGuffey and Derry.

Here is the slate of matches for the Class 2A first round at 6 p.m. and the possible quarterfinals matches that follow at 7:15 p.m.

• At Burrell: Greensburg Salem at Burrell and Jefferson-Morgan vs. Southmoreland with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At Quaker Valley: South Park vs. Freedom and Elizabeth Forward at Quaker Valley with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At McGuffey: Avonworth at McGuffey and Beth-Center vs. Laurel with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

• At Derry: Highlands vs. Burgettstown and Avella at Derry with the winners meeting in the quarterfinals

Catholic court showdown

Combined they are 18-1 in Section 1-4A and 28-5 overall.

The visitors are ranked No. 1 in the latest Trib HSSN poll; the hosts are rated No. 3.

A showdown for the section crown takes place midweek as North Catholic (15-2) visits Oakland Catholic (13-3).

The Trojans are 9-0 and are alone in first place now and can take a huge step toward an outright section title if they can win their 16th consecutive contest.

The Eagles are 9-1 and can force a tie and possibly a share of the section championship if they can win for the 13th time in their last 14 games.

When the two met in Cranberry on Dec. 11, North Catholic beat Oakland Catholic, 42-34.

In that matchup, Trojans freshman guard Sam Weir hit three 3-pointers and led all scorers with 19 points.

North Catholic has won 112 consecutive section games dating to the 2016 season.