Defending WPIAL champions Hempfield and Burrell are two of 22 WPIAL teams entered in the Powerade Christmas Tournament that begins tomorrow at Canon-McMillan High School.

"The Powerade Tournament is one of the strongest tournaments in the country," Burrell coach Chris Como said. "It's a challenge we look forward to every year."

Hempfield finished second last year, while Burrell finished sixth.

"We have 42 teams again this year," tournament director Frank Vulcano, Jr. said.

"Central Dauphin has to be considered a heavy favorite to win the team title. Central Dauphin finished second at the Beast of the East Tournament two weeks ago."

Central Dauphin from the Harrisburg area placed fourth in last year's Powerade event and have two returning Powerade champions -- Marshall Peppelman (130) and his brother Walt (140).

The Peppelman brothers are two of six returning Powerade champions. The others are: Penn-Trafford's Shane Young, Hempfield's Nico Cortese, Sam Rakes of Christiansburg, Va., and Adam Thomas of Parkersburg, W.Va.

The other WPIAL entries in the field are: Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Burgettstown, Canon-McMillan, Chartiers-Houston, Chartiers Valley, Connellsville, Derry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Latrobe, McGuffey, Mount Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Shady Side Academy, South Side Beaver, Trinity, Waynesburg, West Allegheny, and West Greene.

The consolation finals are 5 p.m. Saturday with championship matches at 7:30 p.m.

• Kiski Area is entered in the 38th annual Manheim Central tournament that begins today and concludes tomorrow.

Also entered in the 14-team field are: Bald Eagle Area, Central Mountain, Cumberland Valley, Easton, Erie Cathedral Prep, J.W. Robinson, Lower Dauphin, Manheim Central, Neshaminy, North Allegheny, Reynolds, Shikellamy and Upper Perkiomen.

The Manheim tournament last year featured one of its closest battles for the team title, as only 25¹/₂ points separated the top six finishers. Easton claimed its eighth consecutive team title with a five-point victory against Bald Eagle, while Kiski Area finished sixth.

Kiski Area senior Tony Clark is one of eight returning individual champions. Clark won at 135 last year and is competing at 145 this season. The other seven returning Manheim tournament champions are: Easton's Kegan Handlovic and Jordan Oliver, Central Mountain twins Dylan and Andrew Altone Alton, Cumberland Valley's Mike Evans, Bald Eagle Area's Quentin Wright and Manheim Central's Jordan Enck.

• McKeesport and Penn Hills are entered in the 36th annual Steve DeAugustino Holiday Classic at West Mifflin High School. It gets underway tomorrow morning and concludes Saturday night.

Also entered in the 22-team field are: Ambridge, Bermudian Springs, Bethel Park, Brashear, Carlisle, Carlynton, Hampton, Keystone Oaks, Langley, Laurel Highlands, Mt. Lebanon, Perry, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Thomas Jefferson, Washington and West Mifflin.

The host Titans have a pair of returning champions in Sam Sherlock and James Fleming, who won at 125 and 145, respectively. Both return at the same weight.

South Allegheny's Dean Viehl and Brashear's Joshua Perri are also returning champions.

• Gateway, Norwin, Riverview and Valley are entered in the 22-team Southmoreland tournament, which began today and concludes tomorrow night.

The other 18 teams are: Avonworth, Baldwin, Bentworth, Blackhawk, Blairsville, Cambria Heights, Central Cambria, Charleroi, Forest Hills, Fox Chapel, Greenville, Meyersdale, Ligonier Valley, Northern Bedford, Southern Garrett, Southmoreland, Uniontown and West Branch.

Eight of those schools have produced at least one Southmoreland individual champion. Norwin's Mike Salopek is a three-time finalist and two-time champion. He placed second at 145 in 2004, then won titles at 160 and 189 the past two years.

Jefferson-Morgan's Ethan Virgili is a two-time finalist and one time champion, both at 189. Salopek, Virgili and Charleroi's David Grillo won titles in 2005. Grillo finished seventh at 171 last year.

Forest Hills has a pair of returning champions. Dave Fogle and Tom McVicker claimed titles at 112 and 119, respectively, last season. Other returning champions are: Jefferson-Morgan's Brian Scritchfield, South Side Beaver's Dominick Demor and Cambria Heights' Glenn Winslow.

• Plum and Central Catholic are entered in the Wheeling Park Duals, which began today and conclude tomorrow night. Other WPIAL teams entered in the 32-team field are: Hopewell, Mars, Montour, North Hills, Peters Township and Ringgold. Each team will wrestle eight, possibly nine, matches in two days.