The Chartiers Valley wrestling team had three wrestlers earn places at the Powerade Christmas Tournament last year. New coach Mike Macy believes the 2007 Colts are capable of matching, if not improving, on last year's finish.

"It's a grueling weekend," said Macy, referring to the 42-teams entered in this year's tournament that gets underway tomorrow morning at Canon-McMillan High School.

"Powerade is one of the top tournaments in the country. Our guys are definately in for some great competition. Our goal is to have at least three, and hopefully four or five, placewinners."

Chartiers Valley tied for 20th in the team standings last year. The Colts top finisher was Matt Wilps, who was third at 189.

"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 from the Harrisburg area was second at the Beast of the East tournament earlier this season. It has two returning Powerade champions in 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.

Other WPIAL teams in the field are Albert Gallatin, Belle Vernon, Burgettstown, Burrell, Canon-McMillan, Chartiers-Houston, Connellsville, Derry, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, McGuffey, Mount Pleasant, Penn-Trafford, Shady Side Academy, South Side Beaver, Trinity, Waynesburg, West Allegheny, West Greene.

The consolation finals Saturday are scheduled for 5 p.m. with champiomship matches set for 7:30 p.m.

• Bethel Park, Brashear, Keystone Oaks, McKeesport, Mt. Lebanon, South Allegheny, Steel Valley, Thomas Jefferson and West Mifflin are entered in the 36th annual Steve DeAugustino Holiday Classic at West Mifflin High School. The action begins tomorrow morning and concludes Saturday night.

Also entered in the 22-team field are: Ambridge, Bermudian Springs, Carlisle, Carlynton, Hampton, Langley, Laurel Highlands, Penn Hills, Perry, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shaler and Washington.

The host Titans have a pair of returning champions in Sam Sherlock and James Fleming, who won at 125 and 145, respectively. Fleming is a two-time PIAA placewinner and both return at the same weight.

Two other returning champions are South Allegheny's Dean Viehl, and Brashear's Joshua Perri.

"Bermudian Springs won the team title last year and should be the favorite again this year," Southmoreland coach Mike May said. "They had six kids in the finals last year and five are back."

• Baldwin is entered in the 22-team Southmoreland tournament, which began this morning and concludes tomorrow night.

The other 21 teams are: Avonworth, Bentworth, Blackhawk, Blairsville, Cambria Heights, Central Cambria, Charleroi, Forest Hills, Fox Chapel, Gateway, Greenville, Meyersdale, Norwin, Ligonier Valley, Northern Bedford, Riverview, Southern Garrett, Southmoreland, Uniontown, Valley and West Branch.

Eight of those teams have produced at least one Southmoreland Classic individual winner. 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.

Jefferson-Morgan's Brian Scritchfield, South Side Beaver's Dominick Demor and Cambria Heights' Glenn Winslow are also returning champions.

• Peters Township is entered in the Wheeling Park Duals, which began today and finishes tomorrow night. Other WPIAL teams entered in the 32-team field are Central Catholic, Hopewell, Mars, Montour, North Hills, Plum and Ringgold.

"It's brutal," Peters Township coach Dale Murdock said of the duals.

"Nine matches in two days is a lot of wrestling in a short period of time. It may be tough on the kids, but it's just what we need."