The PIAA Class AA and Class AAA tournaments are upon us at the Giant Center in Hershey today and 22 area wrestlers are competing in Class AA and two in Class AAA.

On the girls side, the area is being represented as well.

So lets break down the field and who is wrestling against whom.

CLASS AA

Brandt Harer of Montgomery takes down Gage Evans of Towanda during the PIAA Northeast Region AA championships at Williamsport High School. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The biggest storyline in this year’s PIAA Class AA tournament is hands down the 145-pound bracket and what seems to be the inevitable collision course between Montgomery’s Brandt Harer and Bishop McCort’s Bo Bassett.

Both are undefeated, both are absolute studs and they’re ranked No. 1 (Bassett) and No. 2 (Harer) in the state. Oh yeah, and also are natiaonlly ranked. In other words, get your popcorn ready when they inevitably meet in the final.

Yes, they still have to win to get there but the odds of someone knocking either standout out before the final is slim. Bassett and Harer are in leagues of their own talent wise.

“I’m excited. I just take it one match at a time. I’m expecting myself to get there and I’m expecting myself to win,” Harer said of the state tournament and potentially seeing Bassett. “It’s just one match at a time. I’m trusting my process, trusting my training and trusting my coaches.”

Harer hasn’t lost a match since his freshman year in the state final to take second. Since then, Harer has won 155 consecutive matches and has claimed back-to-back state gold medals.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Montoursville’s Branden Eisenhour wrestles at the Northeast Class AA Regional tournament at 107 pounds. Eisenhour qualified for states as a silver medalist and is eyeing his first state medal as a sophomore this year.

Harer is confident when he’s on the mat, and it’s a key to his success.

“Just believing in myself and my training. No one works as hard as I do in the practice room, even outside the practice room,” Harer said. “I’m doing all the little things right and it’s really paying off for me.”

That it is, without question.

THROUGHOUT THE WEIGHTS

Montoursville’s Branden Eisenhour is going to try making a run at 107 pounds. He’s 47-4 and faces Faith Christian freshman Riley Crandall (31-9) in the first round. He’s the only area wrestler competing at 107.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Hayden Harvey of Montoursville tries to score points on Duke Martin of Honesdale during their match at 189 pounds during the Northeast Class AA Regional.

“Don’t underestimate anybody and have confidence in yourself. Wrestle every position,” Eisenhour said on what he learned from last year’s state tournament after he didn’t medal.

Williamson standout Zander Wilson is 38-4 and the sophomore is one of the top four seeds in the field at 114. He will compete against either Mason Gregor of Cathedral Prep (30-13) or Tucker Smith of Everett (35-10). He’s one of two area wrestlers competing at 114.

Montgomery’s Gabe Oberheim reached 50 wins this year (50-7) and is set to face Brookville’s Cody Householder (39-5) in a battle of freshmen in the first round.

Montgomery’s Liam Seely is seeded in the 121 field and the Red Raider (38-3) will face Penns Valley sophomore Max Dinges (43-4). The winner will ikely face Hickory sophomore Elijah Scriven, one of the top four seeds who will be awaiting a first-round opponent.

Also from the area is North Penn-Liberty’s Bryce Pequignot at 114, who is on the same side of the bracket as Seeley. Pequignot (33-5) faces Tussey Mountain’s Dakota Santamaria.

Warrior Run’s Chase Wirnsberger (36-12) will wrestle Avonworth senior Auston Kosanovic (41-8) in the first round in the 127 field. Montgomery’s Carden Wagner, a senior who’s 42-11, faces another 40-plus win wrestler in BUrrell senior Cameron Baker (41-4) in the first round.

At 133, Lewisburg’s Landon Michaels (43-12) will wrestle against Bishop McCort’s Austin Carfley. For Michaels, this is his first-ever appearance in the state tournament after missing the last three seasons.

“It means a lot because coming up short the past two years here and all the hard work in the offseason summer and fall it finally paid off and I finally got the job done here,” Michaels said.

