Prep wrestling: Region tournament preview

All are Friday and Saturday. Wrestling begins at noon on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday, with the championship and consolation finals scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m.

3A-2 at Brandon

LOCAL TEAMS: Bloomingdale, Brandon, Durant, East Bay, Newsome, Plant, Plant City, Riverview, Tampa Bay Tech, Wiregrass Ranch, Alonso, Chamberlain, Freedom, Gaither, Steinbrenner, Wharton

NEED TO KNOW: Arguably the toughest region in the state, the field features not only Hillsborough County powers Brandon and Durant but also Kissimmee Osceola and Palm Harbor, both considered among the state's top Class 3A squads this season. The host Eagles, who had 12 individual district champs last week, have enough firepower to win the team title behind senior standouts Clark Glass, Rossi Bruno and Kyle Koziel and should qualify the bulk of their lineup for next week's state tournament. It will be interesting to see how many other local wrestlers can punch their ticket to Lakeland with a top-four finish in their respective weight in this stacked field. Wharton's Tyler Liberatore, Plant City's William Joyce and Durant's Richard Woods (285), each of whom have won county and district titles in consecutive weeks, are among the frontrunners to do so.

2A-3 at Punta Gorda Charlotte

LOCAL TEAMS: Armwood, Blake, Hillsborough, Jesuit, King, Lennard, Sickles, Strawberry Crest, Jefferson, Leto

NEED TO KNOW: Jesuit had a strong showing to win the District 9 team championship, with three wrestlers claiming individual titles, among them 2011 state placers Wyatt Roop and Christian Dominguez. While the Tigers appear to be the best bet among the local teams to challenge for the overall crown, they'll have their work cut out for them against a field that includes Fort Myers Riverdale and host Charlotte, both considered among the state's top five teams in Class 2A, and Naples Palmetto Ridge. Returning state placers Ben Richards of Hillsborough and Damen Patisaul of Strawberry Crest, both of whom won district titles last week, are among the locals who will vie to keep their individual state title dreams alive.

1A-3 at Naples Golden Gate

LOCAL TEAMS: Berkeley Prep, Carrollwood Day, Middleton, Robinson, Spoto, Tampa Bay Christian, Tampa Prep, Wesley Chapel, Gulf, Ridgewood

NEED TO KNOW: This region appears wide open, with each of the four districts in the field decided by narrow margins last week. Two-time defending 1A state champion Gulf, which produced a meet-high five individual champions but finished second to Clearwater Central Catholic in District 10, should be among the local teams in the hunt Also vying for the title will be Wesley Chapel and Robinson, which finished 1-2 in District 9 after combining for eight individual champions. Seniors Eric Franklin of Spoto and Eric Bach of Tampa Prep, both state placers last season, are among the local individuals trying to earn a return trip to Lakeland, while Tampa Bay Christian eighth-grader Kyle Norstrem, an impressive 33-1 this season, is a frontrunner to reach the state tournament.