Three WPIAL champs, one WPIAL runner-up and a two-time top-four finisher.

That’s the recipe for the toughest weight class at Saturday’s WPIAL Class 2A individual tournament.

“The 126-pound weight class is definitely loaded,” McGuffey coach Mark Caffrey said. “There will be a lot of good wrestling in that weight class, a lot of good competition.”

Jefferson-Morgan senior Gavin Teasdale (27-2) is the headliner at 126. The Penn State recruit has won three WPIAL titles, three Southwest Region titles and three PIAA crowns.

Teasdale is one of three entries at 126 that has previously won a WPIAL title. McGuffey junior Jett Pattison (29-8) won at 120 last year. Freedom junior Z..J. Ward (27-4) is a two-time WPIAL finalist who won at 106 as a freshman.

Burrell junior Bryan Gaul (29-10) and Derry Area senior Shawn Broadway (35-3) are also entered at 126. Gaul placed second in the WPIAL as a 106-pound freshman and third last year at 113. Broadway is a two-time WPIAL top-four finisher and a two-time PIAA qualifier.

“Teasdale is obviously a strong favorite considering his resume, but you never know what will happen,” Derry Area coach Mike Weinell said. “Shawn has not wrestled Teasdale this year, but he has faced the other three and beat them.”

Teasdale, Pattison and Ward are among 11 entries in Saturday’s WPIAL Class 2A tournament, which will be held Saturday at Canon-McMillan, who have a WPIAL title to their credit.

Southmoreland senior Tyler Griffiths (14-4) is a two-time WPIAL champ. He won at 120 as a sophomore and last year at 132. A football injury slowed his progress at the start of the season. He competed at 152, but dropped to 145 at the end of the regular season.

“Tyler had to sit out a little bit earlier in the season,” Southmoreland coach Steve Santia said. “He also went through a growth spurt. He’s been working hard to get his conditioning to where it’s been in the past.”

Griffiths is entered at 145 with South Side Beaver senior Joe Demor (29-1), who was a WPIAL runner-up at 132 as a sophomore. Demor missed most of last season with a broken hand.

“Joe has been healthy this year,” South Side Beaver coach Bear McCoy said. “He’s worked very hard to fix the only hole in his game. He used to have a hard time getting out when in the down position. Only one kid has ridden him this year.”

The other seven returning champions are in different weight classes.

• Bentworth senior Manny Dovshek (16-4) is a three-time WPIAL finalist who won at 113 last year. He returns as the favorite at 120.

• Burrell sophomore Trent Valovchik (29-11) is the defending champ at 103.

• Frazier sophomore Thayne Lawrence (18-1) won at 138 last year and is now at 152.

• McGuffey junior Christian Clutter (34-2) has moved to 170 after winning at 160 last year.

• Beth-Center junior Dominic Fundy (29-2) placed third as a 160-pound freshman, first as a 182-pound sophomore and is back at 182.

• Freedom junior Bryson Miller (25-4) is the defending champ at 195.

• South Side Beaver senior Bishop McCoy (28-1) has moved up to 285 after winning at 220 last year.

“I can’t wrestle Bishop any more,” joked Bear McCoy, his father. “We both weigh about 275-280, but I’m 43 years old. He hurts me. He is so strong. Fortunately, he works out a lot at Young Guns Wrestling Club with some of the best heavyweights in Class 3A.”

Section tournaments

Twenty-three individuals enter Friday’s Class 2A section tournaments with at least one section title to their credit. All three section tournaments will be held at Canon-McMillan for the second consecutive year. The top four finishers in each weight class from each section advance to the WPIAL tournament.

Teasdale and Fort Cherry senior Nick Candelore (21-3 at 138) are the only three-time section champs. Candelore is in Section 1 and Teasdale in Section 2.

Five others have won two section titles: Ward and Burgettstown senior P.J. Smith (29-7 at 132) in Section 1; Griffiths and Elizabeth Forward senior Freddie Howard (19-9 at 113); and Gaul in Section 3.

City League

Three wrestlers enter Saturday’s City League tournament at Carrick High School as two-time champions.

The host Raiders have three returning champions, including senior two-time champs Justice Jones and James Howard. Both are three-time finalists.

Jones (31-2) placed second as a 138-pound freshman, first as a 152-pound sophomore and first last year at 138. He returns at 138.

Howard (24-11) has moved to 220 after competing at 285 the past three years. He placed second as a freshman and won the past two years.

Allderdice’s Jamil Prude (15-8) is the other two-time champ. He won two titles at 106, then placed third at 120 last year. He returns at 120.

