PIAA begins move to 13 weight classes
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
During a meeting Wednesday, the PIAA wrestling committee discussed dropping a weight class for teams beginning next season.
Proposed weight classes are 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215 and 285.
With one class (182) being eliminated, it could help break ties in dual meets and is a way to eliminate teams having to forfeit points.
“I don’t mind the weight potential changes, but I’m always reluctant when we take stuff away,” Belle Vernon Area wrestling coach Bob Bove said. “I know the argument about forfeits, but as a coach, if you’re concerned about dual meet wins, keep recruiting wrestlers and try to fill those weights.”
Bove oversees a program in the middle of a big overhaul with a lack of numbers. So filling a roster has been one of his top priorities.
“If the plan goes through, it would probably affect us negatively,” he said. “We don’t have a bunch of kids, maybe 15 or 16 next year and we’re top heavy. We may lose somebody because in today’s world kids won’t come out if they don’t have a shot to start.”
Frazier coach Buck Watkins said he’s just going to roll with the punches if the change is made.
“At the end of the day, I’m not in control of how the organization votes. I am in control of how I respond as the head coach. I’ll continue to recruit kids for wrestling every year,” he said.
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