The high school wrestling season came to an end Saturday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania’s individual state tournaments in the AAA and AA classifications reached their final rounds, and as usual, the WPIAL was well represented.

Six wrestlers from the WPIAL reached the AAA finals, and a trio were winners: Canon McMillan’s Connor Schram at 103 lbs., Derry Area’s Jimmy Gulibon at 112, and Franklin Regional’s Nico Megaludis at 119 made a clean sweep of the three opening weight classes. Gulibon and Megaludis — a Penn State recruit — were repeat champs, and all will return in 2010-2011 to defend their titles.

Unfortunately, the WPIAL’s three silver medalists ran into buzz saws. Central Catholic’s Lorenzo Thomas lost at 140 lbs. to the nation’s No. 1-ranked wrestler at the weight, Josh Kindig. West Allegheny’s Aaron McKinney lost to another No. 1, Andrew Alton at 145, as did West A’s Troy Reaghard at 160 to Marshall Peppleman.

But with that slight disappointment comes hope for the future for Pittsburghers. The Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, billed as the Rose Bowl of wrestling, comes to the University of Pittsburgh’s Fitzgerald Field House on Saturday, March 20. And the team of Pennsylvania all-stars that will face off against the best amateur wrestlers in the United States can be stacked with an unprecedented number of blue-chip recruits.

Only senior wrestlers are eligible to participate in Classic XXXVI, and the class of 2010 features a murderer’s row from 135 to 160. The Pennsylvania lineup will consist of a mix of AAA and AA wrestlers. After the PIAA tournament results, a hypothetical roster could look like this:

112: David White, Athens
119: Anthony Marino, Liberty
125: Mitchell Port, Bellefonte
130: Joe Spisak, Boiling Springs
135: Josh Dziewa, Council Rock South
140: Josh Kindig, Blue Mountain
145: Andrew Alton, Central Mountain
152: Dylan Alton, Central Mountain
160: Marshall Peppleman, Central Dauphin
171: Eric Hess, Benton
189: Jamie Callendar, Council Rock North
215: Spencer Myers, Selinsgrove
285: Evan Craig, Abington Heights