The other two returning City League champs are Carrick senior Joe Dang (17-11) and Brashear senior Sabivumva Wilson (12-6). Dang has moved up to 113 after winning at 106 last year. Wilson is the defending champ at 195.

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

(Includes matches through Feb. 11)

WPIAL Class 3A

106 pounds

1. Kurtis Phipps, Norwin

2. Kyle Burkholder, Hempfield

3. Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Seneca Valley

4. Brady Sherback, Latrobe

5. Carter Dibert, Franklin Regional

6. Jimmy Baxter, Canon-McMillan

113 pounds

1. Ryan Sullivan, Shaler

2. Jordan Watters, West Allegheny

3. Frankie Bonura, Moon

4. Dylan Chappell, Seneca Valley

5. Giani Martini, Trinity

6. Bryce Wilkes, Peters Township

120 pounds

1. Logan Macri, Canon-McMillan

2. Louis Newell, Seneca Valley

3. Wyatt Henson, Waynesburg

4. Darren Miller, Kiski Area

5. Tyler Kocak, Hampton

6. Gabe Willochell, Latrobe

126 pounds

1. Sam Hillegas, North Hills

2. Mason Franks, Connellsville

3. Jacob Ealy, Hopewell

4. Logan Seliga, Belle Vernon

5. Ken Hayman, Canon-McMillan

6. Jacob Downing, North Allegheny

132 pounds

1. Colton Camacho, Franklin Regional

2. Caleb Morris, Waynesburg

3. Nick Coy, Penn-Trafford

4. Garrett Reinsfelder, Shaler

5. Justin Perkins, Penn Hills

6. Daniel Yetsick, Ambrige

138 pounds

1. Jackson Henson, Waynesburg

2. Noah Levett, Kiski Area

3. Ty Linsenbigler, Hempfield

4. Tim Hritsko, Canon-McMillan

5. Alex Weber, Thomas Jefferson

6. Tom Kyle, Upper St. Clair

145 pounds

1. Luke Kemerer, Hempfield

2. Cam Conner, Kiski Area

3. Job Chishko, Penn-Trafford

4. Nick Acuna, Moon

5. Alex Hornfeck, Mars

6. Jack Codispot, Butler

152 pounds

1. Trey Howard, Waynesburg

2. Jack Blumer, Kiski Area

3. Brock Godzin, Belle Vernon

4. Ty McGeary, West Allegheny

5. Cole Spencer, Pine-Richland

6. Nico Marsico, Montour

160 pounds

1. Zachary Hartman, Belle Vernon

2. Gerrit Nijenhuis, Canon-McMillan

3. Luke Stout, Mt. Lebanon

4. Nick Delp, Kiski Area

5. Jon Hoover, North Allegheny

6. Jake Richardson, Mars

170 pounds

1. Kyle Homet, Waynesburg

2. Scott Joll, Belle Vernon

3. Jason Montgomery, Bethel Park

4. Luke Mary, Peters Township

5. Jesse Quatse, Greensburg Salem

6. Tyler Gross, Seneca Valley

182 pounds

1. Tim Wallace, Albert Gallatin

2. Christian Sequete, Butler

3. Justin Hart, Hampton

4. Max Shaw, Thomas Jefferson

5. Jeff Market, Peters Township

6. Logan Pollick, Kiski Area

195 pounds

1. Danny Starr, Kiski Area

2. Nate Ansell, Connellsville

3. Shamil Zaynullaev, Chartiers Valley

4. Gehrig Hutchinson, Baldwin

5. Nathan Mankey, North Hills

6. Alex Donahue, Indiana

220 pounds

1. Ian Edenfield, Laurel Highlands

2. Rocky McGeary, West Allegheny

3. Jake Slinger, Upper St. Clair

4. Connor Forrest, Hopewell

5. Dillon Ferretti, Hempfield

6. Donovan Cutchember, Fox Chapel

285 pounds

1. Isaac Reid, Kiski Area

2. Gerald Brown, West Mifflin

3. Derek Devine, North Allegheny

4. Deshawn Butler, Penn Hills

5. Nathan Hoaglund, Mt. Lebanon

6. Corey Dodson, Albert Gallatin

WPIAL Class 2A

106 pounds

1. Conner Redinger, Quaker Valley

2. Trent Valovchik, Burrell

3. Joey Fischer, South Park

4. Damien George, Mt. Pleasant

5. Ryan Michaels, Elizabeth Forward

6. Jake Alberts, Ellwood City

7. Colton McCallen, Derry

8. Nathan Yagle, McGuffey

