2025 PIAA AAA INDIVIDUAL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
PREDICTIONS
By Glenn Kaiser
Hershey, PA-The Giant Center in Chocolate Town, USA, will be rocking Thursday late afternoon when the AAA portion of the 2025 PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships kick-off at 4:30pm with preliminary & first round action, followed the first round of consolations at 8:00pm. Many SOL wrestlers will be in the hunt for the ultimate prize, a gold medal after rising to the top of the podium in one of thirteen weight-classes. Favorites to win their brackets include 114-pounder Dom Morrison from Hatboro-Horsham, Anthony Mutarelli (Council Rock South) at 133, Eren Sement (Council Rock North) at 145 & Colin Gaj (Quakertown) at 160. Others looking to shine include 107-pounder Chase Williams (Central Bucks East), who is on fire after capturing his first Southeast Regional title - as a freshman - last weekend over Upper Dublin’s Don Powell.
Let’s take a look at each weight class:
107-pounds: If Williams can stay hot, he very well could reach the finals and matchup with another super-frosh in Northampton’s Braydon Wenrich who is the clear favorite here. Williams has a much better path in the bottom-half of the bracket than both Powell & CR South’s John Segata who are up top with Wenrich. CR North’s A.J. Kane is down below and will have to wrestle in with a pigtail. All four SOL wrestlers will be in the mix for hardware here in Hershey. Prediction-Wenrich over Williams
114-pounds: H-H’s Dom Morrison is in the top spot here. He is a returning state champion, he won the 107lb. weight-class as a freshman in 2024 and looks to become a two-timer this year. He will have a target on his back and will be challenged by many, including Souderton’s Clayton Waltenbaugh should he get through the grind in the bottom-half of the bracket. The bottom is stacked with talent, and Morrison up top has beat all in throughout the bracket for the most part. Prediction-Morrison over Emilio Albanese (Emmaus)
121-pounds: Marco Loss (CR North) has been wrestling well this postseason and he along with Pennsbury’s Kyle Von Schmidt are here in Hershey. Altoona’s Braiden Weaver & Bethlehem Catholic’s Reef Dillard are headed for a showdown in the semis, which very well could have been the final if the seeds were different. Loss has a chance for a medal if he stays the course. Prediction-Weaver over Northeastern’s Elijah Hewitt
127-pounds: Pennridge’s Quinn McBride is the lone SOL rep here. He looks to medal again, as he was 6th in 2024. BECA’s Keanu Dillard is a 2x state champ and should make it three in a row. Prediction-Dillard over Butler’s Santino Sloboda
133-pounds: Four grapplers from the SOL will compete at this weight-class in the Giant Center. CR South’s Anthony Mutarelli is the top-ranked guy for his first trip to Hershey, but he will be pushed by a good field. Northampton’s Trey Wagner was a state champ last-season and should meet Mutarelli in the quarters. Pennridge’s Colby Martinelli was 3rd in 2023 and looks to return to the podium. Martinelli will have a battle royale with someone in the semis which could set up a Mutarelli/Martinelli final matchup for the third straight time in as many weeks. Freshman Daniel Dennis CB West looks to medal as well, he will be tested out of the gate by Luke Willochell from Greater Latrobe. Pierce Kane is capable of medaling as well, but will have to be spot on all weekend. Prediction-Mutarelli over West Perry’s Jackson Rush
139-pounds: CB West’s Partick Kelly was 4th in 2024 and looks to reach the finals, but Nazereth’s Tahir Parkins is a solid bet to win his second state title Saturday. CR South’s Pat Woloshyn had to sit out last season due to injury and looks to finish this season on the podium. Prediction-Parkins over Kelly
145-pounds: The story here is CR North’s Eren Sement who looks to win a state title after placing third three times over the years. Souderton’s Dominic Ramos & Pennridge’s Danny Metzler also will battle in this bracket. Dalton Perry (Central Mountain) should win the top-half of the bracket and meet Sement in the finals after Sement takes out McKaden Speece in the lower-half semi. Prediction-Sement over Perry
152-pounds: Quakertown’s Gavin Carroll had a great finals performance at regionals and is on a mission to reach the finals. Maddox Shaw from Thomas Jefferson is up top as the #1 seed with Carroll #2 in the bottom of the bracket. CB West’s Chris Dennis (6th in 2024) & North Penn’s Johnny O’Brien are also in the bracket. Both are capable of medaling in this rugged weight-class. Prediction-Shaw over Carroll
160-pounds: One name reigns here, Colin Gaj (Quakertown), he will look to win his second state title, and in doing so it will be his second undefeated season during his scholastic career. CR South’s Ben Brillhart & Neshaminy’s Bek Baiysshbekov are also competing at 160. Prediction-Gaj over Altoona’s Luke Sipes
172-pounds: Only Gavin Cole is at this weight for the SOL. He will look to improve on his 8th place finish a year ago. Prediction-Asher Cunningham (State College) over Bode Marlow (Thomas Jefferson)
189-pounds: There are no SOL qualifiers here. Prediction-Ty Morrison (West Perry) over Brandon Carr (Sun Valley)
215-pounds: Pennsbury’s big Walker Murray enters the state tourney as the #4 seed after winning the SE Regional title. He is primed to medal and will run into Bell Vernon’s Elijah Brown the #1 seed in the semis. The lower half of the bracket is stacked, Owen J Roberts Decker Bechtold from District One is a darkhorse here. Prediction-Brown over Cooper Roscosky (Kiski Area)
285-pounds: Jeff Gessner has had a tremendous season for the CR South Golden Hawks, and will look to medal as CRS big-man, which has not been done for a long while. Prediction-Dean Bechtold (OJR) over Maxwell Roy (St. Joseph’s Prep)
Council Rock South will be in the team hunt with six qualifiers, not sure if Quakertown can crack the top ten with only two qualifiers. CB West & Council Rock North should also be able to crack the top ten should their wrestlers grab some medals and account for team points. I hate to say it, but Bethlehem Catholic is still the favorite to win the team title but there will be many teams looking to dethrone them, especially teams from their own Lehigh Valley. I definitely am aggressive with my SOL picks, but I believe this will be a record setting year for the SOL with state medals, especially gold.
Best of luck to all of our SOL wrestlers.
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