Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Preview

3 MICHIGAN GRAPPLERS REPRESENT TEAM USA AT PWC

PITTSBURGH WRESTLING CLASSIC PREVIEW

A trio of 4x MHSAA state champions will represent Team USA at the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic this weekend. Braeden Davis (Dundee HS), Dylan Gilcher (Detroit CC HS), and Josh Barr (Davison HS) will all take on Pennsylvania state champions in the 49th annual all star event. Wrestling will take place at Peters Township High School on Saturday, starting at 6:30pm EST. See below for the full event lineup, including the future college for each wrestler. While Davis and Barr have already signed with Penn State, and Gilcher will be a Michigan Wolverine in the Fall, a win at this all star event would look impressive on a resume for each of them.

In the third match of the night, Braeden Davis will take on Ohio State-commit Vinny Kilkeary of Greater Latrobe HS.  Davis finished his high school career ranked 6th in the country at 126lbs, while Kilkeary is ranked one spot behind. Davis met back in the 2020 Super 32s Finals, with Kilkeary winning, but the two have not met since. Kilkeary, a 3x PA state champ, comes into this match with a HS record of 131-12.

In the seventh match of the event, Dylan Gilcher will be wrestling Ty Watters of West Allegheny HS. Watters will be attending West Virginia in the Fall. Gilcher and Watters are ranked 2nd and 3rd at 150lbs, respectively. Gilcher won a Super 32 belt this past fall at 145lbs, while Watters was a runner-up at 152lbs. Watters won his second PA state championship this season and owns a high school record of 98-8. Watters also won the prestigious Powerade tournament this season.

Last up for Michigan will be Josh Barr, who will wrestle Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg Central HS. Welsh is another Ohio State commit for Team PA. Barr is currently ranked 2nd in the country at 175lbs, behind only Welsh. Barr beat Welsh in last year's Fargo finals before Welsh returned the favor at Who's Number 1 in September. Welsh finished his prep career as a 4x PA finalist and 2x champ, and he also won Ironman and Powerade titles his Senior year.

Team PA vs Team USA
164 - Abbie Miles (PA) - Albion VS. Destiny Rodriguez (Oregon) - McKendree
121 - Cael Nasdeo (PA) - Penn St VS. Marc-Anthony McGowan (New Jersey) - Princeton
127 - Vinny Kilkeary (PA) - Ohio State VS. Braeden Davis (Michigan) - Penn St
133 - Jaden Pepe (PA) - Harvard VS. Cael Hughes (Oklahoma) - OKST
139 - Tyler Kasak (PA) - Penn State VS. Ryder Block (Iowa) - Iowa
145 - Mac Church (PA) - Virginia Tech VS. Koy Buesgens (Minnesota) - NCST
152 - Ty Watters (PA) - West Virginia VS. Dylan Gilcher (Michigan) - Michigan
160 - Dylan Evans (PA) - Pittsburgh VS. Ethan Stiles (Illinois) - NEB
171 - Rocco Welsh (PA) - Ohio St VS. Joshua Barr (Michigan) - Penn St
189 - Jake Jones (PA) - Ithaca VS. Brayden Thompson (Oklahoma) - OKST
215 - Sonny Sasso (PA) - Virginia Tech VS. Gavin Nelson (Minnesota) - MINN
285 - Layton Schmick (PA) - East Stroudsburg VS. Matthew Moore (Colorado) - NEB

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