113 pounds

1. Ian Oswalt, Burrell

2. Doug Bittner, Mt. Pleasant

3. Shane Kemper, Burgettstown

4. Ed Huehn, Carlynton

5. Freddie Howard, Elizabeth Forward

6. Rocco Ferraro, McGuffey

7. Kace Sabedra, Derry

8. Lucas Murphy, Riverview

120 pounds

1. Manny Dovshek, Bentworth

2. Tyler Cimmerman, Derry

3. Kenny Duschek, Freedom

4. Jimmy Gwyer, Beth-Center

5. Colin Dunn, South Fayette

6. Tyler Baird, Ellwood City

7. Jordan Devine, Elizabeth Forward

8. Brady Earhart, Beaver

126 pounds

1. Gavin Teasdale, Jefferson-Morgan

2. Shawn Broadway, Derry

3. Jett Pattison, McGuffey

4. Bryan Gaul, Burrell

5. Z.J. Ward, Freedom

6. Brady Sherlock, Summit Academy

7. Mike Kiester, Elizabeth Forward

8. Mark Hutchin, Keystone Oaks

132 pounds

1. Alex Miscovich, Mt. Pleasant

2. A.J. Corrado, Burrell

3. John Rocco Kazalas, Quaker Valley

4. Jason Baker, Derry

5. Donavan Chambers, Ellwood City

6. Trent Schultheis, Freedom

7. Josh Agnew, Jefferson-Morgan

8. P.J. Smith, Burgettstown

138 pounds

1. Onreey Stewart, Derry

2. Nick Candelore, Fort Cherry

3. Eli Brinsky, South Fayette

4. Jake Pail, Freedom

5. Ethan Awes, Burrell

6. Nathan Bilonick, Jefferson-Morgan

7. Matthew Ferraro, C.W. North Catholic

8. Noah Hunnell, Elizabeth Forward

145 pounds

1. Joe Demor, S.S. Beaver

2. Tyler Griffiths, Southmoreland

3. Mike Cusick, South Fayette

4. Dominik Jellison, Derry

5. Chris Bruce, Elizabeth Forward

6. Olgyn Melnyk, Carlynton

7. Jacob Housel, Beth-Center

8. Patrick Brewer, Greensburg C.C.

152 pounds

1. Thayne Lawrence, Frazier

2. Corey Christie, Burrell

3. Chase Komara, Freedom

4. Ethan Barr, McGuffey

5. Trey Weinell, Derry

6. Shane McIntyre, Fort Cherry

7. Anthony Navarra, South Side Beaver

8. Austin Dohl, Quaker Valley

160 pounds

1. Shaun Gates, Burrell

2. Michael Muron, Freedom

3. Garrett Boone, South Side Beaver

4. Gannon Lenhart, Derry

5. Jaeden Gordon, Central Valley

6. Michael Dedi, South Fayette

7. Christian Tamburro, Riverview

8. Joseph Berish, Beth-Center

170 pounds

1. Christian Clutter, McGuffey

2. Jason Datz, Southmoreland

3. Noah Hutcherson, Valley

4. Austin Mele, Burrell

5. Austin Walley, Ellwood City

6. Keegan Forsythe, Quaker Valley

7. Nick Whittington, Keystone Oaks

8. Zayn Peters, Riverview

182 pounds

1. Dominic Fundy, Beth-Center

2. Luke Shingle, McGuffey

3. Geoff Magin, Quaker Valley

4. John Vargo, Bentworth

5. Russell Cyphert, Laurel

6. Joe Bastaroli, South Fayette

7. Caleb Hersey, Freedom

8. Gavin Hutchinson, Keystone Oaks

195 pounds

1. Bryson Miller, Freedom

2. Dalton Lough, McGuffey

3. Jacob Baker, Beth-Center

4. Zack Charlesworth, Mt. Pleasant

5. Tyler Stine, Summit Academy

6. R.J. Buchina, Elizabeth Forward

7. Austin Kuslock, Chartiers-Houston

8. Colton Moorhead, Burrell

220 pounds

1. Dominic DeLuca, Derry

2. Connor Main, West Greene

3. Riley Kemper, Burgettstown

4. Ashton Lopez, Bentworth

5. Ryan Mauro, Southmoreland

6. Marshall Mounts, McGuffey

7. Jake Walker, South Fayette

8. Nick Wardropper, Elizabeth Forward

285 pounds

1. Bishop McCoy, S.S. Beaver

2. Dave Schuffert, Valley

3. Cody Vokes, Mt. Pleasant

4. Tyler Caragein, Keystone Oaks

5. Quentin Franklin, South Fayette

6. Mitchell Miles, Laurel

7. Ronald White, BethpCenter

8. Randall Kidwell, Avella

First Published: February 16, 2018, 12:00 p.m.