Penn State wrestling is the most dominant program in college sports in the present.
But what about the future?
While this year’s PSU squad is going for its second straight Big Ten title, several parts of the program’a future will be competing at the PIAA championships, which begin Thursday and run through Saturday in Hershey.
Here’s who to watch.
MASON GIBSON, BISHOP MCCOURT
As a true freshman, Gibson was a state runner-up. Three seasons later, that’d still the closest he’s been to a state title. Hindered by injuries, Gibson didn’t wrestle at all on 2021-22 and only had six bouts the next season, none of which coming in postseason tournaments. But now, Gibson’s ready to go. He’s 44-5 in his senior year with first-place finishes at the district and regional championships. Now, he’s competing for gold in arguably America’s premier high school wrestling state. Gibson will be wrestling in the 133-pound class headlined by Montgomery’s Brandt Harer, who’s 50-0 this season as just a sophomore.
PENN STATE WRESTLING: BROCK WEISS, JERSEY SHORE
Gibson and Weiss have plenty of similarities. They’re both going for their first state championship. They both have been state finalists before, and they both missed out on last year’s state tournament, with Weiss missing the district championships due to not making weight. Weiss has won his last 59 matches, going 29-0 last season and being 30-0 at the start of this year. He’ll be competing at the 139-pound class. He has a possible meeting with another Penn State commit.
PENN STATE WRESTLING; DALTON PERRY, CENTRAL MOUNTAIN
Perry, a Class of 2025 prospect, is looking to reclaim his status as state champion. He won states as a true freshman but fell to third last season. For the kid from Central Mountain to get back to the top of the mountain, he might have to go through fellow PSU commit Weiss and No. 1 Maddox Shaw, a WPIAL star from Thomas Jefferson.
TY WATSON, PENNS VALLEY
Competing at 152, Watson’s coming off consecutive sixth-place finishes at states. He’s 35-5 this season. Penns Valley is located in Spring Hills, PA, half an hour away from Penn State. The class of 2024 recruit is also a star football player as a running back and kicker, becoming Centre County’s all-time leading scorer in October.
ASHER CUNNINGHAM, STATE COLLEGE
The son of longtime Penn State wrestling assistant Casey Cunningham, Asher committed to Penn State over the summer. The Class of 2025 prospect finished eighth at states as a freshman and improved to fourth last spring. This season, he’s 33-1, with his lone loss coming in a 4-3 decision to Aaron Stewart, who’s from Illinois. That loss took place in December at the Walsh Ironman. Cunningham won’t have to worry about Stewart at the PIAA Tournament, but he might have to worry about Conner Harer. Montgomery’s Harer, ranked No. 4, is the only other nationally-ranked wrestler at 157, with Cunningham being No. 14.