Also on Michaels’ side of the bracket is Sullivan County junior Andrew Kapec (34-9), who has a first-round matchup against McGuffey’s Lucas Barr (47-5). Trinity’s Will Detar is the top seed in the field with a 43-1 record and the second seed is Mifflinburg stud Bradley Wagner (46-2).

Muncy freshman Chase Boozer is hoping to keep his outstanding varsity debut going and make a run at 139. He’s 42-3 and will compete against either Trinity freshman Carter Kinard or Chestnut Ridge junior Trenden Willey in the first round. The top seed at 139 is Bishop McDevitt standout Camden Baum (32-2).

Montoursville sophomore Kaden Kleinman took fourth at regionals and the sophomore (37-19) has a first-round matchup vs. Carter Katus of Burgettstown and the winner faces Baum.

In the 152 bracket, Lewisburg’s Landen Wagner (43-5) will wrestle against General McLane’s Clay Kimmy (43-6). Montgoemry’s Trace Furman has a pig-tail matchup against McGuffey’s Victor Bonus. The winner has a tough draw against top-seeded Hudson Hohman of Grove City (41-2).

At 160, Warrior Run’s Reagan Milheim — ranked No. 2 in the state — is having an unbelievable season at 49-0. Coach Jeremy Betz noted that even though Milheim is already wrestling at an elite level, he’s still finding ways to get better. Expect to see Milheim wrestle his best this weekend.

The only wrestler ranked ahead of Milheim is Bishop McCort’s Melvin Miller, the top seed with a 50-1 record.

Milheim will face either General McLane’s Peter Sadchikov or Quaker Valley’s Matt Danna. Canton’s Carson Rockwell is on the top portion of the bracket and faces Zac Tuberville of Slippery Rock.

Montoursville’s Gage Wentzel is the top seed at 172 and is 45-2. The Warrior has never won state gold and came a win shy last year after taking silver. He’s motivated this year to claim a title for the first time in his final run.

“God gave me a vision for a reason,” Wentzel said about the chance to cap his career with a gold medal. “I just wanna go out there and capitalize on it. What I can do is go out there and pray for God to give me the abilities and he’s given me a lot of abilities. I’m very blessed to have the abilities that I have.”

Wentzel faces either Tri Valley’s Hunter Updegrave or Penns Valley’s Brayden Lisowski.

Max Wirnsberger of Warrior Run is also in the 172 field and the Defender (41-4) will face Meyersdale’s Cooper Porter (38-9) in the first round.

Montoursville’s Hayden Harvey is 44-2 this year and the Warrior will face either CJ Pensiero of Bishop McCort or Tulpehocken’s Troy Ruffner in the first round.

Harvey is glad to be at the state tournament this year as a junior. It’s his second time at states after he didn’t medal last year.

“It means so much to me,” Harvey said of qualifying. “I thank the Lord for everything he’s blessed me with. I’m ready to go out there and compete at states and show everyone how much I improved since last year.”

Warrior Run’s Noah Johnson (42-14) faces Casey Wilson of Laurel (42-4) in the first round at 285 and Northeast Class AA Regional champion Luke Sottolano (42-2), a senior, faces either Glendale’s Daniel Williams or Biglerville’s Ryan Bungard.

CLASS AAA

Central Mountain’s Patrick Tarantella, a junior, is 36-11 and has a pig-tail matchup at 133. The Wildcat will face Wilson’s Charlie Griffin (36-17) wtih the winner advancing to face Downingtown West’s Brayden Sigle (34-6).

Junior Aiden Kunes of Central Mountain is 38-2 this year and has been wrestling great throughout the season. He has a first-round matchup against Souderton junior Dominic Ramos (39-6). Kunes, who’s committed to wrestle at the US Air Force Academy, has been to states twice previously, but has yet to medal and is hoping this year is different.

Jersey Shore’s Louden Spotts, a sophomore, advanced out of a tough Northeast Class AAA Regional tournament as a bronze medalist to secure a spot at states and is set for Thursday’s competition.

The Bulldog is 32-10 and has a first-round matchup against Franklin Regional’s Michael Ruane (44-4). The winner will likely face top-seeded Luke Knox of Perkiomen Valley (42-2).

Spotts is the Bulldogs’ lone wrestler to qualify.