After looking at the breakdown of District 3-AA sectionals, there is only one question that needs to be asked.
Aren't we done with this yet?
Initially, I thought dividing the 26 Class AA teams into two sections instead of three was a good idea. But after seeing the breakdown, it becomes even clearer that this should be a Class AAA weekend showcase only.
Does anyone else see the problem with putting Bermudian Springs, Biglerville and Boiling Springs in the same section at Susquenita High School? These aren't just the three best teams in the district, they are among the top 10 in the state.
In this case, district officials sacrificed equality for geography. And it screams even louder for the District 3-AA postseason to kick off next week at Hersheypark Arena.
Lopsided may be an understatement when you compare the Hamburg section with the one held in the Blackhawks' Den.
Thirty five wrestlers in our district rankings will travel up Route 11-15 to Duncannon. Only 21 will make the trip to Berks County. If you look at state rankings, 27 wrestlers are at Susquenita and 13 at Hamburg.
A more suitable exhibition for this weekend would be the Eagles, Canners and Bubblers against a District 3-AA All Star team. I'll take the E-C-B Brawlers.
We get the geography issue with dividing up the field. It doesn't make sense sending Schuylkill Valley to Susquenita or Hanover to Hamburg just to make the sections equal. For that matter, making the Bubblers travel down Interstate-78 is just dumb.
That doesn't change the fact that the current procedure has the potential to violate one of the districts biggest mantras: Getting the best wrestlers to regionals and states.
The district will argue that the top six from each section will qualify for districts and that no good wrestler will be left behind. That isn't the point.
Section champs are separated as our section runner-ups. But the rest of district field is filled in according to pattern bracketing and, therefor, a kid that was in a loaded weight is more likely to be slotted in a bad spot.
Seven weight classes at Susquenita feature three of the top four wrestlers in the district rankings. There is a higher probability that the third-place finisher at those weights could beat the Hamburg sectional winner.
For his year-long efforts, he receives a tougher road at districts. More disturbing is that it will likely follow him throughout the postseason. All of this because of sectional inequality.
You don't have that problem if you drop the unnecessary Class AA sectionals and start district competition Thursday.
Schedule weigh-ins for 4 or 4:30 p.m. with wrestling starting one hour later. Kids won't miss much school, and sectional alignment is eliminated.
Problem solved.
Some coaches will still complain. The gripes will range from the long layoff between the regular season and the individual postseason for teams that don't make district duals as well as getting extra matches for their kids.
I doubt seriously that four extra days – the time between sectionals and a Thursday start – will make much difference. Besides, there are a number of teams that schedule dual meets between the end of the season and the individual postseason.
As for the extra matches, the kids that lose at sectionals will get the same number of matches at districts. The better wrestlers that move on normally compete 10 months out of the year, and two, three and four extra bouts aren't going to matter.
There will be a backlash from a group of coaches regardless of the process. Especially the traditionalists. But they aren't happy now and the irony is that the current two-sectional system was suggested by a number of coaches.
Now, they are dissatisfied and rightly so. The only alternatives are going back to three sectionals and having your district bracket lined with kids that have losing records or skip sectionals and go right to districts.
We vote for the latter.
Not only is it easier, it solves all the current problems and is the best move for the integrity of the sport.
NOTES
Central Dauphin's Zach Bentz will not compete in the postseason. The Rams 132-pounder broke his finger and had two screws put in this week. He wrestled with the injury during CD's loss to Canon-McMillan in the state finals, dropping an 8-1 decision.
Biglerville head coach Bob Gano has announced his retirement at the end of the season. West Perry's Roger Austin and Red Land's Craig Helmuth will also call it a career after the individual postseason.
ELLIOTT ON TWITTER: @jelliottpnco