PIAA making changes for 1998-99 wrestling Season

A State Dual Meet Championship will be held

Regional set-up to be changed

No. of Weight classes most likely will reduced

The PIAA's Board of Control met last Friday and Saturday decisions were finalized regarding state dual meet championships
Changes to both Class 3A and 2A regional setups were also finalized.
A proposal to reduce the number of weight classes to 12 was approved conceptually but retured to the PIAA's wrestling committee.
The Board of Control: instituted state team (dual meet) championships in both classes (3A and 2A), to begin next season (1998-99).
A total of 16 teams will qualify for the team tournament, eight in an East Regional, eight in a West Regional.

State Dual Meet Championship

First round duals are slated for

• Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999
• State quarterfinal matches will be Wednesday, Feb. 24
• State semifinals Wednesday, Mar. 3
• Finals at the Hersheypark Arena Wednesday, Mar. 10 (the night before individual states begin at the same site).

East Regional AAA births (8teams)

• District 1; First three teams will qualify
• District 2; Champion only will qualify.
• District 3; First two teams will qualify
• District 4; Champion only will qualify.
• District 11; Champion only will qualify.

West Regional AAA birth (8 teams)

• District 6 Champion only will qualify.
• District 7 First four teams will qualify.
• District 8 Champion only will qualify.
• District 9 Champion only will qualify.
• District 10 Champion only will qualify.

East Regional AA births (8teams)

• District 1; Champion only will qualify.
• District 2; Champion only will qualify.
• District 3; First three finishers will qualify
• District 4; First two teams will qualify.
• District 11; Champion only will qualify.

West Regional AA birth (8 teams)

• District 5 Champion only will qualify.
• District 6 First two teams will qualify.
• District 7 First two teams will qualify.
• District 9 Champion only will qualify.
• District 10 First two teams will qualify.

Regional set-up to be changed

AA Regional Line-up Changes

Southeast Regional

• District One will be combined with District 3 for a regional at Conestoga Valley High School
• The name will be changed from South Central to Southeast.
• The Top Four Southeast regional place winners will advance to States.

Northeast Regional

• District 11 will join Districts 2 and 4, in a 10-man bracket to be held at Williamsport High School.
• District 2 will be awarded three berths
• District 11 will be awarded three berths
• District 4 will be awarded four births
• The Top five Northeast regional place winners will advance to the state tournament.

Southwest Regional

• The Top Four Southwest regional place winners will advance to the state tournament.

Northwest Regional

• The Top Three Northwest regional place winners will advance to the state tournament.

AAA Regional Line-up Changes

Northeast Regional

• Districts 2, 4 and 11, in a 16-man bracket to be held at Liberty High School
• District 2 will be awarded Five births
• District 4 will be awarded three births
• District 11 will be awarded eight births
• The Top Three Northeast regional place winners will advance to the state tournament.

Weight Class Changes

• Approved in concept a proposal that would decrease the number of weight classes in Pennsylvania from 13 to 12.
• It then instructed its wrestling committee to review and discuss the proposal at its summer workshop.
• Presumably (but certainly not positively), the Board of Control would then follow through by accepting
• the committee's recommendation and making it effective for the 1998-99 season.
• Pennsylvania's 12 weight classes would be: 105, 112, 119, 125, 132, 138,145, 152, 160, 171, 189 and 275.