Get into the top four, get to Hershey.

That is the mindset for 20 Butler County wrestlers as the WPIAL Class 3A Tournament takes place Friday and Saturday at Canon-McMillan High School. The top four placers in each weight class advance to the state tournament the following weekend.

“It’s a big event and a big stage,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said of the WPIAL tourney. “We’ve got two freshmen and two sophomores among our (12) kids heading down there. Getting a chance to experience this tournament as a younger wrestler definitely helps in the development for next year.”

The Golden Tornado have four seeded wrestlers. Levi Donnel (30-3) is seeded fourth at 145 pounds, Mickey Kreinbucher (29-8) sixth at 172, Jake Pomykata (25-5) sixth at heavyweight and section champion Domenic Vivirito (26-9) eighth at 138.

Donnel, Kreinbucher and Pomykata were all runner-ups in the section tourney.

“Dom’s seed is a little low for a section champion, but the WPIAL weighs a lot of things in its seeding process,” Stoner said. “Two returning state-placers may have to face each other in section, things like that. Dom does have a couple of bad losses this year and that factors into the seeding.

“Levi has our best won-loss record, but he lost twice to the No. 1 seed (Ty Watters of West Allegheny) this year and his other loss is to the third-seeded kid. He’s seeded about where we figured.”

Pomykata lost to Joey Schneck of Pine-Richland in the section finals. Schneck wound up with the No. 4 seed at the WPIAL tourney.

“If Jake wins that (section final), her’s probably seeded third or fourth right now,” Stoner said. “He has beaten the Pine-Richland kid this season, so he’s certainly capable of getting through this bracket.”

Three of Seneca Valley’s four WPIAL wrestlers are seeded. Defending champion Tyler Chappell (29-4) is No. 1 at 113 pounds. Undefeated Liam Volk-Klos (18-0) is third at 215 and Connor Smith (26-6) fourth at 106.

“Tyler’s goal is obviously to repeat as WPIAL champion,” SV coach Kevin Wildrick said. “But this is never easy. There are tough wrestlers in every weight class.But he’s matured as a wrestler and knows what he has to do.

“Liam’s got a bye early, but he’s one of those guys who would rather get on the mat right away and keep wrestling. Some kids like the break, others prefer to stay busy. I like the chances for all three of these kids.”

Mars has four WPIAL qualifiers, most notably fourth-seeded Christian Scheller (19-3) at 172. A section champion, Scheller is seeded behind Rocco Welsh of Waynesburg, Matthew Furman of Canon-McMillan and Logan Hoffman of Belle Vernon.

“He’s in a tough weight class with a lot of top-level talent,” Mars coach Bob Jox said. “The goal is to finish among the top four. This is one of the toughest tournaments there is.”

Among the Planets’ other WPIAL qualifiers are freshman Liam Hein at 126 and sophomore Riley Lefcakis at heavyweight.

“Those guys have been getting better all year,” Jox said. “I’m anxious to see how they do in this tournament.”

The tournament gets underway with pigtail and preliminary round matches at 5 p.m. Friday. Quarterfinals and first-round consolations are at 7:30 p.m.

Action resumes Saturday with second-round consolations at 10 a.m., semifinals and third-round consolations at 11:30 a.m., fourth-round consolations at 1:30 p.m. The consolation and championship finals begin at 4 p.m.

WPIAL 3A Tournament

Opening Matches (number indicates seeds)

106 pounds-Ana Malovich (Butler) vs. Tanner Mizenko (Canon-McMillan); 4-Connor Smith (Seneca Valley) vs. Charlie Colantonio (Central Catholic)

113-1-Tyler Chappell (Seneca Valley), bye; Kelley Schaukowitsch (Butler) vs. Nico Sarnic (Franklin Regional)

120-Gavin Rush (Butler) vs. James Anderson (South Fayette)

126-Liam Hein (Mars) vs. Aden Stout (Bethel Park); Kase Chopp (Butler) vs. 6-Hayden Coy (Penn-Trafford)

132-Legend Wilkinson (Butler) vs. A.J. McGarrity (Peters Township)

138-8-Domenic Vivirito (Butler) vs. Logan Bechtold (Kiski Area)

145-4-Levi Donnel (Butler), bye; Jaden Fotta (Mars) vs. Cordan McDonnell (Bethel Park)

152-Cade Savochka (Butler) vs. 6-Mark Gray (Kiski Area)

160-Matt Zinkhann (Butler) vs. Austin Hoffman (Belle Vernon)

172-Manuel Santos (Seneca Valley) vs. Ty Shields (Upper St. Clair); 4-Christian Scheller (Mars), bye; 6-Mickey Kreinbucher (Butler) vs. Trevor Katz (Fox Chapel)

189-Landon Christie (Butler) vs. George Shultz (Connellsville)

215-3-Liam Volk-Klos (Seneca Valley), bye

285-Riley Lefcakis (Mars) vs. Zachary Werner (McKeesport); 6-Jake Pomykata (Butler) vs. Tyler Gallis (Connellsville)