Seeding is helpful. It’s far from a guarantee.

The WPIAL Class AAA Wrestling Tournament gets under way at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Canon McMillan High School. Seven of Butler’s eight wrestlers are seeded among the top eight of their respective weight classes. Seneca Valley has a pair of seeded wrestlers among its seven qualifiers.

“I tell our kids .. It’s the WPIAL tournament and anything can happen,” SV coach Kevin Wildrick said. “I’ve seen non-seeded wrestlers get through. You just have to show up ready to do battle.

“None of these matches are easy.”

Butler freshman 107-pounder Santino Sloboda (34-0) — who won all three of his matches in the Northern Sectional by technical fall — is the No. 1 seed in his weight class. Seneca Valley’s Connor Smith (26-6) and Tyler Chappell (27-5) are seeded No. 2 at 114 and 127 pounds, respectively.

Smith dominated his first two sectional matches before fighting his way to a 3-0 decision in the 114-pound final. Chappell enters the tournament as a four-time sectional champion.

The top four placers in each weight class advance to the PIAA Championships at Hershey’s Giant Center the following weekend.

“I like both of their chances going in,” Wildrick said. “Still, they’ll have to earn it.”

Sloboda has defeated every other ranked 107-pound WPIAL wrestler handily this season — with the exception of Canon McMillan junior Tanner Mizenko (34-8 with 22 pins). Mizenko is seeded No. 2 in the tourney.

“Kids that (Mizenko) has beaten in competitive matches, Santino’s defeated in lopsided fashion,” Butler coach Scott Stoner said. “Santino’s style is so funky and different. He’s hard to prepare for. But you can stumble against anybody in this tournament.

“We’re going up against some of the best wrestling programs and coaches in the country Friday and Saturday.”

Sloboda is trying to get through the WPIAL tourney with a perfect record. If he does so, he will join Golden Tornado Hall of Famer Cole Baxter in that accomplishment.

“We’ve had a kid do it before. Santino is every bit as dominant this year as Cole was then,” Stoner said. “You figure ... he (Sloboda) scored 49 points (in the Northern Sectional) and gave up one. That’s crazy.”

Butler’s other seeded wrestlers this weekend are No. 7 Kase Chopp (21-7) at 139, No. 5 Levi Donnel (32-4) at 160, No. 6 Matt Zinkhann (29-10) at 172, No. 6 Mickey Kreinbucher (27-7) at 189, No. 8 Landon Christie (24-12) at 215 and No. 5 Ethan Babay (31-9) at 285. Gavin Rush (24-11) will be competing at 133.

“I remember years where we’d get one or two kids down there and they were at the bottom of the list,” Stoner said. “This shows we’ve grown.”

Other Seneca Valley WPIAL qualifiers are Jack Tofanelli (13-15) at 121, Zach Hill (19-10) at 133, Jacob Eubanks (17-16) at 152, Corey Wolfe (14-15) at 160) and Thomas Wuycheck (13-16) at 215.

Mars has one WPIAL qualifier. Rocco Darocy (14-12) will compete in the pigtail round at 139 pounds.

The WPIAL is placing wrestlers first through eighth this year. Though the top four are the only ones moving on, matches will take place for fifth-sixth place and seventh-eighth place.

“It’s as great wrinkle they’ve added in,” Wildrick said. “Kids should have a chance to place in a tournament like this, even if they don’t go to states. Placing among the top eight at WPIALs is an achievement that should be recognized.”

Stoner agreed.

“This provides kids more opportunity to compete, to earn a place,” he said. “They work hard all year and deserve to see if they can earn a placement. It’s a good thing to build from for next year.”

The quarterfinal round takes place Friday night, along with the first round of consolations. The semifinal round begins at 11:30 a.m Saturday with the final round slated to begin at 3:30 p.m.