VT is a really good team, which is down this season and this dual is a chance for us to get a much-needed win against a really solid team.
125: Ventresca v. Babin: Ventresca is a former AA who is 2-0 against Babin in their careers. He has looked great this year and has to be favored in this one. VT FAV
133: McGonagle v. Chappell/Vin: McGonagle just beat Tyler Knox in SV and while this season has been filled with missed time for him he is wrestling very well and is favored against Chappell or a returning Vin. VT FAV
141: Latona v. Santaniello: Latona is up at 141 this year after being an AA at 125 and 133. He was one of Mickey's biggest foes and tends to wrestle close matches/be susceptible to upsets. He and Ant have similar opponents with close matches, but Sam has won a lot more of those close ones than Ant has. Last year he beat Vinnie 6-4 and I would anticipate him to have a similarly close win over Ant. VT FAV
149: Henson v. Solomon: Henson is returning NC who has not lost a match this season. He was 2-0 against Finn last year and widened the gap the second time around. Holding this to a decision would be a good result for Pitt. VT Fav
157: Hipolito/Backup v. Evans: Hipolito is a dynamic aggressive and dangerous wrestler. He has 1 loss all year (to Paniro) and is a threat to score from almost any position and is also very solid fundamentally. However he has not wrestled in nearly a month and this is likely his first match back, and therefore has been filled in behind him with RS Henrich and DiBella or backup Robie. Hipolito is favored over Evans but after a hiatus could be rusty, VT FAV
1st Half: 0 Pitt fav, 0 Toss, 5 VT Fav
165: Church v. Keslar: Mac started last season at 141 and has bulked all the way to 165 this year. He has won the starting spot and has had a very good season where he is nationally ranked. He and Keslar have very similar results against common opponents and this is one that I could see either one taking. Keslar and Church were both WPIAL guys in the same graduating class, but won state titles 15lbs apart. It will be curious to see how they match up against each other on Friday. TOSS UP.
174: Wolak v. Luca: Wolak is a retuning AA who made the national SF's before losing in SV last year. He is also 2-0 in his career against Luca. However, I will not favorite him in this one because he is 8-7 on the year and in all honesty has not looked anywhere near the level he was last March. This is a match that can go either way and a win in it would help cement Luca as the 2 seed for ACCs, which is important because a loss could drop him to the 4th/5th seed and being on the same side as Norman and having a tough first round match. TOSS UP.
184: Stewart v. Heller/Kranitz: Stewart is a returning AA who has been down this year. He started 0-4 and is 8-7 overall with no wins anywhere near the level of which he had last season. He won on a penalty point in SV against Heller last year. While the talent is still there and I won't write him off, Reece has been flawless this year outside of 1 bad day. If we see Kranitz because of the injury Reece picked up last week then I think Stewart would be favored but still susceptible to a loss against a confident opponent. TOSS UP
197: Smith v. Stout: Smith is 6-4 on the year, he has wins over top guys but also some questionable losses to guys Mac dominated. I would venture that we see Smith in this one, but there is a chance we see Sasso which would be an old state finals rematch. I think regardless of who Mac sees in this one he will have a battle, and a win, especially another big one against either of these guys would be a great statement that he is ready to AA this year. This is a match where Mac could lose to or beat either of these guys on any given day. TOSS UP
285: Mullen v. Pitzer: Mullen is 17-2 on the year with a 70% bonus rate at Heavyweight. Based on results against common opponents, home match advantage and Mullen's massive frame that he has used well this year I would have to give this one as a lean to VT. VT fav
2nd half: 0 Pitt fav, 4 Toss, 1 VT fav
Overall: 0 Pitt, 4 Toss, 6 VT
Obviously a win would be an upset, but this is a VT team has rarely had its full lineup in and may not in this one. If we take advantage of that I think we could really make this dual interesting, especially if we handle business in the toss-ups and guys come out wrestling to make an upset.
125: Ventresca v. Babin: Ventresca is a former AA who is 2-0 against Babin in their careers. He has looked great this year and has to be favored in this one. VT FAV
133: McGonagle v. Chappell/Vin: McGonagle just beat Tyler Knox in SV and while this season has been filled with missed time for him he is wrestling very well and is favored against Chappell or a returning Vin. VT FAV
141: Latona v. Santaniello: Latona is up at 141 this year after being an AA at 125 and 133. He was one of Mickey's biggest foes and tends to wrestle close matches/be susceptible to upsets. He and Ant have similar opponents with close matches, but Sam has won a lot more of those close ones than Ant has. Last year he beat Vinnie 6-4 and I would anticipate him to have a similarly close win over Ant. VT FAV
149: Henson v. Solomon: Henson is returning NC who has not lost a match this season. He was 2-0 against Finn last year and widened the gap the second time around. Holding this to a decision would be a good result for Pitt. VT Fav
157: Hipolito/Backup v. Evans: Hipolito is a dynamic aggressive and dangerous wrestler. He has 1 loss all year (to Paniro) and is a threat to score from almost any position and is also very solid fundamentally. However he has not wrestled in nearly a month and this is likely his first match back, and therefore has been filled in behind him with RS Henrich and DiBella or backup Robie. Hipolito is favored over Evans but after a hiatus could be rusty, VT FAV
1st Half: 0 Pitt fav, 0 Toss, 5 VT Fav
165: Church v. Keslar: Mac started last season at 141 and has bulked all the way to 165 this year. He has won the starting spot and has had a very good season where he is nationally ranked. He and Keslar have very similar results against common opponents and this is one that I could see either one taking. Keslar and Church were both WPIAL guys in the same graduating class, but won state titles 15lbs apart. It will be curious to see how they match up against each other on Friday. TOSS UP.
174: Wolak v. Luca: Wolak is a retuning AA who made the national SF's before losing in SV last year. He is also 2-0 in his career against Luca. However, I will not favorite him in this one because he is 8-7 on the year and in all honesty has not looked anywhere near the level he was last March. This is a match that can go either way and a win in it would help cement Luca as the 2 seed for ACCs, which is important because a loss could drop him to the 4th/5th seed and being on the same side as Norman and having a tough first round match. TOSS UP.
184: Stewart v. Heller/Kranitz: Stewart is a returning AA who has been down this year. He started 0-4 and is 8-7 overall with no wins anywhere near the level of which he had last season. He won on a penalty point in SV against Heller last year. While the talent is still there and I won't write him off, Reece has been flawless this year outside of 1 bad day. If we see Kranitz because of the injury Reece picked up last week then I think Stewart would be favored but still susceptible to a loss against a confident opponent. TOSS UP
197: Smith v. Stout: Smith is 6-4 on the year, he has wins over top guys but also some questionable losses to guys Mac dominated. I would venture that we see Smith in this one, but there is a chance we see Sasso which would be an old state finals rematch. I think regardless of who Mac sees in this one he will have a battle, and a win, especially another big one against either of these guys would be a great statement that he is ready to AA this year. This is a match where Mac could lose to or beat either of these guys on any given day. TOSS UP
285: Mullen v. Pitzer: Mullen is 17-2 on the year with a 70% bonus rate at Heavyweight. Based on results against common opponents, home match advantage and Mullen's massive frame that he has used well this year I would have to give this one as a lean to VT. VT fav
2nd half: 0 Pitt fav, 4 Toss, 1 VT fav
Overall: 0 Pitt, 4 Toss, 6 VT
Obviously a win would be an upset, but this is a VT team has rarely had its full lineup in and may not in this one. If we take advantage of that I think we could really make this dual interesting, especially if we handle business in the toss-ups and guys come out wrestling to make an upset.
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