Photo by Ben McDonald
The WPIAL lineup has been officially set as they will take on Team Iowa later this month at Pittsburgh Fitzgerald Field House on March 25th. The Iowa natives will battle the best the WPIAL has to offer in the event’s undercard, with the main card featuring a dual between an all-star team from across the U.S. taking on the best in Pennsylvania.
Iowa is sending a total of ten ranked wrestlers to the event and two of those wrestlers will meet head-to-head with another top 20 ranked wrestler at the event. At 182 pounds the #2 ranked Joel Shapiro will take on #19 Tim Wallace and at 220 pounds #18 Boone McDermott will have an opportunity to improve his ranking when he takes on #16 Ian Edenfield.
A GoFundMe has been established for the wrestlers to help cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and meals in Pennsylvania.
113: Frank Bonura (Moon Township) vs. Grayson Kesterson (Williamsburg)
120: Louis Newell (Seneca Valley) vs. #4 Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee)
126: Caleb Morris (Waynesburg) vs. #12 (at 132) Drew Bennett (Fort Dodge)
132: Noah Levett (Kiski Area) vs. #17 Zach Price (Johnston)
138: Tyler Griffiths (Southmoreland) vs. #3 Michael Blockhus (New Hampton/Turkey Valley)
145: Luke Kemerer (Hempfield Area) vs. Ryan Steffen (Crestwood)
152: Corey Christie (Burrell) vs. Grant Stotts (West Des Moines – Valley)
160: Seth Gates (Burrell) vs. #15 Josh Ramirez (Dubuque Wahlert)
170: Jesse Quatse (Greensburg Salem) vs. #18 Ben Sarasin (Cedar Rapids Kennedy)
182: #19 Tim Wallace (Albert Gallatin) vs. #2 Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines – Valley)
195: Nate Ansell (Connellsville) vs. #14 Bryce Esmoil (West Liberty)
220: #16 Ian Edenfield (Laurel Highlands) vs. #18 Boone McDermott (Dubuque Wahlert)
285: Gerald Brown (West Mifflin) vs. #13 Caleb Sanders (Glenwood)
About the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic:
Pittsburgh, PA – An Iowa All-Star Team is returning to Pittsburgh to compete in the 44th Annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic on Sunday, March 25, 2018, at the University of Pittsburgh Fitzgerald Field House.
The Wrestling Classic – known as “The Rose Bowl of Wrestling” – is the most prestigious high school all-star wrestling meet in the United States because it attracts the best high school seniors in the country, Pennsylvania and another guest state all-star team in the two dual meet format. The preliminary meet pits the best wrestlers from Western Pennsylvania, or WPIAL, against the Iowa All-Stars at 4:00 PM.
The feature match showcases the best-of the-best high school wrestlers from across the United States challenging the reigning Pennsylvania state champs at 6:00 PM.
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If you can’t attend the event, you can watch it live on Flowrestling.